The question of public estate; Why rationalisation should be top of local councils' agendas.

With interest rates being at their current level, it may no longer be in a council’s best interest to simply sell a piece of land or a building which is no longer in use.

There are now other, more creative, options which have the potential to become viable income generators and present a real opportunity for local councils who are under pressure to make the best use of their estates; creating something from which communities and local economies can really benefit.

Working with Perfect Circle, Pygott and Crone have recently completed a project in the South West, where we carried out extensive market research, held meetings with local and regional stakeholders and conducted thorough site appraisals. This work was done to present a series of proposals to transform some outdated buildings, which were no longer fit for purpose, to create spaces that would generate a profit and benefit businesses – to include everything from new business space to holiday homes.

When completing this type of evaluation, it is crucial to consider potential yields, the benefit to local business and understand the wider economic benefits to make informed, measured suggestions which have the potential to really make a difference to what may have previously been an underused site.

We are delighted to have been announced as a tier one supply chain partner of Perfect Circle, supporting them to deliver commercial surveying services under the SCAPE National Built Environment Consultancy Services (BECS) framework. . The support and opportunity the appointment has brought to our business has been wide-ranging and very positive, helping public organisations get more from their assets.

Managing public estate creatively and in a more constructive manner is the way forward and I look forward to continuing this work as a Perfect Circle supply chain partner.