Hi, my name is Mitch. I am an investigative journalist based in London who specialises in writing about business generally and the property industry specifically. I am currently the Investors’ Chronicle’s property reporter and the former news editor of Property Week. Below is some of my best work…
Exclusive: Home Reit tenant falls into administration due to ‘onerous leases’
September 2022 — My scoop on the collapse of one of Home Reit’s tenants — two months before the company confirmed the news.
The controversial Reit model delivering homes for the vulnerable
August 2022 — My original investigation on the ethical and financial issues with the business model used by Home Reit — three months before it became national and international news.
Is a ‘shed’ bubble emerging in the property sector?
April 2022 — A feature predicting the end of the warehouse boom. One week later, an Amazon profit warning caused a share price sell-off among the listed warehouse developers, and soon after that rising interest rates hit warehouse values even harder.
JLL ‘to separate its domestic operations in Russia’ following industry pressure
March 2022 — The final news story in a series I worked on with Adam Branson on the UK’s biggest property agencies’ Russian operations following Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. After a week of pushing the agencies and breaking the news on their decisions, the six biggest agencies had all pulled out of the country.
Daily Mail signs lease for refurbished HQ
December 2021 — A news story I broke that was followed up by City AM.
End justifies the means, says Insulate Britain spokesperson
November 2021 — My exclusive interview with Insulate Britain.
A property COP-out?
November 2021 — My first-person report on the property industry’s muted attendance at COP26.
Climate minister hints at inclusion of embodied carbon in Heat and Buildings Strategy
September 2021 — A news story I broke that was followed up by the BBC.
Are we sleepwalking into another Grenfell?
September 2021 — An investigation into the concerns raised by fire safety experts about modular construction.
GLP seals Magna Park MPS1 Amazon letting
August 2021 — A news story I broke that was followed up by The Guardian.
London councils cash in on CIL
March 2021 — An investigation into developer contributions to London local planning authorities.
The councils that PUT their trust in offshore
February 2021 — An investigation into local authorities investing in property through tax haven based trusts. In response to the investigation, a senior MP has written to the Treasury urging it to clamp down on the kind of spending behaviour the investigation uncovered.
The Epta Development Corporation (EDC) buys Avon site for £200m shed scheme
December 2020 — A news story I broke that was followed up by The Times.
Croydon council asks MHCLG for help with ‘revenue pressures’
September 2020 — A news story I broke that was followed up by The Financial Times.
Crime without punishment?
August 2020 — A joint byline feature on Russian money laundering in commercial property with Sebastian McCarthy.
UK government seeks 4m sq ft for Tesla ‘gigafactory’
May 2020 — A news story I broke which was followed up by The Times, The Independent, The Daily Mirror, The Next Web, Somerset Live, Gloucester Live, Autocar, Gizmodo and several other publications.
Circular capital
March 2020 — A feature on sustainability in Dutch commercial real estate which involved travelling to the Netherlands to report.
How Hirst changed Ilfracombe
February 2020 — A feature on Damien Hirst’s impact on Ilfracombe which involved travelling to Devon to report.
McDonald’s delivers its first UK ‘dark kitchen’
October 2019 — A news story I broke which was followed up by The Telegraph, iNews and Eater London.
Osaka means business
October 2019 — A feature on Osaka’s attempts to develop a world-beating business district which involved travelling to Japan to report.