Property pros share industry insight at MSP Capital Utilita Bowl brunch

By Bridging Loan Directory 12th March 2024

South coast property professionals gathered at the home of Hampshire cricket for a seminar with a twin focus on women in surveying and predictions for the construction sector.

Developers, surveyors, valuation experts and lawyers were among those who attended the Utilita Bowl ‘Brunch & Learn’ morning hosted by property finance specialist MSP Capital in partnership with Southampton-based building consultancy Sillence Hurn.

It was the third industry event to be staged by MSP Capital under its ESG strategy Foundations for Better Futures (FFBF) launched last year.

Guests heard presentations from two senior figures at Sillence Hurn, Managing Director Alex Hurn and Head of Residential Services Chloe Hylton.

In her talk, entitled Women in Surveying, Chloe highlighted the benefits for property companies of having a more diverse workforce with a greater range of insight, expertise and experience.

She encouraged employers in the audience to consider more options for ongoing professional development to help women advance in their property careers.

Alex outlined some of the pressures which the residential property industry has faced in recent times, predicting an uptick in activity from this year due to factors including extensive brownfield remediation.

He said skills shortages would continue to impact the UK construction sector and called for investment in skills to become more of a priority. He also encouraged property colleagues to ‘collaborate and network’.

A key strand of MSP Capital’s FFBF strategy is to support the property sector through educational seminars and opportunities to highlight and share key issues.

Previous FFBF ‘Brunch & Learn’ events have included a seminar at AFC Bournemouth’s Vitality Stadium on biodiversity net gain rules for developers and a gathering at the Portsmouth Marriott Hotel focused on real estate trends and natural capital solutions on development sites.

Chris Sheppard, MSP Capital’s Associate Director of Underwriting, said:

“It was fantastic to see business people gather together to learn about interesting topics and exchange their experiences.”

Eleanor Collins, Marketing Executive at MSP Capital, added:

“Brunch & Learn offers a unique blend of industry knowledge and learning, creating an invaluable opportunity for professionals to share their thoughts around property trends and ESG practices over coffee and a conversation.”