Fisher German Magazine Issue 25

fisher german Magazine | Issue 25

www.fishergerman.co.uk

Ready, (off)set, go The Green Offset is live p16

Facing adversity

Fisher German's plan to move the business forward p6

Turning green

How sustainability issues are affecting the utilities sector p12

Time to change

Promoting positive mental health in the workplace p20

Welcome Following some extremely challenging times over the past 18 months, our focus is to help navigate those we work with through the changes we’re now experiencing and the environmental challenges we face. As you read through the magazine, you’ll notice an overriding theme of sustainability.

Andrew Bridge, Sustainability has always been a focus at managing partner Fisher German and, now more than ever, we are committed to tackling the issues and responding to new needs. We’ve introduced a new sustainability focus section (p.24), which looks at the key challenges affecting the sectors we work in.

We’ve also launched our innovative online service, The Green Offset, which connects parties looking to find land for any environmental requirements with landowners who have land available (p.16). Similarly, we highlight Fisher German’s new service for commercial property (p.8). It aims to improve the energy performance and sustainability of property owners’ building stock. And with the target of achieving net zero by 2050, we also discuss the sustainability issues affecting the utilities sector (p.12).

There are plenty of other topics covered in this issue too. We explore how house buying is changing as a result of the pandemic (p.14) as well as how we as a business keep the conversation open around mental health in the workplace, and how the initiatives in place have progressed following the impact of the past year.

We always welcome any thoughts on the topics highlighted in the magazine so please do get in touch. We hope you enjoy the issue.

Reaching net zero

Our innovative new service for commercial property

08 Access all areas

There is a new approach to house buying prompted by the pandemic

14 Pick up the space

Demand for industrial premises from smaller businesses is rapidly growing

22 Partner spotlight

Fisher German partner Mark Gilkes takes us through his career so far

27

The Fisher German magazine is intended to be an informative guide. It should not be relied on as giving all the advice needed to make decisions.

Fisher German LLP has tried to ensure accuracy and cannot accept liability for any errors, fact or opinion. If you no longer wish to receive the Fisher German magazine or any other Fisher German marketing material, please email marketing@fishergerman.co.uk.

2 fisher german magazine

News & views

Resilience in the face of adversity

Highways-related CPO work gets a boost and landmark pipeline contract delivers results

Fisher German’s plan to move the business forward

04

06

Water in the west

Utilities turn green

10

12

How South West Water provides water services throughout Cornwall and Devon and beyond

Ready, (off)set, go

The sustainability issues affecting the utilities sector

Mental health in the workplace

Fisher German’s new online service, The Green Offset, is now live

Encouraging open conversations about wellbeing is high on the agenda at Fisher German

16

20

Sustainability focus

People news

24

26

The key sustainability issues affecting the business sectors we operate in

Sector insight

11

20

2

Office directory

What lies ahead for the firm and its clients

Fisher German's national offices

28 Publishing services provided

by Grist, 36 Great Pulteney Street, Soho, London W1F 9NS, UK

Long-serving partners retire plus several promotions at Fisher German

30 Publisher Andrew Rogerson Editor Tracey Gardner Art director Jennifer Cibinic Designer Gio Isnenghi Website www.gristonline.com

21 22

9

16 7

19

23

1 12 18

5 26 13

4

3 25

8 15

14

17 6

24 10

The magazine is fully recyclable

fisher german magazine

3

news&views

Highways-related CPO work gets a boost There is an increasing amount of compulsory purchase work emerging that is associated with highways infrastructure improvement. Such work has arisen primarily from Highways England Road Investment Strategies (RIS) which commit substantial funding to improving the national strategic road network. RIS 1 ran from 2015 – 2020 and invested approximately £17 billion in the network and we are currently in RIS 2 which intends to fund circa. £27.4 billion of improvements between 2020 and 2025.

Fisher German are involved in various highways schemes as a result of the aforementioned investment periods including the A38 Derby Junctions Scheme, the A46 Coventry Junctions Scheme, the M42 Junction 6 Improvement Scheme, the A46 Newark Bypass and the A453 Widening Scheme amongst various others.

In addition to the above we are also now receiving enquiries on the A47 Corridor Improvement Programme in East Anglia and other schemes nationally included in RIS 2 that are in the early planning phase.

Aside from the strategic road network, there are various Local Authority implemented road improvement schemes that the business is also instructed on. These include the North and East Melton Mowbray Distributor Road Scheme, the Woodville to Swadlincote Regeneration Route and the Gedling Access Road in the East Midlands alone.

Instructions on behalf of parties affected by the aforementioned strategic and local schemes range from residential occupiers to large landowners / commercial operators, including utilities companies and an international airport, so there is a broad range of interests being represented.

A38 south of Derby

Simon Tivey, senior associate at Fisher German, said: “We see the volume of highways-related CPO work increasing year on year, given both the amount of investment intended in the network and the number of instructions being secured by Fisher German across various schemes nationally.”

Undergraduate scheme wins national recognition

Fisher German has been named the eighth best employer in the UK for medium-sized undergraduate schemes and top for property/ real estate by the National Undergraduate Employability (NUE) Awards receiving national recognition for its undergraduate scheme.

We currently offer 12-month placements to university students looking to progress into the property sector, which cover both soft and technical skills to complement their studies.

4 fisher german magazine

Partner Ruth Ofield, who leads both the placement and internship schemes, said: “To be named as the eighth best employer in the UK for medium-sized undergraduate schemes is an incredible achievement. It is fantastic recognition for our graduate and apprenticeship team for their ongoing commitment to deliver the best early careers experience at Fisher German.”

Landmark pipeline contract delivers results In 2020, Fisher German was awarded a year contract with Cadent Gas to carry out necessary remedial works on its high and intermediate pressure gas pipeline network. This network extends to approximately 1,500km of pipeline across the north-west of England.

Since winning the contract, Fisher German has been able to assist in a variety of remedial works including vegetation clearance and the repair and replacement of ground and aerial markers.

The implementation of a specialist Fisher German system and process has enabled Fisher German and Cadent technicians to work together to complete works successfully and efficiently.

Development Agency team named Agent of the Year In another impressive achievement for the business, Fisher German has been named as Agent of the Year at the East Midlands Property Awards 2020, with winners announced earlier this year after the ceremony was delayed due to Covid-19. The award was presented in recognition of the firm’s Development Agency team’s impact on the region’s

property industry during 2019/20, while playing an integral role in the delivery of key schemes.

A comment from the judges said: “The people behind the agency have taken a small outfit and turned it into a highly profitable business involved in some of the region's most high-profile property deals.”

Fisher German makes 21 promotions and welcomes 100 colleagues On 1 April it was announced that Fisher German has made 21 promotions across the business – including three partner promotions – as part of its career progression framework, giving colleagues a continual pathway for professional development.

The announcement comes as Fisher German marks the formal

business merger with Vine Property Management, which manages 51 million sq ft of retail, industrial and office property, following a deal in 2020. The merger brings almost 100 new colleagues into Fisher German with offices from Glasgow to Southampton.

Senior partner Tim Shuldham said: “I would like to congratulate all of

those who have been promoted and thank everyone across the business who has helped us progress during what has been an incredibly challenging time for the sector. It is a tribute to the quality and hard work of all our colleagues, the strength of our client base and the robust foundations of our business that we are able to make this announcement.”

It is a tribute to the quality and hard work of all our colleagues, the strength of our client base and the robust foundations of our business that we are able to make this announcement.”

Tim Shuldham, senior partner

Partner named among top in UK Matthew Allen from the National Country Agency Team has been ranked as a ‘Top Recommended’ country property specialist for 2021 in the Spear’s 500 magazine for high-net-worth individuals.

Speaking following the achievement, he said: “It is fantastic recognition to be included in the list, which includes some

big hitters from within the industry. It demonstrates the level of service that we at Fisher German offer to our clients and highlights that we are making an impact at national level.”

fisher german magazine

5

Resilience

in the face of adversity The past 18 months has been a rather torrid time for many businesses but with Brexit now ‘done’ and the pandemic increasingly under control, we talk to Fisher German managing partner Andrew Bridge on the plan to move the business forward.

How is Fisher German looking towards the future after a tough 18 months?

Our own business has held up unexpectedly well but we’re mindful that many of our clients have found the past couple of years extremely challenging. So, our focus is very much targeted on how we can best advise those we work with how to mitigate the impact of the big socio-economic changes we are currently experiencing.

What sort of issues are we dealing with?

Sustainable food production is going to become increasingly important, and our agribusiness team is heavily involved in helping producers find financially viable, long-term solutions. At the same time, our renewables team is working on practical initiatives to meet a wide range of environmental challenges, such as carbon sequestration. The Green Offset (see p.16) is a great example of a new service we wouldn’t have thought possible, or even necessary, just a few years ago and similarly our new Sustainability for Commercial Property Service (see p.8) shows how we are rapidly responding to new requirements.

6 fisher german magazine

Our development team is helping to create much-needed new housing across the UK, arguably one of the most relevant challenges for society, while our infrastructure specialists are working with major utilities operators to adapt to a green agenda (see p.12).

colleagues across the firm to ask the relevant questions in their own sectors, is to consider what the indirect consequences of Brexit – say a change in travel behaviours – are likely to be. That will enable informed advice and, ultimately, decision making to take place.

Does that mean Brexit is simply no longer relevant for many businesses?

I wish that was the case! But sadly, I think that the effects will be with us for some time to come. What we need to do is tackle problem areas and that means being able to effectively identify them first. The pandemic has shielded or hidden some of the challenges that resulted from Brexit and I have come across many cases where the root cause of issues is not immediately apparent. Providing clarity on this will be important over the next six months.

Talking of behaviours, have the past 18 months caused businesses to think differently about how they interact with each other?

