1. What are your views on the current state of the commercial property and property development markets?
Throughout the Midlands, virtually all markets remain subdued (or worse) and they are not going to get better in a hurry. My forecast when the downturn started in summer 2007 was that the office markets would be the last to recover in 2012. Three years into the slump, even this is beginning to look optimistic, although in Central London – and particularly the City where this all started – it’s a very different picture with rising rentals and heightened competition for quality space.
Commercial property development is highly dependent on an adequate level of gearing and, with UK banks unwilling to increase their exposure to this sector, it will still be a good number of years before there is a return to any form of speculative development.
2. What are the key challenges and pieces of legislation you think will most affect your sector over the coming months?
The Coalition Government’s approach to planning raises a number of questions about its potential to facilitate the more effective delivery of development. There is wide concern over the abolition of regional spatial strategies, leaving a vacuum at the regional planning level.
Similarly, it will be interesting to see how they square the move towards so-called ‘localism’ through which local communities will get a bigger say in planning proposals, with the need to drive up house building and deliver more economic development. Will the concept of financial incentives to local authorities work? We are certainly in interesting times from a planning perspective.
3. Why do you think the West Midlands is a good place to do business?
Work ethic. It’s the most important fundamental need of any employer to have people that strive to do whatever they can to help and deliver.
4. What is your favourite building/development in the West Midlands and why?
Fort Dunlop. It’s where my parents both worked but it demonstrates what can be done when everyone around you is saying it can’t be. It’s a credit to Urban Splash but also a beacon to what the West Midlands can do, and perhaps in time, a lasting memory to what AWM could achieve.
5. If you could improve anything in the region, what would it be?
Perception and self-belief. As a group, Midlanders have a tendency to lack the belief that they have something to shout about and consequently external perception is that perhaps there isn’t.
6. What barriers have you faced during your career and how have you overcome them?
Many – all faced head on, up front, and openly. Be honest and never be scared of the truth.
7. What was your first job and how did you enter your current line of work?
Retail agent on the 21st floor of the Rotunda, not the best place to be when there’s a fire alarm!
8. What do you most enjoy about your job?
Being surrounded by colleagues whose opinions I hold in high regard.
9. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Never assume anything.
10. And the worst?
Get your foot on the housing ladder or it will leave you behind. Thankfully ignored at the time. It’s similar to the view that renting a house is money wasted; a mistaken belief which leads to the UK’s over reliance on the state of our residential property market as an economic barometer.
