One-on-one: Patrick Kavanagh, JBDS

June 19, 2020 / Keith Osborne
One-on-one: Patrick Kavanagh, JBDS

This week, we talk to Patrick Kavanagh, managing director of JBDS, about offering value to clients working with brownfield developments and why he believes the housing market will flourish again soon – and that honesty is the best policy.

Can you tell us how you started out in your career and have progressed to being JBDS’s MD?

I am a civil engineer by profession and have always been in the developer led market, constructing infrastructure for new housing and commercial developments. As the demand for brownfield development rose, it became apparent that the constraints often found in these brownfield sites were a major influence on the viability for these projects. We quickly realised that this was an area where we could offer real value to prospective clients.

What value does your service add to developers?

JBDS’s early involvement with developers allows us to design and build utility diversions, enabling works, S278 works and a whole host of early enabling works. By representing the developer at this stage we are able to ensure the best possible designs are proposed, approved and constructed in a timely manner. There can be substantial cost and programme benefits to this approach. We co-ordinate all liaison between third parties and ensure maximum efficiency is achieved in construction.

Can the relationship with your developers ever become strained if you’re the ones to give them bad news about the quality of the brownfield site they’ve just acquired?

On the contrary, I have found the opposite is true. Truthfulness is best policy! I find that even if unknowns are found the client must be made aware as soon as possible. To mitigate this risk, we work with developers costing options, prior to them purchasing sites. This ensures they make the correct financial decisions before committing themselves to the purchase.

How is the new build sector performing in London and the South East at this uncertain time?

I have worked through many different cycles within the built environment in the London market and I have always seen it bounce back very quickly in times of uncertainty. There is no doubt that this pandemic will cause some short-term difficulties but I am confident that the market and the contracting Industry will continue to flourish in the coming months and years.

What projects do you have lined up for the rest of the year?

We are currently completing a number of large-scale sewer diversions for our clients in Canary Wharf and Nine Elms; urban regeneration schemes with a number of local authority/housebuilder JVs and multi-utility works for repeat clients.

Are brownfield sites becoming harder to find in built up cities?

Yes, I think so. As the number of viable brownfield sites decreases, the inventiveness of developers working with us to overcome constraints is even more of an offering.

What do you think will be the most significant changes to your sector as a result of the lockdown?

Finding efficient ways of managing construction and programme risk. It is imperative that we work to identify and implement safe working practices to protect our workforce whilst ensuring that clients expectations are still exceeded.

What makes the perfect brownfield site?

Location.

And finally, what’s next for JBDS?

JBDS are developing and increasing our in-house design capability. The maximum cost benefits to our developer clients is obtained the sooner JBDS are engaged. The majority of our current contracts are won on a design and build basis and this ensures that we maintain control throughout the process. 2019 was a headline year for JBDS and we are aiming to continue to grow and maintain our customer focus in 2020 and beyond.

 

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