ASSESSMENT BRIEF
1. Introduction
This assessment requires you to apply the knowledge and understanding acquired
during the course to a real-world development scenario. It will require you to
demonstrate the ability to assess development potential and to recommend a fully
justified course of action that offers the greatest likelihood of a successful outcome
for your Client. The assessment will require the exercise of project management,
research and analytical skills, and the clear presentation of complex information in
the form of a professional Client report.
2. Aims
The assessment aims to develop and test students’:
• ability to assess development potential and an understanding of the various
influences upon it
• ability to develop a recommended course of action, fully justified, that offers
the greatest likelihood of a successful outcome
• project management, development appraisal and financial analysis abilities
• skills in the clear presentation of complex information in a professional
format
3. The Brief
You are a development surveyor working for Fortitude Real Estate, a major UK real
estate consultancy. Fortitude Real Estate specialises in advising Clients on urban
redevelopment projects throughout the UK. These are often mixed-use schemes.
Fortitude Real Estate’s Clients include property companies, housebuilders,
commercial developers, land owners and national and local governments.
Your day to day job as a Development Surveyor involves researching a range of
factors in order to help your Clients make informed choices about development and
investment opportunities (often known as ‘projects’). You consider a range of
complex factors when providing Clients with information and your financial
considerations are always evidenced.

Your Client Anderssen Developments is considering whether to pursue the
development of land at Arundel Street and Sidney Street. You’ve worked with
Anderssen Developments before. They usually develop mixed use schemes, selling
the fully let commercial element to an investor and disposing of the residential
element themselves via an estate agent. They have confirmed the same strategy for
this project.
Your task is to prepare a report for Anderssen Developments that recommends a
course of action that offers the greatest likelihood of a successful outcome for them.
You have already prepared a development proposal for the site (see below). It is
compliant with local planning policies. Your remaining tasks are to examine the
property market and planning context of the site, value the development proposal
and consider any adjustments to the design, identify project risk and discount the
valuation accordingly, and value the project’s investment performance. Then, you
must recommend a course of action – should Anderssen Developments proceed
with the acquisition of the site? Your recommendation should be fully justified and
based on the preceding information and analyses in your report.
4. The Site
The site lies between Arundel Street and Sidney Street. It is located in what was
formerly a ‘Traditional Industry Zone’ (see planning context below). Some buildings
on the site remain, mostly in active use and the southern part of the site is used as a
carpark.
There has been much new residential and business development to the south, while
older industrial uses predominate on some adjacent sites. Immediately adjacent to
the site on its southern boundary is a new apartment development called ‘Porter
Green’ (http://portergreen.co.uk). Construction is underway. Approximately 40% of
apartments have been reserved.
The development proposal you have already prepared consists of a mixed-use
scheme. Industrial (workshops), office and live work accommodation is situated at
the north of the site. Residential accommodation dominates the southern end,
taking advantage of the prominent location.
Site access is by Arundel Street. Undercroft parking is provided for the apartments,
live work and office accommodation. Soft and hard landscaping compliments the site
design, providing recreation space and facilitating pedestrian permeability.
Further details of the buildings and site coverage can be found in Table 1 and Figures
1 and 2.