LONDON-Bracknell Forest Borough Council has unveiled its new proposals for the redevelopment of Bracknell Town Centre. Following an abortive attempt to create a 1 million sf-plus regional mall in the town, the council how proposes a slimmed-down scheme.

LONDON-The proposed London Tram system linking the inner suburbs of north and south London could create 12 million sf of new office development opportunities and create almost 80,000 new jobs according to DTZ Pieda Consulting

LONDON-The Prudential Assurance Company has become the latest company to sign a pre-letting at Development Securities' PaddingtonCentral development in central London. The financial services giant will take 38,729 sf in a building due for completion in August 2002.

LONDON-Out-of-town retail investor Grantchester Holdings has continued its disposals programme with the sale of four retail parks to Henderson Global Investors.

LONDON-Purchases from the Dutch investors Rodamco and Wereldehave have bought Hammerson major shopping malls in Leicester and Paris. In Leicester, Hammerson has formed a joint venture with fund manager Hermes to buy the 515,000-sf Shires centre and in Paris it has extended its holdings in the 900,000-sf Parinor scheme.

LONDON-Fashion designer Paul Smith has bought a 30,000-sf Covent garden headquarters from the beleaguered electronics group Marconi. But it will still retain a presence in its home town of Nottingham.

FRANKFURT-News that Germany is officially in recession ha added to the gloom surrounding the major office markets. Frankfurt, Hamburg and Munich saw near-record levels of take-up in 2001 but agents hold out little hope of a repeat performance in 2002.

LONDON-Resolution Property is on the acquisitions trail after a new cash injection from its long term institutional backer Warburg Pincus. Its first purchase is a portfolio of five retail parks in Sweden.