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Bristol Property Agents Association's New President

3 March, 2010

Andrew Batchelor of Hartnell Taylor Cook LLP has taken over the role of president  of  the Bristol Property Agents Association from outgoing president Chris Howarth, at the recent annual dinner held in the City.

The Bristol Property Agents Association was first formed in 1946 and the membership is drawn from a large number of businesses involved primarily in all aspects of commercial and residential property and includes surveyors, solicitors, architects, engineers, developers and contractors. As well as fostering and developing relationships between the professionals and members, it aims to create a positive image of Greater Bristol and to encourage investment in the city.

Andrew Batchelor has strong roots with the city after growing up in Bristol and has worked with one of the City's leading commercial consultants, Hartnell Taylor Cook LLP, since leaving University in 1983. Between 2001 and 2006, Andrew was Managing Partner and remains Partner in charge of the development sector.

Andrew has worked in all sectors of the property agency industry and is a specialist in the development market in the Greater Bristol area.
 
Over the past years Andrew has specifically been involved in the redevelopment of the city's bus station, the development of Portbury Docks, the redevelopment of The Galleries Shopping Centre, the development of a number of notable office headquarter buildings including Templeback, The Paragon and Tower Wharf and is currently advising on the future of Temple Meads Station and the immediate surrounding area.

Andrew takes over as President at a time when the shock waves of the recession are still reverberating around the property market and there is continuing uncertainty over how quickly the market will recover and what the repercussions will be.

Andrew Batchelor said: "At the end of last year there were some early signs of recovery in the commercial market, in particular in the prime investment market, where a number of sizeable deals concluded in the region. Whilst occupational demand remains sporadic, a number of significant office and industrial deals have been placed in solicitors hands. If these complete then they will take a sizeable chunk out of the city's office supply. Hopefully the market will improve over the next twelve months and now, more than ever, it is essential that the public and private sectors work together and co-ordinate the promotion of Bristol in it's widest context if we are to achieve the continued growth and job creation.

" Bristol has so much to offer and is certainly a place I am very proud of and I relish the prospect of working hard over the next twelve months for its greater good."