Savills has added to the development team in its Norwich office with the appointment of experienced director Max Barnes.

Max has worked in the property industry for 20 years – most recently at land and property investment specialist Albanwise Wallace Estates where he was managing director of its property division.

In his new role he will specialise in the acquisition and sale of development land opportunities and provide development consultancy advice across Norfolk and Suffolk.

Max (pictured) said: “Savills has an excellent reputation and a strong track record for having great people and a collaborative culture. I’m looking forward to using my experience to help drive future growth and provide the best advice possible to existing and new clients.

“Since the turn of the year – notwithstanding more recent economic concerns – greater stability has returned to the strategic land market, with overall sentiment remaining positive and the number of bids per site slowly increasing.

“Changes to the National Planning Policy Framework and the wider Government impetus to boost housebuilding mean we expect to see more sites come to market as the year progresses, with more planning applications also coming through.

“For the time being however the shortfall in land supply remains a fundamental challenge and is driving strong competition, particularly for ‘oven-ready’ sites close to existing infrastructure and where planning permission is already in place.

“In some areas we may see more land come onto the market quite quickly, but generally this supply is increasing from a very low base so is unlikely to have a considerable impact on development land values in the short to medium term.”

Savills Norwich offers a range of development services – from consultancy and advice on the sale and acquisition of development land, through to valuations and viability assessments for private clients, lenders, developers and corporate entities.

Ciara Arundel, who leads the development team at Savills in Norwich, said of Max: “He fits our dynamic perfectly and has a comprehensive knowledge of Norfolk and the wider region – bringing a great deal of experience that will be to the benefit of clients and team members alike.

“His appointment signals our continued commitment to strengthening and growing our team in response to market forces and ensuring we provide our clients with the very best service and advice.”

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