Professional Profile For Ben C N Hudson MRICS MRAC, Managing Director
BACKGROUND
I was ‘milk rounded’ on to the Savills graduate training program, one of only ten recruited nationally. I was posted to the Cambridge office and acted for a diverse range of clients from Charities, University Colleges, Pension Funds, Private clients and Utilities. I would have stayed with Savills after qualifying as a Rural Chartered Surveyor, but I was tempted by the opportunity to broaden my experience at Fountain Forestry.
During my time at Fountain Forestry I was responsible for negotiating the purchase and sales of forests on behalf of clients throughout the UK and North Eastern USA. In addition I carried out all the property valuations for the Company and negotiated compensation in relation to: tree cutting work for Electricity Co.s and Railtrack; telecom towers new and existing.
I then moved to Knight Frank to advise clients on everything residential development and worked from their Birmingham, Nottingham and Worcester offices. I was then appointed as Partner and Head of Residential at King Sturge in Birmingham where I transacted on over £150 million of land, and won instructions on over £300 million of New Home sales. Next, I was ‘head hunted’ to CBRE to become Director and Head of Residential for Central UK. I set up Greenhill & Brownfield in 2007, just before the Credit Crunch and I haven’t looked back since!
My previous experience includes the disposal and acquisition of residential development land and buildings, new homes agency and residential development consultancy. My experience ranges from mixed-use city centre “City Living” schemes of 600+ units, to rural barn conversions.
In 2004 I was appointed to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, National Residential Faculty Board to advise the property industry and the Government on residential development matters. I am also on the Housing Supply Group and the Sustainability Working Group. I have been a key contributor to; the RICS Information Paper on Sustainability and residential property valuation; the RICS Guidance Note on Financial viability in planning; the Energy Efficiency and Value Project produced jointly by the Communities and Local Government (CLG) and the RICS.
I am a RICS Spokesman on matters residential.
SPECIAL SKILLS
Extensive track record in residential development consultancy, and land agency across the Midlands and South West.
National high level contacts within the residential development sector with House Builders and Developers.
Extensive experience of the new homes market
Rural Estate Management
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & QUALIFICATIONS
Fully qualified Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors since 1996.
Member of the Royal Agricultural College since 1994.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Ben brings with him a wealth of experience and client knowledge, and previous projects on which he has worked have included :-
- Acting for Defence Estates as their consultant from inception of the disposal of an asset, right through to acting as the sales agent for the actual disposal. This involved working with architects and planning consultants, both in Masterplanning, but also for actual Planning Applications, in terms of advice on unit mix, type, density, values and viability. This also included advice in regard to social housing provision and values. Prior to the sale Ben produced extensive marketing and PR strategies to fulfil their “Best Value” obligations.
- Acting as advisor and consultant for ISIS (British Waterways & AMEC Regeneration Partnership) on 144 unit waterside scheme in the West Midlands from concept to sale using similar methodologies as for the Defence Estates.
- Acting as Agent and Consultant for British Waterways in the disposal of a number of canal side development sites, ranging from 40 to 100 residential units.
- Acting as Agent for Birmingham City Council in the sale of a number of their properties for redevelopment to National House Builders and private developers, both on and off market.
- Consultancy advice on private industrial disposals, through to successful sale on numerous private client industrial sites. Confidentiality has been protected.