Teesland returns | Q&A with Scarborough Group

With the relaunch of Teesland Development Services, Scarborough Group is betting on demand for high-level development expertise in a market facing growing regulatory, financial, and planning complexity. Place Yorkshire spoke to chief executive Simon McCabe and marketing & business development director Nicola Bulley to understand what prompted the rebrand, the market forces at play, and where they see opportunity.

Nicola Bulley. Credit: Scarborough

Can you talk me through the background behind the rebrand?

NB: About 18 months ago – maybe slightly less – we saw an opportunity to relaunch our third-party development management platform under the name Scarborough Management Services.

SM: Our business has traditionally focused on providing development management expertise for our own schemes, often delivered through joint ventures with partners ranging from government bodies to international PLCs. We’ve now recognised a gap in the market to bring that expertise to others, echoing the Teesland model that once set the standard in the market.

We can’t compete with traditional agencies like CBRE, Savills, and Knight Frank, and we’re not trying to – but they’re not developers. They don’t have the in-house development expertise we do. We recognised that the Scarborough Management Services name was causing a bit of confusion, so we’ve taken a step back to look at how we present ourselves. Many will recall our Teesland roots and the strong reputation it built in the market, and this new chapter draws on that same history of trust and delivery. I think it will raise a few eyebrows: Teesland is back.

Who’s the target clientele for this service?

SM: It’s quite broad, really. Financial institutions, banks, for example, and asset managers who don’t have in-house development expertise. We’re also in talks with investors facing challenges with assets that are no longer delivering value in today’s market. A decade ago, they might have just sold it on or done a quick refurb. Now, it’s more complex. You often need to secure planning, reimagine the use case, or rethink the asset altogether.

We see opportunity with private investors, local authorities, and even public sector estates. Often, these groups don’t have the in-house capability to extract full value from their assets. That’s where we come in.

Was there a market shift that made this more necessary?

SM: Absolutely. First, there’s the growing complexity of the development landscape – especially around regulation. Planning, building safety, and environmental standards are all more demanding than they were even a few years ago. In a polite way, many owners and asset managers simply don’t have the expertise to keep up.

It’s a very complex landscape to navigate now. Whether you’re seeking initial planning permission or preparing a detailed consent ready for pricing and tendering by contractors, there’s significantly more involved than ever before. Developers need to be right at the forefront of changing regulations, which are becoming increasingly demanding – often for good reason, though there’s an ongoing debate about over-regulation.

NB: There’s a wider push toward reusing and repurposing buildings, not just for ESG reasons, but because it makes financial sense. For instance, office buildings that don’t meet energy performance standards, like those below EPC A, B, or C will soon be unlettable. Those buildings either need retrofitting or converting into something else, like residential or mixed-use. That’s where our development advice can really add value.

Q: What are the biggest challenges your clients are facing right now?

SM: Over-regulation is one. Development today is a minefield of changing rules and requirements. That’s fine if you’ve got the experience, but a lot of investors, councils, and even institutions don’t.

Also, with interest rates where they are now – compared to the 1% or 1.25% rates we saw a few years ago – investors need to think differently. The old playbooks don’t work anymore.

And local authorities are a focus for you too?

NB: Yes. One of the main drivers for public sector estates is economic growth. So, creating value from underutilised assets or land is going to become more and more important, particularly as the common economy is going is at the moment.

Final question—what do you think government could do better to support the sector?

SM: I try not to get too political, but I’ll say this: Homes England is a fantastic example of how public bodies should work with the industry. They’re practical, effective, and focused on delivery – especially for SMEs. The central government could learn a lot from their approach.

And we really need support for first-time buyers again. Help to Buy was an excellent scheme. Removing it without a proper replacement has hurt the market. First-time buyers fuel the entire chain, and without them, things stall.