Appointments and promotions boost GVA

PROPERTY advisor GVA has strengthened its planning, development and regeneration team in Yorkshire following the recruitment of two associate planners and a director.

Chris Jones and James Podesta have joined from CBRE to lead the planning component of the PDR team.

The pair bring 20 years’ combined experience in the planning sector to GVA and their recruitment follows Dale Robinson’s promotion to director of PDR.

Mr Jones and Mr Podesta have provided planning advice for a range of clients including Hammerson, Allied Textiles, Harron Homes and Stainsby Grange and on projects including major town centre, retail developments and large scale housing schemes.

The appointments follow a number of further promotions within the team, including Adam Osborne to senior surveyor and James Cox to senior planner.

Iain Jenkinson, senior regional director for GVA in the North of England, said the recruitment drive meant the PDR team was one of the largest and most experienced in the market.

Mr Jenkinson said: “We’re delighted with the appointments of Chris and James which are a clear statement of intent from GVA. We have been looking for some time to expand and strengthen our already strong planning offer to help provide an all-round service to our clients.

“We were particularly keen on strengthening our commercial planning presence within Leeds. Alongside the promotion of Dale, who is a highly experienced development surveyor and established part of the Leeds PDR team, these appointments have improved the profile of our combined planning and development capabilities and are a further sign of our desire for growth.”

Mr Robinson added: “The new appointments and promotions within the PDR team in Leeds represent a continuing period of growth, which will allow us to build upon our already extensive experience within the sector.

“The qualified and experienced planners and surveyors we now have within the team are ideally placed to provide a unique combination of commercially driven planning advice to clients.

“This approach has already proven successful on recent planning appeals and when combined with our wider property consultancy offer will take us forward on the strongest possible footing.”