Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Our News”
On Tuesday 21st September 2022, our Director Dan Knowles was pleased to speak at CPT Event’s CPO Convention. The presentation to industry CPO practitioners from a range of professions was a 45 minute one on how to advise Claimants affected by the threat of Compulsory Purchase. Dan is a regular speaker at events like these and was pleased to be …
In a time when many other firms of Chartered Surveyors and Valuers are tightening their belts, we are pleased to announce our team has grown with the recruitment of Nicky Welton who recently joined our merry band. Nicky is a Chartered Surveyor who joins us from West End firm Carter Jonas, having spent time in their Compulsory Purchase team and …
If you’re reading this, you may be one of the extremely unfortunate residents or landlords who own a property on the Paragon Estate, a development of flats built by Berkeley Homes, with the Landlord being Notting Hill Genesis Housing Association. In October 2020, residents were informed that due to structural and fire safety concerns, the buildings would need to be …
Dealing with a global pandemic has proven challenging for everyone and every company in very different ways. Many firms of Chartered Surveyors have shut up shop, or went into hibernation, in the hope that the virus will be short lived. We certainly haven’t found it easy. Far from. One of the key reasons why we bucked the trend and have …
Our Office Manager, Jessica Moss, has successfully received the ‘NCRQ Safety for Managers’ qualification during the lockdown period. To gain the qualification she had to complete a 2-day comprehensive online course that went into great detail about Health and Safety within the workplace, whether that be office based or on a construction site. Jessica was given five in-depth case studies …
Just over a month into UK wide Lockdown due to Coronavirus and my hair has got too long. It didn’t take much to convince my wife to cut my hair grade 3 all over. She works for the NHS and whilst she’s on maternity leave with our 3 month old, her colleagues are doing an incredible job at the hospital …
On the 13th February 2020, 7 members of our team attended the Compulsory Purchase Association (CPA) annual dinner at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, Holborn. The dinner is a black-tie event that gives the team an opportunity to network with other professionals who work within Compulsory Purchase. The CPA promotes the highest professional standards amongst practitioners at all levels …
PEACH which stands for People’s Empowerment Alliance for Custom House is a residents group in Custom House East London. It was founded in April 2013 and has over 250 members from local schools, churches and clubs. Their purpose is to support local people to take action and have a meaningful say over issues that directly impact them. Since their …
JAMI is a Mental Health Charity and are a specialist provider of mental health services in the Jewish community. They are currently directly supporting around 1,300 people with the goal of getting them back into school or the workplace. They also provide assistance in Jewish Schools and Universities educating about Mental Health, how to spot warning signs and how to …
Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice is based in Barnet, Hertfordshire. They provide clinical and emotional support to babies, children and young people with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions and their families living in North and Central London. They recently opened ‘The Ark’ in October 2019 which is a brand new facility offering specialist care and therapies to unwell children and their families. …
With a leaseholder at Marsh Drive joining our list of clients, we have now reached the tally of 100 homeowners on the West Hendon Estate that we have represented. Of those 100; 84 have sold with our help 4 have agreements and are going through the conveyancing process 12 are in negotiations Our involvement on the estate stretches back a …
On Sunday 8th of December 2019, I receive a call from our Graduate Surveyor Shanoor. First thought – I hope he’s alright! It’s a sunday evening so I wasn’t expecting a call. I wondered whether the stress of expecting to find out whether he’s passed his AssocRICS the following day had taken it’s toll. I didn’t have a chance for …
In November 2019, the RICS produced a new Professional Statement on Home Survey Standards. From June 2020 it will be compulsory to comply with the new guidance. It’s about time too! The array of previous guidance is being replaced with one document which provides set requirements for Surveyors to comply with when providing a Survey. We regularly have clients asking …
It’s an exciting time at Sawyer Fielding at the moment. Only three years ago, we were a team of only 3. Now we’re about to become a team of 9 and we’d still like a couple more qualified Surveyors to join us. We’ve disrupted the market, offering a service we like to think is far better than our competitors and …
We are delighted to inform that our Director Dan Knowles has been elected by his peers to the Board of Directors at the Compulsory Purchase Association (CPA). Dan’s place on the Board is for one year, following on from the last year in which he has also been on the Board. The Compulsory Purchase Association is a not for profit …
