_Knight Frank reports record success for regional Residential Development teams in 2022

Global property consultancy Knight Frank has reported a record year for its regional New Homes, Residential Land, Consultancy and Residential Investment teams. 

Knight Frank significantly expanded its regional offering in 2022, launching New Homes teams in Cheltenham and Exeter. The firm also increased its regional headcount from 33 to 40 – an increase of 21% year on year. Notable new joiners included Liam Smith as Head of Birmingham New Homes Sales and Christian Swaab as Head of Devon & Cornwall New Homes Sales, as well as Sarah McKinnon and Katy Reynolds, who joined to set up the firm’s Cheltenham New Homes team.

The firm also grew its Consultancy offering with the appointments of Charlie Steele in Birmingham and Ed Bird in Bristol, as well as adding an Affordable Housing service line in the South West.

Following the unprecedented year of growth, Knight Frank now boasts regional residential development hubs in Birmingham, Bristol, Bath, Stratford-upon-Avon, Guildford, Sheffield, Nottingham, Cheltenham, and Exeter.

Together, Knight Frank’s regional New Homes, Residential Land, Consultancy and Residential Investment teams collectively transacted £900 million in 2022 – representing the highest volume ever transacted by the firm’s regional Residential Development teams in a single year.

Knight Frank’s regional New Homes teams were together instructed to market over 1,264 new build properties in 2022, worth approx. £350 million.

The Steadings, Cirencester

Standout new developments launched by Knight Frank in 2022 included the first phase of The Steadings, a 2,350-home scheme in Cirencester; Spitfire Homes’ The Jephson Portfolio in Royal Leamington Spa; and Elevate Property Group’s boutique Heaton House development, located in Birmingham’s historic and sought-after Jewellery Quarter.

The firm’s regional Land and Residential Investment teams also acted on several significant deals across the year. The teams in Birmingham, Bristol, Bath, Stratford-upon-Avon, Guildford, and Sheffield collectively advised on £370 million of deals in 2022, representing 7,000 plots across which together have a combined GDV of £2.5 billion.

Deals of note included the sale of a 123-acre site in Daventry, Northamptonshire. Acting on behalf of the landowner, Knight Frank sold the site to Spitfire Homes and Crest Nicholson, which will deliver 1,100 new homes as well as a primary school and 50 acres of public space.

Mark Evans, Head of Regional Residential Development & Investment at Knight Frank, said: “I am incredibly proud of our industry-leading regional residential development and investment teams and the results they have achieved over the last 12 months. Despite economic headwinds, they have reported a record level of activity and transactions for 2022 and advised on many of the year’s largest land and investment deals – some of which have gone on to receive highly-respected industry awards.

Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond, the firm said it had plans to grow its regional Residential Development business by 50% over the next five years.

Evans concluded: ”We have ambitious growth plans for 2023 and beyond, which are driven by the unique market conditions of today. We are implementing an opportunistic growth strategy across of regional Residential Development & Investment business, which is designed to support the work of our key clients across the regions.”

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