The excitement of property development for me is that you never know where an opportunity might present itself.
One of my most unexpected projects came off the back of a chance meeting with a very charming young lady whom I met at Annabelle’s in Berkeley Square. Having hit it off we decided to keep in touch and a couple of days later we had planned to go for lunch; incidentally it had come up in conversation that this lady was planning on selling her house in Notting Hill and knowing my background in property asked if I might be interested in it. Curious, I decided to stop by the property on the way to the restaurant and not one to be easily deterred I climbed over the fence and had a thorough look around the property and its plot.
Curiosity quickly became excitement and by the time I made it to the restaurant I had decided to turn our social lunch in to a business one – we negotiated on the price and I bought it right away.
Pleased as I was to have purchased this property it became immediately clear that there would be numerous restrictions on what we could do. Ultimately what I had purchased was a shed, on a busy road which backed up on to some council houses.
After many late nights at the office brainstorming with the team, we finally began to see the opportunity for this ambitious project. Enthused by the potential to transform this site, we proudly invited the local residents to a church hall we had hired to present our drawings and get their feedback. As an experienced developer I firmly believe in the often-overlooked importance of having a great relationship with the local residents. Being respectful goes a hugely long way to ensure a smoother planning process.
My starting point has always been to begin by manipulating the space and light in a property to fully maximise what it has to offer. This is our signature strategy when evaluating a space and something we have fondly trademarked Volumetric Design.
The purpose of a luxury home is to excite the imagination and stimulate the five senses – in this way Ladbroke Grove can only be fully experienced by engaging with the space; moments like catching glimpses of the sky through the skylight become unforgettable.
Now more than ever it is essential that developers create an emotional desire – the reality is that potential buyers looking for homes in Central London don’t need to move. They already have a roof over their head and as such their decision to buy a property must be motivated by more than a basic need.
New developments need to be exciting, surprising and compelling – thankfully our team at Landmass were able to capture all of these emotions with Ladbroke Grove.
Next time we will discuss more about how we create that emotional desire and the related tricks and tips required to make it tangible. Landmass’s competitive spirit and premium execution have been essential in achieving unprecedented results whether it is enjoyment or record prices.
