An interview with property expert Wayne Douglas, Managing Director at City & Country. A company which restores and repurposes some of the country’s most unique and iconic heritage buildings and converts them into beautiful residences for communities to enjoy.
Tell us about your career background
I started in accountancy, qualifying with an ACCA in 2007. Before joining City & Country, I worked for Convergys EMEA, a USA multinational company in the finance department. I joined City & Country as a Management Accountant to provide financial support to the team. Over the last 10 years, I worked my way up the ranks to Financial Director and now Managing Director.
What are you most proud of?
Our people. Our staff and development opportunities are some of our biggest assets, whether it is the development teams on the ground or the specialist contractors we bring in, they all work together to create beautiful spaces. What we do with heritage restoration is often a complex process that involves multiple stakeholders, and without our ethos and community, we wouldn’t have the results we do.
What makes City & Country unique?
It has to be our product whether that be in conversion or our quality new builds. We restore and repurpose some of the country’s most unique and iconic heritage buildings and convert them into beautiful residences for communities to enjoy. Across all our developments, we try and be aspirational and create high-quality and cleverly designed buildings that are a true testament to England’s rich architectural history. Whether it’s a new build or heritage conversion, we take time to carefully select architects to learn what is important to creating excellent quality schemes.
How has City & Country been progressing with its growth plans?
In September 2023, we set out a five-year plan to increase the number of specialist restoration and new homes we deliver with the objective of tripling our output over the next few years.
Despite the macro-economic challenges, we announced three more land acquisitions this year. We are also celebrating an increase in build unit delivery by 91 per cent over 2023/2024 with a Group record build delivery of 237 units.
We will continue to make further improvements in the coming year(s) in line to ensure we are optimising our delivery and on track to build more high-quality homes.
What would you say is the biggest misconception people have about the housebuilding industry?
I think too often we get a negative reputation when it comes to the property industry but with the new Labour Government pushing to get “Britain Building” – I believe the tide will turn. Housebuilders should be held to account to ensure they deliver the quality homes the country needs, but this should be balanced with recognition that the country also needs the right environment for the private sector to help deliver them. Our role in this is to be true to our brand and deliver quality new homes on schemes which we are proud to have built and in which our customers are proud to live and call home.
What are some of the challenges for you as an SME housebuilder?
The planning system – which must continue to be a priority for the new Government. Council planning departments have suffered from an exodus of experienced planners in recent years and are severely understaffed. As a result, the process takes so long it is harming the industry.
Some of our biggest challenges have been in securing planning consent to deliver new homes. We have worked on some incredible conversions on Grade I, II* and Grade II listed buildings, and have overcome some very difficult technical issues, but planning approval has always been the greatest challenge for us and continues to be as we look to expand our portfolio of developments.
What would you like to see from the new Government to support City & Country?
There is an urgent need for investment in cleverly designed homes in rural locations. Angela Rayner must clear the blockage in the planning system and go well beyond the release of ‘Grey Belt’ land. She will need to urgently reassess and redraw the boundaries of green belt land if she hopes to meet the proposed 50% increase in mandatory housing targets, as housing should be located where they create and expand sustainable communities rather than outdated green belt boundaries.
For more information visit: City & Country
