Wife of Urban Splash chief found dead in car

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Development, Legal

The wife of Urban Splash's chief executive Jonathan Falkingham was found dead in a car in Liverpool last Friday.

Nicole Falkingham's body was discovered after officers were alerted by the owners of a black Vauxhall Insignia.

Merseyside Police have said a post-mortem carried out to establish the cause of death has provisionally indicated hypothermia and acute alcohol intoxication.

Officers are currently treating the death as "unexplained".

A man and a woman, believed to be the owners of the car, were arrested on suspicion of manslaughter. The pair, both 48, have also been questioned over the discovery of a cannabis factory at their home. They have both since been released pending further inquiries.

Detectives believe that Mrs Falkingham had been drinking at The Vinci bar on Allerton Road with the arrested pair between 3.30pm and 9pm on Thursday. They are believed to have left the bar together.

According to the Daily Mail, Mr and Mrs Falkingham separated last year after an "acrimonious split", and Mrs Falkingham had told friends she was beginning divorce proceedings.

Manchester-based developer Urban Splash - whose name is synonymous with some of the UK's biggest regeneration projects, including the Park Hill estate in Sheffield -  was co-founded by Mr Falkingham, an architect.

The company posted pre-tax losses of £9.3million and debts of £234million last September.

In a message to staff, Urban Splash chairman Tom Bloxham said: "I am very sad to say, as some of you have heard, that Nicole Falkingham tragically died on Friday.

"Nicole was known to many of us, when she worked in our Liverpool office and was married to Jonathan.

"She was one of life’s great characters and her loss so young is a tragedy.

"Our thoughts go out to Jonathan and Nicole’s friends and family at this difficult time. It is so sad."