UK regeneration specialist Urban Catalyst has launched a new sister company that will focus on development opportunities in the UK and across Europe.
Named Urban Catalyst Developments, the new business will be responsible for all projects outside of Purfleet on Thames, the £1 bn (€1.1 bn) town centre regeneration project on which the firm is partnering with Swan Housing Group.
Urban Catalyst Developments has appointed Paul Shadarevian QC, a leading experts in planning and environmental law, as a non executive board member.
Shadarevian, who has over 35 years’ experience practising environmental and planning law, will help the new company deliver developments in conjunction with public sector partners.
During his career, Shadarevian has worked on a number of landmark projects including the London Gateway local development order and the redevelopment of City Hall in London, as well as advising Purfleet Centre Regeneration Limited.
Ken Dytor, founder of Urban Catalyst and Urban Catalyst Developments, said: 'Paul Shadarevian brings with him a wealth of experience and unrivalled knowledge of the workings of both the public and private sectors that will be of immense value to Urban Catalyst Developments going forward.
'The pandemic has brought to light the need to reimagine our towns and cities as spaces that are more human, healthy and sustainable, which will create new opportunities for urban regeneration across the UK and Europe.'
The appointment comes shortly after the appointment by Urban Catalyst of Professor Trevor Davies, co-founder of the Tyndall Centre for climate change research, as chief sustainability adviser.
Davies, who was previously the director of the climatic research unit at the University of East Anglia, will also be advising Urban Catalyst Developments.
Dytor added: 'We will look forward to working closely with Paul and his presence within the Urban Catalyst family, alongside Professor Trevor Davies, will be a real asset to us as we look to grow our development pipeline.'
Shadarevian said: 'Urban Catalyst has long been a business I've admired thanks to its creative and collaborative approach, and so I am delighted to be joining the board of its new sister company Urban Catalyst Developments as a non-executive member and look forward to assisting with future projects.'
