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Skipton introduces 40 year mortgage
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Guernsey Local Market activity on course for yearly increase
Livingroom Estate Agents won six awards at the recent International Property Awards in London. The Channel Islands agency was the most successful single estate agency in the UK.
The awards were judged by 70 industry professionals including the Global Property Standards Director of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), the Regional Director of the National House Building Council (NHBC) and the Chairman of the Guild of Property Professionals.
Livingroom was recognised for its professionalism and ambition and it was also noted how Livingroom promotes the Channel Islands to a wider audience - in addition to simply promoting a property portfolio.
The Guernsey branch retained the top 5* Best Estate Agency in Guernsey award for another year. The judging period spanned a rebrand, new office relocation to St Peter Port and staff expansion.
The Jersey branch, which only opened in October 2018, was recognised for a successful launch and first year of business. The judges chose to reward the branch’s remarkable first year with the top 5* Best Estate Agency in Jersey award.
Livingroom was also recognised for its marketing, winning Best Estate Agency Marketing in the Channel Islands with a 5* award.
Livingroom Founder, CEO Simon Torode said: “The entire team is absolutely delighted with our success in the International Property Awards. As ever, we aim to bring the Channel Islands to the forefront of the industry and never let our size determine our ambition within our field. We’re especially pleased that our success has shone a spotlight on the Channel Islands in front of such an esteemed audience.”
Skipton is the first Channel Island bank to introduce an extended term of up to 40 years. The additional five years added to its prior mortgage term is in response to recent increases in pension age. The maximum term on its mortgages will be available to those with at least 40 years remaining until retirement, supporting first time buyers and enabling more to move out of expensive rental accommodation.
Skipton International is extending the maximum term of its mortgages up to 40 years in the hope that the move will help more first time buyers on to the property ladder.
Sales activity in the Guernsey Local Market so far during 2019 is on course to top that of last year, according to the latest conveyancing statistics. Shane Konken, Mortgage Associate at Skipton International, said: “We are always exploring ways in which we can help more people own their own property, whether that is through parental guarantors with our Next Generation Mortgages or by offering competitive rates and terms across our products. Owning your own property is a huge financial commitment and this increase in maximum term will help more islanders become homeowners.”
Those eligible for 40 year term mortgages may now be able to borrow more, with Skipton calculating their lending on an affordability scale based on income.
For the nine months to the end of September 2019 there were 675 Local Market houses and flats sold compared to 598 for the same period last year. Of those 675 Local Market transactions, the median price (realty only) for the 542 houses sold currently stands at £458,250, up from the £444,600 for the same period last year. The median price (realty only) of the 112 Local Market flats is £243,750, which also represents an increase on the £236,031 recorded in the first nine months of 2018.
Jason Morgan, head of Carey Olsen’s property group in Guernsey, said: “If Local Market sales continue along their current trajectory it will represent the fourth successive year of increased activity since 2015, when there were less than 600 transactions in total. At the same time, it is also possible that this year’s total will surpass that of 2011 which, with 893 Local Market transactions, was the most buoyant year since before the financial crisis.
“This level of activity shows a confidence in the housing market locally and is certainly consistent with the number of new instructions our conveyancing team has been receiving.”
GHA strengthens housing management team
The Guernsey Housing Association (GHA) has appointed three assistant housing officers to strengthen its day-to-day management of affordable housing across the island.
Danni King, Stephanie Mockett and Tom Bonsall joined the GHA to oversee a number of developments and be the main point of contact for tenants while working closely with their allocated housing officer.
Danni joined the GHA with previous experience as a dispatcher at Guernsey Airport and Tom applied for the role after speaking to the GHA team at the Guernsey College of Further Education’s Careers Fair for school leavers in June. Stephanie returned to the island earlier this year after living and working in the UK, gaining experience in a customer-facing role.
Their responsibilities include assisting the GHA’s four housing officers, deputy housing officer and housing manager with tenant queries, property viewings, rent payments, problem-solving, ensuring tenancies are well managed and managing lettings and partial ownership sales.
Chief executive officer, Steve Williams, said: “The needs of our residents are our top priority and these three new hires will strengthen the relationships between our team and our tenants and partial owners. We have appointed three exceptional young people who are keen to develop careers that can be extremely rewarding as they help islanders to find suitable housing opportunities. The GHA is investing in training them to progress into our housing management team to further strengthen our customer service offering.”
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Henderson Green celebrates 40 years’ service
Henderson Green, the largest and longest established practice of M&E chartered consulting engineers in the Channel Islands, is celebrating 40 years of successfully serving the Jersey construction industry.
Established in Jersey in 1979 by Clive Henderson and Mike Green, a Guernsey arm of the business opened in 2012 reflecting increased demand for on-island skilled and expert consultancy covering all aspects of energy, mechanical and electrical engineering services.
The Jersey company is now co-owned by Craig Armstrong and Andrew Cleave who bring significant international experience of private, corporate, commercial and public sector developments to the business.
