Page 8 - The Catesby Times 2020

Staff In Day
Every September we come together with our parent company Urban&Civic for our annual staff away day.
It would have been really easy to cancel this bringing together of staff, due to social distancing restrictions. Instead Urban&Civic got creative, working on delivering a ‘staff in day’. A remote broadcast style news event, delivered to small socially distanced office groups and individuals via Microsoft Teams.
Content included updates from across both businesses, external partners and our regional sites.
Representing Catesby was Katie Yates on joint hosting duties, and also Dawn Adams giving an update on our Myton Green site and all things Catesby.
Planning For Housing Conference 2020
Catesby’s Planning and Operations Director, David Morris took part in the Panel Discussion: ‘Zonal Planning – Weighing up the challenges and opportunities for housing with zonal planning’ as part of the Planning For Housing Conference 2020.
Held as a virtual conference, David was joined by Bridget Rosewell, Senior Advisor, Volterra Partners and Grant Butterworth, Head of Planning, Leicester City Council.
A lively debate was held around questions such as “How much zonal planning will be introduced to the planning system with the Planning for the Future policy?” and “What resources are needed to help support the introduction of zonal planning?”
Out and About Prior To Lockdown
At Catesby we have always been active in getting get out and about meeting with landowners, councils and other stakeholders. Prior to lockdown restrictions at the beginning of the year, our events schedule was operating as normal including exhibiting at the LAMMA Show and attending the District Councils’ Network Annual Conference.
Virtually Out And About
Eyes Down
At Catesby Estates we believe in team work both in and out the office, and although lockdown restrictions meant we couldn’t run our usual social calendar of events we adapted with a range of virtual events held, including bingo, Catesby does Countdown, cocktail hour and a whole host of pub quizzes.
This was a great way of using technology not just for work and to enable business continuity, but to ensure we were supporting each other not just as colleagues, but as friends as well.
Whilst Covid may have prevented our in-person events taking place, this hasn’t stopped the team getting out and about virtually!
Team members have been involved in a learning & development online presentation to our wider U&C parent company; a presentation along with Q&A to Land Management course students at the Royal Agricultural University and Planning Presentations for the Country Landowners Association.
The Land Promoters and Developers Federation
Catesby are founder members of the Land Promoters and Developers Federation, and both Katie Yates and Phil Partridge from Catesby were heavily involved with the initial set up and development of the federation.
It’s great to see it going from strength to strength, with both members and affiliate numbers steadily increasing. We are still very actively involved, particularly David Morris our Planning and Operations Director who is part of their Technical and Policy Committee.
Find out more about the LPDF at
www.lpdf.co.uk
8
* Document contains photos taken prior to social distancing restrictions being implemented
www.catesbyestates.co.uk