Released on = December 19, 2006, 3:54 am

Press Release Author = Nelson Jonshon

Industry = Real Estate

Press Release Summary = LONDON, 13 DECEMBER 2006: The influential Barker Report out
on 5 December 2006, further substantiated the need to build millions of more homes
in the UK, by stating that, if required, the green belt will be used for this
purpose, to ease the pressures on the UK's land supply. However, UK Land
Investments, one of the largest strategic land investment companies in the UK, fears
that some land banking companies may use this report to deliberately mislead
consumers.

Press Release Body = LONDON, 13 DECEMBER 2006: The influential Barker Report out on
5 December 2006, further substantiated the need to build millions of more homes in
the UK, by stating that, if required, the green belt will be used for this purpose,
to ease the pressures on the UK's land supply. However, UK Land Investments, one of
the largest strategic land investment companies in the UK, fears that some land
banking companies may use this report to deliberately mislead consumers.

UK Land Investments' concerns in this regard falls in line with issues expressed by
the UK's most vocal and prominent countryside charity, the Campaign for the
Protection of Rural England (CPRE). In the CPRE's latest report out on 14 December
2006, it was vociferously critical of malpractice within the land banking industry,
describing some industry operator-practices as being "shabby" and "a fast growing
mess". The CPRE believes that a "beautiful, tranquil, diverse and productive
countryside is fundamental to people\'s quality of life, wherever they live and that
landscape should be valued for its own sake". UK Land Investments' fears echo those
of the CPRE that some of these fundamental factors will be flouted by disreputable
land banking companies, eager to make a 'quick buck' at the expense of consumers as
well as the countryside.

The CPRE Report recognised UK Land Investment's own mission to quash malpractice
within the industry and its continued undertaking to quash improper activity to
potential investors. The CPRE isolated the company by saying that "UK Land
Investments Group has promoted itself extensively to the media as the respectable
face of landbanking, and has called for higher standards in the industry. Whilst
CPRE has questions - as outlined in this briefing - about standards across the
industry as a whole, we have no reason or knowledge which makes us believe this
particular firm does not operate to high standards."

The so-far unregulated land banking industry has been under heavy scrutiny by the
media over the way some companies mislead investors. There have been instances
where the DTI has shut down companies who have used unreasonable business practices
and some firms have even gone bust, due to inefficient management, leaving their
investors in the lurch.

UK Land Investments is continually striving to clean up the industry and is
dedicated to ensure that the industry is regulated in some effective way as soon as
possible.

Whilst the Barker Report has identified that feasibility studies need to be made
into using green belt land for sustainable housing, UK Land Investments believes
that a great deal of research needs to be done first, which includes detailed
environmental, ecological, geo-technical, highway assessments and safety audits
before land sites are deemed suitable and offer a sustainable solution. The
investment in such research which a strategic land investment company needs to make
can run into tens of thousands of pounds - which can conclude in the site being
found to be unsuitable. UK Land Investments believes this is an assessment which is
essential.

Nigel Walter, Group Managing Director of UK Land Investments says: "We
wholeheartedly welcome the findings made by the CPRE and are completely unified with
their mission to drive out unscrupulous operators from this industry. We are
delighted to engage in dialogue with such organisations to ensure that consumers as
well as the countryside is protected from dishonest operators, who deliberately
exaggerate or mislead individuals on the potential prospects and financial returns
of land.

As a business, the vast majority of the land projects we acquire are not in the
green belt. We wholeheartedly agree that if there is alternative, suitable land
available, this should be prioritised. Of course, we appreciate that there are
exceptional circumstances where there is an urgent housing requirement to solve
local affordability issues for key workers such as nurses, teachers, emergency
services and local and central government employees."

"We also fully support the objectives of the Barker Report to be economically
driven, with the balance of ensuring any development is carried out in a suitable
and sustainable location. This country cannot afford to continue to under-supply
new housing for the growing population - affordability issues have already reached a
critical point and it is a fundamental economic requirement to ensure that everyone
in this country can afford a home to live in and thrive."

"If the only land available which meets the stringent planning requirements is in
the green belt, then there is a case to support the releasing of this land as laid
out by the Barker Report. Government figures show that even with an increase in
housing supply to around 200,000 additional homes per year by 2016, less than half a
per cent of the total green field area in the South East and East of England would
be needed to accommodate these new homes."

"Another clear distinction of UK Land Investments is our commitment to the
development of local communities as part of any planned development, which includes
resources such as educational and sports facilities, parks and wildlife preservation
areas, to name but a few."



For further press information contact:
Marc Prema-Ratner or Paul Bowhay at Z'est Corporate Public Relations on 020-7734 0404
E-mail: marc@zestcorporate.co.uk or paul@zestcorporate.co.uk


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Contact Details = kent, 00-44-2074924033, ukliseo@yahoo.co.uk