Developing Consensus, the leading regional private/public sector opinion group, has started 2019 with a fundamental shift in position to emphasise its messages about the importance of the region’s property sector and the issues the region faces.
The group’s membership has between them invested over £1bn in the North East over the last 10 years, but is seeing increasing challenges to investment and project delivery in the region, which needs to be urgently highlighted and addressed.
Developing Consensus, the leading private/public sector opinion group which includes leading private sector investors, developers, property agents and professionals in the North East of England, has started 2019 with a fundamental shift in position to emphasise its messages about the importance of the region’s property sector and the issues the region faces.
Founded in 2012 with just six members, Developing Consensus now has over 120 members representing a range of private sector professionals and public sector organisations and authorities.
Chair Adam Serfontein, who is also managing director of the property investment and development company, Hanro, says the first six years created a solid foundation to move ahead at a critical time for the country.
“We are strong, multi-disciplined and a very knowledgeable opinion group and feel that faced with Brexit on one hand and further Devolution in the region as well as a range of other important issues, that we continue to work tirelessly in partnership across the sector to make significant representation where necessary in the interests of the region,” says Mr Serfontein.
“Our principal ambitions remain the same – ensuring the delivery and supply of new developments and buildings that will enable the growth of high-quality businesses in the region, to support the region in attracting the inward investment from national and international markets necessary for regional development and growth, to foster positive collaboration between the public and private sectors on development and investment and continue to be an authoritative voice and expert consultant group, actively supporting regional policy-makers across relevant sectors.
“However we will increase activity levels and raise our profile as we focus on delivery and growth. To achieve this we have upgraded our website for re-launch in early 2019 and continue to be committed to publishing position papers which will be available on the web. These will focus, for example, on inward investment, the digital sector, planning, infrastructure and development to begin with.
“We have enjoyed very good relations with the public sector and feel that faced with uncertainty on a European dimension it is timely for us to turn up the volume so to speak.”