Land agent Walter Cooper appoints ex-Lanes Land agent Stuart Smart as Senior Land Manager as the business continues to expand in its second year of operation.
Within Walter Cooper’s first 18 months of trading, the firm has agreed or contracted on over 2,000 plots in the South-East with a combined land value of over £370m. Due to its significant early success, Stuart has been appointed to support the team on land transactions for developers and housing providers across Hertfordshire and Essex. The now seven-strong team will lead a proactive approach to match land opportunities with their growing pool of residential and commercial clients.
The hire comes at a perfect time for the business as it prepares for rapid growth, says founder and Managing Director, Simon Cox, who also has a background at Lanes Land which is now part of Hamptons.
He comments, “We are delighted to welcome Stuart to the team, joining us as Senior Land Manger with over a decade of experience in the wider industry. This is a really exciting time for Walter Cooper. I took a risk and seized an opportunity to start this business in the height of lockdown nearly two years ago. I’m really proud of what we’ve achieved, however there is still much more to do. Our independent approach has allowed us to deliver honest, passionate, and pragmatic expertise to each and every client we work with. When we say land is our obsession, we mean it.”
Stuart says, “I am thrilled to be joining the team and be a part of the Walter Cooper vision, attracted by Simon’s fresh approach to delivering high quality land deals. My background at Lanes Land as well as Heritage Group has given me broad knowledge of Hertfordshire and the Home Counties, understanding the complexities and challenges of the land market to always provide a comprehensive client focused service.”
Walter Cooper’s standout deals in 2021 include the £32m acquisition of 167 units in Codicote to Taylor Wimpey, a £6.5m acquisition in Watford for the new Hertfordshire Police station, and the £8.5m acquisition of a development site in Knebworth, Hertfordshire.
Land agent Walter Cooper also has an active corporate responsibility programme in place, which includes an annual £10,000 bursary fund for the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, as well as being passionate members of Carbon Neutral Britain and Real Estate Balance.
Simon says, “From day one, we’ve always said we are a business who cares – not just about our clients, but about our local environment and community. We want to leave a positive legacy, putting actions to our words.”
For more information about Walter Cooper please visit waltercooper.co.uk.
