Property Focus: The Interview – Dave Trimingham
IN our series of interviews with top professionals from across the property sector, TheBusinessDesk catches up with Dave Trimingham, director of the Manchester office of Turley Associates.
What are your views of the current state of the commercial property and property development markets?
The only way is up! It’s been a tough 18 months but it feels as though recovery is starting.
The house builders are getting more active, the high street seems to be strangely resilient and employer surveys seem to point to improved job security.
This sets the scene for recovery but it all still feels fragile and buoyed by levels of public sector spending that will not be sustained (whatever colour the next Government is).
Availability of credit remains a major constraint on activity and the uncertainty of an impending election will I am sure make many people remain cautious for the next few months.
What key challenges and pieces of legislation do you think will most affect your sector over the coming months?
The biggest potential change to the planning system in the next few months would be a change of Government. The approach to development is one of the few policy areas where the two main parties have noticeably different philosophies.
The recent Conservative Green paper on “Open Source Planning” contains some radical proposals for allowing local communities to decide what level of development they want for their area. If the changes are implemented there will be significant challenges in making sure a new system doesn’t simply cause further delay while new procedures are bedded in and to ensure that the local development plan agenda is not hijacked by the anti-development lobby.
The proposal to introduce third party appeals presents significant risks to developers. They can be used to frustrate development and when introduced in Ireland were very unpopular with the industry.
Why do you think the North West is a good place to do business?
I think the market here is very robust, the economy remains diverse and the quality and character of the people is second to none.
What is your favourite building in the North West and why?
This changes quite often. I think at the moment I would say the Beetham Tower in Manchester. When it was first completed I wasn’t a fan but it has grown on me.
I particularly like the way its appearance changes in different lights and from different angles and I think its success is emphasised because it is the only one of a number of ambitious tall building schemes Manchester that was actually completed.
If you could improve anything in the region, what would it be?
The weather! A few more sunny days would make a world of difference.
What was your first job and how did you enter your current line of work?
My first job was stacking loo rolls and bleach on the shelves of my local Sainsbury’s.
I got into planning because a careers adviser suggested it as a good way to combine my interests in geography and economics. Having done a spell as “gamekeeper” in a local authority I turned “poacher” because I wanted to help development and regeneration happen on the ground.
What do you most enjoy about your job?
The people. Property attracts characters. I also love the fact that no two days are the same.
What barriers have you faced during your career and how have you overcome them?
I think I’ve been very fortunate not to have faced major barriers – I guess I overcome the smaller ones by staying focussed on what I want to achieve and chipping away.
What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
“Always look on the bright side”. Learning to think my way through problems and take the positives where I can has been a key lesson I have returned to many times.
And the worst?
“An endowment is a great way to pay off your mortgage and save for your retirement…”
