Reimagining The Future Is All Part Of The Process 

Reimagining the future is all part of the process when restoring old buildings and repurposing them as desirable new homes...

Paul, how did you arrive in the role of sales and marketing director at Chase New Homes?

Via Dubai! I was previously working as head of international sales for the Berkeley Group. I was based in Hong Kong but was attending the opening of a new sales and marketing suite in Dubai around five years ago where I met Chase New Homes CEO Tony Carey.

We both stayed in touch and eventually found myself back in the UK, where I was offered the role of sales and marketing director in February 2020.

Chase New Homes builds a variety of different sized homes, from multi-million-pound houses to large-scale apartment schemes; is there a market performing more stronger than others?

We have two new developments based in Hertfordshire which both offer executive family housing. Both developments are located within the catchment area of highly regarded schools and close to fast transport links into London. Most recently this type of property has performed very well with buyers migrating out of London in search of more space and value for money.

Which developments are you marketing at the moment?

Currently we are marketing Scholars in Broxbourne and St Edward’s Gate in Cuffley Hill. Both developments offer a superior range of three-, four- and five-bedroom houses within a secluded and private setting.

You’ve worked on a Grade II-listed building, Danbury Palace in Essex. How does that compare with building new homes out of the ground?

The complications and challenges of taking on a refurbishment project are of course well documented. However, the satisfaction of being able to restore old buildings and bring them back to life is very satisfying. Reimagining their future use makes for a great place to live – by combining the historic elements of Danbury Palace with the new methods of modern construction, we have been able to create a development and new community we are very proud of.

And what’s in the pipeline over the next few months?

Two very exciting developments are due to be launched in Q4 2021...

Lea Wharf in Hertford: Located in the heart of Hertford, we are creating a new build ‘wharf’ style riverside development comprising 98 one- and two-bedroom apartments for private sale alongside a new retail and leisure hub. The scheme will feature exposed internal brickwork, a residents’ roof garden, a concierge service and a range of new commercial units that will transform the local town centre, also bringing the river front back to life with three new waterside restaurants.

One One Six, Cockfosters: This is another exciting example where Chase New Homes are once again restoring an existing building, transforming it into a new home for residents to enjoy. The iconic Black Horse Tower in Cockfosters is located 100m from the entrance to Cockfosters tube station, One One Six Cockfosters will bring prime central London residents’ facilities to north London – featuring two residents’ sky gardens that provide striking views to the south of the City, also allowing residents to pre-book a private booth that comes with a concierge, a large residents’ Wi-Fi enabled 5* lounge, a 12-seat residents’ cinema and a private dining room.

Are you offering any great incentives to buyers at your schemes?

The market has been very strong and our focus has always been to deliver the highest standards and quality across all of our homes within our chosen locations. Incentives have been limited to specific cases to suit each buyers’ individual needs.

Do you offer any flexibility on interiors at any of your schemes in terms of fixtures and fittings?

We have worked with clients to provide some flexibility in the finishes within the homes at St Edward’s Gate. Buyers spending in excess of £1million tend to want to have involvement in certain aspects of the interior design, so we have endeavoured to provide as much design flexibility as possible.

How do you think the end of the stamp duty holiday will impact the property market?

The end of the SDLT holiday appears to have had very little impact on market conditions. I am seeing a strong, robust marketplace where purchasers are now feeling more secure in their employment than they were during the peak of the Covid pandemic, and mortgage products that make buying cheaper than renting in most cases are now returning to the market too.

And finally, will Chase look to build homes that reflect the desire of more people to work flexibly from home, which we’ve seen since the start of the pandemic?

This is something we are already implementing in the design of our layouts – our product needs to reflect the current trends and demands of homebuyers. The ability to work from home in an environment and space designed for that purpose forms an integral part of our design process across all forthcoming and future projects.