Developing In Top Gear

Q: You set up The Rutland Group back in 1984. What was the inspiration for setting up the company?

A: When I started out, the companies that I worked for did not have a proper regard for the environment. Developers have an enormous opportunity to improve the environments in which they work. I decided that was a role I wanted to do myself and formed The Rutland Group.

Q: The company prides itself on sustainability. What practices do you put in place to remain environmentally friendly?

A: Sustainability is the foundation on which we continue to build our business. It takes vision, passion and a lot of hard work. As developers we have always recognised that our activities impact on the environment and the communities in which we work. We see this as a force for good, enabling us to influence and ensure the highest quality in the built environment. We are proud of our record for carrying out detailed consultation and careful masterplanning and of the awards that we have received, not only for our buildings, but for landscaping and the environmental ratings of our projects. This goes to the heart of our business philosophy, principles and ethics.

The company has the distinction of having created the 200 acre Bedfont Lakes Country Park, the largest public park built in London in the 20th century. At Dunsfold Park we are continuing to incorporate sustainability into everything we do and have recently finished building an anaerobic digestion plant that will produce Biogas to complement our existing 2 MW solar farm. The solar farm secured the site’s place in history as the first business park in the UK to be fed principally by green energy.

Q: What prompted you to buy Dunsfold Park in 2002 and what was your vision?

A: The Rutland Group had previously worked on projects with BAE Systems. When they approached us about disposing of Dunsfold Aerodrome, the unique opportunity it presented was too good to pass up. I also know the local area well, having lived here for more than 30 years, and wanted to ensure that anything done with the site was sympathetic and not only enhanced the local area, but gave something back to the community.

We are proud of our Surrey heritage and we value our relationship with the people of Waverley. We want Dunsfold Park to be the best example of new development in the borough and beyond – a place where people are proud to live and work.

Q: How did you get Top Gear involved?

A: Top Gear were one of our first tenants and the start of the rejuvenation of Dunsfold Park from a redundant brownfield site into a thriving business park. The site is unique in being able to offer large open spaces, various different sized buildings and, for Top Gear, roadways and runways ideal for car testing.

Dunsfold Park now has 100 firms employing more than 1,100 people and is the largest employment site in Waverley Borough. Our business community is active and includes local firms providing a range of services to the surrounding area, such as electrical engineering, building contracting, printing, joinery and manufacturing. There are also global companies, developing ground-breaking technologies on site, such as ocean temperature surveys, clean air systems, fuel cell technology and audio design and manufacture.

Q: What do the new development plans involve?

A: The plans include increasing the business park to create more space and jobs. In 2017 we completed work on a 9,966 sq.m expansion project which is now almost fully let. The ambition for the core 625-acre site is to create a sustainable mixed-use development. The vision is to deliver a ‘new Surrey village’, with 1,800 new homes being accompanied by new employment space that complements the existing, and a range of services and community facilities for residents. Proposed facilities include a school, health centre and country park, which will be delivered alongside a comprehensive package of transport improvements.

Q: How will the plans affect the local region/economy?

A: The masterplan creates a new sustainable Surrey village with public open space and facilities, including shops and restaurants that Waverley residents will use and enjoy. These new facilities, as well as the expanded business park, will create more local jobs and grow the local economy, increasing the amount of money Waverley Borough Council has to spend on improving local services.

As Waverley works to meet local housing need, development at the aerodrome (a large brown field site) will reduce the number of these new homes that need to be built on green fields, helping the Council provide new homes to enable families to continue living and working in the area whilst preserving the Borough’s high quality environment and rural character.

Q: What has made you most proud in your business career?

A: There are so many things I’m proud of. What continues to stand out for so many reasons is the creation of the 200 acre Bedfont Lakes Country Park, the largest public park built in London in the 20th century. Dunsfold Park is fast catching up with our legacy at Bedfont though, not only with the sustainability initiatives already implemented and employment opportunities created, but also with our plans to create a new village that embraces the way in which we will need to live in the future

Q: What is next for Jim McAllister?

A: Holidays! Lots of holidays at long last!