Property interview – David Leviten at Clough & Willis

TheBusinesDesk.com meets David Leviten, head of commercial property at Bury law firm Clough & Willis.

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

Personally, I would like to see more focus away from the South Manchester area and the airport. The region is diverse and more investment is needed in satellite towns such as Bury, Bolton, Rochdale and Wigan. The new enterprise zone at Manchester Airport currently benefits from business rates relief worth up to £275,000 as well as research & development tax credits and enhanced capital allowances. In my view, there are far more deserving areas which could benefit from being an Enterprise Zone – especially if we want to drive the economic recovery across the whole of Greater Manchester and the North West.

Looking into your crystal ball, what are your property predictions for the next six months?

Like most people, I think the residential market is going to continue strengthening with prices and rents in the region rising. However, I fear the retail sector will buck the trend and we’ll see many businesses going bust over the coming year.

What is the best project you’ve been involved in?

The development of 210 Deansgate in Manchester city centre. It was a complex scheme involving construction, rights of light, forward funding as well as title and landlord and tenant issues. The project was challenging but enjoyable at the same time.

Name the person who has most inspired you and the one who has had the biggest influence on your career?

A gentleman named Jeffrey Jackson who is property developer. He’s now in his 80s and living in Portugal, but in his time they called him the “Midas Man” as everything he touched turned to gold. He gave me my first big break when I worked on a large retail park which he purchased for £1m and then two years later sold it for £15m.

Is there any building or project from any time that you wish you could have worked on?

I would have liked to have worked on the development of the Trafford Centre. It has changed peoples’ shopping habits in the North West and has become a landmark in the region in a relatively short space of time.

If your career didn’t exist, what would you do?

I love playing and watching sport and like everyone else who has a passion for it I have strong opinions on all sporting matters, so my dream job would be a professional commentator.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Meeting people from all walks of life. You never fail to learn things from persons whose background and experience are so very different from yours.