Craig Armstrong, director and co-owner, said: “We’ve worked incredibly hard to build and maintain our excellent reputation. Our focus has always been, and continues to be, on delivering the very best mechanical and electrical services solutions to the Channel Islands. Our commitment to the environment in which we work is total and we will continue to introduce market-leading technology solutions that minimise energy in use and carbon footprint. We look forward to continuing to invest in our exciting and thriving business for another 40 years, and more.”
Randalls sell L’Erée Bay Hotel
L’Erée Bay Hotel has been sold to a property developer, but the new owners say it will be business as usual for the time being.
Royal Bank Place has been sold to the Channel Islands Property Fund. Randalls Brewery has sold the 36 bedroom hotel together with the grounds and car park to the RED fund, a real estate developer which is backed by private investors all with Channel Islands links.
The hotel, including the bars and Teddy’s Diner, will continue to operate as normal.
RED fund was established in 2018 and focuses on commercial and residential property development opportunities in the Channel Islands.
Chairman Andrew Haining said he was delighted that the fund had purchased its second site in Guernsey: “The fund brings together a small group of like-minded investors who either live in the Channel Islands or have very close local links and want to use their collective investment to identify, realise and maximise development opportunities. Many of the ones currently being considered share the same characteristics as the L’Eree Bay Hotel site in that investment is required to unlock its potential. Our hope is that those with potential will ultimately deliver real benefit for the Channel Islands.”
The RED fund board and its advisers will now be looking at how the L’Erée Bay Hotel site can be redeveloped given its prominent West Coast location and close proximity to areas of ecological and environmental importance.
Channel Islands Property Fund purchase Royal Bank Place
The specialist real estate investment company, which owns sites in Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man, has added the prestigious office at 1, Glategny Esplanade, to its portfolio.
The building, which measures more than 40,000 sq ft and includes basement parking, was the first flagship office building to be completed on the former Royal Hotel site. It is tenanted by The Royal Bank of Scotland International Limited and PwC and has been purchased from a group of high net worth investors who have owned it since October 2017.
CIPF chair, Shelagh Mason, said: “Royal Bank Place is one of the most recognisable landmarks on the St Peter Port seafront and perfectly complements the other Grade A offices we have within the Channel Islands Property Fund. The fund, which was established to provide a return from the purchase and active management of commercial property in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, continues to be popular with investors who benefit from annual dividend and prospective capital growth. This building fits in well with our strategy of sustainable returns to our shareholders.”
Royal Bank Place is the fund’s second purchase of properties on the former hotel site. In October 2017, it acquired Royal Chambers and The Rotunda from the liquidators of Jubilee Scheme 2 LP (In Dissolution), which was part of the Long Port Group.
Campaign to abolish bond fees nominated for national awards
A campaign which successfully brought about a change in Guernsey’s legislation has been nominated for two national awards.
Together, largemortgageloans.com and communications consultant Lindsey Freeman have been nominated for a brace of gongs at the Chartered Institute of PR’s PRide Awards, which recognise outstanding work delivered in Public Relations across all of the UK’s regions. The team is nominated for ‘Regional Campaign of the Year’ and ‘Best Use of Media Relations’ in the South of England and Channel Islands region.
Last year, largemortgageloans.com founder and CEO Paul Welch along with Lindsey Freeman launched a movement which sought to abolish document duty on bonds. Previously, the tax meant that every new mortgage or remortgage required homeowners to pay the States of Guernsey a fee amounting to 0.5% of the mortgaged value of the home.
After an island-wide campaign canvassing local opinion, the team presented their findings to States members and industry groups. Just a few months later, it was announced that document duty on bond fees would be waived from January 2019.
Lindsey said: “The success of this campaign shows how private enterprises can help to make a positive impact in society and solve issues which affect the lives of their customers. The level of public support we received made it clear that this topic needed addressing, and the decision makers involved in the States were open and positive to our feedback, which was incredibly encouraging. I’m extremely proud of this legacy.”
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Route Militaire site owner open to ideas
The owner of what will become Guernsey Business Park on Route Militaire has been asking for ideas from businesses looking for industrial units, so that it can design a scheme which meets demand. The 14.67 acre site, which was originally intended to become Guernsey Data Park, was sold to RED fund last month for an undisclosed sum. Now the real estate developer, which is backed by private investors with Channel Islands links, has held a consultation to understand what the demand is for the area.
Chairman Andrew Haining said of the consultation: “This is a unique opportunity as there is nowhere in the island that offers a cleared site of this size, which is zoned as a key industrial area, and has the flexibility to offer a mix of options. For RED fund and its advisers, this is a blank canvas and we want to hear from any business that may have requirement for new premises.”
Under the industrial zoning, the site can be occupied by a diverse range of uses including storage, fulfilment, distribution and manufacturing. Potential occupiers may include those within the construction industry (including skilled tradesmen, architects and surveyors), the creative or design sectors and IT-related businesses.
RED fund has worked with Watts Property Consultants who will collate all of the information received, now that the submissions deadline has passed.
Further Pointues Rocques consultation
The Authority says that the documents relating to the Pointues Rocques planning application have been reviewed and are incomplete. As a result it will be necessary for the Planning Service to ask for further documents from the applicant and, once all relevant documents needed to make a decision on the application are received, a further consultation will be required.
