More people than ever are competing for the prestige of becoming a RICS award-winner for 2010. In the East Midlands alone, there is a 45% increase in the number of entries for the most sought-after prize in the UK property industry.

Nationally, 446 property projects shall be fighting it out at the RICS Awards 2010, a 20% increase from 2009. The four categories they shall be competing in are building conservation, regeneration, sustainability and community benefit.

The winning projects from each geographical region will then go head-to-head to compete in London’s grand final in October 2010.

The RICS’ Project of the Year 2009 went to St Paul’s Cathedral Tercentenary Project in London, a £40 million restoration programme to celebrate its 300th anniversary in 2008.

Simon Pott, chairman of the RICS Awards judging panel, said of the 2009 winner: “This is a remarkable project that has rejuvenated a truly timeless building for the local area and wider community. The care and attention taken in its restoration, in both its exterior and interior, has given it a completely new lease of life. A wonderful project.”

For more information visit www.rics.org

In 2008 BMX became an Olympic sport for the first time and now Rider Levett Bucknall has been appointed to work on a new national standard BMX track in the West Midlands.

The £320,000 floodlit track and clubhouse facilities at Arrow Valley Country Park in Redditch is hoped to attract some Olympic stars of the future.

Nigel Mason, partner at cost and construction consultant RLB, said: “RLB is delighted to be part of something that will encourage the sport to flourish. If we are to compete globally we need to attract new competitors to the sport as well as invest in those already training.

“Outside the Olympics arena, BMX racing is very much a family sport. The 350-metre track will be used by families and schools right across the UK, as well as experienced competition riders and attract all ages from four years old to well over 40.”

For more information visit www.rlb.com

After all the winter snow and frost, we are finally embarking on some milder weather.  As a result of the temperature increasing and melting the snow and ice all the extra water is putting pressure on drainage systems,  with particular impact on agricultural land drains. If any areas of land are water logged it may be due to the soil being saturated or it could be due to a drainage problem.

Part of the rural surveyor’s job is to investigate drainage problems and propose a solution.  One of my roles acting for a utility network is to assess drainage problems that arise along the network, and propose solutions to them.

Below is an example of the processes involved with remedial drainage works:

1. Landowner and or agent notifies us of a potential defect.
2. A site visit is organised.
3. Site meeting, actions taken:
   • Record of Condition (Should have plenty of photos and good descriptions)
   • Comment on findings, i.e. standing water, crop condition.
   • Have a look at the outfalls, are they blocked or broken?
   • Look at any other potential causes of the problem e.g. road schemes or other utilities
   • Discuss the best possible course of action with the landowner.  This may include potential contractors, timescales and cost implications.
   • Request a copy of the original land drainage plan if the landowner has one.
4. Compile a comprehensive report of your findings, including plans clearly showing the defect and the record of condition.
5. With approval from the client, instruct drainage contractors to investigate the problem and upon determination of the cause, fix any broken drains and tie them back into the drainage system.
6. Conclude by settling any compensation for crop loss, farmer’s time and agent’s fees etc.

For more information on Fisher German and the services offered please go to www.fishergerman.co.uk

There is good cause for celebration at GVA Grimley’s Manchester office where six of the company’s graduates have achieved 100% pass rate in their professional exams.

Barbara Turner, Paul Aylmer, Mark Gill and James Pickles have all passed the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC), while Victoria Carr and Nick Thompson in the planning, development and regeneration team have passed the RPTI exams.

The group can now look forward to the next stage in their careers.

Mark Rawstron, senior regional director at GVA Grimley said: “The team’s success is testament to the great infrastructure we have for graduates here at GVA Grimley. The company is committed to creating bright futures for these talented individuals.”

For more information visit www.gvagrimley.co.uk

Commenting on today’s House Price Index from Communities and Local Government (CLG), RICS chief economist Simon Rubinsohn says:

“The latest data on house prices from CLG provides further evidence of the recovery in the residential market. Land Registry numbers show a broadly similar picture and, significantly, the latest figures from the Bank of England show the cost of mortgage finance to be easing. This, alongside some tentative signs that money is becoming a little more freely available should help to continue to push prices higher for at least the next few months. Our own survey reflects a similar pattern with optimism on house prices rebounding smartly during January.

“However, although things are looking better at the moment, the second half of the year is likely to be more challenging again. Not only is the cost of secured borrowing likely to move higher, but the pre-announced increase in the top tax rate will begin to bite. Further fiscal tightening could also be announced after the general election. As a result, we suspect that the price trend is likely to stabilise and possibly turn down in the latter part of 2010.”

SSBV members set to adopt the RICS mark of property professionalism demanded by financial institutions, corporations, governments and organisations.

All existing members of The Society of Share and Business Valuers (SSBV) have been invited to take up full membership of RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors). By accepting the invitation, their members will operate under the RICS mark of property professionalism; increasingly demanded by the world’s largest financial institutions, corporations, governments and organisations that depend on the consistent and reliable valuations provided through RICS standards.

The offer of membership is open to all existing full SSBV members who will be offered direct entry into RICS. As leading professionals in the field of intangible asset and business valuation, they are well known for their expertise and excellence and as such possess the high standards of practice that are synonymous with the RICS brand.

