An award-winning developer with over 50 years’ experience in the construction industry has launched a consultancy business.

James Wimpenny, a fourth generation builder, says property development isn’t for the faint-hearted and is now offering his expertise across Yorkshire and in London.

James, CEO of Huddersfield-based Wimpenny Construction, is also founder and chairman of Kirklees Development Consortium, a body of now over 80 local SMEs set up to work with Kirklees Council planners to help speed up planning applications.

James said: “For many years I’ve offered advice and guidance in property development so now I’ve decided to formalise that on a consultancy basis.

“Wimpenny Land and Build Consultancy will offer an experienced and guiding hand. The planning, design and construction of residential or commercial property isn’t for the faint-hearted or those without experience.

“In recent years the industry has become a great deal more onerous in terms of planning and legislation.

“Fifteen years ago the process was relatively straightforward. Find a piece of land and buy it, find an architect to design a building and submit a planning application.

“A few weeks later permission was granted and you got on and built it. That’s all changed and there are many challenges to negotiate along the way.”

How developers and builders want to help make the planning system in Kirklees run more smoothly

James added: “The sector has seen a sea change making the whole process sometimes seemingly unfathomable. Planning applications are now taking anything up to four years and beyond, most local planning authorities are underfunded and understaffed.

“It seems a whole lot easier when overloaded with applications for them just to refuse applications to get them off their desk and tick boxes and it can often seem to be a presumption against development rather than presumption in favour.”

That may be about to change with a new Labour government, however, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves pledging to ease planning restrictions and build hundreds of thousands of new homes.

James is cautious about the “housing boom” promised by the new Government and said: “We are very familiar with empty promises but the jury is now out on this new ‘growth mission’ and whether it will be forthcoming. We will wait and see what transpires.”

James can be contacted on james.wimpenny@wimpenny.co.uk or at www.wimpenny.co.uk