Thurston Group attends Place North West’s Meet the Authorities event

Taking place safely in person at the Lowry Hotel with limited numbers, ‘Meet the Authorities’ was a mix of presentations and panels with networking opportunities. Main discussions formed around how developers and investors can best work with councils and whether planning authorities have the resource to handle significant developments. It also looked at government funding sources and other initiatives that will set the agenda in the next few years.

The first presentation and panel came from Phil Mayall, Board Director at Muse Developments, Kevin Riley, Director at WSP, Emma Birkett, Heritage Director at Rochdale Development Agency, Barry Roberts, Managing Director – North West at Morgan Sindall Construction and Roger Frith, Head of Strategic Regeneration and Development at Oldham Council. 

While the second presentation and panel discussion featured a range of speakers. From Mark McNamee, Managing Director at Cityheart and Richard Laming, Senior Director at Turley to Darren Jones, Development Director at Nikal, and Alan Evans, Director of Regeneration and Place at Wirral Council. 

Gemma Darroch, our Business Development Director, enjoyed attending the event and found it insightful. She said, “As a Wirral resident myself I was particularly interested to hear about the regeneration plans from Alan Evans, at Wirral Council in partnership with Muse and Peel Developments. It was interesting to find out how placemaking and mixed use development are at the heart of their regeneration plans.”