Property Focus: The Interview – Paul Thrussell

Paul Thrussell is director of Archial Architects in Leeds.

1. What are your views on the current state of the commercial property and property development markets?

Certain sectors appear active, namely food retail, ‘some’ manufacturing (precision engineering for example), energy/recycling, distribution, and care homes. These provide opportunities for commercial developers/end user collaborations. Speculative development is virtually non-existent and several traditionally robust development sectors, such as offices and general industrial development, are moribund unless specifically for an end user requirement.

2. What are the key challenges and pieces of legislation you think will most affect your sector over the coming months?

The main challenges are: maintaining our workload to retain the high quality staff we currently employ, until the market recovers; maintaining architectural standards, when many developers are trying to reduce costs to make schemes viable; overcoming the shortfall in public sector funding that may have enabled ‘borderline’ projects to commence; legislation: Part L Building Regulations update, being introduced on 1st October 2010 and PPS 5, which makes interpretation of building historical designation difficult, introduced in April 2010.

3. Why do you think Leeds is a good place to do business?

Leeds is a good place to do business because it has an excellent transport links, good local professional network, there are still many diverse development opportunities available and it has a vibrant city centre, financially, socially, and artistically.

4. What is your favourite building/development in the region and why?

My favourite traditional buildings are City Hall and The Henry Moore Trust Gallery, for purity and quality of execution. My favourite modern buildings are elements of ‘The Light’, especially the covered courts/streets, a good adaptation of the existing buildings in the scheme.

5. If you could improve anything in the region, what would it be?

The efficiency and vision of Leeds City Planning Department.

6. What barriers have you had to overcome during your career and how have you overcome them?

I haven’t really experienced any barriers as such, but if I had, just go around them!

7. What was your first job and how did you enter your current line of work?

Working in a pub, before going to University. I have always been interested in architecture and design, ever since my parents took me to Westminster Abbey.

8. What do you most enjoy about your job?

Working through the design of a building to actually getting it built and meeting such diverse people in the process.

9. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Try to always keep a sense of perspective!