I should say so. Our experience has been that while many of us adapted very quickly to video conferencing and digital communication in general, we don’t see it as a wholesale replacement for working practices that have been refined over decades.

We operate across many sectors, and I can’t think of one where it isn’t important for our clients to be able to converse face to face. And, while it’s possible to do some things virtually, it’s very difficult to emulate the first-hand knowledge (and therefore ability to act efficiently and effectively) that comes from having visited a site, a home, a business premises or an estate in person. But what the pandemic has shown us is that we can certainly think differently about how we operate and we’re still processing some of those learnings.

Will some businesses be affected more significantly than others?

Undoubtedly that is the case and we are already seeing it happen. However, much attention has focused on the direct impact of Brexit on individual businesses. What I think needs to happen next, and I’m encouraging my

We must accept that black swan events are likely to keep coming. But, if we approach them with the right mindset, and embrace them, they become opportunities.”

What sort of outcomes might emerge?

I think many businesses are re-evaluating how and why their people travel, though for the reasons I’ve already mentioned, I don’t foresee a wholescale slashing of travel budgets. That doesn’t mean that internal meetings with teams based in different geographical locations shouldn’t stay virtual if they are equally productive. And I think there will be an impact on how we occupy our offices, though like many companies we’re still working through what that will mean in practice. For me, it is vital that whatever decisions are made, they are always primarily based on client needs.

What have recent events taught businesses about workforce resilience in the face of difficult circumstances?

From my perspective, they have massively improved and accelerated our understanding of the importance of mental wellbeing in the workplace. This is an area Fisher German was already engaged in (see p.20) and I’m really proud of how positively the programme we are still developing has been embraced. I can’t promise that I’ll lycra up with some of my more supple colleagues to do yoga on the front lawn but I have no doubt that we will all find our own ways to support each other. As a result, our business can only grow stronger.

Many companies will be wondering whether it is safer to enter a holding pattern for now, rather than expand.

How do you see things?

Looking at our client base, most of them have no intention of standing still. And if your clients are growing, I believe you must be ambitious and grow alongside them.

If you take Fisher German as an example, we opened a new office in Exeter (see p.10) during the pandemic and that's trading very successfully. If your business is stable and built on strong foundations, then I think it makes sense to ask what additional services/products your clients really need and how you can deliver them, whether that is by extending what you do already or developing something new.

Looking longer term towards the end of the decade, how do you see the wider business environment compared with now?

Well, you're speaking to an eternal optimist!

Yes, there are going to be hurdles. Yes, there will be challenges. We must accept that black swan events are likely to keep coming.

But, if we approach them with the right mindset, and embrace them, they become opportunities. All businesses can grow and thrive if they are able to adapt.

Andrew Bridge 07836 214878 andrew.bridge@fishergerman.co.uk

fisher german magazine

7

Reaching net zero Fisher German’s innovative new service for commercial property aims to help property owners improve the energy performance and sustainability of their building stock with the ultimate goal of achieving net zero by 2050.

T

he clock is ticking towards the UK’s commitment to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and earlier this year the Government upped the ante by setting a new target of a 78 per cent reduction by 2035. Achieving these targets will require all sectors of the economy to contribute to emission reductions; however, increasing the sustainability of commercial property through toughening regulation is set to be a key focus area.

For owners of commercial property, it isn’t necessarily clear how they can best improve their buildings to achieve compliance with tightening minimum energy efficiency standards, which are now a legal requirement for any commercial letting. While ‘Energy Performance Certificates’ (EPCs) show improvements that can be undertaken, these are theoretical, often basic and take little account of the practicalities associated with commercial lets, including fundamental asset management considerations.

Fisher German has recognised the problem and devised an innovative new service in response. “It is something we have been working on for over 12 months, bringing together key minds in the business.

Internally we refer to it as ‘Concordia’ who was the ancient Roman goddess of harmony or peace and our mantra is: ‘Property at harmony with the environment’.

“The service offers a one-stop-shop that enables property owners to understand where their buildings currently are [in terms of sustainability] and provides a clear pathway of measures, which can be implemented to enable the asset to achieve a net zero status (or as close as is possible) by 2050,

8 fisher german magazine

or before, if the client so wishes,” explains Fisher German partner and head of sustainable energy Darren Edwards.

“One of our USPs is that we see the bigger picture from the client’s perspective – we don’t simply focus on the measures to improve the building’s EPC rating, though obviously those are really important, but in addition we consider other factors. These include the client and tenants’ Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) commitments, the long-term management plan for the asset and the all-important contractual terms as set out in the lease, which can either help or hinder progress."

The landlord of an industrial estate, for example, will not only receive advice relating to each of the individual properties on the estate, but the Fisher German team will also consider how shared structural elements of a building (like roofs) can be utilised for PV and how best an array might be set up to optimise a return on investment. The team can also consider the creation of social benefits, for example, by introducing green spaces or Electric Vehicle (EV) charging to help achieve wider ESG [sustainable investment] goals.

“Our experience is that some property owners are already setting their own ambitious targets so that they will be significantly ahead of any legal requirements,” says Darren.

“However, government policy is continuously evolving. For example, we reviewed recent consultations on changes to EPC requirements and a new framework for energy performance of offices larger than 10,000 sq ft. Keeping abreast of policy changes is critical, so that we can build maximum flexibility into how property owners can proactively and costeffectively manage the necessary changes to the buildings in their portfolios.”

The pathway towards sustainable commercial property starts with a high-level desktop review of all of a property owner’s assets. “This enables us to prioritise which properties should be dealt with first and where the greatest opportunities for renewable energy exist,” says Fisher German surveyor and policy expert Tom Beeley. A more clinical audit follows, during which each property is reviewed in detail, including an on-site visit. Tom notes: “We’re not just looking at reducing the owner’s impact on the environment, but also at how buildings can be made more attractive to [potential] tenants, which in turn increases capital values. In some cases, occupiers may be willing to undertake and fund improvements because they will result in reduced energy costs.”

How the service works Based on client data, we have created a notional property investment company to illustrate how the service works. Our notional client holds a portfolio of 200 properties, including 72 offices/retail units, 125 warehouses and 600 acres of bare land.

• An initial desktop review of the client’s asset portfolio was undertaken to assess the buildings against current and future regulatory compliance and to consider key lease events.

• Our initial review identified six ‘high priority’ properties that would become non-compliant with regulation. Eighteen more were identified as having lease trigger events within the next two years, presenting opportunities for engagement with tenants and improvement of those buildings. Five buildings were identified as occupied by high energy consumers with potential for green energy investment, while the bare land was reviewed for renewable energy opportunities.

• Individual property reports on the high priority assets identified short- and long-term options for making practical improvements to environmental performance.

• Our experience meant that wider asset management and lease considerations were taken into account, for example, considering simultaneous replacement of roofs where these are shared between assets and how this can be best covered within existing

At the end of the audit, the property owner is presented with a list of practical actions, which take into account existing landlord-tenant relationships as well as long-term objectives for each building.

Once the recommendations are clear, design solutions can be explored and all of the proposed works can be costed.

At this stage a commercial evaluation can determine the optimum timescales for works to be scheduled on individual buildings. “One of the advantages of our service is that Fisher German has building consultancy and planning teams in-house, so we can provide all of the necessary expertise in a joined-up manner,” says Tom. Finally, the recommendations are implemented, either by a client’s own contractors or those managed by Fisher German, working closely with dedicated commercial property managers. Installation of renewable energy technologies can not only reduce a building’s carbon footprint but also offer the potential to generate additional income.

leases. We also reviewed funding models for roof-mounted PV arrays to determine the best fit for the client and tenant in relation to the building and lease terms.

• Our specialist teams are working with building managers to ensure work is carried out with minimum impact on tenants, while Fisher German’s planning team has provided expert guidance on planning requirements for specific energy investment options.

• We proposed new solar PV installations on two buildings and are reviewing two sites for EV charging and land-based renewables.

• The client is, with our assistance, exploring options for offsetting some of the emissions associated with their business, but also considering wider environmental offsetting as part of its ESG commitments.

However, it is not possible for every building to become carbon neutral, in which case property owners will need to consider offsetting associated emissions by sourcing carbon offsets or green energy projects elsewhere.

Darren says: “Fortunately for property owners, we have just launched The Green Offset (see p.16), which enables them to easily and quickly find parcels of land suitable for offsetting purposes – another advantage of Fisher German’s multidisciplinary approach.

It highlights what we set out to achieve for property owners: making the complex and potentially expensive pathway to net zero as simple and cost-effective as possible.”

Darren Edwards 07918 677571 darren.edwards@fishergerman.co.uk Tom Beeley 07970 698729 tom.beeley@fishergerman.co.uk

fisher german magazine

9

South West Water provides water and wastewater services throughout Cornwall and Devon and beyond. Delivering to such a vast area means huge numbers of properties, so Fisher German is on hand to help manage development opportunities and disposal projects from its new Exeter office.

I

magine the amount of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

Now multiply that by 90. That’s the amount of drinking water (on average 462 mega litres) that South West Water produces for its customers every day. The Pennon Group-owned utility company covers all of Cornwall and Devon, as well as parts of Somerset and Dorset. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the large geographical area, the business owns significant land areas (totalling circa 15,000 acres) and more than 1,000 properties, from small pumping stations to major sewage treatment works.

Dealing with so much property is a major task and to lighten the load South West Water employs specialists from Fisher German. Associate director Hannah Rose, who is based in Fisher German’s new Exeter office, and is

10 fisher german magazine

partly seconded to South West Water, manages development opportunities and the disposal of land and properties that are no longer required for the utility company.

She explains: “There are many sites that have been used for water supply or treatment for decades, but which are eventually no longer required. Part of my role is to identify what should happen to each site in the future. As each one is different – from a redundant reservoir to surplus buildings – it is very bespoke work. A one-sizefits-all approach definitely wouldn’t work here.”

