David Watson

Office: Manchester
Education: BA Geography (University of Hull), MSc Urban Regeneration (Sheffield Hallam University)
Areas of Expertise: Land and property, transport and infrastructure, area regeneration and economic strategy, appraisal and business case development, sector research.

David joined Regeneris Consulting as a Research Consultant in May 2003 after working for Barclays. He was sponsored by Regeneris to undertake a part-time Master’s degree in Urban Regeneration from 2004-2007 and was promoted to Associate Director in 2015.

David works on a wide range of projects for public and private sector clients. He specialises in land and property economic impact assessments, regularly helping clients secure planning permission as well as advising on housing or employment land issues. His expertise also lies in area-based economic strategy development, economic appraisal, business case preparation, bid writing and the preparation of socio-economic Environmental Statement chapters.

David’s economic geography and regeneration background has shaped his professional interests in how land, property and infrastructure projects can deliver tangible economic development and regeneration benefits for localities, cities and regions. He regularly works for clients who seek to understand and to articulate the impact and benefits of development proposals.

He also prepares business cases to secure public sector funding for projects, as well as working for funding bodies undertaking economic appraisals to ensure that projects deliver value for money.

David is an experienced project manager He recently led a series of socio-economic impact studies focussed on major strategic housing, employment, leisure and mixed-use sites across the UK.

Away from work, David enjoys spending time with his young family, travelling and exploring new places. He is also an occasional footballer and supports Liverpool – a tough gig living and working in Manchester.