Listed buildings priority for new president of surveyors' society

One of the most talented figures in the real estate industry, Mr Desmond Byrne, has been elected the new president of the Society of Chartered Surveyors (SCS).

He is a partner at Druker Fanning & Partners and is well-known for his commercial property valuation and investment work while also seen as a respected arbitrator.

With a background in arbitration law (he holds a diploma in arbitration law and a diploma in legal studies) and specialising in landlord and tenancy, he is an expert in the areas of rent reviews, rating, compulsory purchase and ground rents legislation.

In his inaugural address to the SCS, Mr Byrne questioned whether the courts are the right place to resolve landlord and tenant issues where the right of the renewal is not contested: "The matters at issue are economic rather than legal," he said.

Mr Byrne also called for a single Act for business tenancies legislation. "A clear and single act is desirable rather than a series of consolidation acts," he said.

A major area for the new president is listed buildings. "Listing a building should become a matter or pride, not of punishment, for its owner. If we are to preserve our heritage and buildings of historical importance, it's vital that the owners of these buildings should be compensated in some meaningful fashion for carrying out works of conservation or renewal."

Mr Byrne called for renewed debate on proposed changes to the law regarding private property designed to increase the supply of building land.

"The SCS position is that there is no need for constitutional change but the society advocates a combination of development levies to reflect the true added value of zoning and servicing, combined with an imperative to bring land suitable for development to the open market. This will bring an equilibrium between supply and demand for development lands and for housing." A strong supporter of the idea of decentralisation, Mr Byrne wondered whether dispersing staff to 53 locations is compatible with National Spatial Strategy objectives.

The new senior vice-president of the SCS is Derry Scully, a chartered quantity surveyor and senior partner of the Bruce Shaw Partnership. Conor Hogan of Joseph C Hogan & Sons Ltd is the society's new junior vice-president.

Started in 1895, the SCS is one of the largest bodies in Ireland representing the construction and property industries. It has almost 1,500 qualified chartered surveyors and 700 students and probationers.