9cbd5849

New Acquisition: 85 West Street in Farnham

Fri, 02 Aug 2024 15:05:27 GMT

We are delighted to announce the acquisition of "85 West Street", a prime site in the heart of Farnham!

At JBS, we love a challenge and are looking forward to turning this grade 2 listed building from a "sow's ear into a silk purse."

This site will be meticulously transformed into luxury residential units, we look forward to consolidating Farnham's charm with this development. Stay tuned for more on this!

Bishops Table: Phase 1 Complete

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:43:42 GMT

We are delighted to announce the completion and sale of “The Lodge” and “The Coach House” at our central Farnham Bishops Table development.

The two detached properties, located within the secure courtyards of the main Bishops Table development were completed to schedule and sold “off-plan” prior to launch with clients that had registered their interest with our partnering agents, Keats Fearn.

With only one of the apartments remaining to be sold, this has proved to be one of our most popular locations to date.

Watch this space for our latest pipeline projects in central Farnham, and feel free to pre-register your interest so that you don’t miss out on our next opportunities.

Upcoming Project: Swain & Jones Residential Development, Central Farnham

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:43:40 GMT

We are delighted to announce the acquisition of the former “Swain and Jones” site, located in the heart of Farnham. This former landmark building is set to be meticulously transformed into 23 modern apartments, offering a superb combination of location and contemporary living. Planning permission has been granted, with construction set to commence early in 2025.

Upcoming Project: Natwest Bank Residential Conversion, Central Farnham

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 16:43:39 GMT

We are excited to announce our latest upcoming project at the historic former NatWest Bank property, located in the heart of Farnham on West Street. This prestigious grade 2 listed building is planned to be meticulously transformed into a mix of commercial space, townhouses and apartments, offering a unique combination of heritage and modern living, subject to local authority approval.

Completion and Sale of Swallows & Kingfisher House

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 12:37:32 GMT

Announcing the Sale of Swallows House and Kingfisher House

We are thrilled to announce the sale of two exceptional detached properties: Swallows House and Kingfisher House, nestled in the desirable Roundbridge Park area of Woking adjacent to Hoebridge Golf Centre.

These characterful homes back onto serene open fields and are perfect for dog walkers and outdoor enthusiasts. The properties are designed to offer a luxurious living experience with elegant interiors, modern amenities, and spacious living areas.

For golf enthusiasts, the Hoebridge Golf Club is just a stone’s throw away, offering high-quality facilities and lush greens. This prime location provides easy access to the amenities of Woking with its excellent travel links, shopping and restaurants , making it an ideal choice for those who cherish a rural location but with ease of access to town life.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the new homeowners and look forward to seeing these properties and their occupants thrive as they become part of the local community.

Completion and Sale of Victoria & Wisteria Cottage

Thu, 13 Jun 2024 12:07:57 GMT

Announcing the sale of Wisteria & Victoria Cottage

We are delighted to announce the successful sale of two exceptional, semi-detached properties: Wisteria & Victoria Cottage, both located on Chessington Road in Epsom.

These neighbouring properties back onto Hook Road Arena, a vast open field perfect for dog walkers and outdoor enthusiasts. The properties are designed to offer a luxurious living experience with their elegant interiors, modern amenities, and spacious living areas.

Wisteria & Victoria Cottage, situated on the borders of Epsom and Ewell, these semi-detached homes provide the perfect blend of contemporary design and historical charm. Each property features state-of-the-art kitchens and exquisite finishes throughout. Their prime location offers easy access to local shops, restaurants, and transport links, making them an ideal choice for those seeking a vibrant community atmosphere together with ease of access to central London.

We congratulate the new homeowners and are excited to see these properties continue to bring joy and comfort to their residents.

Development challenges - Hidden costs

Tue, 14 Dec 2021 12:41:27 GMT

The Problem: We encountered a challenging issue at one of our semi-rural sites in the southeast.

An enquiry to the water utility company regarding the upgrade of the water main revealed that a completely new supply would be needed for the 25,000 sq. ft of development. Little surprise there you may say, however, a distance of nearly 1.5 miles to the nearest road, crossing a river, 3 separate land titles, a public right of way, a private road, oh and also through a forest as a further complication, led to an estimated cost of £300,000 for the works.

Whilst the project justified the cost, the logistical and legal challenges (not to mention the financial considerations) naturally led to a concerted effort to find alternative solutions.

The Solution: We drilled for groundwater and found a very satisfactory supply beneath our feet, albeit 20 meters below. With the help of Nicholls Boreholes, and with thanks to Raze Projects ltd, we designed and constructed a subterranean pumping station, plant room, and storage tanks, all perfectly concealed so as not to obstruct the beautiful views of the adjacent farmland.

The End Result: Well, (pun intended) whilst we don’t claim to be the ‘fount of all knowledge’ we do pride ourselves on finding creative solutions to development problems, which in this case led to a substantial saving of over £200,000; so happy investors, beautiful clean water for our purchasers and our very own JBS branded spring water. Now that’s worth raising a glass to!

