A high-flying chartered surveyor has seen his career take off since he secured a contract with one of the world’s busiest airports.
Roger Littlewood, 57, of Clayton West , heads up a team of specialist surveyors who are tasked with providing rolling valuations of several UK airports.
And he compares the job to the never-ending task of painting the Forth Bridge.
Mr Littlewood, partner at the leading chartered surveying company Gerald Eve, said: “My biggest client is Heathrow Airport which is the fourth biggest airport in the world.
“I have to survey the entire airport from rail tunnels to the control tower.
“The contract came about when I was introduced to BAA plc three years ago.
“I was tasked to undertake specific work valuing commercial and industrial property for taxation assets.
“Heathrow operates like a large town which never sleeps and has a massive impact on the UK, providing £10 billion income annually.
“Like any business, Heathrow is required to pay business rates which are dependent on its value.
“It’s a rolling valuation process. It’s a bit like painting the Forth Bridge.
“Heathrow Airport is constantly expanding and as new areas are developed the valuation changes.
“For example the opening of the new terminal next year will add value.
“That alone is the size of four football pitches to give some idea of the scale.”
But he admitted airports very rarely decrease in value with some exceptions – notably caused by the volcanic ash cloud in 2010.
“We did have to reduce the valuation when UK airspace was closed but we mitigate these costs to keep values as high as we possibly can,” he said.
Mr Littlewood was urged to share his unusual job by friends after the recent broadcasting of the BBC2 show Airport Live last week.
The show covered all aspects of airport life in an access-all-areas documentary.
He added: “It is an immense privilege to do my job as there is no-one else who performs these sort of tasks.
“Heathrow is very well run and to see all aspects of the operation from a no-holds barred aspect is phenomenal.
“A plane takes off and lands every 20 seconds for around 19 hours a day and Heathrow employs 70,000 people.”
But despite his enthusiasm for a job he clearly loves, Mr Littlewood hasn’t been tempted to leave his Clayton West home.
“I am local lad and I wouldn’t want to live in Heathrow. I stay in a hotel about 15 miles out two days a week.”
And it would appear his career has inspired his daughter Sarah-Jane to follow in her father’s footsteps.
Sarah, 23, a graduate surveyor is currently working for DHL Logistics in Milton Keynes.
Mr Littlewood lives with his wife Janet.
