Tom Bloxham is a pioneer of urban renewal in Manchester and Liverpool. His company Urban Splash is one of the most successful in the country, and has won many awards. He first showed his entrepreneurial flair at university, when he supplemented his grant by selling records, then posters.

Soon, he was changing the face of Manchester and Liverpool by buying up and renovating old buildings that others thought fit only for demolition. Afflecks Palace, Ducie House, Smithfield Buildings, have all been restored and given a new lease of life by Urban Splash.

Good design is an integral to the company, as is the desire to provide reasonably-priced apartments tailored to the customer's needs. Thanks to Urban Splash, the centres of Manchester and Liverpool are becoming better places to live and work, saving greenfield sites from being buried under urban sprawl. He's made the job of "property developer" socially acceptable, and is closely involved with the Big Issue charity, which helps homeless people. See the FULL INTERVIEW