Planning and development consultancy Montagu Evans has appointed Tom Fothergill as a Partner in its Rating Advisory team. He will be based in the partnership’s Glasgow office and specialise in providing advice to its occupier and landlord clients in Scotland and in the North of England.

Fothergill has over 12 years of rating experience, most recently at JLL, where he spent the last five years, prior to which he worked at GL Hearn.

The appointment follows on from further recent hires for Montagu Evans’ Rating Advisory team. Chris Morrow and Kathleen Marsland have joined the team in London, focussing on occupiers and landlords, respectively, while Fionn Hunter has joined the team in Glasgow.

Josh Myerson, Head of Rating Advisory at Montagu Evans, commented:  “This is another key strategic hire as we continue to build our strength and depth across the UK. In Tom, we have a senior rating surveyor with wide-ranging experience and significant technical expertise who can operate in both Scottish and English jurisdictions. His appointment will allow us to continue to provide best-in-class advice to our clients, helping them successfully navigate the ever-changing rating landscape. We are delighted to welcome him to the team.

Tom Fothergill, Partner at Montagu Evans, added: “Montagu Evans has an impressive reputation in the world of rating, and their strong focus on client-led, collaborative working was very appealing. The current rating system is in a state of flux, leading to a lot of uncertainty for businesses. I am looking forward to working alongside my new colleagues to  ensure all our clients are fully equipped to deal with whatever rating changes occur in the coming months.

Planning permission secured for Tulchan Developments’ 353,000 sq ft, Orchard Park, Eurocentral industrial development

Colliers and Montagu Evans have been instructed to let the scheme (Scotland – November 2022)

Orchard Park at Eurocentral, Scotland’s premier distribution hub in North Lanarkshire, has just received planning permission for a new industrial and logistics development totalling 353,000 sq ft, with five buildings on this prime site of just under 24 acres.

Glasgow-based Tulchan Developments and its partners, logistics specialist Lumonics Developments LLP, are working towards being on-site next year. Units, which will range in size from 42,500 to 122,500 sq ft, will be to a high specification, each with a dedicated secure yard. The units will have a BREEAM “Very Good” rating and EPC target “A” and will be suitable for a wide range of industrial and logistics occupiers. Specific occupier requirements can be accommodated.

Iain Davidson, Director Industrial & Logistics at Colliers, commented: “Obtaining planning consent is a major milestone for Orchard Park. The development has been carefully considered to ensure it will appeal to as wide an occupier audience as possible. Given the shortage of industrial property availability, we expect Orchard Park to be well received by the occupier market and indeed are already in discussions with several potential tenants.”

Bryce Stewart, Partner at Montagu Evans, added: “The development will deliver much-needed stock in a range of unit sizes to market-leading specifications. North Lanarkshire is one of Scotland’s fastest-growing economies, its transport links are first rate and set for further improvement, and this is an important step forward in the growth of Scotland’s principal logistics park, which is currently 100% let.”

Tulchan Director Gavin Robertson commented: ‘’Logistics and distribution occupier demand remains strong, and we are confident that the location and quality of product at Orchard Park will attract occupiers to allow a start of works on site going into 2023.’’

With over 3m sq ft of production and logistics facilities, Eurocentral is the established location in the central belt of Scotland for many national and local occupiers; it has an on-site rail freight terminal and is located 11 miles to the east of Glasgow and 31 miles west of Edinburgh with a dedicated interchange (Junction 7) of the M8 motorway, the main motorway linking the two cities. It is also ideally located close to both Glasgow and Edinburgh airports and Junction 5 of the M74 (Raith Interchange) via the A725, providing unrivalled connectivity to the M6 and the South.

Occupiers within Eurocentral currently include DPD; XPO Logistics; Sheffield Insulation Group; Amazon; Evri (Hermes); Brewdog; News International; GIST; Wincanton; Scottish and Southern Energy; Morrisons; Warburtons; Lidl; Next; Mentholatum; Scania and NHS.

Colliers and Montagu Evans are joint letting agents for Tulchan and Lumonics at Orchard Park, Eurocentral.

Montagu Evans has been appointed by Transport for London (TfL) to help provide agency and strategy advice for its strategic industrial and arches properties across the capital.