Hannah points out that disposing of land the company no longer requires fulfils two key purposes – it reduces financial and legal liabilities, whilst bringing in additional revenue: “There are many elements to consider such as any

As each opportunity is different – from a redundant reservoir to a more complex operational site … a one-size-fitsall approach definitely wouldn’t work here.” impact on retained land and infrastructure, the cost of any decommissioning works and site preparation, the nature of any restrictive covenants, overages or rights of access required and whether a disposal fits with Corporate objectives.

“I need to ensure that there are no occupancy issues and that the boundaries are clearly defined. And whatever the site is, I need to have an overarching view to make sure that I’m assessing every avenue possible.”

South West Water in numbers

462m

675m

17,515

15,525

litres of water produced each day

kilometres of water mains

litres of sewage transported each day

kilometres of sewers

1,200+ 650 sewage pumping stations

Drift Reservoir; Dam; Cornwall

sewage treatment works

Source: SWW

Bucking the trend Opening a new office in the middle of a global pandemic might seem brave but, for Fisher German, the establishment of an Exeter office in 2020 was part of the firm’s strategic growth plan. And, amazingly, the switch to virtual communications necessitated by Covid-19 has been something of a boon.

Hannah explains: “We’ve made contact with so many more people than we would otherwise have done, as people have been much more willing to attend a video call than they would a face-to-face meeting. That’s partly because there is no travel time involved, which can take a fair chunk out of the day when visiting someone in person.

As well as the development opportunities and disposal programme, Fisher German also manages the land and property portfolio for South West Water.

Fisher German partner Matt Trewartha says: “The current portfolio comprises a diverse range of property across a wide geographical area so it is essential that we have a good working knowledge of the sites and the tenants. The portfolio is run on a commercial basis and each site is visited at least annually.”

“The other benefit is that if we find we need specialist knowledge, for example, planning or telecoms, we can tap into the expertise within Fisher German by bringing the relevant person onto the call, even though geographically they are hundreds of miles away. I’m not saying that we want to do everything virtually going forward but the positives associated with that way of working have definitely helped us get the Exeter office off to a flying start and probably much further ahead than we might have been in ‘normal’ times.”

Recent development and disposal projects The sheer diversity of South West Water’s holdings means that no day is the same for Hannah. She says: “I act as a hub for many individual projects, which may have a number of consultants working on different angles, so it’s my responsibility to bring everything together and ensure that overall viability targets are met. I may be working on presenting an internal report to the board one day and dealing with an engineering team the next. It certainly keeps me on my toes, but I really enjoy being a key link in the process.”

Recent and ongoing projects Hannah has worked on include: • The water treatment works (1) A large facility has been replaced by new works elsewhere. Hannah has been working with engineers on a decommissioning programme, while simultaneously assessing what development options might exist and whether those are best progressed solely by South West Water or with a joint venture partner.

• The water tower A defunct structure that was marked for sale. Hannah investigated whether a planning consent should be obtained before the tower was marketed but decided it would be better to leave any potential conversions to a new owner. The property was offered at a guide price that covered its decommissioning costs; however, it attracted so much attention it eventually sold for 750 per cent more.

• The water treatment works (2) A major works is being replaced by a new facility being built alongside, but the existing works, which is reaching the end of its working life, cannot be decommissioned until the new one is complete. Hannah is responsible for the promotion of the surplus land through the Local Plan to enable redevelopment of alternative uses. The timing of engagement with stakeholders and consultants is crucial to ensure deadlines are met.

Hannah adds: “Although removing risk and liabilities from land and property is hugely important for us, our top priority is to ensure that our work never adversely affects South West Water’s core business.”

Hannah Rose 07917 993518 hannah.rose@fishergerman.co.uk

fisher german magazine

11

Utilities turn green With the deadline on the horizon for the UK to achieve net zero by 2050, we find out how sustainability issues are affecting the utilities sector and how energy sources are changing.

A

s the UK looks to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, a lot of attention has been focused on the energy sources that will replace fossil fuels. Hydrogen, a gas which when burnt produces nothing more harmful than water, is currently attracting a great deal of interest. Pilot schemes are already underway in the UK, such as H100, H21, HyNTS, Hydeploy and HyNet, projects which aim to create a low-carbon exemplar cluster that can act as a UK model for clean growth.”

If some of the technical constraints surrounding the clean production of hydrogen can be overcome it could potentially replace natural gas, providing

12 fisher german magazine

zero emission cooking and heating for domestic homes and power for factories and other industrial users. Production of hydrogen has so far grabbed most of the headlines, with comparatively little coverage given to the infrastructure required to distribute the gas around the country. Current thinking suggests that some of the existing natural gas distribution network and other infrastructure (which is itself being modernised) will be capable of being repurposed for pure hydrogen.

However, Fisher German partner Mark Gilkes says: “It’s likely that the necessary rights will have to be obtained to facilitate the repurposing of the network and considerable lengths of new transmission

pipelines will be required to create a high pressure hydrogen spine network, which will feed the distribution network to consumers.”

Better together

The prospect of new pipelines brings with it potential conflict with landowners.

Historically utility providers have negotiated with relevant parties to allow a variety of pipeline types to be laid and connected to other infrastructure, at the same time as requesting planning consent from the relevant local authority.

Where negotiations have failed, utility companies have had to resort to CPOs (compulsory purchase orders), which can be a time-consuming and costly process.

Mark says: “The introduction of the Planning Act 2008 legislation brought in Development Consent Orders (DCOs), which are designed to speed up major infrastructure projects, including pipelines. The process pulls planning consents and compulsory purchase powers together and makes the Planning Inspectorate responsible for reviewing applications and, as appropriate, granting consents, so is potentially a very efficient way of completing infrastructure schemes.”

Working closely with other specialists to include engineers, planners and environmental consultants, we are able to pull together as one.”

It has taken some time for the industry to fully realise the potential of DCOs, but they are increasingly likely to be used on all types of relevant infrastructure projects. Fisher German has seen a number of DCOs through to fruition, and Mark says the process offers two important benefits: “Firstly, as long as consultations and reviews have been carried out correctly the risk of a DCO not being granted can be mitigated facilitating the granting of all the required consents. Secondly, it is much quicker. You can go from a standing start to working on-site in around three years, whereas under the previous regime, projects could be caught up in planning inquiries for many years – and possibly decades for the largest schemes.”

Mark admits that working on DCOs can be challenging but he enjoys the multidisciplinary nature of such projects.

“Working closely with other specialists like engineers and environmental consultants, we are able to pull together as one.”

And, he says, he expects to work on more DCOs in the future: “The majority of DCOs succeed, so with increasing demand for pipelines and other key infrastructure schemes, including new energy sources such as hydrogen, utility companies now see this process as an important way of successfully implementing key projects.”

Utilities companies face up to challenges of net zero As the UK begins to shift rapidly away from carbon energy sources, utilities companies are gearing up for a period of significant change. Fisher German partner Giles Lister says work has already started on the existing electricity network: “Infrastructure is being upgraded by using modern technology, which provides greater capacity. At present there are parts of the country where it is difficult to connect in new renewables schemes because the existing network wasn’t designed for it.

So, providing greater capacity, quantitative efficiency and availability of connection points are a crucial element of the network upgrade that will enable optimum transmission and what is left of the carbon-emitting generation to be switched out.”

Although Britain has now left the European Union, it is still part of the European generating network that irons out the supply/demand imbalances, which are inherent in renewablesproduced electricity. Giles explains: “If, for

example, it’s very windy in the UK and not so in central Europe we may export our surplus wind turbine-generated energy and vice versa – the driver being to ensure security of supply across Europe. Overall, though, with the increased focus on net zero, we can expect UK requirements for electric power to grow.”

At present, storing significant amounts of surplus energy isn’t possible as the technology for industrial-scale storage is largely theoretical.

But that is changing. Giles says: “We’re looking very closely at battery storage facilities, as once the technology has evolved, we think there will be substantial demand for them in many parts of the UK, to maintain supplies during periods of peak demand, which in turn will have implications for land requirements. In addition to this, increased demand for smaller batteries to power anything from electric vehicles to homes will require new production plants, bringing an interesting property perspective to these so-called ‘gigafactories’.”

Net zero could be net gain for utilities A firm focus on net zero carbon emissions (p.8) is simultaneously causing short-term issues and longer-term opportunities for utility providers.

Fisher German partner Giles Lister says: “Plots of land bought as recently as a couple of years ago didn’t factor in the requirements and potential cost of securing the commitment given to biodiversity net gain. Utility companies are now fully engaged with the requirement to attain their aspirations but there are associated cost implications, which in some cases can be substantial. For these companies, we are looking at mitigation measures, which include generating power [electricity] through renewable means on their own assets to reduce energy bills or securing biodiversity offsetting and other natural capital schemes by linking them with landowners interested in environmental schemes on

their land through Fisher German’s ‘The Green Offset’ project.”

Habitat improvement also presents an opportunity for utility companies to meet Environmental Social and Governance targets and improve community relations.

Giles explains: “We’re liaising with utility companies to ask that they think creatively about how they approach habitat improvement and net gain commitments.

For example, there may be opportunities to partner with local/regional environmental groups (such as one of the Wildlife Trusts) working together to deliver the management of identified land to meet the requirements.

This is a win-win, as it allows the utility provider to focus on its core activity, while at the same time enabling it to build positive relationships with local communities."

Mark Gilkes 07501 720410 mark.gilkes@fishergerman.co.uk

fisher german magazine

13

Access all areas

A new approach to house buying is gathering pace prompted by the pandemic.

B

uyers’ attitudes towards new homes are changing and in a positive way. The show home, once an integral early part of any new residential development, is starting to give way to virtual tours and documentation, which potential buyers can access without having to leave the comfort of their sofa.