The best things come in threes! Well, here are our THREE big announcements. New Director New brand New Websites So, here goes…. Meet our new Director We are thrilled to announce that Richard Stacey MRICS has joined our team at Director level. Richard previously held the position of Director at Brendons and Buntings Surveyors working in Leasehold reform, Compulsory Purchase …
Publication Date: June 2019 Heathrow Consult on expansion Masterplan On June 18th 2019, Heathrow revealed its’ Masterplan for the construction of a third runway. Major consultation on proposals like these are not unusual. In fact, there was major consultation undertaken from January – March 2018, the results of which will have fed into the current proposals. The Masterplan consultation which …
Published Date: May 2019 Heathrow Expansion Legal Challenge Rejected The High Court on 1st May 2019 rejected legal challenges against Heathrow Airport’s decades-long campaign to expand the aviation centre. The challenge was brought by local councils, residents, environmental charities and London Mayor Sadiq Khan after the House of Commons voted in favour of building the runway, approving transport secretary Chris …
Published Date: March 2019 Havelock Estate regeneration plans delayed At the time of writing, we have been appointed by 33 homeowners on the Havelock Estate. Some of these have already sold and some have agreed deals and are going through the legal process. On 11th March 2019, a joint letter from Catalyst Housing and Ealing Council was sent to a …
Published Date: November 2018 Our Jonathan becomes a Chartered Surveyor In November 2018, our Graduate Surveyor Jonathan Nesbitt successfully passed his Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), which is the final hurdle to become a Chartered Surveyor. He has also now successfully become an RICS Registered Valuer He started with us in 2017, having previously worked in Development Surveying and prior …
Published Date: October 2018 Dan Knowles co-opted to Compulsory Purchase Association National Committee The Compulsory Purchase Association is a ‘Not for Profit’ member organisation which seeks to encourage and develop best practice within Compulsory Purchase and Compensation. It brings together and channels expertise in Compulsory Purchase and Compensation from professions such as Solicitors, Chartered Surveyors, Town Planners and Accountants. It …
Published Date: August 2018 Dinosaur Safari Crazy Golf At Sawyer Fielding, we take the service we provide very serious. However, we don’t always take ourselves seriously. On one of our team social events, we went to the Dinosaur Safari Crazy Golf centre in Borehamwood. The website advertises it as – “18 holes of action-packed adventure golf. Plenty of dinosaurs and …
Published Date: August 2018 Social Housing White Paper In August 2018, Government launched it’s new Social Housing white paper. This document is a series of proposals that Government are consulting on. It is widely acknowledged that the lack of social housing is a significant part of the housing crisis. Not enough are built and of what there is, much is …
Published Date: August 2018 Compulsory Purchase Association National Conference On 11th July 2018, the Compulsory Purchase Association (CPA) held their annual conference. The CPA is a member organisation consisting of professionals who work within the niche specialism of Compulsory Purchase. All of the Surveyors at Sawyer Fielding are members and dedicate all of their time to Compulsory Purchase. The Association …
Published Date: May 2018 Our Natasha becomes a Chartered Surveyor In May 2018, our Graduate Surveyor Natasha Lamptey successfully passed her Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), which is the final hurdle to become a Chartered Surveyor. She started with us in 2015 in her first job in property and with our support, successfully completed a Masters Degree in Real Estate …
Published Date: May 2018 Now working on the Aylesbury Estate We are now representing homeowners on the Aylesbury Estate in Southwark, possibly the most hotly contested estate regeneration scheme in history. The various residents group active on the estate have between them done some sterling work in helping to support leaseholders. With some residents opposed to regeneration and some focused …
Published Date: January 2018 Jessica Moss promotion to Office Manager As of 1st February 2018, our Office Administrator Jessica Moss was promoted to Office Manager. Jessica started only a year prior bringing 7 years of experience in office administration with her. Since joining she has taken on more responsibility, most recently adding Human Resources to her duties. Jessica’s attention to …
Published Date: October 2017 Congratulations Natasha Our Assistant Surveyor, Natasha Lamptey has successfully gained a Masters Degree in Real Estate Development from the University of Westminster, passing very comfortably. Natasha joined us in 2015 and began her Masters degree, funded and supported by Sawyer Fielding. She is also currently studying for her Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) with a view …
