One-on-one interview: Jonathan Cranley, Millgate

This week’s exclusive interview puts the focus on some of the most sought-after areas of the Home Counties and one of the South East’s most respected high-end developers as we pose the questions to Jonathan Cranley,  sales and marketing director of Millgate, who has worked in the Home Counties property market for over 30 years.

Hi Jonathan, please tell us a little about yourself and Millgate.

Millgate celebrates its 30th anniversary this year and I am delighted and proud that I have been a part of its growth and development over the last 10 years. 

From day one Millgate was established as a luxury homes developer with a commitment to building excellence. We have a strong reputation in the South East of England for individuality, a meticulous attention to design and building in the very best prime residential locations.

Over the past ten years Millgate has seen many changes and the business has grown exponentially. When I joined Millgate, the UK was entering the 2007 recession. This was a turning point for the business, we changed our course and went back to planning on a number of our sites revising the permissions into larger detached housing, a sector of the market that continued to flourish. We have gone from strength to strength ever since. However, we were very careful to ensure some things never changed: the quality of our homes is paramount, whether they are large executive homes or magnificent apartment schemes. Our ambition is to be the very best developer in the South East.

What developments are you currently marketing?

This month we sold our very last house at [WhatHouse? Award-winning] Sundridge Park, this was our largest development to date with 41 homes adjoining two championship golf courses. We recently launched our latest flagship site, Knowle Hill Park, in Cobham which is our most exciting project to date. Set in 45 acres this country estate comprises of 22 stunning apartments and seven elegant houses. We have two apartments left at Englemere, Ascot [also a winner of a WhatHouse? Award in 2016] which has a swimming pool, two tennis courts all set in beautiful formal gardens. There are a number of other developments all featured on the Millgate website in Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire.

WhatHouse? recently visited Knowle Hill Park, it's a very impressive development that you are clearly very proud of. Can you tell us about it in detail?

This development is special for many reasons. Perhaps the most important is the unique location which will give owners 45 acres of wonderful parkland and ancient woodland to live in. An exclusive country estate, yet only a couple of minutes to the station and a mile to the centre of Cobham.

There are 22 large scale apartments with great views over the pasture land and seven elevated houses, we believe this will be an unbelievable place to live, from the moment you pass through the gated entrance down the sweeping tree lined driveway and past two duck ponds you start to appreciate the truly magnificent setting

Take a look at the live show home tour Jonathan presented to WhatHouse? in March here:

Here's a video from sales agents Jackson-Stops & Staff on the Water's Edge development in Keston:

What kind of buyers have been showing an interest in this development, and is there any particular feature that is appealing to them more than others?

We have a total 29 plots on the development and we have sold a number before we launched. Most of the purchasers are downsizers who were looking for property in the area that is secure and works well for ‘lock up and leave’. Our clients in many cases are moving from substantial family homes so they still need a large amount of space and are not prepared to compromise on quality. We currently have one show house available to view and we are dressing a further home which we are launching on 1 April.

You have regular success at the WhatHouse? Awards - which of your current developments do you think stand the best chance of another win this year?

We always review the criteria for the WhatHouse? Awards where we believe we stand an excellent chance of success. We are tremendously proud of our homes and we hope that any we put forward would have recognition for their quality. I don’t like to have favourites!

Have stamp duty changes, the Brexit vote and international politics over the past couple of years or so changed the buyer demographic in the high-end areas where you focus?

Initially the increased level of stamp duty did have a negative impact on our buyers, however it is incredible how quickly these costs are absorbed. I am pleased to say that we have seen a significant increase in the level of reservations across all our sites in the last few months.

Is Millgate planning to adapt or expand its portfolio to reflect how the property market is changing?

We have already adapted our portfolio over the last few years.  We build a mix of homes, luxury apartments and large executive detached houses.

If you were housing minister, what would you have done differently in the recent Budget and White Paper?

Thankfully I am not! From where Millgate stands we would love a review on the high-end stamp duty, but I don’t think that will happen quickly. Buyers at this end of the market have accepted that this is here to stay. I do hope that there continues to be a great deal of emphasis on the entry end of the housing market and assistance for first-time buyers which will assist the whole property market from top to bottom.