The NFCI began in 1991 as a result of an initiative by Christopher Pratt, who was providing some business consultancy advice to Purcell Miller Tritton in Norwich. He was a founder member of the Cambridge Forum and suggested that a similar organisation in Norwich would be a good way to develop the emerging art of networking.
An initial meeting was held at the offices of Davis Langdon and Everest and those invited formed the first Council. A Constitution similar to the Cambridge Forum was adopted and a first programme of meetings was drawn up.
The initial Council reflected a wide range of disciplines and included an Architect, Accountant, Quantity Surveyor, Building Surveyor, Lawyer, Contractor, Builder’s Merchant and an Archaeologist.
Ray Tompson became the first Chair with Bob Lamont as Secretary and Philip Blanchflower as Treasurer. Over time, the Council included Structural and Civil Engineers, Planning Consultants and a Conservation Officer. The aim of a wide and diverse Council membership has been maintained to this day.
The public meetings were initially held at the offices of Norwich Union and this continued for nearly 10 years before moving to the King of Hearts, St Andrews House and more recently at OPEN, the former Barclays Bank on Bank Plain.
The Forum has organised a wide range of activities including the Young Achievers, Housing Awards, Seminars, many site visits and social events such as the Contractor v Consultants cricket match, LEGO competitions, frequent Quizzes and, of course, the very popular annual Norfolk Property Dinner, the 18th of which was attended this year by 450 local construction professionals.
From the outset, the Forum has regularly supported local charities, including St Martins Trust Night Shelter, the Julian Trust, Leeway, Dragon Hall, Caister Lifeboat, Norwich Historic Churches and the Mancroft Centre . More recently Break, Kidney Research and The Feed, amongst others, have benefitted from the Norfolk Property Dinner’s Members generous donations.
The Forum currently has in excess of 80 Corporate Members and 40 Individual Members.
The NFCI Council meets on a monthly basis to discuss matters relevant to the Construction Industry in and around Norwich, approve expenditure and to plan and coordinate our programme of events throughout the year.
The Council comprises Officers and Members from all disciplines of the industry including Architects, Engineers, Planners, Surveyors, Legal Professionals, Conservationists, Accountants, Contractors, Sub-contractors and Suppliers.
Ian is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and has over 32 years of property experience. He co-founded FW Properties in 2011 which specialises in residential, commercial and mixed use developments. Ian also has considerable experience in property investment and asset management and has previously been directly involved in the acquisition of over £500 million of property assets, the management of large commercial portfolios and the delivery of major development projects.
F W Properties
Jay is an Associate Solicitor at Howes Percival, specialising in planning and development. He has considerable experience ranging from residential to commercial, agricultural and renewable energy development projects on behalf of regional and national developers, and local planning authorities.
With particular experience in planning appeals and court claims, including the complexities of Environmental Impact Assessment and Appropriate Assessment, Jay has assisted many clients and local authorities defeat challenges to planning permissions through judicial review in the High Court, Court of Appeal and, most recently, the Supreme Court.
He is therefore well known for providing strategic advice on how planning permissions may be secured robustly, with focus on ensuring section 106 agreements and planning conditions are properly drafted to enable developments to proceed without with minimal of cost and delay.
Jay moved from Staffordshire to Norwich in 2004 and, outside of Howes Percival, Jay is a keen golfer and enjoys the highs and lows of Norwich City FC and his old local football team.
Jonathan is Group Financial Accountant at R G Carter Group Ltd.Jonathan has over 30 years experience in finance, 25 of which have been in the Construction industry.
Jonathan qualified as a Chartered Accountant with KPMG before moving from Practice into Industry.
R J Carter Group
Jenny has recently taken on the role of Secretary, her background is primarily in Marketing and Advertising, having previously worked in the Marketing departments of Anglian Home Improvements, CITB-ConstructionSkills and City College Norwich.
Jenny brings project management, events planning and online communication experience to the role of Secretary at NFCI whilst she also works in a volutary capacity for the local Education and Health Care Sectors.
NFCI
Beccy is an Associate Director of planning based in the Norwich office of Lanpro.
Lanpro is a multi-disciplinary consultancy providing a range of planning, urban design, archaeology and heritage services across the UK.
