About Us
Michael is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Following a career working national and internationally for US corporations he established Sonning Developments Ltd in 1996 to assist landowners with the negotiations with national housebuilders to develop their land for residential use. Working with others, Michael is involved with approximately 2,500 acres which is going through the planning system in Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, Swindon, Wiltshire and Worcestershire. He works for landowners to ensure that they achieve the maximum value for their land when planning permission has been granted.
This is achieved by the careful crafting of either Option or Promotional agreements which are put in place at the initial stages of negotiations with developers or specialist promotors who pay for all planning costs until a satisfactory planning consent is granted by the Local Authority.
Michael served as a National Trustee of The Arts Society from 2015-18 which has over 90,000 members and he is the current Junior Warden with The Worshipful Company of Fuellers which is the City of London Livery Company representing interests in the energy industries. He organised the Royal Charter for the company in 2015
He has several sporting interests including cricket as he played for Berkshire Over 50’s both here and on tour in the Caribbean. In 2019 he was one of the rowing squad who rowed the 124 miles from Lechlade to Teddington in three days to raise funds for the NSPCC. He is also to be found at the House of Commons attending energy related APPGS and the Debating Group which meets regularly.