About
Professional Summary
James has worked within the property sector since graduating from University in 2010. Initially working in the UK Retail Development sector. James joined Colliers International in 2013 and Heads the Residential Development team.
James has worked on a range of projects for both private and public sector clients across the south of England, helping clients maximise the value from their assets through strategic development advice and considered disposal strategies. James specialises in residential development agency, including acquisition & disposals advice, options analysis and modelling, site specific marketing & sales strategies tailored to our private and public sector landowner clients.
Accomplishments
- Acquisition advice for LGIM in the purchase of Macbean Street, Woolwich. The site was purchased subject to planning and is expected to deliver c.650 BTR units. Guide price £44,000,000
- Disposal of Bond House, New Cross Gate for £12,900,000, a site with planning permission for 89 residential units on behalf of Private Clients.
- Acquisition of Homebase Wandsworth on behalf of LGIM. The site had planning for 550 apartments, and will be replanned with additional land to delivery over 1,000 new BTR units. The acquisition price was £77,750,000
- Disposal of the former Vauxhall Motors Headquarters, Luton. The site sold with a positive pre application for 1,000 residential units to Prologis UK for £28,500,000.
- Providing consultancy and disposal advice to NHS Trust client in the sale of the Former Severalls Hospital. The largest UK NHS site to come to the market, a 120 acre site with outline planning consent for 1,500 new homes. The site was sold to a consortium of housebuilders for £35,000,000.
- Acquisition and subsequent disposal advice on behalf of Danescroft Land Limited. A 4.5 acre unconsented site, purchased unconditionally before selling with planning permission for 77 residential units.
- Agreed unconditional purchases of industrial land on behalf of Berkeley Homes in South East London. The wider site is set to deliver in excess of 1,100 new homes,.
Education
MSc Real Estate - University of Greenwich (Merit)
BA (hons) Environmental Management - University of Leeds (2.1)
Memberships & Involvements
Royal Insititution of Chartered Surveyors; Residential Development Agents Society
Clients
Danescroft Land Limited, Southern Grove, Inland Homes
Berkeley Homes, London Square, Fairview New Homes, Taylor Wimpey, Lend Lease, Bovis, Crest
LGIM, Grainmarket Asset Management, Canada Life
Testimonials
Mike Powell, Senior Transaction Manger - LGIM
I have worked with James for a number of years in my capacity as Transaction Manager at Legal and General. James has worked with us on the three largest acquisitions made to date for the L&G Build to Rent Fund including two sites in Wandsworth and one in Woolwich Town Centre. Based on this work I would rank him as one of the leading consultants we have worked with, bringing off market opportunities forward, partnered with invaluable advice which has enabled us to secure the above sites. James always comes across as highly intelligent when acting for us on transactions. His superb analytical and communication skills have built a strong relationship not just with myself but also with personnel across the BTR Fund team. This has been reflected in the number of deals done with James and Colliers, who have been the principle consultant instructed on acquisitions to date.
Des Wicks, Group Land Director - Inland Homes
Over the past 5 years I have worked extensively with James on a number of acquisitions and disposals for Inland Homes Plc. In particular over the past year James has acted for us on a disposal of a 60 unit scheme in Meppershall where we achieved a sale price in excess of our aspirations despite a challenging marketplace and transactional timeframe. James was a crucial part of the team which ensured the transaction concluded in a timely manner in line for our financial year end. More recently James acted for Inland on a £28m unconditional acquisition which had considerable technical and legal issues which he provided comprehensive advice on throughout. I would consider James to be a key contact of our business and look forward to continuing to work with him in the future.
James Trelfa, Director - Danescroft Land Limited
I have known James personally for now over 4 years and consider him a key contact. He is well known in the industry and has a reputation for getting deals done in a discrete and efficient manner. James is an important source of land opportunities to Danescroft and we consider him a key contact. In the last 18 months he has acted for us on an important acquisition in Newport Pagnell, which he is subsequently now selling with the benefit of planning consent, as well as transacting with us on another land deal, which he is instructed to dispose of once consented. We consider James a trusted adviser and in addition to the above transactions’ he advises the company on the viability, desirability and indeed eventual demand for the majority of our acquisitions. He provides important and considered advice, in a timely and efficient manner.
