Islington appoints planner to focus on developer contributions

The London Borough of Islington has appointed a new principal planning officer to focus on securing developer contributions through section 106 agreements and the community infrastructure levy.

David Wasserberg will join the council next month from Plymouth City Council, where he currently works as a development viability officer.

Wasserberg, originally from the USA, has qualifications and professional experience in both property finance and planning, and specialises in viability exercises.

He told Planning: “I know Islington very well and own a flat there. I am excited to return to work in planning in one of the most interesting urban areas in the world.

"At Plymouth, I was carrying out viability roles advising planning officers on planning obiligations - many councils outsource this sort of work, but Plymouth kept it in-house."

After gaining an undergraduate degree in sociology from Oberlin College in Ohio, Wasserberg achieved an MA in property finance from New York University.

He then worked in property finance for real estate firm Jones Lang Wootton in New York prior to the firm’s merger with LaSalle in 1999.

He originally moved to the UK on a year-long secondment with the firm, but decided to stay in the country.

After a four-year spell working for property firm Grosvenor in London, he completed a degree in spatial planning from Oxford Brookes University before joining Plymouth City Council.

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