Property Focus: The Interview – Pete Crowther

PETE Crowther, development director with commercial property owner and manager Bruntwood, is the subject of this week’s Property Focus. He talks image perceptions and poor career choices. If you are interested in taking part in ‘The Interview’, please email tamlyn.jones@thebusinessdesk.com and click through to see all our previous Property Focus Interviews.

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

Well, it’s certainly true that the market offers fewer occupiers and a scarcity of development funding but for every downside, there’s an upside too. We have access to funding and can react when the right opportunities arise.

We are also continuing to do lots of deals and our retention rate is double the national average while new lettings increased by 30% on the previous year’s figures.

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

It has to be the fact that government occupiers will be shedding space as this will put more poor quality stock on the market.

Vacancy rates will rise creating a downward pressure on rents and upward pressure to provide even more concessions. The positive for Bruntwood is that our portfolio will become even more attractive with the reduction in quality elsewhere.

3. Why do you think the West Midlands is a good place to do business?

There is a hugely diverse range of businesses here which I’ve found to be staffed by extremely capable people with an open approach to getting things done. Just one example of this is the great work of the Colmore Business District.

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

I’d have to nominate two – The Mailbox and Brindleyplace. Both are shining examples of mixed-use, world-class developments that will stand the test of time and are successful business and leisure environments.

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

Its image. There’s so much that’s so good here and I think there’s huge scope for businesses to really get behind what is a great city and region. Hopefully, Marketing Birmingham’s and the council’s input will help to facilitate this.

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

I believe that you find barriers if you look for them.

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

I was a trainee quantity surveyor at Tozer Gallagher, in Warrington. It took me three months to realise this wasn’t for me so I went to university, graduated as a surveyor and joined Bruntwood as a graduate sales surveyor back in 1997.

8. What do you most enjoy about your job?

I love working with my colleagues and the professionals that we partner with. We have a truly shared purpose in delivering projects and have a lot of fun along the way. I get a real sense of pride in my personal and our collective achievements as I walk past our completed projects.

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

It was many years ago from David Buckley, a surveyor with Impey and Co in Stockport. He said that whatever your experience, good or bad, you can learn from it. When I’ve made an error, I only consider it a mistake if it’s not a lesson.

10. And the worst?

I seem to have by-passed the bad advice brigade as I can’t think of any I’ve been given.