MARIA Francké says she is never afraid to take on a new challenge – and they certainly abound.
As Glasgow-based head of the Drivers Jonas Scottish planning team – one of the country's largest – she has a heavy agenda at a time of proposed changes in our planning system, and her in-depth experience is of considerable value to a wide range of
clients.
She has just completed a year as national chairman of the Association of Women in Property. In that role she helped develop the association as the UK's principal networking and support forum for women working in the property and construction industries.
She says: "Our remit is to enable more women to get into the property and construction industry. At the moment, only about 15 per cent of those in these industries are women and we want to get many more involved."
During her year of office she has seen membership grow to more than 1,600, added a couple of branches to make the UK total 12, launched an international membership, which she promoted through conference speaking in Europe, and forged links with women's networking organisations in Europe. She plans to set up a United Arab Emirates branch this summer.
Francké has amassed 17 years' experience in private-sector planning and management consultancy work.
She joined the Royal Fine Art Commission for Scotland in 1988 as a planning assistant in Edinburgh then moved in 1991 as a senior planner to Baxter Clark & Paul, chartered architects and planning consultants. In 1994 she joined Chesterton in Edinburgh as head of planning and the Drivers Jonas door opened in 1999 when she became head of planning for Scotland, responsible for the development of the planning business and involved in a wide range of regeneration, planning and economic consultancy work.
Some of the bullet points in what is described as her "Statement of Capability" include negotiating skills in securing complex planning consents for a wide range of uses including commercial office developments, housing, retail and industrial floorspace, the purification of planning conditions for major redevelopment proposals, and acting as an expert witness at public and local plan inquiries.
On securing planning permission for mixed-use regeneration and redevelopment schemes, her clients include Glasgow Harbour and Asda.
She has advised government, local authorities and local enterprise companies on the planning implications of major regeneration projects, advised investment institutions and pension funds on the development potential of property assets and land holdings and provided planning advice to the Scottish Government and various educational institutions on the disposals and redevelopment potential of surplus land.
She has also found time to enjoy tennis, art, theatre, travel and salsa dancing.
The Francké name is of Dutch origin, although her parents are from Sri Lanka and she was born in Essex.
Asked about her thoughts on life and work she states: "I would say that I always rise to a challenge. If you think that a task is beyond your capabilities, overcome your anxiety and have a go."
ThyssenKrupp in on the ground floorTHE German-owned ThyssenKrupp, one of the world's biggest elevator companies, is to establish Scottish headquarters at the Buchanan Business Park in Stepps, taking a ten-year lease on 2,500sq ft of a ground floor suite at £15.50 per sq ft. Buchanan Gate has only two suites left in its 100,000sq ft development, with planning consent for an additional 50,000sq ft. ThyssenKrupp was represented by Charles Speight and Partners, with Ryden and DTZ for the landlord, Scarborough International.
WILKINSON Hardware Stores, one of the UK's largest multiple retailers, has chosen Motherwell for its first store in Scotland's Central Belt. It is moving into the former Scot-Mid Co-op unit in the Brandon Shopping Centre, taking 22,654sq ft for an undisclosed sum. Landlord Cala Properties was advised by Eric Young and Cushman & Wakefield with Whitelaw Baikie Figes for Wilkinson.
A SEVENTH pavilion has been sold at the Keiller Estates development in Govan. This one (9,156sq ft) went to Hulley & Kirkwood (Consulting Engineers) for £2.1m. Edinburgh lawyers Davidson Chalmers and Jones Lang LaSalle acted for Keiller; McGrigors gave the purchaser legal advice.
WELLTOOLS, designer, manufacturer and supplier of specialised oil and gas well bore tools, is moving from one industrial estate in Inverkeithing to another. It has signed a deal with the Hermes Property Unit Trust for a five-year lease on a 5,819sq ft unit at Belleknowes Industrial Estate at an annual rental of £29,095 (£5 per sq ft), switching from Burnside Business Court. King Sturge, joint agent with DM Hall, did the deal, with WellTools self-represented.
ROSSCO Properties, advised by Bidwells, has signed Screwfix (Colliers CRE acting) for a ten-year lease of a 6,590sq ft unit at Perth's new Inveralmond Trade Park at £6.50 a sq ft.
KEYTIME Connect, a specialist Blackberry reselling business, has signed a ten-year lease on 164 Great Western Road, Glasgow, the former Apple Computers store. It has taken 980sq ft at £22,700 a year. Culverwell acted for landlord Scotsys, with Ditchfield Property for Keytime.
SHED Productions is the latest tenant at The Hub at Glasgow's Pacific Quay. The TV production company is taking 750sq ft. Ryden and CB Richard Ellis acted.
• Send deals details to jimdow@lumison.co.uk
