The Team
The team members are not planners but understand the planning process in relation to affordable housing. This involves demonstrating the affordable housing and Section 106 contributions of mixed use and residential schemes within the framework of financial viability.
Dr Doug Birt
Dr Doug Birt has been working in affordable housing consulting for nearly 20 years. He set up and ran the Affordable Housing department at Atis Real (now BNP Paribas) and previously worked for Capita Consulting and KPMG. Doug was also a Research Officer at Shelter.
He specialises in achieving best value from affordable housing, undertaking and checking financial viability reports (including the production of bespoke financial appraisals), reviewing and reaching agreement on appropriate wording on Section 106 agreements and appointing RP partners for residential and mixed use schemes.
Doug has been involved in several innovative schemes recently, including the identification of equity and gap funding by the HCA to move stalled schemes forward, along with how and when that equity can be repaid.
Contact Doug doug@douglasbirtconsulting.com
Andy McCosh
Andy McCosh is a development specialist with over 30 years experience in the RSL, private residential, healthcare and consultancy sectors. He has substantial expertise in PFI bid support and developing consortium structures for PFI/PPP affordable housing and extra care schemes.
Andy was a Director of Kier and Beazer Partnership Homes. He was the Partner responsible for Innovation Programmes at calfordseaden. In addition, Andy advised the former English Partnerships on the Design for Manufacture competition. He was involved in development programmes featuring Modern Methods of Construction, including a leading role in the AMPHION consortium innovation programme and many other joint procurement initiatives featuring off-site manufacturing and advanced on-site construction techniques. Andy was Regional Development Manager for Orbit Housing Association and worked for the NHS and in private health care.
Contact Andy andy@douglasbirtconsulting.com
The team members are not planners but understand the planning process in relation to affordable housing. This involves demonstrating the affordable housing and Section 106 contributions of mixed use and residential schemes within the framework of financial viability.
Sue Weaver
Sue Weaver has been involved in affordable housing for 35-years. She is currently a tenant advisor for a large London Borough’s stock options review, as well as a specialist NHS key-worker housing advisor to a national property service company.
Sue has been the Chair of the NHS Housing Forum, a Board Member of Sutherland Housing Association and Chair of Runnymede Borough Council’s Housing & Transport Committee. She also worked for Paddington Churches Housing Association (now part of Genesis) and was a freelance housing consultant, undertaking Neighbourhood Renewal Assessments, implementing Housing Corporation monitoring recommendations and project managing major repair programmes & right-to-buy initiatives.
Sue set up and, for 16 years, was Chief Executive of Homewood Housing Association, which housed over 25,000 NHS key-workers.
Contact Sue sue@douglasbirtconsulting.com