September 17th 2020
Delivering More and Better Homes across the West Midlands
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Building new homes, achieving housing targets was a challenge even before the pandemic. How big a part will new ways of working play in the future prosperity of the housing market? How will the sector change? How is the West Midlands going to kick start and get back to growth?
The global property market has experienced huge disruption, which is likely to continue for some time. The West Midlands is not alone in facing this challenge. How these impacts are being felt, and how the region responds and reboots will be at the heart of our next panel discussion on the WM’s.
We will have an open, constructive debate, to understand where the WM’s housing strategy currently sits, what barriers exist, and how we break them down. We will explore the practical challenges of getting schemes through planning, the issues around viability and how better relationships can deliver mutual value.
We have assembled a first class panel to discuss this, Cllr Ian Ward, Leader Birmingham City Council, Adam Willetts, Associate Director, Urban Splash, Ashley Kensington, Managing Director St Joseph, Berkeley Group Plc and Faraz Baber, Director Terence O’Rourke will moderate the session and add his own views
EVENT SPEAKERS
Cllr Ian Ward
Leader
Birmingham City Council
Adam Willetts
Associate Director
Urban Splash
Adam joined Urban Splash in 2007 and is currently delivering a number of high-profile mixed-use projects including the new 43 acre urban waterside neighbourhood at Port Loop in Birmingham.
An Architect by training Adam is actively involved in all aspects of the development process from acquisition through to completion with significant experience in the sympathetic restoration of historic buildings.
Notable projects include the redevelopment of key buildings at the listed Royal William Yard, Plymouth, which has been recognized on a regional, national and international basis for the design and regeneration of heritage assets. Adam also spent a period of time at Argent as a Project Director working on the Paradise Commercial Regeneration Scheme in the Heart of Birmingham.
Ashley Kensington
Managing Director
St Joseph, Berkeley Group Plc
Ashley has 20 years’ experience within in the development sector specialising in property investment, acquisition and obtaining planning consents. For the last 15 years she has worked at the Berkeley Group with posts held in St James, Berkeley Commercial and more recently in St William where she assisted in setting up the joint venture with National Grid.
In August 2018, Ashley moved to St Joseph to assist the Berkeley Group’s expansion into the West Midlands with responsibility for land, planning and asset management.
James Blakey
Planning Director
Moda Living
James Blakey was employee number two at Moda Living in 2014 and is an exceptionally experienced Planning Director with 30+ years experience with roles at CBRE, Deloitte, United Utilities, West Property and Morgan Stanley. James has led the planning strategy for The Mercian, which is now under construction, and Great Charles Square in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter
Moda Living is the largest privately funded build-to-rent platform in the UK and has one of the most ambitious build-to-rent development pipelines in the UK. Moda already has £850m of projects under construction, with more expected to start on-site during 2020 – the first phase of its £2.5bn pipeline of over 7,500 rent-only homes.
Chairperson: Faraz Baber, Director Terence O'Rourke
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