This month’s edition has more of a property development and investment risk theme to it. Our lead investor interview on page 16 with Chris Hamilton is all about the reality of ‘permitted development’. As you will read about in more detail, making a financial success of turning ex-commercial spaces into good quality residential accommodation which people want to buy is not as simple as some make it out to be.

In the last year or so it’s been evident that some high profile individuals doing multiple developments have been experiencing some tough times and are struggling to sell enough units to keep their lenders and JV funding
partners happy.

As I’ve observed here on more than a few occasions in the last few years, property development is not without risk and on page 36, veteran property developer Richard Little reinforces this with his observations about market cycles and why he is seeing - yet again - too many developers and their funders making losses which could probably have been prevented.