About us

Founded by John Finlan, Morbaine is a highly successful, family owned, UK Property Development and Investment Group with over 60 years’ experience of designing, building and managing commercial property.

We pride ourselves on adopting a realistic and deliverable approach and are keen to help unlock difficult sites or facilitate complicated but viable building solutions.

Given the complex processes involved in securing successful and viable developments, we understand that significant time and resources are often required early on in the development process.

This is where Morbaine’s team of experienced professionals provide invaluable support and advice from the outset.

Our Track Record

Morbaine is a well-respected and highly professional organisation whose key focus is on construction and delivery. Since the Group was formed, it has delivered more than three and a half million square feet of commercial development, working with over 50 trusted clients.

60+
years in business
100+
assets owned and operated
3.5m+
sq ft constructed
50+
trusted clients

Our People

Morbaine has a well-established and highly experienced ‘in-house’ team of professionals. The team provides the necessary skills required at all stages of the development process from site identification and assembly, through to planning, construction and finally hand-over or sale.

John Parle

Group Chairman

John has extensive commercial property and contractual knowledge having worked in the industry for over 60 years. He has helped to deliver numerous high-profile development projects and continues to provide strategic input and invaluable support to Morbaine’s Development Directors.
Keith Nutter

Managing Director

Group Planning Director

As Managing Director, Keith is responsible for the day-to-day management of Morbaine Limited. He is a chartered town planner with over 30 years’ experience in the development industry. Throughout his career, Keith has advised a wide range of clients from major developers and large blue-chip companies through to local and regional government. He is also an experienced expert witness representing clients at numerous Public Inquiries.
John Finlan

Development Director

Since joining the company in 2010, John has developed key skills in relation to securing and delivering commercial development, including site assembly, option appraisals and agreements for lease. More recently, John has worked on several successful retail schemes for both Lidl and Aldi, helping to support the delivery of these projects from inception through to hand-over.
Adrian Crossdale

Development Director

Adrian spent 4 years at Safeway before joining Morbaine in 1994. As a Chartered General Practice Surveyor, Adrian has considerable experience in identifying and securing development opportunities. He has managed complex retail/leisure schemes from conception and planning through to securing end users and where appropriate, achieving the final sale. During his time at Morbaine, he has worked closely with many national operators including Safeway, JD Gyms, Aldi, Lidl and Sainsburys.
Graham Adams

Development Director

Graham has a property development career stretching back over 35 years. He has worked for leading retailers Whitbread, Asda and Tesco in the UK and internationally operating at Board level, before joining Morbaine in 2008. Graham has delivered numerous retail projects managing all facets of the process through from site identification to completion with hand-over to the end user and the final onward sale. He has an extensive network of relations including with retailers, consultants, agents and local authorities.
Simon Felce

Group Legal Director

Simon is an experienced commercial property conveyancer. Since qualifying over 35 years ago, he has handled a wide range of complex property-related legal matters (both freehold and leasehold), including option agreements, conditional contracts, development agreements and agreements for lease.
Ian Hughes

Asset Management Director

Ian oversees the management of the company’s significant property portfolio. As a Chartered Surveyor with over 30 years’ experience, Ian previously specialised in large space retail and leisure property, advising landlord and tenant clients nationwide. For over 15 years Ian sat on the President of the RICS’ panels of Independent Experts and Arbitrators deciding numerous commercial property rental disputes.
Chris Parle

Group Finance Director

Chris is a qualified Chartered Accountant with almost two decades’ experience operating as European Finance Director in a global financial services business. He also founded his own financial consultancy practice. After recently joining Morbaine as Group Finance Director, Chris brings with him a wealth of strategic experience and financial governance. His role on the Board has helped to promote change and to manage the company’s accounting processes.
Lisa Gordon

IT and Finance Manager

Having worked at Morbaine for over 25 years, Lisa provides invaluable support with both the office’s IT and financial systems. Her first role with Morbaine, as IT Manager, helped establish the company’s essential IT infrastructure and online systems. Since then, Lisa has further developed her skills and knowledge in financial accounting (including qualifications in Bookkeeping and Professional Accounting) and has been appointed Finance Manger providing day to day support to the Group Finance Director.
Hannah Welch

Administrative and Financial Support

Hannah has been with the company for 15 years and is a key part of Morbaine’s Support Services team. Since joining Morbaine, Hannah has provided invaluable assistance to the day to day running of the executive management team. More recently, she has become a qualified bookkeeper and is currently working towards a Diploma in Professional Accounting. Hannah’s growing confidence in dealing with a wide range of financial management skills and applications has enabled her to assist the Finance Team by taking sole responsibility for the sales ledger.
Claire Marshall

Administrative Support

Claire has been a key part of Morbaine’s Support Services team for over 25 years. She provides direct assistance to the company’s Group Legal Director, Group Planning Director, and Asset Management Director. She also provides administrative support to key professional’s within Morbaine’s Development and Project Management teams.
Mat Forde

Project Management Director

Mat is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor with over 28 years’ experience working in Project Management. Before joining Morbaine, Mat worked for an international Project Management consultancy firm. For the past 20 years, Mat has been responsible for the delivery of numerous complex construction projects for Morbaine, including Tesco’s superstore in Widnes and Sainsbury’s foodstore in Kendal.