Fisher German national new homes manager Ella Cartwright says: “Families, in particular, used to be very keen on seeing a property in real life so that they could understand how the space would work for them. However, over the past 18 months they have become much more willing to buy off-plan at developments where building work has only just started. They are joining first-time buyers who have always been more open to this approach.”

Even more remarkably, senior buyers, who traditionally have shied away from off-plan purchases, have also become more amenable about buying in this way.

“I recently sold a complete development of bungalows off-plan,” confirms Ella.

“Admittedly it required a significant amount of hand-holding throughout the process,

14 fisher german magazine

especially arranging for buyers to be able to proceed so that they could reserve their new home, which sometimes meant temporarily renting so that they had the funds immediately available. But overall, they were prepared to do it, if it meant they could secure the property they wanted.”

This new-found willingness to buy homes virtually matches a shift in locational demand, prompted by the global pandemic. “The importance of fresh air and outdoor space has focused many buyers’ minds on moving out to more rural areas than they would previously have considered,” admits Ella (see hot spots box). Virtual sales tools helped keep moving plans on track when travel throughout the UK was limited or discouraged.

Ella adds: “The vast majority of larger housebuilders are now providing whole development fly-throughs. So, as well as virtually being able to walk through your potential new home, you can also walk out of the door and down the road so you can get a feeling for the local area. Even though you’re not there in person, it really helps buyers understand a location better.”

The early bird catches the worm

Covid-19 has also encouraged greater take-up of early-bird schemes for new homes. Ella explains: “This is effectively a pre-reservation. A developer will calculate the approximate cost of a home before a new development launches and potential buyers then can register their interest in return for a modest deposit.

“Once the development launches, they have first option to buy the home and if they choose not to, their deposit is refunded. The concept is really becoming popular – we recently worked on a development where each property had three potential buyers before the formal launch.”

Housebuilders are also adapting to post-pandemic norms by reconsidering the layout of new homes, so that the potential for home-working has been designed into the property. Ground floor studies, already popular, are likely to become a staple feature of new homes going forward and if that space isn’t provided downstairs, it is likely to appear on an upper floor through conversion of a bedroom or enlargement of a landing.

Recent new homes instructions Burcot Gardens, Worcestershire Set among the rolling hills of the Worcestershire countryside, Burcot Gardens comprises 12 highspecification two to five-bedroom residences built by Hagley Homes. The village of Burcot is charming and full of character, with quaint cottages, rustic farms, a historic church and an active community. Nearby Bromsgrove offers cultural and shopping facilities. And despite Burcot’s peaceful situation, it benefits from excellent transport links, with easy access to the M42 and M5 motorways.

As well as virtually being able to walk through your potential new home, you can also walk out of the door and down the road so you can get a feeling for the local area.”

While this type of built-in flexibility will take time to appear as schemes progress through planning and construction phases over the next few years, many current new homes can also be tailored much more easily towards new modes of living than older properties. Ella says: “Garages often have unused roof space and can accommodate an upper floor that makes for an excellent office. The advantage of this is that it allows home workers to better separate their home and work lives. For the same reason, garden pods are becoming very popular and these complement new homes well, as they can be fitted out to a similar high standard as the main house.”

Holly Gardens, Webheath, Worcestershire A development by Eden Homes, Holly Gardens features nine exceptional two and three-bedroom detached bungalows, offering a superior standard of living in a popular location. Set back from the main road, each bungalow offers elegantly landscaped gardens and beautiful block paved drives. Each home has been designed and built with materials that exceed current building standards, resulting in less energy being consumed and reducing the impact on the environment. Subsidised extras for enhanced sustainability include solar panels, air source heating, triple glazing and upgrades for electric car chargers.

New home hot spots Oxfordshire The demand for rural living and a spate of new development opportunities in villages on the edge of towns such as Banbury and Thame has brought in a huge amount of interest from families and professionals who can also benefit from quick and easy access to London and Birmingham. Ella comments: “For a long time there was a shortage of sites in village locations in Oxfordshire and now that a number are coming through, we’ve seen a wave of potential buyers determined to secure their ideal property. As with many rural new homes, these buildings incorporate local building materials, including Cotswold stone, which is hugely popular in the county.”

Northwest Towns like Chester and Knutsford are extremely popular with those keen to escape the hustle and bustle of Greater Manchester. Buyers can enjoy the tranquillity, beautiful scenery and traditional town centres of leafy Cheshire, yet still have easy access to more modern amenities, such as the UK’s largest designer outlet centre at Cheshire Oaks. Ella says: “Buyers are very receptive to the high-end new-build properties in these areas and, as a result, housebuilders are actively looking for exclusive parcels of land for future builds, while developing outstanding homes on sites that already have planning consent.”

Ella Pearson 07580 323827 ella.pearson@fishergerman.co.uk

fisher german magazine

15

READY, (OFF)SET, GO Fisher German's innovative new platform, The Green Offset, is now live. The website connects those requiring land for a wide variety of environmental improvement reasons with landowners who are willing to provide acreage that will sustain new habitats or host renewable energy sources.

I

f The Green Offset sounds like something from a sustainable environment documentary, that’s because it may well feature in one before too long. The basis of Fisher German’s innovative online service is to connect those requiring land for a wide variety of environmental improvement reasons with landowners who are willing to provide acreage that will sustain new habitats or host renewable energy sources.

The original objective for The Green Offset team, says Fisher German senior surveyor Alex Watts, was to provide a one-stop-shop for developers who might require land for habitat improvement as a result of the government’s new Environment Bill, which is expected to become law in Autumn 2021. The Bill requires most development sites to achieve a 10 per cent increase in on-site biodiversity and where this isn’t possible within the existing site, the improvement will need to take place on land elsewhere.

16 fisher german magazine

“Although The Green Offset was initially designed around the new biodiversity net gain requirements,” says Alex, “we quickly realised that we could build a platform that will be helpful to not just developers, but also corporates, utility companies, high net worth individuals and others who are conscious of their carbon output and need to find land suitable for biodiversity, carbon- or water-related enhancements.”

The website, which went live in spring 2021, has already attracted a significant amount of interest. Alex explains: “The beauty of this site is that it is open to all interested parties, not just Fisher German clients, so it really has a broad nationwide reach.

And using the site doesn’t commit either landowners (providers) or those looking for land (seekers) to any kind of firm agreement; it’s simply a way of very quickly and easily introducing interested parties to each other. If they decide to go ahead with any kind of contract, such as an initial environmental

Developer awareness of offsetting on the up “I know that house builders and developers are looking at the issue of biodiversity net gain very closely, because clearly, it will affect the value and viability of some sites going forward,” says Fisher German partner Ben Marshalsay. “A website like The Green Offset is of great interest to developers,

many of whom are still getting up to speed when it comes to offsetting – they are familiar with the term, but not necessarily how it will work for them in practice. Having one place that can showcase a wide range of offsetting opportunities definitely makes life easier for them.”

Planning authorities ahead on net gain

survey, they do that privately. The site is completely free for providers, and seekers only pay a one-off fee if their search results in a formal agreement.”

Creating a first-of-its-kind website in the UK wasn’t without its challenges, admits Alex, with the complex mapping data proving initially difficult to produce reliable results. But repeated rounds of troubleshooting eliminated bugs and led to the easy-to-navigate interface visible today. “Seeing the live website with actual parcels of land available is a real thrill,” adds Alex.

Growing awareness of the biodiversity net gain requirements included in the Environment Bill has provided an initial spike in interest for The Green Offset and Fisher German surveyor Tom Beeley suggests that demand is likely to rise over the next few years. He says: “There’s likely to be an ongoing market for biodiversity offsetting to achieve biodiversity net gain requirements as there will be a requirement for development to demonstrate environmental net gain.

Beyond this it is likely that in addition

within their boundaries, which are effectively areas that they want to improve. We’ll have to see how that works in practice, as well as how cross boundary issues are managed, and whether net gain offset would be accepted in another authority area to that of the development.”

Simple solution for complex land management issue The positive reception of The Green Offset since its launch has been particularly welcome for Fisher German partner David Merton, who devised the original concept and was keen that the new platform would allow landowners to remain in control of how their land is offered.

He says: “The Green Offset provides a simple

to providing an improvement in habitat atmospheric emissions, water management and provision of public space will need to be considered and addressed in a similar way.”

Crucially, The Green Offset has been designed from the start to adapt to changing requirements. Tom says: “We are already refining the website in response to feedback from providers and seekers, which is likely to result in continuous improvements. And if legislation changes in the future, we are ready to make provision for it.”

One thing to bear in mind is that the land will be taken out of agricultural production for the typical 30-year covenant period and that may affect capital values. However, the sort of areas most suitable for The Green

platform to enable useful conversations around delivery of ecosystem services for the private market to take place. I hope that it will help drive these new markets forward, help landowners access and explore these markets and over time deliver some clarity to what is a complex, new issue for land management.”

Offset are likely to be those which currently yield very little, if any, income.

Alex concludes: “While there is no guarantee that the land could re-enter agricultural production at the end of the covenant period, it is quite possible that the landowner will be able to enter into another covenant. And who knows, by the 2050s environmental land may trade at a premium to arable.”

THEGREENOFFSET.CO.UK

Seeing the live website with actual parcels of land available is a real thrill.”

Local planning authorities will play a major role in the land offsetting process. Fisher German partner Liberty Stones says: “Some local authorities have already brought in biodiversity net gain requirements ahead of the Environment Bill and many are putting together green infrastructure networks

fisher german magazine

17

The Green Offset is particularly relevant for water utility companies as, like developers and many farm businesses, they will be subject to biodiversity net gain on any of their new assets, which require planning permission. Fisher German has already worked on projects where water companies have delivered biodiversity net gain through the planning process due to local requirements (see box). And now it is clear that government policy means biodiversity net gain is here for the long term, some water companies are going above and beyond what is required by law (see box).

