In recent times, attacks on crowded places such as Helsinki in August 2017, Las Ramblas, Barcelona in August 2017, London Bridge and Borough Market in June 2017, Manchester Arena in May 2017, Stockholm in April 2017, Westminster Bridge in March 2017, Berlin Christmas Market in December 2016 and Nice in July 2016, have powerfully illustrated the devastating impact terrorism can have on society. The purpose of this research, the first such study of its kind, is concerned with understanding how the real estate development process is used, and could be used, as the foundation of counter terrorism protective security at crowded places of all sizes. It is designed to develop knowledge of the current considerations of counter terrorism protective security across core sectors involved in the real estate development process, the current barriers to adoption of such measures, and the methods which could potentially incentivize counter terrorism protective security. in real estate development. The research is based on 134 interviews carried out in Belfast, London and Manchester in the UK; New York City, Washington DC and Oklahoma City in the US; and Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne in Australia in 2017.