Beccy served as Chairman of the NFCI from 2019-2021.
Lanpro
AECOM
Guarda Landscape
Darren is an Associate within the Planning Team at Bidwells, based within the Norwich office. Having initially worked at two London Boroughs in the Public sector Darren has considerable consultant planning experience across a range of sectors, principally covering Norfolk and Suffolk
Bidwells
Grant is Managing Director of Abode Construction (EA) Ltd. Grant has over 20 years experience in construction, having undertaken a number of commercial, project management and senior management roles since starting in the industry as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor in 2000. Grant was born and educated in Suffolk before moving to Norfolk in 2008. In addition to his responsibilities at Abode Construction and the Norwich Forum for the Construction Industry, Grant is a Trustee of the Norfolk Construction Charitable Trust and Chairman of Norwich Interact Group.
Grant served as Chairman of the NFCI from 2015-2017.
Abode Construction
Jonathan is a Partner and Head of RUA LLP's Commercial Team. Starting his career as a Quantity Surveyor with Davis Langdon, local career attributes include the Norwich Theatre Royal Modernisation Works and the South / Corner Stand developments for Norwich City Football Club. Before joining RUA LLP in 2016, Jonathan was Head of AECOM's Norwich Office and Operations Director for the Anglia Region. Jonathan is a Trustee of the Norfolk Construction Charitable Trust. Jonathan was Chairman of the NFCI from 2017-2019.
Outside Richard Utting Associates, Jonathan is Head of Judges for the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) East of England Awards, an active Norfolk ProHelp Committee Member and also a member of the Anglia LEP’s Building Growth Reference Group.
Richard Utting Associates
Mark is a Director of Chaplin Farrant Ltd based in the Norwich office and as a Chartered Architect has over 20 years experience in the construction industry specialising in commercial, education, leisure and public sector projects.
Mark is originally from York and having worked for practices both in Leeds & York, Mark joined Chaplin Farrant in 2001 becoming Director in 2007. He is a member of Norfolk Interact and outside of construction, Mark is the goalkeeping coach for both Norwich United and the County FA u18 Representative Squad.
Chaplin Farrant
Martyn is a founder member of the NFCI and a past Chairman.
Having been in the construction industry for over 50 years, Martyn has a wide range of knowledge of senior management in construction, which include construction techniques and building services.
Martyn is a Trustee of the Norfolk Construction Charitable Trust and is also a member of Interact, one of the original members from it's launch in Norwich.
Construction Consultant
Nathan is a Director and shareholder of MKM in Norfolk, which along with his co-Directors has responsibility for the overseeing and running of the 5 current branches throughout East Anglia. Since helping set up the branches nearly 17 years ago he has helped establish MKM as the leading builders merchant in Norfolk. MKM are the largest independent builders merchants in the UK. Having worked in the building industry all his working life, Nathan previously held roles in Boulton & Paul and more latterly in JELD-WEN, the Global leader in Windows and Doors, as Commercial Director.
MKM Building Supplies
Richard is a Senior Development Surveyor at Savills in Norwich specialising in development land across Norfolk and Suffolk. Richard is a Member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and advises landowners, investors and developers on the strategies for maximising land value through the development process.
In his role Richard works with professionals across the development sector and is involved in the development process from inception and planning through to the disposal of land or built investment assets. Richard’s core client base is private landowners but he also works for Local Authorities, Public Trusts, Charities, International Investment Funds and Developers. Richard specialises in strategic land and has experience in land assembly and multi phased option and promotion agreements. On the agency side Richard is instructed on acquisitions and disposals from minor development through to substantial settlement extensions.
Shaun is a founding Director of Rossi Long Consulting Civil and Structural Engineers based in Norwich having previously maintained Director roles within URS, Scott Wilson and Cameron Taylor. He is responsible for business development, together with project and financial management and technical control of a diverse range of civil and structural engineering projects with construction values up to £50 million.
Shaun has extensive first-hand experience of design within a wide-range of sectors including education, health, industrial, commercial, residential, conservation, offshore and temporary works.
Shaun is a Fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers and has been acknowledged for his contributions in a series of construction books written by Emmitt & Gorse.
Rossi Long Consulting
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