Interview: Kathrin Hersel, Almacantar

As Almacantar’s Development Director, Kathrin Hersel is all too familiar with the challenges that London’s intricate transport system, historical landmarks and maze-like streets can cause to a project’s development. Yet she can’t help but love the views from an aeroplane window as it begins its descent into one of the capital’s airports.

“I still find it fascinating! In my hometown Berlin everything is quite straight and uniform, whereas London has such variety. You can really see how it has grown organically.”

German-born Kathrin has spent the past eight years at the forefront of development in London. Prior to joining Almacantar she spent seven years at Land Securities working on complex large-scale developments such as 20 Fenchurch Street (the “Walkie-Talkie”) and Victoria Circle. These projects gave her ample experience of the challenges that developers experience daily when making grand ideas become living realities.

In Kathrin’s experience, planning applications in London can take a considerable amount of time to reach approval, with negotiations being the main challenge. This is in part caused by the way that boroughs will often draft similar planning policies but interpret them differently. In Kathrin’s experience, some schemes can spend years in the planning process and she is quick to point out the downsides of this timescale, particularly in our current climate. “The amount of time and money that goes into applications is significant, despite which you always face the threat of refusal, resubmission of an application or even appeal which has seen some of our schemes remain in the planning stage for many years. This is very frustrating as it would be better to use this time focusing on getting these schemes on site where they will regenerate an area and create jobs which helps the economy.”

However, there are promising Government planning initiatives in the pipeline. “Some of the initiatives are very encouraging and take into account how it can be made easier for developers to get on site and commence with their schemes.” The initiatives aim to unlock planning applications that have become stuck and include Section 106 contributions, affordable housing and judicial review periods. London’s planning community is hoping to see a marked difference. As Kathrin says “the indications so far are very encouraging – I just hope they’ll filter through on a day-to-day basis.”

Despite the difficulties it’s a good time for development in London. Kathrin acknowledges that whilst the worldwide credit crunch has made funding very difficult it has also contributed to London’s appeal by reinforcing its political, and economic, stability. As confidence increases, foreign investment continues to flood in, and the huge success of the Olympics has cemented the allure of the capital. “The various events in London this year and particularly the Olympics really raised London’s profile.” Kathrin was impressed with transport during the games and personally found travelling around the capital on the underground easy. “It showed how transport in the capital has been evolving for many years – and how complex projects can be made a success. Kathrin is looking forward to the completion of Crossrail and the positive impact it will have on London, not just with regards to transport links but also the benefits it will bring to areas around stations. It’s so important nowadays to integrate transport into wider development proposals and make it a seamless part of the public realm.”

Developers are increasingly seeing the opportunities that transport can present. The proposed Centre Point piazza at the base of the tower is a classic example of how changes to transport arrangements can revitalise a forgotten corner of central London. The project would see the complete regeneration of the area at the base of Centre Point tower, which is currently blighted by traffic and poor pedestrian and cycle links. Traffic would be removed to provide a pedestrianised piazza and Almacantar would convert the iconic Centre Point tower from offices to residential apartments. “Everyone wants the piazza to succeed and thinks it’s a great idea. But the challenge is time. Despite all parties seeing the benefits, it still takes a long time to reach a conclusion and implement the project.”

As Kathrin concludes: “It’s important that we continue in the spirit of ‘making it happen’ and hopefully reduce the time it takes to complete projects”. Almacantar is focused on progressing the schemes they already have in the planning process. And for them the future is really all about finding more opportunities to regenerate other areas of Central London by bringing forward schemes with the right mix of office, retail and residential space, anchored by a seamlessly integrated public realm.

Kathrin formerly worked for Land Securities, where she was Development Director in their London Portfolio. In January 2012, she joined Almacantar, a property development and investment company whose assets include Centre Point, Marble Arch Tower and CAA House in London’s West End.