Property consultancy Avison Young secures deal with Liverpool City Council to oversee the authority’s investment and improvement programme for its buildings. Tony McDonough reports
Liverpool City Council has appointed property consultancy Avison Young as its strategic property partner.
A global firm, Avison Young (AY) is well established in the city with an office in St Paul’s Square. AY is also the agent for the multi-million pound revamp of Martins Bank Building in Water Street.
It will support the council to deliver its plans for further investment in, and improvements to, its buildings and spaces over the next three years.
AY has already been managing the council-owned Spine building in Paddington Village, in the city’s Knowledge Quarter, since January.
And it will now be looking at how best to improve commercial return from its property portfolio, such as the Grade I listed Cunard building and the Elizabethan Croxteth Hall.
This appointment follows the announcement that Liverpool City Council’s commissioner-led intervention will end in June 2024. Senior councillors in the cabinet have approved the introduction of a Property Improvement Plan.
This will enable the council to accelerate its regeneration priorities, drive place-based investment, support the economy and local businesses, and “promote better outcomes for communities”. AY will support the implementation of the plan.
Stephen Cowperthwaite, regional managing director for Liverpool and MD of UK Regions at Avison Young UK, said: “This nationally significant appointment reflects the quality and depth of Avison Young’s knowledge across our regional and national teams.
“This, coupled with the ambition of the leadership and council teams, will create a step change in realising the opportunities for long-term sustainable and inclusive growth that benefits communities and attracts investment.”
Other work will include co-designing the development of a strategic approach to the management of the council’s property assets, the design and roll out of a new corporate landlord model and to provide property advice on the council’s workplace strategy.
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The firm will also provide senior experienced resources to augment the council’s existing staff to support on valuation and property management activities.
Cllr Nick Small, Cabinet Member for Growth and Economy at Liverpool City Council, added: “The appointment of Avison Young is a great step forward in how the city council delivers best value on the management of its properties, now and into the future.”