Testimonial – Mark Burton

I joined the firm with no conventional background in land agency or agriculture, but instead having worked for Natural England for a year prior to sitting my MSc at the Royal Agricultural University.

Townsend Chartered Surveyors is an enormously varied place to work. From the outset I was involved with some complex issues facing a long-term estate management client, and with the on-site surveying for subsidy reasons of some land held by a large non-profit organisation – a name you would be very likely to know.

At all times I have worked closely with, and been advised by the senior partner and benefitted from the wide range of topics my work covered. During my three years at Townsend Chartered Surveyors I qualified as a chartered surveyor (MRICS) and was promoted to senior assistant land agent.

I have been engaged in everything from valuations and rent reviews to forestry and the trading of various kinds of intangible asset. I have also been involved in expert witness work, public speaking in front of other professionals, and direct communication with the other side’s solicitors in matters of litigation. Perhaps more so than other firms, I have been the direct point of contact with the firm for many of our clients and have brought many on board myself.

The work I have enjoyed the most has included two different succession cases under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954; a highly specialised piece of negotiating advice which saw the surgical dissection of a pre-emption agreement; and numerous spirited exchanges with various government officials about the detail of certain matters of policy, in which I am happy to say that our clients always seemed to come out on top.

I was given detailed training in order to meet this level of responsibility, which I have no doubt will serve me very well into the future. While working at Townsend Chartered Surveyors I feel I have progressed substantially both as a surveyor and as a professional more generally. I have also made several excellent friendships along the way.

Mark Burton has joined the CLA as regional surveyor for the South West office.