Jacqueline Barr featured in the Yorkshire Post (Property People)

What are the prospects for the property sector in Yorkshire and Humber?

With the phasing out of Direct Payments by the Government and the phased introduction of a new system that rewards farmers for improvement of the environment, landscapes across the country are set to be enhanced through agricultural policy. The farming industry will be changing the way it farms and it is vital that farmers have time to adapt to the new land management requirements.

What is the best project you have been involved in?

Ware & Kay have a large and diverse client base and so I have been involved in many interesting projects from complex restructuring of farming businesses to the sale and purchase of large landholdings. No two property transactions are the same and each comes with its own quirks which keep things interesting.

What is your favourite building in the region and why?

Yorkshire is a historic region and I am particularly drawn to its historic architecture which is plentiful in York where our main office is based. The eerie ruins of St Mary’s Abbey in York is a picture-perfect vista. Living near Hull, it is good to see investment in its Old Town. Hull lost much of its heritage during the bombing in the Second World War but a small part of its Old Town survived and the unique row of buildings that abut the cobbled streets often features in period films. Recent investment and development in the Old Town is breathing a new life into this historic and maritime area.

If you could change one thing to improve the property industry in this region, what would it be?

Although more of a national issue, a simplified planning process would aid local authorities, developers and also farmers looking to diversify. Significant delays in obtaining planning permission are too often encountered in property transactions and can sometimes be a deal breaker for the parties involved.

Who has inspired you?

Within the property industry, I am inspired by local developers who are striving to provide developments in our region that regenerate, improve and promote forgotten areas in the cities in which we live. In terms of the rural property industry, I am inspired by farmers who are forced to adapt to the increasing demand for food supply whilst contending with the environmental challenges posed by agriculture. Inevitably I obtain a great sense of job satisfaction from working with them.