Arcadis, an international consultancy company focused on building industry, environment and sustainable growth, summarised the current development on the Czech industrial property market in the context of the second wave of coronavirus pandemic.

Seven experts discussed investment and financing strategies for the new normal at the online edition of Prague Property Forum 2020. How has the investment market changed in the last 6-8 months? What major changes have been observed in investment and financing preferences? We summarised the highlights of the discussion, moderated by Luke Dawson (Colliers International).

J&T INVESTMENTS SICAV, a fund created by the J&T financial group, has invested in logistics facilities in the Pardubice region. The complexes, which were built in 2009-2012, offer 35,000 square meters of warehouse space and are long-term leased to quality tenants.

During Q3 2020, gross take-up on the Czech industrial market reached 289,400 sqm which is a decrease of 21% year-on-year. Still, the vacancy rate decreased over the quarter. The Industrial Research Forum announced the industrial market figures for Q3 2020.

While in Poland over 20% of investors are favouring projects that have high ESG-related ratings (which is fourth highest figure globally), Hungary and the Czech Republic are the two countries with the highest share (over 40%) of respondents saying that ESG considerations play no role when they evaluate projects, according to the latest results of the RICS Global Commercial Property Monitor.

According to the latest Savills research, Prague’s office real estate market is fairly priced despite some minor outward prime yield movement during the first half of the year. This broader continent-wide outward yield movement has helped push the average yield spread between prime European offices and Eurozone government bonds to 325 basis points, more than 100 bps above the historic average.

P3 has signed an agreement with Vítkovice, a.s. and VTK NCA a.s. to buy 40 hectares of land in the Vítkovice area in Ostrava. Formerly known as Aglomerace, the area will be used by P3 to build an industrial and commercial district that will include production and storage warehouses, stores, showrooms, offices, and various other facilities. The overall design of the complex is being prepared in cooperation with architect David Kotek from the Ostrava-based Projektstudio.

CTP has expanded its Aš industrial park by acquiring building plots and a production facility. At CTPark Aš there are now two fully-leased halls, with a total area of almost 35,000 sqm. The completed park will offer clients a further 45,000 sqm of production space.

Tyre manufacturer Nexen Tire Europe is expanding its activities near Žatec. Besides its plant in the Triangle Strategic Industrial Zone, the company will lease from CTP an additional large warehouse at the neighbouring ctPark Žatec, from March 2021. The 12,000 m2 Central Distribution Warehouse will be constructed for supplying the whole European market with tyres manufactured by Nexen for passenger and commercial vehicles.

The impacts of COVID-19 are becoming visible on Prague’s office market with a rapid decrease of net demand and the postponement of several completions of new office projects. At the same time, the share of sublease deals within the total take-up increased from around 1% in previous quarters to 7%. The Prague Research Forum announced the office market figures for the third quarter of 2020.