Independent land agent, Walter Cooper, has set out ambitious growth plans as it targets £1billion in land transactions over the next five years.
The announcement follows two years of strong performance, which saw the agency generate more than £680million in land value, equating to more than 3,850 homes delivered in that time.
Since its launch just four years ago, Walter Cooper has expanded its services across London and the Home Counties, servicing both the public and private sectors. The agency’s expertise covers a full range of services, from site identification, land acquisitions, land disposal and appraisals. It also provides market intelligence and acts as a housing association consultancy.
Simon Cox, managing director at Walter Cooper, commented: “It’s clearly been a tough market to operate in, yet despite this, we have managed to achieve significant figures both in completed deals, and those exchanged and under contract. Around 44% of these deals are in the affordable housing sector, demonstrating a strong pipeline at a time when affordable homes are so desperately needed.
“We are in the midst of a well-documented housing crisis that is fundamentally down to a lack of development, so the priority now has to be unlocking land to allow developers to build.”
As the business seeks to scale operations, a trio of new hires joined the agency over the summer, who will provide support with land negotiations. They join the existing team including Ollie Dyson, chief operating officer, and Nigel Palmer, land director.
Simon Cox added: “Our latest recruits are either recent graduates or school leavers that bring a unique perspective to what can be perceived as an ‘out of touch’ industry. Land can be a challenging sector to get into, but it’s one that is fundamental if we want to unlock the homes this country desperately needs. We need to find talent from all socio-economic backgrounds allowing us to better understand the buyers of the future.”
