Profile

Established Drivers Jonas Manchester office with John Walley and developed a reputation for being the leading independent planning & development advisors on major city centre regeneration projects.

Led pre and post-merger activity following the merger of Drivers Jonas and Deloitte in 2010, overseeing engagement of employees in business planning to build team identity and connect into Deloitte.

Partnered with Sir Howard Bernstein on The Waterside Partnership, producing a strategy for creating a world-class marine economy in Fawley, Hampshire, and leading the planning strategy for Fawley Waterside, a new town in the New Forest National Park. 

Expert witness for Waverley Borough Council’s Dunsfold Park project, a new community of 2,000 homes and 100,000sqm of business space on the aerodrome famous for Top Gear. Expert witness on the economic need for Liverpool One on behalf of Grosvenor, working in partnership with Liverpool City Council.  

Transformed 4ha of Bath city centre, a World Heritage Site, into Southgate, combining planning & compulsory purchase skills on behalf of Aviva & Shearer Property Group and working in partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council.  

Aldgate Place, a high-density residential-led mixed-use development on the edge of the City of London on behalf of Barratt Developments & British Land. 

Planning permission in the green belt and conservation area for 500 new homes in Mill Hill for Barratt Developments and the Medical Research Council.

Strategic land and estates portfolio for the Church Commissioners for England, ranging from urban extensions to the Hyde Park Estate, London

Led Deloitte’s joint research with British Land on the Future Growth of London published in March 2016. Chaired resulting discussion session with 50 senior figures from London property sector. 

Led planning teams rebuilding Manchester City Centre from 1996 to present day, including partnering with Allied London and Manchester City Council on Spinningfields Manchester, securing planning permission for individual development sites and advising on preparation of overall planning guidance. 

Provided planning advice to PruPIM and St Edwards Homes on GreenPark, Reading, securing planning permission for a 300,000sqm business park and 1,000 new homes, with a new railway station, school and extensive infrastructure. 

HS2 Euston Station - advising HS2, the acquiring authority, as expert planning witness on major compulsory purchase compensation claims, including the assessment of Alternative Appropriate Development, working with multi-disciplinary teams of experts, and preparing expert reports for the hearings at Lands Tribunal.

1987 to 2020: Deloitte Real Estate: Various to Senior Partner

Deloitte Real Estate combines property services with financial and business advisory expertise.

• Joined as Consultant at Drivers Jonas and progressed to Senior Consultant, Principle Consultant Graduate Planner, and then Associate Partner establishing the Manchester office. 

• After progressing to Partner in the Manchester office, progressed to Partner in Charge of Regional Offices

• Following merger of Drivers Jonas and Deloitte, became Head of London Planning and Head of National Planning Practice. 

Equity Partner of Deloitte – Real Estate Planning & Development Group 

• Advise on new building new communities and lead several long term engagements to promote major new communities, extensions or major regeneration projects. 

• Manage succession of Planning business and advise on strategic direction.  Facilitated hand over of Head of Planning - London to Mark Underwood and Head of Planning - Manchester to John Cooper. 

• Navigate multi-disciplinary teams through the planning process of major developments. 

• Coach individual employees working through Director and Partner promotions. 

• Role on projects includes master planning studies, planning policy promotion, applications for planning permission, community consultation, co-ordinating EIA’s, Viability and Economic Assessments, Affordable Housing strategy, Sustainability Strategies, CPO advice, and creating partnerships with Local Authorities and other stakeholders.   

• Give evidence as an expert witness at inquiries into planning appeals and called–In applications for planning permission (applications called-in by the Secretary of State), and Compulsory Purchase Order public inquiries, and Local Plan public inquiries and Examinations. 

• Prepare expert witness reports for compulsory purchase cases at Lands Tribunal.

• Engage with Sir Howard Bernstein on strategies for delivering economic growth to city regions. 

• Prepare economic analysis of potential for delivering sustainable housing growth. 

• Create shared vision for growth areas with private and public sector partners and demonstrate need for investment in infrastructure to government departments. 

• Lead fieldwork in European cities to encourage team building while performing research exercises as part of the annual CPD calendar.

• Present at conferences and Deloitte briefings on challenges of accelerating housing delivery.

• Secured planning policy support and planning permission for Fawley Waterside community on site of former Fawley Power Station in the New Forest National Park and internationally protected Solent Coastline, a new technology enabled working and living community with 1,500 homes.

• Partnered with Sir Howard Bernstein on The Waterside Partnership, producing a strategy for creating a world-class marine economy building upon assets of the Port of Southampton, the Exxon Mobil refinery, Fawley Waterside, and the New Forest National Park.  

• Advised on establishing planning policy framework for Welborne, a new community of 6,000 homes in Fareham including preparation of Area Action Plan, an innovative approach to creating a sustainable new community.  

• Partnered with Allied London on Spinningfields, Manchester, securing planning permission for individual development sites as well as advising on preparation of overall planning guidance. The development transformed 2.4 ha into a new destination set within a high quality public realm.

• Advised Leicester City Football Club on expansion plans for one of the most advanced football training facilities in Europe.

• Gained planning permission in a green belt and conservation area for 500 new homes in Mill Hill for Barratt Developments and the Medical Research Council.  

• Provided planning advice to Prudential and prepared Environmental Statement for GreenPark, Reading, securing planning permission for a new railway station, wind turbine and 300,000 sqm of B1 space. 

