Back to the f loor

PHPD recently met with Paul Beaney, strategic director of Lofthouse Residences, to find out more about the current state of luxury housebuilding and why he decided to trade in a comfortable semiretirement for a return to the sector.

What are your perceptions of today’s market in general? Where are the big opportunities – or the major barriers to progress?

Demand for quality homes remains strong, particularly driven by a lack of supply However, build cost inflation, rising interest rates and cost of living increases will likely temper demand somewhat in the second half of 2023

In terms of regulations, what needs to change? And given the current planning farrago, what would you like to see from the NPPF?

The planning system needs to be reviewed. Currently the time it takes to get an application through planning and the red tape involved is ridiculous It’s crippling the industry, will put some firms out of business and is depriving people of much needed housing

What is your philosophy in terms of upmarket housebuilding?

I’ve had a passion for every property I’ve built

I build it as if I’m building it for myself (which I have done) I don’t want to waste money, I don’t want to do things twice No cutting corners, and ‘good enough’ never is Value engineering is key – building the best quality property for the best price

How much potential do you see for Lofthouse Residences?

I believe we can differentiate ourselves, even in the luxury housebuilding sector. We’re very well-funded, which provides the flexibility to grow with confidence There is a deeply felt passion for doing things right among David [Lofthouse] and his team, which I totally buy into I’m really looking forward to the years ahead, helping to put Lofthouse on the map and establishing it as the Bentley of UK luxury homebuilding

What does being a strategic director involve?

I t ’ s c o n v e n i e n t l y a m b i g u o u s ! I t g i v e s m e f r e e r e i n t o g e t i n v o l v e d i n p r e t t y m u c h a n y t h i n g I l i k e , f r o m h i g h - l e v e l s t r a t e g i c d i r e c t i o n t o s o u r c i n g s u p p l i e r s , s u bc o n t r a c t o r s , a r c h i t e c t u r a l a n d l a n d c o n t a c t s , a n d m u c h e l s e b e s i d e s I ’ m g e n u i n e l y e x c i t e d t o g e t b a c k t o t h e s t a g e o f m y c a r e e r t h a t I r e a l l y e n j o y e d – b e i n g o n s i t e , h a n d s - o n , h e l p i n g t o m a k e a m a z i n g p r o p e r t i e s h a p p e n a n d g r o w t h e b u s i n e s s .

You then took early retirement in 2020, but recently came back to work for Lofthouse. Did the golf course lose its appeal?

Not really. I did enjoy working on my handicap, as well as travelling and spending more time with the family

Maybe it was being so heavily involved in the building of my own home that reminded me that I still have sand and cement coursing through my veins

But I always enjoyed working with a passionate team of like-minded people, and I recognised plenty of them in Lofthouse. I was eager to get involved, but it had to be properly hands-on – I wanted to contribute practically to the growth of the company rather than have a typical non-executive director role involving one day’s work a month and a decent lunch phpd@hamerville.co.uk

For more on Lofthouse Residences, go to www.rdr.link/dao001