Institute of Directors; Cert. IoD.C.Eng. M.I.C.E. Chartered Civil Engineer, and Co-Founder and ex-CEO of Further Space.
Peter has 35 years of experience in engineering and affordable housing delivery prior to entering the alternative tourism sector, co-founding Further Space in 2018.
He worked as a professional Engineer in London, and 20 years with Habitat for Humanity International, more recently as a consultant with UN-Habitat. As an affordable housing specialist with the United Nations, Peter was responsible for the support of Iraq National Housing Policy (INHP) in Baghdad, and the implementation of Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) Housing Strategy in Erbil.
As a formative part of Habitat for Humanity international (HFHI), Peter has created practical shelter solutions globally and developed sustainable market-based housing mechanisms which have delivered significant social impact. Co-founding Habitat for Humanity in Northern Ireland he pioneered “Shared” Social Housing across conflicted communities in Northern Ireland, which lead to the shaping and transformation of social housing policy delivery across the province.
After taking on regional roles in Africa and the Middle East with HFHI. Peter returned to Belfast in 2013, and set up INTU Consulting Ltd to provide Leadership and Management Services to not-for-profit and private sector companies; taking on interim Chief Executive and Business Development roles.
Following the Nepal Earthquake in 2015, he founded INTU Global Shelter (IGS) to provide innovative design solutions to meet emergency and disaster response shelter needs. Under his leadership IGS developed and prototyped products ready for market. Recognising that immediate international market entry was a step too far. IGS turned its attention to the UK and Ireland focusing on the leisure and tourism market branded as INTUPOD, offering a range of multi- purpose pods and living spaces.
In 2018, after significant market research and meaningful interactions with landowners. Peter co-founded Further.Space offering landowners a turnkey micro-tourism business solution, in the alternative glamping pod accommodation sector. The Partnership business model delivers one-off, boutique, hand-picked holiday destinations, sharing profits from the pod accommodation with landowners, typically over 10 years.
Based in Belfast, under his leadership, Further Space raised in excess of £4.5M as a combination of debt and equity funding, and to date have developed 11 fully operational sites across N. Ireland, Ireland and Scotland, consisting of more than 60 units of luxury pod accommodation, with another 25 projects at different stages of the planning process.
Peter is the designer of the INTUPOD which he developed and manufactured up until August 2022 and as an Engineer led on all technical aspects of Project delivery,from site layout and design to the opening of the sites for customers and guest readiness, ensuring all statutory and regulatory compliance.
From March 2023 he stepped down as CEO from Further Space, to establish an end to end project management, manufacturing and project delivery consultancy with a number of business associates who have been formative in the UK Glamping and alternative tourism sector over the past 10 years.
Awards
- 2018, Royal Bank of Scotland “GB Start-up Entrepreneur of the year”(Runner-up)
- 2010, recognised as the “Overall Inspiring Leader” in the Sector at the inaugural CO3 Voyager Awards, to mark 25 years of Third Sector Leadership Development in Northern Ireland
- 2005, HFH International received the “World Methodist Peace Award” in recognition of the work of reconciliation in Northern Ireland and Sri Lanka.
- 1998, recognised by “UK National Guardian Jerwood Award for Community Achievement” and Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland was awarded “Charity of the Year”.