• Contributed to Heritage Works 2018, a toolkit of best practice in heritage regeneration, by the British Property Federation, Historic England and the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.

Equity Partner of Deloitte - Head of Planning London/Head of National Planning Practice (2010 to 2018)

• Led teams advising on residential and commercial projects throughout the UK. 

• Partnered with Leadership Team of Deloitte Real Estate and carried out full suite of leadership tasks including strategy establishment, business plan creation and business development. 

• Responsible for financial management, reporting and managing risk and opportunities. 

• Part of Deloitte Real Estate Executive and played a key role in major restructure of business strategy. 

• Line managed 50 employees in London and held overall responsibility for creating national planning practice of 80 Planners in London, Manchester and Leeds.  

• Managed recruitment, on-boarding, talent management, CPD, performance reviews, appraisals and task allocation to build a diverse, dynamic team with a strong demographic and skill mix. 

• Part of Remuneration Management team for Planning Division which included cost management, resource allocation, salary management and bonus allocation. 

• Sponsored 4 colleagues through internal Partner process. 

• Carried out research and provided industry and project insights. 

• Coordinated interaction with Deloitte Industry Groups and other teams to promote cross-company working and share best practice. Facilitated workshops and collaborative work from business planning to creating project strategy. 

• Chaired management meeting, client meetings and large project groups. 

• Worked alongside Deloitte Post Merger Integration Teams to lead Planning through post-merger with Deloitte during a period of significant adaptation, change and repositioning/restructuring of Planning and Development business.

• Led change management communications and arranged employee workshops to disseminate information and discuss proposed changes. Oversaw engagement of employees in the business planning process to build team identity and connect into Deloitte post-merger. 

• Managed recruitment, retention and turnover to bring new skills into the team appropriate to exploiting opportunities presented by merger.

• Created Business Plan for National Planning team that involved contributions from all employees highlighting problem areas and solutions to increase engagement in the future of the business.

• Led planning process of Aldgate Place, a high density residential led mixed use development on the edge of the City of London on behalf of Barratt Developments & British Land. Provided research-based evidence that demonstrated that allocated offices were not viable due to site constraints and heritage impact, and that the employment needs of the Borough would be best met by smaller workspaces, affordable housing and amenity space.

• Advised Church Commissioners for England on the Hyde Park Estate of 1,700 homes, commercial space and the Connaught Village retail quarter.  

• Oversaw redevelopment planning of 25,000sqm prime retail & leisure, 400 homes, offices & community space, and new streets and public spaces in Kingston town centre.

• Expert witness for Waverley Borough Councils Dunsfold Park project, a new community of 2,000 homes and 100,000sqm of business space. 

• Led Deloitte’s joint research with British Land on the Future Growth of London published in March 2016. Chaired resulting discussion session with 50 senior figures from London property sector. 

• Contributed to 2017 Accelerated Housing Delivery Briefing and Panel Discussion.

• Contributed to Manchester Residential Design Quality Guidance toolkit for Manchester City Council.

• Achieved several industry awards for Best Planning Team including RTPI Planning Consultancy of the Year 2018. “Deloitte are building up a very strong planning profile within an already existing, high profile international brand. They have a great portfolio of projects and exceptional client feedback.”

Drivers Jonas - Partner in Charge of Regional Offices (2006 to 2010)

• Managed all activity outside of London and led an operating unit with offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham providing full range of Real Estate Services.

• Oversaw the day to day running of the offices while supporting and encouraging business growth. 

• Managed communication of merger with Deloitte to Drivers Jonas regional businesses across 5 offices including pre and post-merger activity. 

Drivers Jonas – Partner, Manchester (1996 to 2006)

• Worked with Partner, John Walley, to recruit and build teams to establish a full real estate presence in Manchester capable of advising on major assignments across the North.

• Built team of 75 people including recruitment, on-boarding, training and performance management

• Worked closely with National Heritage specialist on approach to managing change in heritage assets including major redevelopment of more than 80,000sqm of retail, housing and car parking in Southgate, Bath city centre, a world heritage site, on behalf of Aviva & Shearer Property Group and working in partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council, and the nationally significant Co-op Quarter in Manchester City Centre. 

• Led economic assessment work that provided the policy justification for the scale of Liverpool One and its impact on the City Centre and across Merseyside, working in partnership with Liverpool City Council.  

• Developed a conceptual masterplan into a planning framework for Meadowhall, Sheffield. Led negotiations for scheme which delivered regeneration of 26 hectares of derelict former industrial land to provide 1,300 new homes and 120,000 sqm of office accommodation.

• Provided planning and development advice to Lancashire County Cricket Club concerning proposals to redevelop Old Trafford Cricket Ground. 

• Advised Universities Superannuation Scheme and Land Securities on Trinity Leeds, a transformational new shopping quarter. 

Drivers Jonas - Associate Partner, Manchester (1993 to 1996)

• Led start-up of Manchester office including development of processes and procedures.

Drivers Jonas - Graduate, Consultant, Senior Consultant, Principle Consultant (1985 to 1993)

• Qualified during this period and progressed through various job roles. 

• MRICS

• BSc (Hons) Land Management, Property Development: University of Reading (2:1)

• Secondary Education: 3 A Levels

Excel, Word, Powerpoint, Swift, SAP, Zoom 

• Address: Winchester, Hampshire, SO21 1JN / City of London, EC4V 5EP

• Driving Licence: Full UK (clean)

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-adams-1728a68b/