They are also mindful that, in its latest price review, the water regulator, Ofwat, introduced targets for water companies to make improvement of the environment a core part of their business, to deliver sustainable, resilient water supplies, as well as offering greater public value. Time to act, together as Ofwat’s strategy is titled, envisages an industry with the environment integral and inseparable from its services, with water companies driving restoration of ecological status and adding value to the land they hold and use.

18 fisher german magazine

Fisher German partner George Simpson says: “Much of this land is managed by farmers, so we foresee increasing collaboration between water companies and farming businesses, which themselves will be expected to demonstrate environmental improvements.”

One of the largest challenges facing water companies will be how they source land required for biodiversity net gain. In a recent Fisher German survey most water company respondents indicated that they are focusing initially on their substantial land holdings to meet these needs. But George notes: “Those land holdings are a finite resource, so it is clear that they will need to be supplemented by acquiring additional land, rights in land or land management schemes, particularly if, as I believe is likely to eventually be the case, biodiversity net gain requirements also apply to development on third party-owned land.”

Farmers are in an ideal position to supply this land and in fact many are already working together with water companies on river catchment improvement schemes. These work by supporting farming businesses in river catchments to undertake improvement works such as fencing

off rivers, removing drinking points in favour of troughs, and funding annual management actions such as planting cover crops to improve soil structure or under sowing maize with grass to reduce run off, all of which will improve water quality. George says: “This achieves the primary objective of improving the environment but also brings the substantial added benefit of reducing the requirement for water treatment, which in turn reduces power and plant requirements and therefore carbon emissions. Farmers benefit from improved compliance and greater efficiency as soils improve and nutrients are retained.”

Similar schemes could be established to deliver biodiversity net gain commitments. Examples of existing schemes include: • South Staffs Water’s ‘SPRING’ offers grants of up to £10,000 to fund farm infrastructure and annual management to protect the environment and improve water quality • Anglian Water’s ‘Slug it Out’ has reduced the number of metaldehyde exceedances in the scheme area by 70 per cent by paying farmers to use alternative slug prevention measures

Severn Trent Water is already using its catchment management scheme, for limited periods, to promote biodiversity enhancement on farms. Its ‘Spring STEPS’ programme has delivered more than 1,500 hectares of new or enhanced habitat and 20,000 trees. Although the improvements aren’t directly linked to the water company’s infrastructure projects, these general schemes nevertheless contribute to an overall target for Severn Trent’s five-year plan.

They also help to protect water quality and mitigate agricultural run-off and improve soil health on farm businesses.

George says: “It is clear that the direction of travel is a need for more land to deliver biodiversity net gain, which in turn will lead to more and closer partnership working between water companies and farming businesses. Both parties should see this as an opportunity rather than a necessity and it could be a win-winwin situation, where water companies carry out capital work to meet their commitments, farmers then maintain land under an Environmental Land Management scheme and the environment is substantially improved.”

Planners and water companies already building in biodiversity net gain Some local authorities have already been seeking biodiversity net gain ahead of it becoming law in the forthcoming Environment Bill. Fisher German planning partner Sarah DeRenzy-Tomson says: “We advised on the installation of a new kiosk and sludge thickening building at a Sewage Treatment Works in Warwickshire. A Biodiversity Enhancement and Management Plan (BEMP) was prepared and submitted as part of the planning application, which included grassland creation with wildflowers to deliver biodiversity enhancement. This amounted to a 15 per cent biodiversity net gain, which not only exceeded the minimum threshold set out in local guidance, but also achieved the water company’s own target.”

Acknowledging the wider concerns about environmental welfare, the water industry is looking at improving on statutory minimum requirements. Sarah says: “In the period 2020-2025 we know that some water companies have a biodiversity enhancement performance measure across all schemes, which require a preliminary ecological assessment, and have set a target of between 10 and 15 per cent biodiversity net gain. Project teams are exploring options and delivery mechanisms to achieve the targets to ensure that habitats are enhanced once schemes are complete.”

Case studies: biodiversity net gain targets Anglian Water A minimum 10 per cent biodiversity net again applies to all land owned directly by the company.

Severn Trent Water In addition to Ofwat targets, a minimum 15 per cent biodiversity net gain is applied to all infrastructure projects requiring a preliminary ecology appraisal (where an impact on biodiversity is anticipated).

Natural England methodology for assessing the loss (the same as used by the planning system) is applied to the entire project, including where it is on thirdparty land. However, it is worth noting that as the impact from construction of pipelines (the most likely development on third-party land) is temporary, the assessment reflects that, so the loss is relatively small. The time taken for new hedges, trees and other elements to mature is also taken into account.

It is clear that the direction of travel is a need for more land to deliver biodiversity net gain, which in turn will lead to more and closer partnership working between water companies and farming businesses.”

Alex Watts 07584 707294 alex.watts@fishergerman.co.uk Tom Beeley 07970 698729 tom.beeley@fishergerman.co.uk George Simpson 07810 378185 george.simpson@fishergerman.co.uk

fisher german magazine

19

Mental health in the workplace Promoting positive mental health and encouraging open conversations among staff about their wellbeing are high on the agenda at Fisher German.

A

t any one time at least one in six workers are experiencing depression, anxiety or problems relating to stress. This is just one of many sobering statistics (see box) that highlight why mental health in the workplace is being taken increasingly seriously by employers. Unsurprisingly, Covid-19 has exacerbated mental health conditions, with nearly 70 per cent of adults reporting in 2020 concern about the impact of the pandemic on their wellbeing.

Fisher German was quick to respond when Covid hit, putting in place support platforms for all 600 colleagues. As the world moved onto virtual conferencing spaces to communicate, Fisher German made a significant investment in online resources, including a programme of webinars for all employees, covering a diverse range of topics, such as: financial wellbeing; understanding stress; managing stress; sleep; coping with change; understanding burn-out; and wellbeing while working from home, as well as Q&As with a registered dietician.

“This was a very clear way we could

Our mental health first aiders are able to recognise tell-tale signs, often from casual conversations, which indicate that someone might be anxious, depressed or even suicidal, and then tactfully point them in the direction of help.”

20 fisher german magazine

demonstrate in practice our dedication to put colleague wellbeing first,” says Fisher German HR director Maria Hawley.

The positive response to these webinars resulted in the formation of a four-week programme, led by a professional coach, on personal and professional resilience. And for those seeking to improve their health and fitness, a monthly online yoga session was provided by a qualified instructor.

“We were very aware of the importance of talking to other colleagues when we weren’t able to meet face to face,” says Maria, “so we created Business Blend, a system that randomly pairs colleagues across the business and emails them monthly to encourage them to chat to each other, either on the phone or via video conferencing.”

Enthusiastic feedback from this initiative led to the firm’s first Time to Talk Day, earlier this year, when 100 colleagues joined a live speed-networking session to chat to each other online about anything from work projects to hobbies and their personal coping strategies during lockdown.

Maria adds: “People approach things in different ways, and while the online resources were very well-received, we recognised that there was also demand for more physical ways to improve mental wellbeing. So, we introduced a walking challenge, where people formed virtual groups of five [usually within their business team] and logged the distance they covered on their individual daily walks. The response was astounding: more than 200 colleagues took part and we found that some individuals were covering over 100 miles per week.”

The importance of small gestures that can have a big impact has also been noted, with the firm sending out brownies to colleagues as a surprise pick-me-up on Valentine’s Day. “All of the things we have done to promote mental wellbeing during lockdown follow on from an initiative that started well before the pandemic, when Fisher German joined the nationwide Time to Change programme,” says Maria.

That resulted in the appointment of 15 mental health first aiders throughout the firm.

Just like physical health first aiders they received formal training, but rather than learning how to dress burns and perform CPR, they were taught how to listen to their colleagues and watch for signs of mental distress. Maria explains: “Our mental health first aiders are able to recognise tell-tale signs, often from casual conversations, which indicate that someone might be anxious, depressed or even suicidal, and then tactfully point them in the direction of help.”

What is Time to Change?

Time to Change is a campaign which ran between 2007 and March 2021, led by national mental health charity Mind and Rethink Mental Illness and funded by Comic Relief, the National Lottery Community Fund and the Department of Health and Social Care.

The campaign encouraged a total of 1,500 participating businesses to roll out a 12-month action plan to promote positive

life behind when they walk out of the front door. It doesn’t mean they can’t do their job to the best of their ability, but it does mean they can be themselves in the workplace, have a conversation if they want to and know that there is support for them if they need it.”

Putting this into practice involves changing often deeply entrenched mindsets, so Fisher German’s senior management team has been instrumental in underlining one of the company’s core commitments – supporting people in and out of the workplace – with the firm’s managing partner and chair both speaking publicly about how they have personally dealt with mental health issues.

Attending to mental health doesn’t just make good business sense by increasing employee retention. Maria adds: “It also creates a happier, healthier workplace. And I think everyone would much rather work somewhere where they feel energised.”

mental health across their firm. Plans typically included: encouraging open conversation about mental health and the support available when employees are struggling; ensuring employees have a healthy work-life balance; and ensuring employees are routinely monitoring their mental health and wellbeing.

Even though Time to Change has now closed resources can still be found online at: www.time-to-change.org.uk

Mental health at work in numbers • One in six workers experience depression, anxiety or problems relating to stress at any one time • One in five people take a day off due to stress. Yet, 90 per cent of these people cite a different reason for their absence • The cost to business is £1,300 per employee whose mental health needs are unsupported • Mental ill health is responsible for 72 million working days lost and costs £34.9bn each year • 69 per cent of UK line managers say supporting employee wellbeing is a core skill but only 13 per cent have received mental health training Source: MHFA England

Change of mindset

When Fisher German signed the Time to Change pledge, few other property companies were making similar commitments, perhaps highlighting how challenging acknowledging mental health issues can be in a sector that has historically shied away from individuals’ personal issues. “I’m really keen that people bring their whole selves to work,” says Maria. “The reality of life means that all of us will face challenging situations at some time or another, whether it is a medical problem, depression or the death of someone we’re close to.