TfL owns and manages more than 800 arches across London, with more than 93% of TfL’s tenants being small and medium businesses. It is continuing to invest in restoring its commercial assets to support existing tenants as well as attract new businesses, including plans to rejuvenate sites in the centre of Kilburn and East London.

By providing agency and strategic advice on arches, commercial land and development sites, Montagu Evans will help identify new occupiers and areas that can drive TfL’s wider objectives such as connecting diverse communities, supporting sustainability and breathing new life into these historic structures.

Jo Fisher, Head of Arches at TfL, said: “Our arch estate is a glowing example of the work we are doing to bring new, exciting options to London. Across London, we manage more than 800 railway arches, many of which have been converted into unique modern spaces that house everything from candle-making and food production to garages, artists’ studios and nurseries. Our arch tenants work hard every day to support each other and their local communities, and we are keen to support them, as well as encourage new business that can flourish in the unique environment of our estate.”

John Percy, Partner at Montagu Evans, said: “These railway arches and commercial spaces are such an important part of London’s communities and streetscapes, with enormous potential both for placemaking and business growth. With this new appointment, we will be taking a strategic approach and identifying opportunities for TfL to breathe new life into underused and overlooked properties as well as ensuring the day-to-day running of the portfolio continues effectively.”

Click here to see the full TFL arches list on our website.

 

Planning and development consultancy Montagu Evans has appointed Chris Morrow as a partner within its Rating team. He will specialise in providing advice to Montagu Evans’ occupier clients, with a particular focus on Central London.

Chris joins from Matthews & Goodman, where he was a partner and head of Rating. Prior to this, he worked as a rating surveyor at Newton Perkins and SMPA. He is a Rating Surveyors’ Association member and has also been awarded the RICS Rating Diploma.

Chris’s appointment follows on from two recent hires for Montagu Evans’ Rating team, Kathleen Marsland in the Landlord team in London and Fionn Hunter in Glasgow.

Josh Myerson, Head of Rating at Montagu Evans, commented:  “We continue to bolster our team, making key strategic hires across the UK to ensure we are in the best possible position to continue to provide expert advice to our clients in advance of the 2023 revaluation. In Chris, we have a senior rating surveyor with extensive occupier experience, especially in London, who has a high level of technical expertise. We are delighted to welcome him to the team.

Chris Morrow, Partner at Montagu Evans, added: “Montagu Evans’ ethos for putting the client at the centre of everything it does is something I strongly believe in. This, alongside its focus on collaborative working and the team’s impressive reputation, made joining the firm a very attractive proposition. With significant changes to the business rates system on the horizon, I am looking forward to working alongside my new colleagues to navigate these issues and bring the greatest benefits to our clients.

 

Planning and development consultancy Montagu Evans has expanded its advisory capability with the appointment of CPO specialist Simon Mole as Partner. He joins from Carter Jonas where he was a partner and led its South of England infrastructure and land assembly team.

In his new role Simon will lead on the growth of Montagu Evans’ CPO offer within the firm’s Development Advisory team.  He brings 20 years’ professional experience, 16 of which have been spent specialising in CPO, regeneration and infrastructure.

Alan Harris, Head of Advisory at Montagu Evans, commented: “Strategic land assembly sits at the heart of planning and development, and good CPO advice is an essential part of this.  It is critical to unlocking much-needed land for future development, whether for new housing, town centre regeneration or transport and infrastructure investments. In Simon we have a leading CPO expert with longstanding experience who will be an integral part of our growing team.”

Simon Mole, Partner at Montagu Evans, added: “The Levelling Up agenda has focussed many local authorities on the pressing need to regenerate towns, extend urban centres and provide new housing across the UK. Montagu Evans understands the important role CPO work plays in planning, development and regeneration and has an impressive track record in providing collaborative, strategic development advice across the whole of the country. This, coupled with the opportunity to join them at the start of their Advisory team’s new journey was a particularly attractive proposition. I am looking forward to adding value to the partnership’s existing client relationships and to developing new opportunities together.”