Services
Skills
Service Lines
Property Type
Specializations
My Team
My Team
William Agnew
Associate Director
Residential - Development
London - West End
I have been working in the Residential Development Department at Colliers since graduating from The University of Manchester in June 2013. I have since become a chartered surveyor in 2015 and have managed multiple acquisitions and disposals of unconsented and consent development opportunities. This work has included new build consented sites, PDR and strategic land deals with a predominant focus within the M25 Zones 3-6.
Matthew Earnshaw
Senior Surveyor
Residential - Development
London - West End
Matt specialises in Agency in the Residential Development team where he works on behalf of a wide range of clients, including private and public sector landowners, providing acquisition and disposals advice, development appraisals, viability studies, planning guidance and sales advice.
Matt joined Colliers in August 2015 after concluding his Masters degree in Real Estate. He chartered as a surveyor in November 2017.
Anthony Shapland
Head of Development Advisory
Development Advisory
London - West End
Anthony is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors having qualified in 1993 following being awarded a BSc with Distinction for the London South Bank University. He has a varied professional and agency background as both a principal and consultant and has acted for a range of public, corporate and private clients, both in the UK and abroad. His knowledge of the client side enables him to provide strategic advice for a range of major mixed use development projects.
Andrew White
Head of UK Residential & International Properties Asia
Residential - Development
London - West End
Andrew heads up the UK Residential & International Properties (Asia) Department at Colliers and is a specialist advisor in residential and mixed use developments. He has been involved in some of the largest and most complex sites within London and the South East of England.
The Residential Department at Colliers comprises a market leading team of surveyors and advisers who focus on London, The South East and the Regions, advising clients on their options for maximising value for their assets, including planning, development consultancy, Build To Rent, investment and disposal strategy and New Homes & Project marketing, both in the UK and Internationally.
Andrew has worked in the sector since 1994 having started his career with a large multinational real estate agency, then running his own land agency for 8 years before joining Colliers in 2013. He has advised government bodies such as the NHS, as well as family businesses, funds, charities, developers and companies on their strategy for disposal of their land holdings and property assets.
Clients include, Legal & General, the NHS, Royal London Asset Management, The Diocese of London, London Square, Telereal Trilium, Threadneedle, Aberdeen Standard, Greggs, Rexel and PSA Group as well as other large corporate landowners.
Michael Bickerton
Head of New Homes
Residential - New Homes
London - West End
Mike has over 20 years experience in the London and wider UK new homes markets, acting for a wide range of clients from niche developers to national housebuilders and public sector bodies and leading many UK and International sales campaigns. He has extensive consultancy experience on design, specification, scheme and unit layoutand marketing expertise, advising clients on branding, collateral and target market identification. Mike has provided advice and inpu on projects ranging from single homes to 10,000 unit regeneration schemes.
The Residential Department at Colliers International comprises a market leading team of surveyors and advisers who focus on London, The South East and the Regions, advising clients on their options for maximising value for their assets, including planning, development consultancy, Build To Rent, investment and disposal strategy. New Homes & Project Marketing, both in the UK and Internationally is a core part of our client service.
Mike was previously a Partner at a competing firm and over his career to date has spearheaded numerous marketing campaigns both within the UK and Internationally, with a focus on South East Asia and China.
Andrew Stanford
Head of Build To Rent
PR
London - West End
As Head of Build to Rent at Colliers, Andrew leads a successful team in helping developer and investor clients to capitalise on BTR's anticipated, post pandemic, rapid growth.
Andrew is an accomplished leader in the UK's living sector with a strong 30 year performance track record, including Build to Rent. This has been achieved by combining:
• An exceptional knowledge of residential investment and asset management.
• Substantial strategic and political policy influencing capabilities.
• Strong leadership and third party management skills. A great team player.
• Significant business and board level experience.
• Excellent communication skills. A highly competent and persuasive speaker and presenter.
• An extensive and carefully curated senior level network.
• A keen eye for design, what generates return and what doesn’t.
• A determination to work for organisations/clients producing a positive social impact.