Background

Five leading property bodies have formed an alliance to tackle major property issues in a more co-ordinated way while retaining their separate identities and roles.

The members of the Property Industry Alliance (PIA) are the British Council for Offices (BCO), British Council of Shopping Centres (BCSC), British Property Federation (BPF), Investment Property Forum (IPF) and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

The PIA has a number of sub-groups including:

• REITs Strategy Group;
• Research Committee;
• Green Property Alliance; and
• Debt Group

The formation of the Property Industry Alliance gives the commercial property sector a stronger voice on issues where greater coherence can make a difference.

In 2009 the PIA published a short document providing salient facts and data on the contribution the property industry makes to the economy. This can be downloaded by clicking here.

Terms of reference

To work together to promote a coherent, accurate and well founded view of the UK’s commercial property industry to all stakeholders and to ensure that the contribution of property both to the economy and to the personal wealth of British citizens is fully understood.

• To respond where possible in a co-ordinated fashion to Government proposals and initiatives.
• To encourage efficiency and minimise duplication in service provision between existing representative bodies.
• To encourage best practice.
• To achieve greater coordination in setting research agendas, to collaborate on research projects where there is mutual benefit and to ensure better dissemination of research findings.