We’ve appointed Tom Smith MRICS as a Director, based in Manchester, to establish and lead its new Development Viability Advisory service throughout the UK, marking a significant expansion of the firm’s capabilities.

Having previously held roles at CBRE, Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation, and most recently leading AspinallVerdi’s Manchester office, Tom is a Chartered Surveyor specialising in development viability, delivery strategies and town centre regeneration. He brings a strong track record across both the public and private sectors, including senior roles advising on complex, large-scale schemes and supporting local authorities in bringing forward deliverable development.

In this new role, Tom will lead the launch of our new national Development Advisory service line, focused on providing early-stage, commercially grounded advice to unlock challenging or stalled sites. The service will support clients across masterplanning, viability, delivery strategies, development partner procurement and funding, bridging the gap between strategic vision and genuine delivery.

Tom commented:

“Black Cat is an incredibly exciting and unique outfit which has built a very strong reputation in building consultancy. My focus will be on providing clear, commercially robust viability advice at the point where it has the most impact, helping clients navigate complexity and bring forward deliverable schemes.”

The appointment comes at a time of increasing demand for integrated advice across viability, design and delivery, particularly for town centre regeneration and the work of Mayoral Development Corporations.

Ben Golby, Black Cat founder, said:

“We’ve built our reputation on providing practical, delivery-focused advice, and the addition of Development Advisory is a natural progression for the business. Tom has a strong track record of working on complex regeneration projects and understanding what it takes to move schemes forward, and his experience adds a new dimension to the support we can offer our clients.”

Tom is already supporting Amstone Ventures, a developer with a proven track record in residential-led regeneration. Amstone delivered Clipper’s Quay and is currently progressing One Knightsbridge in Stockport, a key scheme within the town’s wider regeneration programme.

This news was also shared by Place North West here.