insideKENT Magazine Issue 47 - February 2016

PROPERTY Q&A WITH MARTIN HART, Managing Director of Pentland Homes Ltd What is the ‘Pentland difference’? We are a small, family-run business, so are able to provide a level of service and attention to detail that distinguishes us from national housebuilders. When we acquire a piece of land, we design homes that fit the topography, we don’t use standard house types so our customers are experiencing the next generation of Pentland product. We look at it with passion, and it’s our passion that drives the company forward. Our space and quality standards are foremost when we are looking to develop new sites and new house types. One of our greatest joys is when a purchaser comes back to buy their third, fourth or fifth Pentland home, because then we know are getting it right. Equally when a second-hand Pentland home is put on the market, the demand is so strong that it is advertised as ‘Pentland Built’. This type of response from our customers confirms to me that what we are doing is right for us, and the correct business model to continue with. The market often quotes ‘location, location, location’, but for us it’s ‘quality, quality, quality’. We strive for quality with design, quality customer service and quality product completed on time. This is the heart of the business. We are not rigid with our product and we allow our purchasers the opportunity to personalise their new homes, which is I suppose our USP and this of course, is far from the offering of any national housebuilder. Who are Pentland Homes’ purchasers? We would like to think that anyone could be a Pentland Homes’ purchaser. Many of our purchasers are what we call ‘rightsizers’, couples who are looking to move out of the family home after their children have grown up, but they don’t want to compromise on space, specification and quality, but clearly we also appeal to discerning first time buyers and growing families alike. What changes have you seen to the Kent housing market in the last decade? Places like Ashford, Canterbury, Shepway and the Dover coastal areas have seen a strong market growth, and I believe these areas will continue to see an increase in house prices and demand. History tells us that similar towns and similar areas have grown in popularity as a result of good infrastructure improvements, and this part of Kent now has exactly that, connectivity to London and Europe has never been better. Our local authorities are well advanced with their local plans, producing some very good development opportunities for Pentland to continue building where our customers want to live. The public and private sectors work well together in Kent ensuring the delivery of new homes and jobs are in pace with a growing and prosperous county. Because we are a family-run company, we want to keep our business local, and have no intention of expanding our business outside of our Kent focus. We are extremely fortunate that our business is well placed in an area of high demand. We’ve got a strong market going forward, and there are many people waiting for the next Pentland opportunity. What advice could you give to first time buyers in the current market? “Save Save Save”. The toughest challenge for any first time buyer today is the deposit, especially when you’re already renting. Stay at home longer with mum and dad if you can, and save hard for that deposit! Also, make sure you take advantages of government schemes like Help to Buy. The government is looking to help first-time buyers, and the schemes available really can make a difference as to whether you can secure that dream home. And there are clear advantages to first-time buyers purchasing new build; for example your energy bills are significantly lower and with a new build guarantee you won't encounter unexpected repair costs. Pentland Homes has seen substantial growth over the last few years. What would you say has contributed to this growth and how has it been sustained? We have been very fortunate that our land holdings and our opportunities have been in close proximity to the building of the high-speed service to London. I think the fact that we don’t sit on our laurels has been vital; we are always looking for ways to improve. We listen to fe edback from our buyers and learn from it. 142 Our brand has become strong locally, we might not be known throughout England, but when you look at the area we are focused in, our brand is very popular, and that’s getting stronger and stronger. What will 2016 bring for Pentland Homes? Our projects for 2016 will take us in to 2017 and beyond. This year, we will be starting another four new developments, which will see occupations in 2017. All sites that received planning permission in 2015, and some in the early part of 2016, will start construction this year. In January, we were pleased to receive planning permission on Thannington Park, which is a great opportunity for us to build in Canterbury once again. This development will include 750 new homes, a business park and a new primary school, supported by a substantial infrastructure including strengthened transport links. Every new site that we purchase we look to start construction as soon as possible. Our growth as a company is intrinsically linked to the thriving Kent economy, and demand for quality homes in the Garden of England is certainly showing no sign of slowing.

insideKENT Magazine Issue 47 - February 2016 | Page 142