Welcome to Douglas Birt Consulting
Douglas Birt Consulting’s expertise covers all areas of affordable housing, including the production and checking of financial viability appraisals, achieving best value from affordable housing, advising on planning contributions, bid support and tenant advice, as well as market and policy research. Clients include developers, landowners, contractors, local authorities, RPs, the NHS, HCA and TSA.
The team members understand the planning process, framed within a practical approach to all aspects of development rooted in practical experience of affordable housing. This frequently involves demonstrating the affordable housing and other planning contributions required of mixed use and residential schemes within the structure of financial viability. Bespoke and recognised financial appraisals are produced in this respect. Doug led the team that critically appraised the Three Dragons Toolkit on behalf of the GLA when at Atis Real and has completed than 150 viability reports since Douglas Birt Consulting was formed in 2003.
The production of financial appraisals enable appropriate affordable housing and planning contributions to be identified and agreed between planners and developers, as well as increasing grant funding for schemes unable to achieve viability.
Meanwhile, Andy leads the firm’s work on affordable housing PFI and extra care housing, whilst Sue has a particular expertise in tenant consultation.
The objective of the firm is to provide genuine and long-lasting solutions for our clients, ensuring objective, thoroughly researched and dispassionate responses to sometimes intractable situations which often involve the planning system