 

Planning and development consultancy Montagu Evans has announced its 2022 promotions, set to take effect from 1 April this year:

• Henry Elwess – retail and leisure agency (CAA)
• Kate Falconer Hall – historic environment and townscape (Planning)
• Kirill Malkin – commercial and retail planning (Planning)
• Bhavini Shah– healthcare and NHS assets (Advisory)
• Jonny Sharp – development and valuation (Advisory)
• Anthony Shaw – residential-led land development (CAA)
• Sam Stackhouse – residential planning including alternative living (Planning)
• Lucy Turner – commercial and retail planning (Planning)
• Scott Young – valuation (Advisory)

At the same time the firm has promoted nine people to Associate across its October and April promotion windows and 14 to Senior roles during the same period.

Rob Bower, Montagu Evans’ Managing Partner, said: “Montagu Evans has really become a place where individuals can find their specialism and develop their careers on their own terms with the support, and freedom, that a partnership structure provides.

“All of these promotions, which include our largest cohort of Partners to date and some people who started out here as graduates, are incredibly well deserved. They reflect the talent, hard work and dedication of our next generation, deepening the support we provide to clients as activity across all areas of our business continues to grow.

This week we are celebrating National Apprenticeship Week. An annual event that shines a light on the positive impact that apprenticeships make to individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

Every day this week we’ll be focusing on some of the apprentices at Montagu Evans, and looking at what their apprenticeship has meant to them, and their advice for someone looking to complete one in the future.

How do you think the apprenticeship has benefited you?

After six months the benefits of working as an Apprentice have already become clear. The opportunity to work alongside, and learn from, several industry leaders on a day-to-day basis has already allowed me to gain a strong and diverse understanding of the property sector in a short period of time. Additionally, working in an office environment from a young age has enabled me to develop various professional skills that certainly wouldn’t be picked up from pursuing university full-time.

Has it met your expectations?

It has exceeded my expectations!

What has been the highlight so far?

Working within such a fantastic, friendly, and sociable Rating team has helped me to feel especially welcome in my first seat.

The facilities at St Mary Axe are also amazing!

Do you have a piece of advice for someone considering an Apprenticeship?

Although the idea of entering full-time professional industry at a young age may be daunting, the advantages of choosing an Apprenticeship are clear to see and I would strongly recommend anyone to give it a go!

How do you think the apprenticeship has benefited you

Gaining industry experience, exposure to colleagues and clients.
Having more resources for help with university work.
Building relationships at an early stage.
Attending special events and meetings.
Gain a better understanding of real estate as a whole.
Having a routine, which is often overlooked when you are a full-time university student.

Learning the theory at university and putting it into practice in the workplace.

Has it met your expectations?

Yes- the workplace has been flexible, varied and challenging. Whilst being introduced to a variety of projects, I have been ‘thrown in the deep end’ with appropriate guidance to both challenge me yet make me feel confident enough to complete. I learn from every piece of feedback I get and feel as though I am progressing from it. I have a very supportive team, and they have arranged great nights out!

What has been the highlight so far?

Attending site visits to see some interesting buildings, and seeing their potential.
Meeting clients/apprentices from other firms.

Forming good relationships both in and outside of the office.

Do you have a piece of advice for someone considering an Apprenticeship?

Say yes to everything you are offered which will benefit your career, and to get a wide range of experience. Also, always ask for feedback and put yourself out there and forward as much as you can.

How do you think the apprenticeship has benefited you?

It’s helped me put practice to theory. Being looked after by my seniors, being set projects, and getting to meet deadlines has really made me step out of my comfort zone, out of the classroom environment and given me invaluable experience in the workplace.

Has it met your expectations?

Absolutely, I have grown a lot as a designer and a problem solver during my apprenticeship so far.

What has been the highlight so far?

I created a set of iconography according to the company’s brand and a PowerPoint pitch deck. Alongside that I also redesigned the format and layout of the company’s internal newsletter!

Do you have a piece of advice for someone considering an Apprenticeship?

Make sure you choose a field you are actually drawn to before you apply, be willing to learn, make mistakes and humble yourself, make the most out of your apprenticeship experience, and lastly, because apprenticeships are somewhat new and not quite taken seriously in all households and by all parents, if you really want to follow a career path you are passionate about, do it regardless of the pushback you receive.

How do you think the apprenticeship has benefited you?