With SSBV members onboard, RICS’ valuation professional group will introduce a specialist designation for those members who are qualified and practise in business valuation. Once the forthcoming valuer registration scheme is up and running they will be able to use the specialist title of RICS registered business valuer. The current leadership of SSBV will also be invited to play an integral part in shaping the business valuation discipline within RICS following transfer of membership.

Max Crofts, RICS President says: “RICS has been working closely with the council of the SSBV and existing RICS members in developing our approach to valuation of intangibles and businesses as a specialist skill. This group of highly skilled professionals represents the core of an important valuation discipline which will create a centre for excellence and thought leadership within the field of business valuation within RICS.”

Graduate intake is increasing at Fisher German (the chartered surveyors and specialist property consultants) despite recent press coverage that graduate recruitment by small to medium-sized businesses is decreasing. This bucking of the trend has been demonstrated by the recent appointment of graduates at Fisher German’s offices, with the 2010 intake already under way.

It has been reported by the Guardian that graduate recruitment appears to be declining among small and medium sized businesses, with approximately 90% of these companies not recruiting this year. One reason for this has been that some employers believe that new graduates do not offer the same added value as those who have had practical work experience for a number of years.

Fisher German, however, has not had the same experience. They believe that recruiting the best candidate for the role offers the key to excellent provision of their services, including the hiring of graduates.

Graduates who join to become chartered surveyors at Fisher German have an excellent opportunity with 98% going on to pass their APC, first time, to become fully qualified surveyors. Their career progression in Fisher German can then lead them to partnership promotion within the firm.

Clare Phillipson, Partner, comments, “We always go through a thorough process to ensure we get the best candidate for the role, whether that is a graduate or someone with more practical work experience. Saying that, part of qualifying to be a chartered surveyor requires candidates to have a cognate degree, which is why we go down the graduate route. However, where required, we also recruit for specific roles such as our recent appointment of specialist project planner who has significant experience in this field”.

Who would of thought it, being made redundant within 30 hours of Christmas day? That is what happened to me Mark Humphries, Chairman of matrics.  Having gathered myself together and discussed my future with the family, I have started 2010 with a fresh start, but, the crazy thing is that I have had no more time to paint the house and clear the garden. I have in the last four weeks, set up my own practice, presented four diploma ceremonies at RICS HQ in Parliament Square,  attended a new UK World Regional Board Workshop, attended an England Board Meeting as well as local events.

The highlight of the month for me has been seeing all the new Chartered Surveyors receive their diplomas, it is encouraging to hear so many stories of busy Surveyors across such a diverse sector. I have met individuals working for the Olympics, Isle of White Council, Agency Practices, Rural Practices and so on, all of which are the real future of the RICS. Having enjoyed the diplomas I had the honour of jumping on the train at Paddington and heading to Exeter to attend the RICS matrics Ball. Of course we are in tough times and Devon and Cornwall is a small community so I hadn’t thought there would be more than thirty people attending, wrong! 120 plus surveyors, planners and lawyers filled the Hotel and it was a huge success. A perfect end to the month for me and I enter February filled with encouragement that whatever the media focus is, the spirits are high and things are on the up.

Mark

In session two of 2009 1,090 candidates passed, with 485 completing their assessment through the commercial pathway and 213 through the quantity surveying pathway. Pass rates were high this year for the Scotland, North West and London regions with 943 candidates passing at the first attempt.

Recently qualified surveyor Cara Gelati tells Surveying-360 how it felt to become Chartered:

“What an amazing feeling! To finally get that envelope after three weeks of re-living every second of the interview to try and second-guess my results was both a relief and a huge achievement. I have never been more proud to receive a qualification, as I really do believe that this was the most challenging thing I have ever studied for. This milestone marks the start of a very exciting and fulfilling career as a fully-fledged Chartered rural surveyor.”

Congratulations to all 2009 newly qualified surveyors >>

Emily Speak, 29, Valuation surveyor > >

Desiree Bingandadi, 29, Surveyor > >

Most students don’t need to go much further than their nearest city for a work placement, but Shona McLean, 22, needed a passport to reach hers.

Shona, who is studying towards a BSc (Hons) Estate Management degree at Northumbria University, has just returned from a nine-week internship in Beijing as part of the China Exchange Programme. She was one of just two students chosen from dozens nationwide by the scheme’s organisers – RICS and CB Richard Ellis (CBRE) – to join the Beijing office of CBRE.

While there, Shona was tasked with putting together a report that compared and contrasted the Chinese and UK retail sector.

She says: “Being in such a different culture and so far away from home was scary but I believe I have grown from the experience. It was definitely a confidence builder.

“The people I worked with were very hardworking and helpful. I went out into various retail sites as part of my research and learned a lot about the way they do things.

“Overall, the experience was really positive.”

Now back in Newcastle, Shona is undertaking a placement year at an independent practice of chartered surveyors and property consultants, and CBRE has offered her an interview to join their two-year graduate scheme upon completion of her degree.

Chris Brooke, President and CEO of CB Richard Ellis in Asia, says: “The work placement programme is an excellent way for students to gain an understanding of working for an international company in an emerging market, as well as to develop an understanding of Chinese business culture, something which I personally believe will be very important in future years.”

For further information, visit www.northumbria.ac.uk or www.cbre.co.uk