Published Date: June 2017 Our fourth Sawyer Fielding Gives Back Donation : £4,000 for Grenfell Tower On 14th June 2017, there was a horrific and devastating fire at Grenfell Tower, a high rise Council block on the Lancaster West Estate within the borough of Kensington & Chelsea. Some estimates have put the death toll at over 100. On 21st June …
Published Date: April 2017 Regeneration plans given go-ahead On 6th April 2017, Woking Council’s Cabinet approved the Council’s proposals to take forward the regeneration of the Sheerwater Estate. Proposals had originally been bought forward by New Vision Homes, a Joint Venture between Pinnacle PSG and Balfour Beatty for the regeneration of the estate, at the request of Woking Council. …
Published Date: March 2017 Good practice guide to Estate Regeneration (Homes for Londoners) Mayor London, Sadiq Khan has provided a draft good practice guide to estate regeneration and as part of the consultation exercise, has asked for written responses to it. The deadline of 14th March 2017 for responses has now passed. View the draft guide here In our opinion, …
Published Date: January 2017 Louie becomes an RICS Registered Valuer In January 2018, our Senior Surveyor Louie Webb qualified as an RICS Registered Valuer. He previously qualified as an Associate Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). Louie has worked hard for his qualifications and at Sawyer Fielding, we are proud of his achievements. RICS qualifications are seen …
Published Date: November 2016 Wok for 1000 On 1st November 2016, four of our team took part in Wok for 1000, a cookery class ran by School of Wok, an oriental cookery school based in Covent Garden. Approximately 180 people were cooking Asian inspired meals for about 1000 people and raising awareness for food wastage and food poverty in London. …
Published Date: October 2016 In October 2016, HM Government announced that they want to take forward proposals for a third runway at London Heathrow. To build the new runway, approximately 750 residential properties will need be demolished. Approximately a further 3750 residential property owners nearby will be offered the ability to sell under Compulsory Purchase terms. Sawyer Fielding are …
Published Date: July 2016 Compulsory Purchase at South Acton Nearly all of the properties in phase 7.1 have now reached negotiated settlements. On many of these, our involvement saw increased settlements of over £100,000. In phase 7.1 alone we were appointed by owners of 26 different properties. Across the entire estate, we are appointed by well over 50 properties …
Published Date: March 2016 It’s not very often that regeneration hits more than the local news. West Hendon in North London though is far from the normal estate that we’ve worked on. ‘The Estate we’re in’ was a one hour long BBC 1 documentary filmed by Two Step films over the course of over a year. It aired at 10.45pm …
Published Date: February 2016 In December 2015 Sawyer Fielding launched their Sawyer Fielding Gives Back scheme. Sawyer Fielding are in a unique position to understand how it feels to lose your home to a Compulsory Purchase Order as two members of our staff have been through this themselves. The scheme aims to donate to charities local to areas affected by …
Published Date: January 2016 West Hendon Compulsory Purchase Order Confirmed On Thursday 12th November 2015, the London Borough of Barnet (West Hendon Regeneration Area) Compulsory Purchase Order No 1 2014 was confirmed by the Secretary of State for the Department for Communities and Local Government. The Secretary of State agreed with the recommendations made by the Planning Inspector, Zoe Hill, who held the Inquiry …
Published Date: January 2016 Planning Application submitted on Sheerwater Estate On 13th November 2015, New Vision Homes submitted a planning application to Woking Council. Since approved, it grants permission for the development of up to 922 new residential units, a new community & youth centre, health centre and leisure centre amongst other uses. The development would be likely to be phased …
Published Date: January 2016 Recruiting for Chartered Surveyors It has perhaps never been a more interesting time to work in Compulsory Purchase. Housing Estates across London are being regenerated, leaving more potential clients to represent than there has been in decades. Residents are facing a difficult challenge of navigating their way through compulsory purchase and securing financial settlements that are enough …
Published Date: January 2016 Whitefield Estate (Brent Cross, Cricklewood) Public Inquiry The Public Inquiry to assess whether or not London Borough of Barnet should secure Compulsory Purchase powers for the redevelopment of Brent Cross Shopping Centre and the Whitefield Estate began on Thursday 17th May 2016 and took a few weeks to conclude. This Public Inquiry heard representations by the acquiring authority (London …
Published Date: January 2016 Housing and Planning Bill to reform Compulsory Purchase Law In December 2015, the final sitting of the Committee considering the Housing and Planning Bill took place. The Bill is wide-ranging, affecting a number of highly important and divisive issues such as ‘Pay to Stay’, the sale of high value Council housing and the ability for Housing …