Firstly, I would say that the apprenticeship has given me the opportunity to have a deeper understanding of the real estate industry. Seeing all the different departments at Monty’s and all the different jobs people do has broadened my horizon of surveying. Furthermore, the environment that this apprenticeship is placed in has assured me that I will be able to grow, learn and develop over the next couple of years, even after my apprenticeship has ended. Overall, I feel that this apprenticeship has benefitted me massively and I hope to see and gain more of these benefits over the next couple of years.

Has it met your expectations?

Honestly, I feel that this apprenticeship has exceeded my expectations. One of the main factors being the culture here at Monty’s. Within the first couple of weeks, it felt quite easy to settle in as every person I met was incredibly friendly. The fact that I was able to be around some of the most senior members of the firm and have the chance to talk to them and see them on a regular basis was something which I really appreciated. It was nice knowing that people wanted you here and were willing to help and give any sort of advice whenever you needed it. Additionally, the organisation of the firm has been something which has impressed me a lot. The system that has been put in place to ensure people are not overloaded with work and are able to meet deadlines has stood out to me and shown me how great Montagu Evans can function as a team.

What has been the highlight so far?

In my opinion, the biggest highlight so far is the time spent towards team building. I think the company is doing a tremendous job in organising events so people from all over the firm can meet each other and build close relationships with their colleagues. This certainly helps with working on all sorts of different projects as you’re able communicate with your colleagues in an efficient and enjoyable way.

Do you have a piece of advice for someone considering an Apprenticeship?

My biggest piece of advice for someone considering an apprenticeship would be to understand the roles they’re applying for. From someone who had minimal experience working in the corporate world it is important that you understand what you will be doing on a regular basis and how much work you will be expected to do. Also, researching the culture of the company and having an idea of what the atmosphere would be like is a must when considering applying for apprenticeships. Ultimately, paying attention to these things would determine whether you’ll enjoy the apprenticeship, and I was fortunate that I held these things in such high regard as it hugely paid off. I was incredibly lucky, to be offered a role here at Montagu Evans and be at a company which has been recognised and commended for caring about the career progress and comfortability of all their employees.

In the financial year to March 2021, Montagu Evans continued its commitment to clients and the future of its partnership, investing £4.4 million in new technology and workspace and £2.6 million in its people, against a challenging economic backdrop.

Revenue was up to £52.4 million (a 4% YOY increase), as was distributable profit for partners (+6%) and the wider non-partner bonus pool (+26%). As a result of one-off office costs relating to relocation to new headquarters at St Mary Axe in the City of London, statutory profit was slightly down.

Managing Partner Rob Bower said: “Working in partnership has never been more important, and we saw a tremendous effort by our teams coming together to make a success of what has been a difficult year.

“Our market sector-focussed approach is adding value, with more clients relying on specialist advice across multiple service lines to support their transactions, management, development decisions and planning activity. We are also seeing more of a balance between public and private sector in our fee income and demand for a wider range of support – from vision, strategy setting and advisory work to proactive, day-to-day activity.

“Having made long-term investment decisions about our people, space and tech, even in the height of the first lockdown, we were pleased to see a very strong return to the office in April and we are more convinced than ever about the direction the partnership is taking. There is still more to do, including delivering on our long-term NZC commitments and becoming a more sustainable, diverse and inclusive business, but the direction of travel is clear, and progress is one of the Board’s priorities.

“Looking forward, London is a major focus – not just as a driver of the global economy but its ability to lead the way as the country levels up. There is increasing appetite for strategic, early-stage advice to help respond to the impacts of Covid, and our investment in the past year puts us in a strong position for further growth. This is reflected in our current year revenue which, at the end of November, was 30% ahead of last year.”

Montagu Evans has this week reinforced its commitment to a more sustainable future by becoming part of Business Declares, a movement for accelerating action around climate change, biodiversity loss and social injustice. Business Declares is an official partner of the UN COP26 Race to Zero Campaign and connects its members with this worldwide movement.

In our Net Zero Carbon Strategy, we will commit to the following principles:

• We commit to decarbonise our operations and supply chain, which includes reshaping how we serve clients, sustain reductions in travel and increase the use of zero carbon energy.
• We will embed the implications of climate change and other Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) related factors across the work we do with clients, from strategy to implementation.
• We will adhere to corporate reporting standards that Include comprehensive non-financial reporting practices.
• We commit to aid research and collaboration with other businesses, policy makers and organisations to accelerate the transition to a Net Zero Economy.

