Services
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Viability
Financial Viability Assessments
Preparing ‘Financial Viability Assessments’ (FVAs) on behalf of clients to negotiate both affordable housing and S106 Contributions is a key area of my work. In this capacity I achieve excellent outcomes for my clients.
My experience ranges from inner city apartment schemes, through to substantial greenfield housing sites. Furthermore, this extends to mixed use schemes, for example the Former British Sugar site in Kidderminster.
Such work is complex, often undertaken to a tight timescale and requires a solid knowledge of the development process. In preparing such assessments I use the ‘Argus’ development software, which underpins the reporting
Additionally, I am also instructed by Local Planning Authorities to consider the validity of “Financial Viability Assessments” submitted as part of the planning application process.
Sometimes I undertake viability work at pre-planning application stage. Examples of such include assessing the merits of enabling development to cross fund the restoration of Heritage buildings and assessing whether conversion of existing buildings is financially viable.
Approaches to undertake viability work are welcomed, and happy to provide an initial opinion
Expert Witness
I have successfully acted as an ‘Expert Witness’ at Planning Inquiry and at Planning Hearing. This has been to provide opinion on the viability of the existing uses of property and development proposed within a Planning Application.
Instructed October 2020 by Stratford upon Avon DC to review an FVA for a 65 unit affordable scheme on a 3.8 acre site, prepared as a consequence of proposed further S106 Contributions.
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IMI Norgren Site, Campden Road, Shipton on Stour
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Camden Road, Shipston on Stour
Case
Studies
Instructed in January 2021 to prepare a FVA to accompany a planning application for the comprehensive redevelopment of the Tollgate Shopping Centre. This substantial secondary 1970s Shopping Centre extends to 2.75 acres and provides 78,000 sq ft of retail space.
The redevelopment proposals are for 190 apartments and 6,000 sq ft of new retail. The outcome of the FVA is that the redevelopment scheme is not able to provide either affordable housing or S106 contributions due to the high construction costs, not addressed by projected end development revenue.
Tollgate Shopping Centre, Smethwick
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Instructed in 2013 by CALA Homes (Midlands) to provide an Expert witness opinion of the continued use of the IMI Norgren site for employment uses. CALA were appealing a planning refusal for the redevelopment of the 13-acre site for 130 houses and c.10,000 sq ft of employment space.
My instruction was to challenge a ‘Rule 6’ party who considered the site had a future as an employment use. My evidence demonstrated that this was not the case, and my evidence was accepted by the inspector and the ‘Rule 6’ party challenge overcome.