Two routes to Surveyor and Land Agent success as D&R expands in Northern England

Abi and Nathaniel D&R

Two members of the Davidson & Robertson team based in Cockermouth have gained advanced qualifications whilst working at the company. Both took different journeys, highlighting the variety of routes into rural professional services of surveying and land agency.

Nathaniel Walton has qualified as a Chartered Surveyor with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (MRICS), and Land Agent Abigail Wass, has become a RICS Associate.

After gaining a 2:1 BSc Honours Degree in Rural Enterprise and Land Management from Harper Adams University – which included a placement year in North Yorkshire. Nathaniel joined D&R in 2022 as a Graduate Surveyor and, continuing to follow this traditional route, he began his further professional development, working towards his Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors qualification which he passed last year.

The focus of Nathaniel’s work is currently within the utilities, energy, and infrastructure arena, where renewable projects take up much of his time. Commenting on his role Nathaniel said “The ambitious government plans for green energy mean there is a huge amount of work to do to develop the infrastructure required and to bring on board clean energy.

“The north of England now has great potential for development of wind energy and whilst this will be difficult in the Lake District National Park, there are some excellent opportunities for landowners and managers in the coming years. Our advice is always to seek professional support at the start of any project as there are numerous complexities on which we can advise.”

An alternative – and equally valuable route to further qualifications was taken by Land Agent Abigail Wass who has become a RICS Associate.

In 2021 Abigail joined the team based in the Davidson and Robertson Cockermouth office. Her potential was quickly recognised and was promoted to Land Agent in 2022. Abigail has gained experience across the breadth of consultancy work and is now involved in buying and selling properties for clients across the North of England and Scotland. This is in addition to supporting clients affected by ongoing claims as a result of the West Cumbria Pipeline Project, and the new development opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

Abigail chose to gain practical experience, learning on the job and taking additional RICS studies to become a RICS Associate (Assoc. RICS). She was required to produce a written submission – including a case study and a summary of experience, along with numerous personal development requirements. It culminated in her becoming a RICS Associate towards the end of 2024.

Commenting on her journey Abigail said “Becoming a RICS Associate validates the CPD and experience I have gained in the last 6 years. It provides wider industry recognition and gives clients the added reassurance that I have the experience to look after their projects. I now work across a variety of disciplines – including property sales, and supporting clients on infrastructure issues, and more recently am involved in a number of renewable projects too.

“With the government’s intense focus on clean energy,  and proposed reforms to the national electricity grid connection process, demand for land rights is set to increase massively. For landowners, renewable energy projects could create transformative new opportunities. 2025 is set to be a busy year.”

Cumbrian based D&R Director Paul Robinson said “No one format suites everyone, and both Nathaniel and Abigail have excelled in the routes that worked best for them.

“Both have gained valuable experience and are now well-established members of our team, working in Cumbria and across the border in Scotland. Their success comes at a time when we are seeing more and more appraisals for property sales and in the infrastructure and renewable energy sector.”

To contact the D&R Cockermouth based team, call 01900 268 633 or email PR@drrural.co.uk.

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