Preston Baker land and planning department goes from strength-to-strength
Preston Baker’s newly-promoted Associate Director Hugh Roberts is a man on a mission; to make Preston Baker the major player in Yorkshire’s planning and development market.
“I want Preston Baker to be people’s first port of call for land and planning matters in Yorkshire,” said Hugh.
“Getting the right help and advice when it comes to land maximises the return you will get and also makes everything far easier.”
Hugh, who was brought into Preston Baker in April 2018 as Land Manager to set up a new land and planning department within the company’s New Homes and Land side of the business, has taken the new department from strength-to-strength. In 2020, the company’s New Homes and Land departments were instrumental in the disposal of over £80m in property.
Hugh has now been promoted to Associate Director, in recognition of the work he has done.
“It was a real honour to get the promotion at the age of 27,” said Hugh.
Hugh and his team help Yorkshire landowners realise value in land, with a strong focus on sites suitable for five-20 homes in villages and small towns where a high quality housing scheme that complements the environment can be built, and also on renewable energy projects.
“Our aim is to work on projects that bring a tangible benefit to Yorkshire and its communities,” said Hugh.
Former Law student Hugh joined Preston Baker after working for Coalters estate and letting agents in York; a company he joined through a graduate scheme. Prior to that he worked for Crew Clothing in East Anglia and then almost bought a bakery in Masham!
“I hit the ground running and set up the Preston Baker Land and Planning Department, finding suitable sites, valuing the land, getting planning permission and taking it to market, helping landowners realise value in their land and often enabling them to reinvest in farms or other businesses,” said Hugh.
Preston Baker has supported Hugh throughout, funding and allowing him the time to study for his Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) qualification.
Hugh said: “It’s been an amazing time to be working at Preston Baker. It’s been a lot of hard work, but we are a very close team and everyone is extremely passionate and energetic. There is a real family atmosphere and I genuinely feel that people care about me and I am not just a number.
“I absolutely love working at Preston Baker and coming to work every day.”
Hugh’s aim now is to make Preston Baker the number one choice for planning and development in Yorkshire, and to build a team of people behind him ready and hungry to achieve that goal.
“We are always on the look-out for barns and sites suitable for development and I just love getting out and about meeting land and property owners keen to realise value in land and property they no longer have a use for or want to sell. It’s tremendously satisfying creating opportunities for people and communities.”
Hugh, who lives in Harewood, Leeds, with his girlfriend Emma and their Jack Russell Monty, is passionate about Yorkshire and its heritage. He enjoys travelling round meeting people in his old Land Rover Defender and being outdoors whenever possible. Any spare time he has is spent renovating properties with Emma.
“I feel very privileged to live and work in Yorkshire and to work for such a caring, forward-thinking company.”
Pictures show Hugh.