“Until recently, we felt we had to put on a professional face and come in to work pretending that nothing's happened. Now we are encouraging everyone to realise that they don’t have to leave part of their

Maria Hawley 07918 677572 maria.hawley@fishergerman.co.uk

fisher german magazine

21

As demand for industrial premises from smaller businesses rapidly grows, developers are overhauling existing space to keep up with the high take-up as well as ensuring the properties are environmentally sustainable as the UK aims to become carbon neutral.

W

hile the pandemic has wreaked havoc across certain parts of the UK economy, some businesses are weathering the storm much better than expected. They include many of the small to medium-sized businesses, which are based on multi-tenanted industrial parks the length and breadth of the country. “It’s so refreshing to have good news to report,” says Andrew Smith, Fisher German’s head of client relationships for commercial property management.

“Across the portfolios in general, we’re collecting well over 70 per cent of rents shortly after the quarterly rent date. That’s partly down to good landlord and tenant relationships, but also what we’re seeing is that a lot of these businesses are back to operating at or near full capacity, although many are having to work in new ways to accommodate social distancing and colleague welfare.”

22 fisher german magazine

Demand for industrial premises from businesses such as The Filter Design Company and 3 Pugs Gin (see Occupier profile boxes) was already growing before Covid-19 hit, but the amount of new and refurbished accommodation coming to the market hasn’t been keeping up. As developers focused attention on building on larger warehouses for the likes of major logistics companies and online retailers, only a select few of specialist providers led development on smaller units for the remainder of the market. As a result, we are seeing demand exceed supply across many parts of the country.

Andrew explains: “As a result, developers and investors have been refurbishing this kind of accommodation at a pace and not simply to respond to the high level of demand. The push for the UK to become carbon neutral by 2050 and environmental sustainability coming to the forefront of market thinking means there are social,

environment and governance requirements that are prompting owners of these types of property to bring forward improvements across their portfolios.”

Refurbishing an industrial estate in 2021 doesn’t just mean focusing attention on the buildings alone. It also involves enhancing the surroundings, common parts and immediate vicinity, sometimes in conjunction with other landowners or local authorities. Andrew says: “Occupiers have higher expectations of their environment, so, for example, they now look for space for their colleagues to meet outside, for recycling points, and provision of a myriad of social and work place amenities. In addition, landlords are also acknowledging that they can improve their environment footprint by making simple adjustments such as on-site composting for estate plant waste, LED lighting across the estate, communal bike sheds and electric vehicle charging points.”

Planning for growth

With new developments being eagerly taken up by occupiers across the country and supply of refurbished space limited for the foreseeable future, occupiers will need to be much more attuned to what is happening in their local property market if they are to secure the size and quality of space they require, especially if it is location specific. While long-term space planning was previously something only much larger companies would consider, smaller companies are now having to look at the same, as they can no longer guarantee that the space they need will be available immediately.

Smaller businesses are now realising that the cost of taking space that isn’t immediately required can be quite marginal compared with their total operating costs.”

Increasingly, businesses are forward planning space requirements well in advance. “Although historically smaller businesses have only occupied what they needed and either taken additional space or moved to new premises as and when they grew,” says Andrew, “they are now realising that the cost of taking additional accommodation that isn’t immediately required can be marginal compared with their total operating costs and can potentially relieve more pressing logistical problems in the future.”

The shortage of good quality industrial and logistics space has pushed rents up across the UK, which can sometimes be an unwelcome surprise for occupiers assessing the market for the first time over the past five years. Andrew explains: “It can be a difficult conversation to have with some tenants when they come to renew and find that the world has moved on considerably since the rent was reviewed last.”

However, he also advises landlords not to become complacent: “Multi-tenanted estates are changing and occupiers are more discerning than ever. They are becoming more engaged with their local communities and the occupier profile will become increasingly more diverse as retail and leisure patterns evolve. Such developments will become destinations,

Occupier profile: 3 Pugs Gin It was a chance ‘speed gin tasting’ in 2015 that led Christine Ditchfield and husband Ste into the world of gin production. After sampling a homemade gin, Christine realised that the couple could do the same and, after visiting a gin school in Leicester, started distilling one of the UK’s favourite alcoholic beverages in the couple’s garden shed. Named after the trio of Ditchfield pugs (Pepsi, TuTu and MoJo) the brand soon took off and by 2018 production had reached 15,000 bottles.

“At that point we realised we needed both of us to work full time on the business and move into proper premises, otherwise we’d fail,” recalls Christine. They looked for space near their Warrington home and found choices were limited, so Christine made a bold move. “I decided to rent the largest

property at a price we could afford, so that we could grow into it.”

Since taking more than 2,000 sq ft at Penketh Business Park, the business hasn’t looked back. While a sale of 3 Pugs Gin to a larger drinks company is part of the firm’s long-term strategy, Christine is adamant the pugs themselves won’t be part of the deal!

Occupier profile: The Filter Design Company From humble beginnings with just three employees in a 3,000 sq ft industrial unit, The Filter Design Company has grown substantially in its home town of St Helens, Merseyside, where it now occupies a total of 40,000 sq ft in two locations and employs more than 50 people.

As the name suggests, the firm specialises in the design, testing, automation and manufacture of filtration devices. It has played an important part during the current pandemic by providing essential air filter products, including respirators used by healthcare staff and filter units fitted into hospital wards and pharmaceutical processing zones.

“During the pandemic, it became clear that we needed more space to hold our inventory and stock, as the demand for our products was increasing day by day,” says marketing

executive Hannah Scott. The company chose a 5,000 sq ft unit at nearby Withins Point.

Hannah explains: “We viewed various sites, but Withins Point was a good fit for us as it was very close to our main site and provided ample space for holding inventory and stock, as well as having additional office and warehouse space for further product lines.”

not just for manufacturers and traditional trades but also for more retail and leisure based users and the property offered will need to match expectations.”

Andrew Smith 07918 628991 andrew.smith@fishergerman.co.uk

fisher german magazine

23

Sustainability focus In a new regular section, we will cover key sustainability issues affecting the business sectors we operate in and feature examples of sustainable energy projects and other schemes with a clear sustainability focus.

Demand for renewable energy valuations rises

The government-backed Feed-in Tariff (FiT) and Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) schemes have spurred on the development of thousands of renewable energy projects nationally, providing developers with a guaranteed income for electricity or heat generated for up to 20 years.

Fisher German partner and head of sustainable energy Darren Edwards says now that these energy installations have been up and running for some time and have a track record of performance, lenders are willing to offer more competitive rates on loans secured against this type of property: “Electricity and gas prices are continuing to creep upwards, meaning renewable energy installations are increasing in value and we are seeing growing demand from businesses that are either looking to refinance an existing borrowing arrangement or secure new funding for investment elsewhere in their operations. They are coming to us to provide a detailed valuation that will be accepted by lenders.”

Unlike standard commercial or rural property valuations, however, those involving renewable energy installations require a high level of specialist knowledge. Darren says: “Over the life of the FiT and RHI

24 fisher german magazine

schemes, the rules changed countless times and there is a disproportionately higher risk of valuations being reported incorrectly where the valuer was not actively involved in the sector through the life of the schemes. Knowing how much a renewable energy plant is worth today depends on many factors, including the dates of installation, commissioning and accreditation, as well as a broad understanding of a scheme’s back history and the state of the market and relevant technology when equipment was installed.”

Demand for these types of valuations (and for expert witnesses in legal disputes over renewables installations) is likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

Darren says: “Even if you're valuing a scheme in 2025, you need to know exactly when it was commissioned and Ofgem accredited in, say, 2015, as many of the calculations needed to determine value link back to the day that it was first switched on.”

Hydrogen offers green energy potential in remote areas

Current and future renewable energy projects may soon have the option of using their electricity output to manufacture hydrogen, which can then be transported to remote areas where

it could be used to provide power for a variety of uses. Fisher German senior associate Jenny Salt explains: “We are currently working on a number of solar and wind turbine schemes where the electricity that is generated, rather than being stored in a battery, could power a local scale electrolyser plant to create hydrogen gas. The hydrogen can then be exported in canisters to wherever it's needed and can either be used by machines that run directly on hydrogen or be converted back into electricity.

“This opens up a huge amount of potential uses, especially at remote sites which don’t have access to the mains grid. Hydrogen could be used to power electric vehicle charging points, for example, or in many other industrial and domestic settings.”

Case study: Solar energy drives grain handling in Kent Private company Frontier Agriculture set out to develop a 1.1MW ground-mounted solar PV installation, which would occupy around six acres of land, to generate green electricity for self-supply, including 80 per cent of the power demand at the company’s grain handling facility.

Fisher German worked closely with Frontier to fully understand the firm’s needs and requirements and was responsible for project management and delivery of the scheme. This included discharging

the planning conditions imposed by the local authority, negotiating with and appointing the EPC contractor and overseeing the implementation of the £1m-plus project to a short delivery timeframe with minimal onsite disruption.

The project delivers on Frontier’s ESG requirements by reducing the carbon footprint of the company’s business operation while also saving costs and futureproofing against inevitable electricity price rises.

Case study: Valuation helps fund transitional energy scheme in St Helens A new mains gas-driven 20MW export capacity ‘peaking plant’ is under construction on a 0.56 acre site on Merseyside. A private client instructed Fisher German to undertake due diligence and complete a valuation of their interest in the development, which will provide reactive power to the National Grid at times of need, helping the UK transition away from fossil fuel generation to more renewable energy sources, in turn making the electricity network more sustainable.

Fisher German reviewed the history of the site and background of the development

to fully understand the project motives and then completed detailed sensitivity analysis and financial modelling based on projected market conditions and risks.