Over the coming months, and as part of Business Declares, the firm will share its plans with colleagues, clients and contacts, raising awareness further, working collaboratively and creating more opportunities for change.

It will also introduce more education, training and support; increase research and thought leadership, and scale up action through industry and policy engagement.

“Climate change is the defining crisis of our time and it’s happening even faster than we expected,” said Rob Bower, Managing Partner of Montagu Evans. “The transition to a low carbon world must accelerate to meet the commitments made in the Paris Climate Agreement. Our net zero strategy provides an essential platform to deliver this.”

To read more about Business Declares please click here.

For more detail on Montagu Evans’ Net Zero Carbon Strategy and to read our full declaration, please click here.

• 100% affordable scheme next to Crossrail station originally refused following local opposition
• Inspector found in favour of 19-storey height and high-quality design: “it is not correct to equate visibility with harm”
• LB Ealing is delivering 40% of its objectively assessed need for affordable housing

Southern Grove West Ealing Limited and Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing have been given the go ahead on appeal for new homes on a site next to West Ealing tube and future Crossrail station.

Their plans to provide 144 (100%) affordable homes in a building up to 19 storeys with  ground floor retail/leisure space, amenities, and a communal garden with play space in a car-free development were originally refused by London Borough of Ealing Members on issues around scale, design and transport.

Planning and development consultancy Montagu Evans advised on the original application.  Dr Chris Miele of its Historic Environments and Townscape team and Will Edmonds of its Planning team provided expert testimony to the inquiry.

Key issues under consideration were (1) the effect of the proposal on the character and appearance of the area (including the quality of the design, and any impact on the setting and thereby the significance of heritage assets); (2) whether the affordable housing proposed is acceptable; and (3) whether the tilted balance should apply in the absence of the Council being able to demonstrate a five year housing supply.

• A senior Inspector, Paul Griffiths BSc(Hons) BArch IHBC, found the site to be chronically under-used given its current location and future importance when Crossrail opens.
• He described the plans as “an exemplary piece of design that would make a positive contribution to the area”.
• While the site was close to a Conservation Area the Inspector found that “it is not correct to equate visibility with harm”, taking into account the nature of the views and the area’s setting.
• He also considered the Borough’s housing supply, setting out that LB Ealing cannot demonstrate a five-year supply of deliverable housing sites (with the appropriate buffer) and is delivering at best, 40% of its objectively assessed need for affordable housing.

Dr Chris Miele, Partner at Montagu Evans and Historic Environments and Townscape specialist, said: “This decision is important for a number of reasons. First, the Inspector applied what I would call a character-based approach to the assessment, rejecting the Council’s characterisation of the whole area as suburban. Instead he looked at the particular characteristics of the site and noted its association with the railway and other sites along it, stretching down to Ealing, and all within an metropolitan town centre. Thus, the context for the proposals was that townscape element, and not adjoining lower density residential areas that it had less relationship with. Because he found no harm to character, and identified the architecture as exemplary, he did not need to apply the tilted balance in favour of the proposals which was otherwise engaged.

“Second, the Inspector also had to grapple with the new London Plan policy on tall buildings. While this site was not already designated for tall buildings, it had been allocated within a strategic site in the Local Plan, the design quality was exemplary and did not harm the character or appearance of the area or any heritage interest, so this policy was no impediment to the grant of consent. In other words, if a proposal meets the strict criteria testing in the suite of London Plan design policies intended to make best use of land, including in Policy D9 on tall buildings, then the failure of an LPA to allocate a site for a tall building was not fatal to the case.

“This decision also grappled with urban design considerations such as legibility and scale, which often come to be debated at inquiries,” he added.

Will Edmonds, Partner at Montagu Evans, said: “Where local authorities have an acute need for affordable housing, refusing well-designed, 100% affordable schemes at established and strategic growth  transport nodes needs to be carefully calibrated. The Inspector was clear in his judgement that fast tracking such developments is wholly appropriate.  Of particular note was the Inspector’s overwhelming support for the scheme against the Development Plan  when read as a whole; to the extent he concluded the tilted balance need not be applied in order to allow the appeal.”