The Interview: Phil Mayall of Muse Developments
What do you think are the biggest challenges facing the property sector in the North West right now?
The property sector is now emerging from the recession and confidence is returning. However, the North West is not immune to factors affecting the UK as a whole. These include slow growth in real wages, the fragile European economy and events in Ukraine/Russia and the Middle East. The challenge will be maintaining the recovery in this environment.
If you could improve anything in the region, what would it be?
Transport, transport and transport!
Looking into your crystal ball, what are your property predictions for the next six months?
The recovery will be maintained but will ‘level off’ in the short term as we approach the election and as interest rates rise in line with an improving economy. Hopefully we’ll secure our first letting at One New Bailey [a 125,000 sq ft office block opposite Spinningfields in Salford], too.
What is the best project you’ve been involved in?
It has to be our Salford Central project. I’ve been working on it since January 2008 and it’s just about the most varied project you could imagine. We’ve developed a fantastic working partnership with Salford City Council that sees us working side by side. After many years of planning, design and land assembly work we started construction on our first building, Vimto Gardens, in April 2013 and we now have over £100m worth of development on site, which is making a significant difference to the area and will continue to do so for a long time to come.
Name the person who has most inspired you and the one who has had the biggest influence on your career?
I’m a big rugby league supporter and although not many people will be familiar with him, an ex-player named Steve Prescott is my biggest inspiration. In 2006, he was diagnosed with a rare form of stomach cancer and was given months to live. He set up the Steve Prescott Foundation in 2007 and raised almost half a million pounds for charity. He was awarded an MBE in 2009 for his efforts but sadly, after a long battle with the disease, he died in 2013, aged 39.
Mike Grindrod persuaded me to join the development arm of Northern Trust when I worked there as a management and letting surveyor. That was well over a decade ago and I’ve been involved in development ever since, so for that reason, it has to be Mike.
If your career didn’t exist, what would you do?
I would have loved to have been a professional rugby league player but I wasn’t anywhere near good enough, unfortunately! The majority of my family are involved in building in some shape or form so I suspect it would still involve property.
What’s the best thing about your job?
Working with my colleagues at Muse!
