Construction and Property debate

Cooke & Arkwright's Chairman, Michael Lawley, was invited by Wales Business Insider to sit on the panel at the Construction & Property Breakfast to take part in a property debate about 'Enabling the Real Estate Market to Deliver in Wales' with an invited audience.

Speaking on 'Promoting Wales', he said, “We do well at selling Wales as a great place to live or visit. We struggle with selling it as a great place to come and do business, create businesses and grow. But we have a great asset here. We are 150 miles out of London, an hour and a half by train, and we control our own destiny. That is a huge advantage.”

The panel was also asked about the new Land Transaction Tax, which replaces Stamp Duty Land Tax in Wales from April 2018. “Taxes going down or being lower than the rates in England would be a positive message. But the danger is it becomes another difference which makes investment in Wales more difficult or complicated.”

Looking at ‘Opportunities for Wales’ he commented, “The way we govern ourselves, with Cardiff Capital Region and Swansea Bay City Region, and the fact that politicians are now working together in a serious way is a very positive step. Economies don’t stop at county boundaries.”