Plea for more iconic buildings and new city arena welcomed as great asset for region

There’s a lot of activity going on in Yorkshire compared with other counties, and that has to be good.

The opening of the Leeds Arena (later this year) will provide a much needed asset for the city, which should result in improvements being made to the surrounding areas.

The new city pool in Bradford has been a great investment, and it would be great to see a working water feature in Leeds soon.

What is the best project you have been involved in? 

I am involved in a project with Leeds City Council and English Heritage to survey a number of Grade II listed buildings in Leeds.

The aim is to collate information, so that the council is more aware of the buildings which are at risk.

This is an interesting and highly rewarding project.

What is your favourite building in the region and why? 

My favourite building is the recently built Hepworth Art Gallery in Wakefield. This is a fine example of modern architecture.

It uses the basic principle of form following function. It has been a huge hit and has attracted more than 500,000 visitors in the first year.

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

I would like to see more iconic architecture in the region. While this is difficult in the current economic climate, I do believe it is important that we continue to push for excellence when it comes to building design.

Who do you most admire in the property industry? 

Civic organisations, such as the Leeds Civic Trust, who work tirelessly to improve the city and make it a pleasant and welcoming place to live, work and play.