McGuireWoods London real estate partner Callum Hassall was quoted in Property Week discussing the potential impact on the property industry of relocating executive government functions to the North of England.
U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham plans to move some functions of his No. 10 Downing Street office from London to Manchester. In the July 21, 2026, Property Week article, Hassall commented on how shifting political power away from London could reshape investment patterns across the country.
“In a very centralised country, where power sits physically impacts not only where decisions are made but where investors go, because that’s where the focus is,” Hassall said. “If that story is no longer only London-centric, then that will have an impact on where overseas investors look to place themselves in the future.”
Hassall also underscored the practical real estate implications, noting that “being able to relocate some power to a No. 10 North means people will be thinking about looking for space. It will have an impact on requirements for new housing, offices, retail and leisure.”
Hassall pointed to financial services firm BNY taking 200,000 square feet at 4 Angel Square in 2024 as evidence of the momentum already building in the regional office market.
Hassall advises on commercial real estate transactions across a broad range of property types, including retirement living and care homes, industrial and logistics facilities, hotels, offices, and large-scale mixed-use developments. He is recognized as an “Up and Coming” partner in Chambers U.K. and is listed as a recommended lawyer in the Legal 500 U.K.