For more than 60 years, our network has championed something that is increasingly rare in the UK commercial property market: independent, locally‑rooted expertise with genuine national reach. Founded in 1960 as PAI, the organisation began as a simple idea: a way for chartered surveyors across the country to collaborate, share intelligence and support one another’s clients. That ethos remains intact today, but the scale, professionalism and ambition of the network have transformed beyond recognition.
The Commercial Property Network (CPN) now represents over 30 privately owned commercial property firms across the UK, collectively managing more than 70m sq ft of commercial property and marketing over 3,000 assets nationwide. We are the UK’s largest connected network of independent real estate consultancies, with coverage from Cornwall to Scotland and across all major markets.
But the journey to this point has not been linear — and the last decade has reshaped who we are and what we stand for.
A network reborn
The 2008 recession was a turning point. Many firms found that the network became a lifeline. A place to share market intelligence, collaborate on business development, and navigate uncertainty together. But it was the Covid‑19 pandemic that truly accelerated our evolution.
When I stepped into the presidency in 2020, following the sad passing of my predecessor Mark Tillson, the world, and our industry, was in turmoil. Yet the crisis also created opportunity. Overnight, Teams and Zoom removed the geographical barriers that had limited collaboration for decades. The network went from meeting a few times a year to meeting regularly, sharing insights in real time, and supporting one another through the most volatile market conditions in a generation. Covid forced us to modernise, and we embraced it.
We rebranded as The Commercial Property Network, a name that reflects exactly what we are. We moved away from the “old boys’ club” perception and built a professional, business‑focused platform offering CPD, national valuation remits, specialist sector expertise, APC support and structured collaboration across investment, agency, management and building consultancy.
Today, our members collaborate on everything from roadside retail to telecoms, from capital allowances to complex valuation instructions. The agility and entrepreneurialism of independent firms, combined with national coverage, is proving increasingly attractive to clients seeking depth of knowledge without corporate bureaucracy.
One of the most significant developments in our recent history has been the launch of CPN Auctions, our independent national auction platform. This initiative brings together the network’s unrivalled local knowledge with a UK‑wide buyer base, offering a powerful new route to market for commercial assets. Led by Ian Kitson of Cheffins, with strategic support from Dedman Grey, the platform delivers the immediacy and certainty that only auctions can provide, backed by the expertise of 33 member firms across the country. This is exactly the kind of innovation that demonstrates the strength of independent collaboration.
Why independence matters
In a market where consolidation continues and large corporates dominate headlines, clients are increasingly seeking something different, namely: personal service; local market intelligence; long‑term relationships; and entrepreneurial thinking. Independent firms deliver this. And through the CPN, they deliver it with national scale.
Our members are embedded in their communities. They know the streets, the landlords, the planning officers, the investors, the developers. They understand the nuances of their markets in a way that no centralised corporate structure can replicate. And when clients need support beyond their region, the network provides seamless access to trusted partners nationwide. This combination of independence and collaboration is our superpower.
Looking ahead
Under the presidency of Samantha Johnson, who took office in November 2025, we are now entering a new phase of growth and modernisation. A new website is on the way, including a searchable national property database to showcase the breadth of opportunities across the network.
We are also expanding our programme of member and client engagement, from city visits to golf, skiing and the Buccleuch Challenge, because relationships remain at the heart of what we do. And we are strengthening our links with the RICS to ensure that professional standards, ethics and training remain central to our mission.
A network built for the future
As the commercial property market continues to evolve – shaped by hybrid working, shifting investor priorities and new economic realities – the need for trusted, independent, expert advice has never been greater.
CPN is not just a network. It is a community of firms who believe in collaboration over competition, in knowledge‑sharing over siloed thinking, and in delivering exceptional service to clients across the UK. Sixty years on, our founding ethos remains unchanged. But our ambition is bigger than ever.