Regular communication with the client ensured the site was valued subject to several key assumptions required to satisfy the funder. The site was ultimately valued at more than £20m and the detailed valuation report was accepted by the funder, allowing construction to commence. It is anticipated that the plant will come online later in 2021.

Case study: Wind turbine helps secure future of family farm A farming family in Nottinghamshire wished to make a capital investment of around £1.3m to develop and install a 500kW wind turbine with a 50-metre hub height and 54-metre blade diameter, giving a total height of 77 metres. The diversified income it would generate would permit investment elsewhere on the farm, ensuring it continues for future generations.

Fisher German guided the family through the feasibility, site design, obtaining of planning, financing, procurement, and implementation stages of the project, ensuring the family obtained the best value from contractors and suppliers. The project’s progress through planning was not straightforward as an objection was received from National Air Traffic Services (NATS) resulting in delays, a refusal and a successful appeal.

Other work carried out included obtaining third-party wayleaves to enable the grid connection, securing project accreditation with Ofgem and managing various stakeholder needs and objections over a six-year period. The approved scheme is now fully operational and providing a healthy return on investment over the project life while also supplying green electricity into the local grid network.

Construction of the wind turbine can be viewed online: https://youtu.be/cpvy6nSqLkg

fisher german magazine

25

peoplenews

Long-serving partners retire from the Partnership The Partnership has announced that three long-serving partners – Andrew Jackson, Tim Shuldham and John Palmer – have retired from the Equity A Partnership.

Consultant partner Richard Sanders also retired from Fisher German in March this year.

Andrew Jackson founded Fisher German in 2000, merging Germans and Fisher Hoggarth, alongside joint managing partner Henry Sale.

During his time at Fisher German, Andrew was the contract director for major pipeline management contracts with Exxon Mobil and Valero. He oversaw the merger of 11 complementary firms into the Fisher German fold, launched LinesearchbeforeUdig (LSBUD) and led the firm to an annual turnover of more than £33m in 2019.

Andrew will continue to provide his expertise and knowledge from a long career at Fisher German as a consultant.

Formerly of Shuldham Calverley (est.

1989), Tim Shuldman joined Fisher German in 2010 following a merger between the two companies. Having served as both deputy managing partner from 2013 to 2019 and a regional managing partner, Tim will continue his current senior partner role until September 2021 to ensure a smooth transition to the next incumbent.

John Palmer joined Fisher Hoggarth in 1985.

He became a partner in 1994 and played a key role in the emergence of Fisher German when a meeting between himself and David Merton (of Germans) identified complementary services. The end result, on 1 September 2000, was Fisher German.

Obituaries It is with sadness that the Market Harborough office mourned the deaths of two long-serving employees at the beginning of this year.

Mrs Beatrice Jean Barwick (Jean) was born on 17 October 1931. She joined Fisher & Co on 14 August 1950 as a junior secretary.

Jean was meticulous with her work and was always willing to help others with a smile. She maintained accurate records of all AMC valuations for the Major and typed all his confidential reports and valuations. After the Major retired in 1981 she continued with the same responsibilities working for Michael Sandell, when the firm became known as Fisher Hoggarth. She retired having completed 50 years with the firm.

She died on 24 February 2021 leaving her son, Neil, and two grandsons.

Miss Barbara Alice Triscott (Barbara) was born on 1 February 1933. She joined Fisher & Co on 1 October 1950 as a junior accounts clerk. Shortly after, she became responsible for keeping all rental records on managed agricultural estates for clients, issuing rent accounts

26 fisher german magazine

at the correct time and chasing up arrears as necessary. She did this with great attention to detail throughout her time with the firm until she retired after 42 years on 30 April 1993.

Barbara never married but throughout her life she was a great help to others, particularly her parents and later her brother. She also loved to show her Corgis.

Barbara died on 27 January 2021.

Richard Sanders worked for Fisher German and its founding firms for more than 35 years, spending most of his time leading the Farms Department from the Market Harborough office. He contributed to the growth of the business in many other ways, including in a successful spell as senior partner for Fisher German between 2011 and 2016.

Partnership reveals promotions Fisher German’s Partnership has confirmed several promotions as of the 1 April 2021.

Yan Gittins has progressed to Equity B Partner, while Matthew Hodgetts and Matthew Trewartha have been invited to join the Equity Partnership at C level.

Partner spotlight Mark Gilkes

Mark Gilkes joined Fisher German in 2008, progressing through the ranks to become Partner in 2020 working in the infrastructure services team.

L

ike many of my colleagues here at Fisher German I studied at Harper Adams, joined the firm straight after in 2008, and despite numerous offers and pleas I have never left! When I first started, I was employed as a graduate surveyor, which was a wide ranging role that also grew to include covering GIS work – for the uninitiated, GIS stands for Graphical Information Systems, which we’d call digital mapping these days – in a time before a GIS team existed. It’s safe to say that the GIS world has come a long way since then and now exists as a specialism in its own right. There have been massive improvements to colleague skill sets, databases, systems, the technology itself as well as the infamous FME software. As a result, we’re now able to manage big data easily, accurately and safely.

I’ve really enjoyed progressing through the ranks and I found I got a definite buzz from working on larger infrastructure projects. As a result, I now work on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. These can include new utility infrastructure, large renewable energy projects, new airports and airport extensions, and major rail and road projects – it doesn’t get much more high profile or challenging in this industry.

One of the reasons I was drawn to Fisher German in the first place was that I liked the idea of dealing with all walks of life and having a good mix of office and site responsibilities. I’ve found that I really excel in a multidisciplinary environment, so I’m part of multiple project teams externally and internally. My main responsibilities involve delivery of lands services (referencing, land rights negotiations, and compulsory purchase advice) to clients on their flagship schemes. I’ve also become a bit of an expert on pipelines!

I liked the idea of dealing with all walks of life and having a good mix of office and site responsibilities.”

My day starts around 6am and for the next couple of hours it’s breakfast carnage with my young one. Then as soon as he’s in safe hands I get stuck into virtual dial-ins with the team, joining client project dial-ins to update on progress or challenges, preparing reports, liaising and workshopping with clients on key topics, liaising with landowners on specific issues, as well as trying to follow up on a never-ending to-do list. Success for me depends on good communication skills, the ability to manage a number of work fronts simultaneously and being able to ‘flex’ my style to suit many different people and colleagues.

I’m at my best facing project delivery challenges and when I’m meeting and working with lots of people from different organisations. Seeing colleagues develop their careers is also very rewarding.

Graduates arriving in our team shouldn’t be surprised that the work we do is actually good fun, though they can expect to be thrown in at the deep end, with plenty of field and site work, and are likely to have client-facing responsibilities sooner than they imagine.

When I look back at how my working environment has changed over the past decade it’s really clear that the approach to safety, lone working and behavioural safety has come forward in leaps and bounds, which I personally think is a great achievement, and I’m proud that Fisher German clearly leads from the front in that respect. And looking ahead, I’m very focused on developing the Development Consent Order (DCO) client market (see p.12).

Outside work, my ambitions extend to having a happy family and managing a work/life balance. I’m fortunate to now be living in rural Oxfordshire, which has some really nice villages, down to earth people, fantastic pubs and is good dog walking country. I’m at my happiest entertaining our 10-month-old son and our sausage dog, as well as slowly refurbishing our house. Having said the last bit, I would also (like half the UK population no doubt) absolutely love to get abroad this year!

fisher german magazine

27

Sector insight Potential new policies on agenda

Competing for space

Moving forward

Duncan Bedhall, head of commercial

Darren Edwards, head of sustainable energy

Our year has proved to be much more positive than we could ever have hoped for. We are fortunate that much of our commercial business is in the warehouse/industrial property sector.

Rental collections, occupancy levels and new tenant demand have all been strong and have exceeded even our most optimistic projections.

Many warehouse parks and industrial estates are full and enquiries for any space put on the market are numerous. Rental levels are consequently rising across the country as businesses compete for space.

This demand has been driven by several factors including the move to online shopping and increasing stock levels due to some fracturing in supply chains.

If this is coupled with a construction hiatus of some months last year, it is not difficult to see the causes of a real lack of supply of what we affectionately call ‘sheds’. If any of our farming readers have redundant buildings which could be suitable for conversion, now could be the time to consider taking this forward.

Sadly, the shed’s market gain is retail property’s loss. Choose almost any high street in the country and a quick walk through both the prime and secondary pitches will reveal the huge number of closed shops and failed businesses. A change of mindset will be needed for the high street to be able to evolve. This requires a rebasing of values, alternative uses for excess retail space and brave strategy from property owners, planners and politicians.

The office market is still in hibernation as businesses decide what their work models will be as normality returns. Views appear to be polarised between all in or all out of the office. I think a hybrid model will emerge and the office will change to accommodate this.

Offices will still be needed, but they will be different.

The market is not yet sure how this will affect space requirements, hence the pause in activity.

The overriding priority of the past 15 months has been to safeguard and stabilise people, liquidity, operations, supply chains and markets.

Everything else of pre-Covid importance including the environment and tackling climate change has, well, come a distant second.

The enforced lockdowns brought about change in human behaviour and energy usage patterns. Huge drop-offs in demand (average 25 per cent globally) triggered National Grid to impose output constraints on operators and even shutdown conventional generation plants in order to rebalance the grid.

Renewable energy sources did, however, thrive, outstripping fossil fuel supplies through much of 2020.

What also became clear is that energy security remains a cornerstone of our economy. Electricity security and resilient energy systems are more indispensable than ever in modern day society.

It therefore came as no great surprise when in November the government announced its Ten Point Plan for a ‘Green Industrial Revolution’ to build back better, support green jobs and accelerate the UK’s path to net zero. Boris Johnson acknowledged that clean energy transitions must be at the centre of economic recovery and stimulus plans.