The Development & Planning Authority has confirmed that there will be a further consultation for the Pointues Rocques planning application. Deputy Dawn Tindall, President of the Development & Planning Authority, said: “I can confirm that all the representations on the planning application received during the consultation, which originally started on the 16 August 2019, will be taken into account for the final decision. It is unfortunate that the applicant did not send the Planning Service all the necessary documents but I agree with the Planning Service that a further consultation is the fairest course of action.”
New arrivals at Lovell Ozanne
Lovell Ozanne has welcomed Samantha Dorrity, a Part 1 architectural assistant, and Rachel Evans, an architectural apprentice, to their team. has a creative approach to problem solving and is keen to understand the transition between studying architecture and working as an architectural assistant.
Sam completed her Architecture BA (Hons) Part 1 degree at De Montfort University in July 2019, and joined the practice in August. She Whilst undertaking her year out she continues to create art outside of the office and is currently a runner up for the 2019 RIBA Bronze Medal Award for Part 1 undergraduates.
Rachel completed the Creative and Digital Arts course at the College of Further Education in July 2018 and joined the practice in September 2019. She is on an apprenticeship scheme, attending the Construction and The Built Environment course at the College of Further Education whilst also working with Lovell Ozanne. Rachel is enthusiastic about learning AutoCAD and other design programs.
Rebrand for Watts & Co to mark 10 year anniversary
Watts & Co, now renamed Watts Property Consultants, has celebrated its 10 year anniversary and rebranded to build on its growing reputation as a leading commercial property specialist. Launched by Joanna Watts in August 2009, the firm has grown from a two-person team to a seven-strong operation, forging a reputation as a trusted and professional property specialist. Watts Property Consultants’ offering spans the complete range of commercial property services, from valuations and property management to lettings, sales and dispute resolution.
Joanna Watts, managing director, said: “It’s fantastic to look back on the past decade and see how far we’ve come. We’ve celebrated some incredible milestones and are proud of how we’ve garnered a reputation as a proactive and responsive firm with an intelligent, professional approach to resolving all manner of commercial property issues.
“We’re looking forward to growing on our success and continuing to evolve. As part of this process we have just rebranded and launched a new website. We have also changed our name to ‘Watts Property Consultants’, all of which is testament to how we have a comprehensive team that is keeping pace with technology and innovation to deliver real value to our clients through our breadth of service offering.”
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The Association for Project Management (APM) in the Channel Islands is promoting its work in the islands, including hosting two recent events in Jersey.
In the Channel Islands, the APM has many members who are project managers across many diverse industry types including financial services, telecommunications and the built environment. However, until now, there has been no organisation in place to oversee and organise events specifically for the Channel Islands.
Recently, three local senior project managers came together to help grow the membership of the APM in Jersey, Carl Ibbet (JT), Alex Knowelden (BHP) and Eliot Lincoln (BDO Greenlight). They also invited Ellie Knowelden and Tim Guilbert from Guernsey to join, who collectively form APM in the Channel Isles.
Carl Ibbet, who has led the drive, said: “It is an exciting time for the APM in the Channel Islands. There are already a significant number of APM members here, but there has been no regular forum for the project managers to meet and share our project management experiences. Alex, Eliot and I have organised the first of what we hope will be many events to provide a networking opportunity for project managers and to hear about local success stories that underline the benefits that good project management can bring.”
Expansion of Open Market team at Swoffers
Swoffers has expanded its Open Market sales team as confidence grows in the island’s Open Market. There has been increased activity levels in all sectors of the market over the last 18 months.
Local Market negotiator Alex Stuart has moved across to join directors Shauna Clapham, Craig Whitman and Sophie Ephgrave in Open Market sales.
Craig said: “We’re delighted that Alex has joined us to help manage the high activity we are seeing across the Open Market at the moment. His increasing knowledge and understanding of client needs means he is a great asset to our team and business as a whole. We’re continuing to receive a good number of enquiries from both new clients looking to relocate to Guernsey and existing clients looking for their perfect home. Alex has already negotiated his first couple of Open Market sales and I’m sure there will be many more to come.”
Alex added: “I’m really excited to join the Open Market team and know that I can bring the experience and enthusiasm I gained working in Local Market sales to our clients in Open Market. Swoffers has the largest and most experienced sales team and it’s great to be part of such a successful local business.”
always looking at ways to push architectural boundaries which will create exciting technical challenges and I hope the knowledge I bring will enhance the practice’s technical reputation.”
Managing director, David De La Mare, said: “David will be a valuable asset to the company, his technical knowledge and experience will ensure our work maintains the highest level of detail and quality. His appointment will allow us to manage our increasing workload and continue to offer our clients the peace of mind that their project will be delivered seamlessly from concept to completion.”
DLM adds to team
David Radford has joined as the technical director of RIBA Chartered Architecture Practice, DLM Architects.
David joins DLM Architects from a local architectural practice and brings with him over 16 years of experience in both the residential and commercial sectors. He has expertise in finding technical solutions on complex projects, enabling creative designs to become reality.
David said: “I am delighted to be appointed technical director at DLM Architects; I have admired the high-quality designs produced by the team, in which they have won numerous awards. The practice is
