Former Calthorpe Estates associate director Richard Dickson has joined Birmingham-based DBK Group to head up its new Development Consultancy division.
The new operation will not cover the project management and cost consultancy services that DBK largely undertakes, but will instead give developers and landowners the ability to undertake projects without using their own in-house resources.
Target clients include landowners, occupiers, developers and property funders, together with local authorities and government bodies.
"One of the main reasons why developers can find it hard to grow their live development portfolio is because they haven't got the necessary in-house resources," said Mr Dickson.
"This consultancy service will enable potential clients to move forward with their development plans without having to make special provision to gear up in-house."
Mr Dickson joined Calthorpe Estates in 2000 and spent the past three years heading up Calthorpe Estates' Edgbaston Mill development - a £100 million mixed-use scheme.
DBK said it launched the division in response to inquiries from its clients and currrent market conditions that are encouraging many developers to use outside consultants as an alternative to recruiting.
Local authorities and government organisations as well as some landowners and owner-occupiers have traditionally looked to consultancies for development advice. This has traditionally been largely been provided by development arms of property agents - a monopoly that DBK seeks to challenge.
DBK's Development Consultancy service will be based in the company's headquarters office in central Birmingham.
