As we move through 2025, East Anglia’s property market continues to demonstrate the hallmarks of quiet strength and pragmatic optimism. Ellisons’ Property Outlook Survey 2025 reveals a sector that has weathered national uncertainty and is now pursuing opportunity through resilience, regional focus, and a clear-eyed understanding of what sustainable growth looks like.
Financing and Planning Remain the Twin Hurdles
Respondents were near-unanimous about the main obstacles to growth: planning reform and access to finance continue to dominate the agenda.
Many described the planning system as “broken” or “slow beyond reason”, and concerns over borrowing costs remain widespread. These issues, taken together, continue to hold back development momentum, particularly in commercial investment and large-scale residential projects.
Yet the tone is far from negative. Most organisations plan to maintain or cautiously expand operations, reflecting both confidence in the fundamentals and a determination to capitalise on opportunities when conditions improve.
East Anglia’s Regional Strengths
What truly sets East Anglia apart is its underlying resilience and diversity.
From Ipswich and Colchester’s mixed-use regeneration to Norwich’s technology-driven growth and the logistics corridors along the A12 and A14, the region’s fundamentals remain robust. Respondents highlighted strong housing demand, new energy and infrastructure projects, and strategic transport improvements as key pillars of confidence.
The industrial and logistics sector remains particularly buoyant across Suffolk and north Essex, while residential development opportunities persist where planning aligns with local need. Many also see sustainability-led investment as a regional advantage, with East Anglia well placed to pioneer lower-carbon construction and repurposing of existing assets.
“The region’s long-term value is its balance; we’re not exposed to extremes. That’s why East Anglia continues to attract both local and institutional interest.” Survey respondent
Resilience and Realism Define the 2025 Market
If there’s a defining sentiment in this year’s findings, it’s measured determination. The sector has moved beyond the volatility of the past few years and into a phase of practical recalibration, investing selectively, watching the policy environment closely, and preparing to act when opportunities align.
“The appetite to grow is there, we just need the government to unlock it.” Common sentiment expressed by several respondents
Quote from Ellen Petersen, Head of Commercial Property at Ellisons
“Commercial property continues to show resilience because businesses are adapting faster than regulation. The demand for efficient, well-connected, and sustainable space remains strong; the challenge is unlocking development in a restrictive planning environment.”
