A quick note to thank you once again for being on the judging panel for Lambert Smith Hampton’s (LSH’s) inaugural Enterprise Award.
When we first started working on this initiative, I think it’s fair to say that we were stepping into the unknown; we weren’t really sure what sort of reaction we’d get. I hope you’ll agree that the response was hugely encouraging.
The winning entry from the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Partnership (AMIDP) is a fantastic example of how the property industry can work together and apply fresh thinking to support enterprise. I’m delighted to report that AMIDP has generously agreed to use the prize to help train apprentices at the scheme and start a fund that supports SMEs to take them on. I can’t think of a more fitting way for the £15,000 to be used.
Daniel Campbell and Peter Carstensen’s submission was not just one of our runners-up but was also voted the ‘People’s Choice’ by Property Week readers. If nothing else, it shows that we haven’t yet lost our touch. We will shortly pass on their submission to the minister for local growth and the ‘northern powerhouse’ and encourage him to investigate the proposals in greater detail.
I have asked Thaddaeus Jackson-Browne, our other runner-up, to develop a business plan for his suggestion of a crowdsourced planning portal to see if it has commercial potential.
As I’m sure you will have seen, all of the shortlisted entries received considerable coverage in Property Week and our letter calling on the sector to take a lead role in the devolution programme was published this month in the Daily Telegraph.
We all knew that there was a huge amount of clever thinking within our industry, but that too often it hadn’t been given a chance to see the light of day. The Enterprise Award was launched to help change that and, given the calibre of the entries we received, I’d argue that we’ve collectively succeeded in unleashing our sector’s creativity.
Thank you for making our first Enterprise Award such a success and for helping to demonstrate the enterprising spirit that exists within the property industry.
With best wishes for the festive season and 2016.
Ezra Nahome, chief executive officer, LSH
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