Irish investors make a mark on UK mall market

The flow of capital across the Irish Sea is continuing unabated, according to research from CB Richard Ellis Gunne.

The study shows that Irish investors are becoming major players in the UK shopping centre investment market.

The agent calculates that Irish buyers spent more than EUR1.26 billion (£839.9 million) on UK property in the year to June. It also says 51 per cent of Irish money is going on retail investments, compared with 35 per cent on office property, 12 per cent on mixed-use properties, and just 2 per cent in the industrial and leisure sectors.

CB Richard Ellis Gunne research director Marie Hunt said she expected Irish investment in the UK to reach EUR2.5 billion (£1.66 billion) this year.

'This represents a fourfold increase in investment spend in the UK market since 2000, and matches the level of spend in 2003,' said Hunt. 'This demand is primarily driven by the availability of good-quality investment product in the UK, against a severe lack of product in Ireland.'