At SilverOak Properties, we transform unused sites and existing buildings into exceptional, sustainable places for living, working & leisure.
SilverOak is a privately owned property development and investment company founded by Michael Heather in 2014 to capitalise on the strengthening commercial property market, which had been in recession since 2008 due to the banking crisis.
Michael is a recognised authority in the Irish property market, having served as a director of one of the country’s leading estate agency groups in the 1990s. In 2000, however, he realised that the projects he thrived on were the new ones he was creating for developers or builders, so he made the bold move to set up as an independent development consultant, one who also invested in the schemes as a partner.
Before the market crashed in 2008, he gained extensive experience advising the promotors of some of the largest schemes in Dublin and its environs. This proved invaluable when, in 2010, he partnered with Irish renewable energy company BNRG Renewables Ltd to develop a portfolio of ground-mounted solar energy schemes in the United Kingdom. As leader of the site acquisition team, he secured planning consent for over 15 solar projects which today provide over 100 megawatts of energy annually UK’s National Grid.
A New Vision
The market was rising – and changing. As demand grew for exceptional schemes that enhance both location and community, Michael founded SilverOak to deliver well-considered and imaginatively crafted schemes that meet the needs of both the planners and the end users.
Today SilverOak specialises in off-market opportunities, particularly unused or obsolete brownfield urban buildings and greenfield land with suitable zoning for the intended purpose.
Our recognised talent and ability to identify these opportunities, together with a trusted network of partners who share our commitment to excellence — architects, engineers, planning consultants — has enabled us in recent years to bring to market over ten completed projects of varying complexity and scale. These include several schemes located on prominent sites in Dublin, across its suburbs and in some of Ireland’s largest and fastest-growing regional towns.
What We Do
Every development opportunity begins when we are asked to find a development site (or sites) for a particular purpose; most often, it is for a healthcare provider, retail group, an Approved Housing Body or another commercial entity. SilverOak has been especially successful in acquiring and securing planning for projects for companies and institutions seeking to expand in Dublin’s extensive suburbs or in the larger regional towns across Ireland.
Our experience and knowledge are key to successfully identifying promising sites in the target areas of interest. Whether in the retail, residential, commercial or industrial sector, in brownfield regeneration areas, dense urban centres or on greenfield land, we see the potential early and move quickly to secure the opportunity by negotiating a price and then exchanging contracts with the landowner.
The next stage sees SilverOak working closely with our partners to design and masterplan a high-quality scheme for the particular site.
In some instances, the scheme is designed and built for a particular client, such as an institutional investor, to be held as an income-producing investment. In others, SilverOak purchases a site without planning consent. Many of these sites become medium-sized residential schemes of 30 to 60 units, which on completion are acquired by an Approved Housing Body. In most cases, all or part of the funding for these schemes is provided by individual investors, who have been working with SilverOak for many years.
How We Do It
At SilverOak, we leave nothing to chance. With the cost of planning applications rising, and substantial work needed to secure planning permission for significant projects, we make sure no detail or analysis is overlooked.
The various stages of our process include:
Consultation with the end occupier/buyer to understand their unique requirements. The more information we have, the better the application.
Discussion to establish if the occupier/buyer is seeking one particular location or many. Our task it to prioritise the most urgent ones.
A thorough search for a suitable development opportunity. Typically, this will include visiting the target area to identify any obvious sites for development. We also research the property’s planning history, which can reveal very useful information.
A discreet approach to the owners to establish if a sale would be considered.
If the response is positive, one of our architects prepares an initial masterplan to establish the most suitable scheme for the site.
A detailed discussion of that plan with our planning consultants. They provide a comprehensive appraisal of the planning requirements for the property’s zoning within the current Local Authority development plan.
Making an offer to the owners. Wherever possible, we share details of the likely planning application to be made.
If the offer is accepted, solicitors prepare and agree the contracts in advance of a formal exchange that includes payment of a deposit.
After the exchange, we work closely with our advisors to create a comprehensive, well-considered plan/design for presentation to the Local Authority within a planning application. Often this will include third-party reports and studies such as traffic reports, flood risk assessments and Environmental Impact Assessments.
Rooted in Excellence
SilverOak champions projects that are crafted and executed to an exceptional standard. Not only does this help to secure approval from the Local Authority, occupiers and buyers, it also greatly enhances our ability to generate substantial and dependable returns on investment.
This commitment to excellence is the bedrock of our business. It’s the foundation on which we’ve built a strong reputation for securing planning permission for creative, thoughtful schemes that work for both the investors in these projects and the people who live and/or work in them.