Devvia was established in 2012 in recognition of a need for specialist and independent property development advice, especially in development delivery.

Andrew Martinelli

Andrew Martinelli, Director and founder of Devvia, as a Fellow of the RICS, has advised clients for over 20 years, within both public and private sectors and across a wide range of property types.

Specialising in planning & development Andrew has gained extensive skills and expertise, providing direct, independent, and pragmatic advice to clients. This was gained in working as a property agent, leading the land team of a housebuilding company and in the public sector in drafting policy and s.106 agreement clauses. Andrew has disposed of and acquired a variety of land and property for many years, promoted major urban extensions and secured planning permission through application and appeal.

Andrew is a Fellow of the RICS and was a consultee on the original RICS Guidance Note 94/12 ‘Financial Viability in Planning’ (2012), and in addition the current RICS Guidance Note 'Assessing Viability in Planning Under the NPPF 2019' (1st edition) March 2021. A contributor to the RICS Housing Commission (2013) and a member of the RICS working party producing the Information Paper ‘Placemaking and Value’ (2016), as well as to a working group responding to consultation on the Levelling Up legislation and the proposed Infrastructure Levy.

Devvia offers a wide range of services to clients, and Andrew works closely and alongside other consultants. Acting for landowners, developers, and land promoters in many differing ways the aim is always to provide solutions and secure the delivery of development schemes, especially housing.

Richard Heathcote

Richard Heathcote is a consultant to Devvia, working on viability and other development appraisal cases.

Richard has over 25 years of experience in the property industry, having held senior positions with development companies and commercial property practices.

Richard’s career has also had a strong residential focus, for new build traditional housing, high rise apartment development, mixed use developments and major listed building conversions throughout England and Wales.

Current consultancy commissions range from providing advice on viability for both site specific cases and area wide assessments in support of Local Pan preparation on behalf of landowners, developers, and housebuilder clients.

Previous projects have included the restoration and conversion of a number of listed Victorian mill complexes, hospitals and large country house estates, predominantly for residential developments, throughout the Greater Manchester and Yorkshire regions as well as the South East. Covering anything from small sites through to large sites that have involved development consortiums.

Richard now provides development management, acquisition and disposal advice to a range of developers and private landowners with both regional and national requirements.