Focused on tackling emissions in homes, industry and on the road, £12bn worth of investment has been pledged to create and support 250,000 new jobs in the sector and spur over three times as much private investment by 2030. This is all positive news for the energy and sustainability sectors and consequently we have already seen a sharp rise in demand for advisory services linked to the energy efficiency of commercial buildings (see p.8), EV charging forecourts and green hydrogen production, as well as mainstream renewable technologies. Exciting times lie ahead.

David Merton, head of rural We now have a clear sight of the demise of the Basic Payment Scheme; final payments will be made in 2027 with most impact felt from 2024.

Implications are getting easier to read and the eventual loss of direct subsidy necessitates all farm businesses to appraise and understand their enterprises.

Defra are now consulting on two important policies: delinking direct payments from the land from 2024; and the offer of a lump sum payment in place of any further direct payments from 2022/23.

The policies aim to enable older generations of farmers to retire, while freeing up land for younger farmers who might otherwise struggle to get into the industry. There are still a number of questions to be answered, not least what the term ‘retirement’ will mean, the likely level of the lump sum and whether this will be subject to income tax. While attractive to some, the government will need to use the results of the consultation to ensure it is attractive enough to make the impact they desire.

I am not convinced that for most farmers this option will be appealing; if a tenant of an average-sized farm was to receive a lump sum of £50,000 and this was taxed, they would be left with a relatively small sum to secure a new property or to secure a pension.

Both the Agriculture Act and the impending Environment Act set clear markers for both habitat protection and carbon reduction. Countryside Stewardship and the new Environment Land Management scheme are becoming increasingly important in the income mix, with plenty of smaller and older farmers looking at opportunities to increase income from these schemes.

Brexit trade deals continue to dominate the thoughts of many and remain uncertain. These factors mean more risk in farming and income volatility and may result in some downward pressure of agricultural rents.

David Merton

Duncan Bedhall

Darren Edwards

01530 410806

07831 824663

07918 677571

david.merton@fishergerman.co.uk

duncan.bedhall@fishergerman.co.uk

darren.edwards@fishergerman.co.uk

28 fisher german magazine

Fisher German’s sector heads look forward to what lies ahead for the firm and its clients.

The rise of land values

Moving with confidence

Ben Marshalsay, head of development

Alasdair Dunne, head of residential

Pause for thought – an ecologically sustainable future Giles Lister, head of utilities & infrastructure

This calendar year and during the final two quarters of last year, the demand for both consented land and development land in general (including strategic land) has given rise to upward pressure on land values.

There is quite clearly a shortage of supply of consented development sites coming through planning successfully to be brought to the market. The prime size in residential development sites is still in the 50-250 dwelling range and it is the specific lack of opportunities of this quantum that is pushing land values upwards.

During the second quarter of 2020, where we saw hesitancy in the acquisition profile of most developers, the market has rebounded in an extraordinary way. There is huge demand for consented land from SME developers through to the large PLCs, who are ‘hand to mouth’ in their strategies and have become more accustomed to ‘oven-ready’ sites being brought to the market.

Those consented sites that Fisher German’s Development Department brought to market within the timescales stated have over delivered on expectations. However, also underpinning this increase in land values, despite the increasing build costs and lack of availability of materials, is the planning system in general. Frustrations borne out of local politics, buoyed by the emotive topic of development in green fields, has meant that many local plans have not progressed as intended.

This will mean increased pressure from central government but delays locally when promoting strategic development opportunities. This has not dampened the enthusiasm and demand from strategic operators in the market though. We have seen increased demand over the past nine months from land promoters and developers seeking longer term development opportunities, both of a residential and commercial bias.

The residential property market has been regularly in headline news. Last year the mortgage approvals were at a 13-year high and transaction numbers 15 per cent higher than the five-year average. We saw house prices jump by approximately 7.5 per cent by the end of 2020 and a further 4 per cent so far this year.

Why? There have been two key drivers: government intervention to stabilise the economy including the Stamp Duty holiday; and working from home becoming possible, allowed people to move to the country in pursuit of a better lifestyle.

But what about the future? We know that people are looking at property portals such as Rightmove and Zoopla in very high numbers, which offers a good indication of future intention.

Mortgage affordability remains good and many predict that the base rate won’t increase until 2025. We also have the governments mortgage guarantee scheme making banks more confident about offering high LTV mortgages. We are now seeing a significant shortage of new property coming to the market, which is holding transactional activity back and pushing prices up.

Strong transactions and rapid house price growth are typical signs of a bubble; however, the current level of house prices looks sustainable because of the percentage of income required to service our loans. In previous crashes we have seen 60 to 80 per cent of take-home pay being required to service mortgages on lending multiples of four to five times salary. We’re comfortably around 40 per cent even though that means multiples of seven times a salary because interest rates are historically low. If you’re considering a move, there are strong arguments to suggest you can do so with confidence.

Utility companies provide essential services across the UK where there is ageing infrastructure that is expensive and difficult to maintain. Over the past year they have had the opportunity to evaluate how their network performance can be improved to ensure they can deal with the challenges of climate change and population growth. They are now making use of this data to inform decisions associated with asset optimisation and sustainability.

The significant shift to renewable energies, carbon-free technologies and reduced energy use has driven the demand for smart grids, green hydrogen, and batteries. Smart grid deployment will extend the life and create efficiencies for their assets. Green hydrogen will have a positive impact on renewables down the line where existing and new gas networks will be used for transmission and distribution. Fisher German provides innovative solutions, services and input into the rights required to facilitate the required transition.

Within the water sector over the coming years the big issues are that of population growth and the environment. Technical improvements with the network and infrastructure are being developed to support this. There is also collaboration with the EA, who operate water transfer infrastructure to reinforce supplies across the country, and other key stakeholders to manage the water supply risk which includes the use of desalination plants, new reservoirs and more efficient abstraction. Longterm water security requires improved supply and significant investment in infrastructure. Fisher German has been able to assist our clients with their long-term strategy providing the proactive support necessary working in partnership with their teams.

Ben Marshalsay

Alasdair Dunne

Giles Lister

01530 567465

07501 720412

01227 477870

ben.marshalsay@fishergerman.co.uk

alasdair.dunne@fishergerman.co.uk

giles.lister@fishergerman.co.uk

fisher german magazine

29

Office directory 1 Ashby de la Zouch The Estates Office, Norman Court, LE65 2UZ 01530 412821

8 Cwmbran Suite 5, Raglan House William Brown Close Llantarnam Business Park Cwmbran, NP44 3AB 03708 505150

2 Aycliffe Unit 4, Block 3, Bede House Durham Way Newton Aycliffe, DL5 6DX 03708 505150

9 Doncaster Unit 2, Carolina Court Lakeside Business Park Doncaster, DN4 5RA 01302 243930

15 Hungerford Firn House 61 Church Street Hungerford, RG17 0JH 01488 662750

16 Knutsford Charles House 1-2 Royal Court Tatton Street Knutsford, WA16 6EN 01565 757970

3 Banbury 50 South Bar Banbury, OX16 9AB 01295 271555

4 Bedford Unit 8, Stephenson Court Fraser Road Priory Business Park Bedford, MK44 3WJ 01234 823661

5 Birmingham 326 High Street Harborne Birmingham, B17 9PU 0121 561 7888

6 Canterbury Court Lodge Farm Offices Godmersham Park Canterbury, CT4 7DT 01227 477877

7 Chester 4 Vicars Lane Chester, CH1 1QU 01244 409660

30 fisher german magazine

10 Exeter 1 Emperor Way Exeter Business Park Exeter EX1 3QS 01392 314 070

11 Glasgow 3 Somerset Place Glasgow, G3 7JT 03708 505150

12 Head office Ivanhoe Office Park Ivanhoe Park Way Ashby de la Zouch 01530 412821

13 Hereford The Middle Granary Brockhampton Hereford, HR1 4SE 01432 802545

14 High Wycombe Office 12, Devonshire House 1 Cliveden Office Village Lancaster Road High Wycombe, HP12 3YZ 03708 505150

17 London Henry Wood House 2 Riding House St London, W1W 7FA 03708 505150

18 Market Harborough 40 High Street Market Harborough, LE16 7NX 01858 410200

19 Newark 12 Halifax Court Fernwood Business Park Cross Lane Newark, NG24 3JP 01636 642500

20 Newcastle Suite 4E, Spaceworks Benton Park Road Newcastle upon Tyne, NE7 7LX 03708 505150

21 Rossendale Suite 16A, Link 665 Business Centre Todd Hall Road Haslingden, Rossendale 03708 505150

22 Rotherham Office 16C, Manvers House Pioneer Close Rotherham, S63 7JZ 03708 505150

23 Stafford 2 Rutherford Court Staffordshire Technology Park Stafford, ST18 0GP 01785 220044

24 Southampton Unit 14, Basepoint Business Centre Andersons Road Southampton, SO14 5FE 03708 505150

25 Thame 17 High Street Thame, OX9 2BZ 01844 212004

26 Worcester Global House Hindlip Lane Worcester, WR3 8SB 01905 453275

11

Sectors

Services

Commercial

Agency

Development

Agribusiness

Residential

Building Consultancy

Rural

Compensation

Sustainable Energy

Expert Witness & Dispute Resolution

Utilities & Infrastructure

Infrastructure Services Landlord & Tenant Property Management Planning

20

Telecoms Valuations

2

We are slowly reopening our offices in line with client needs and government guidelines, following the Covid-19 pandemic. If your local office is currently closed to visitors, all your usual contacts will still be available to speak to via phone, email and video. Find contact details on our website at fishergerman.co.uk/team.

21 22

9

16 7

19

23

1 12 18

5 26 13

4

3 25

8 15

14

17 6

24 10

For more information visit:

www.fishergerman.co.uk

fisher german magazine

31

www.fishergerman.co.uk