Joint Ventures – A potential minefield?

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 17:17:01 GMT

Joint ventures, particularly in the property industry, are one of the more challenging structures to successfully negotiate. At JBS we understand the process and key for success and how to avoid challenging experiences. With the correct controls, JV’s can be an effective tool in the investment manager's toolbox.

Here are our top tips:

“An alignment of interests” almost goes without saying, however, consideration must be given to all motivations to ensure true alignment.
Thoroughly explore the “What if’s” – brain-storm all the possible “disaster scenarios”, who’s responsibility or risk are they?
Access to additional funds – always allow sufficient contingency, certainly 5-10% should be anticipated. What is the framework for any additional cash required? Is it pari-passu with previous equity or is there a priority or increased return for this investment? (After all, no one likes to invest more cash than anticipated, so it’s essential that the mechanism is pre-agreed at the outset.)
Personal guarantees – a discussion on who provides one and what happens if it’s called upon. Ensure that any personal guarantee is limited to a manageable amount for the partners.
Exit strategy – a discussion on what happens if the market is flat and the sensible option is to hold the property until a more favourable market.
Transparency in everything - What is the system and process for providing transparency and comfort to all stakeholders?
Regular communication – regular reporting and update meetings agreed at the outset.
Control. Who ultimately can make the crucial decisions when required and what is the mechanism in the event of a disagreement?

At JBS, we project manage the entire process from start to finish, including the setting of strategic commercial direction, planning permission, legal, financial, construction, and subsequent marketing of the new properties.

Read more here https://jbs.limited/joint-ventures .

Finding Nemo

Fri, 22 Oct 2021 09:55:25 GMT

Finding Nemo.

Meet Nemo, a falcon who is a Scandinavian/Desert Falcon and was looking more than a little crestfallen when we discovered him outside Hoebridge House where he had decided to join the plethora of wildlife residents in and around Roundbridge Park. (He had probably just heard than we had gone “under offer” and his owner had missed out!)

He had a little radio pack (battery flat) on his back, a ring and a leash, so the site team quickly realised that there was an owner somewhere that was desperately missing him!

With the aid of the RSPB and the The Independent Bird Registry , we met Nemo's owner, Tel-fyn, who was delighted to be reunited with his feathered friend.

We are delighted to have been part of reuniting Telfyn and Nemo.

If you’re like Nemo, with a keen eye for a great location, then make sure you check out Barnaby House , our next beautiful home on the Roundbridge Park Estate.

Planning granted for two new semi-detached homes in Epsom.

l.shalson@jbs.limited (James Squirrel) — Mon, 06 Sep 2021 12:12:05 GMT

Planning granted for two new semi-detached homes in Epsom.

We are delighted to announce that we have received full planning permission for two new semi-detached homes on Chessington Road, in West Ewell, near Epsom. With rear views over the adjacent Green Belt, this is another build which acts as a bridge between town and country. It is only a 33-minute journey from Ewell West to London Waterloo and our site is a mere 10-minute walk from the station.

Epsom is a very British market town, which sits between the busy city and the beautiful rural hills, making it a very desirable location. The market town has multiple shops, restaurants and bars offering plenty to do for adults and children.

Epsom is probably best known for the world famous “Epsom Derby”, however it also has a wealth of other activities to offer, such as Horton Country Park nature reserve, the RAC club, golf courses, cinemas, galleries, museums, children farms and entertainment together with outstanding local schools as rated by Ofsted.

We are gearing up to kick off the New Year with construction starting for the project in January 2022, ready for completion in September 2022. The new builds will enhance and complement the local character and be of high quality, creating a safe environment that enhances the public realm and positively contributes to the townscape.

Materials will be red stock bricks and slate roof tiles with Portland Stone detailing to the windows, all constructed to our usual high standards. More info coming soon so watch this space!

The pitfalls of hidden historical restrictive covenants!

Thu, 17 Jun 2021 11:49:02 GMT

The pitfalls of hidden historical restrictive covenants!

Most developers are probably aware of the pitfalls of covenants and the unwelcome restrictions that they can place on our development plans. Receiving a “clean title” report on a preliminary check is always a great feeling.

However, sometimes restrictive covenants can be concealed and not immediately apparent from the existing deeds, as we learnt to our cost on one project.

The site in question appeared, on the surface, free from any major issues. (We were planning to demolish the existing 1950’s house of around 1500 sq ft and replace with a 5000 sq ft luxury house).

The road was situated on a leafy private estate and had been carved out from the gardens of a larger residence which had retained one covenant requiring their consent to any proposals. This was easily gleaned from an online check of the title deeds.

We contacted the current occupiers of the original house and were pleased that they were supportive of our plans, and readily consented to provide approval. Heads of terms were then agreed and we moved forward with instructing solicitors and furthering the due diligence process.

We then discovered a major obstacle; the covenant applied to the entire land of the original house, not just its present day reduced site curtilage. This meant that all of the properties in the road (13 in total), were beneficiaries of the same original covenant even though it was not mentioned on the actual title deeds.

Suddenly consent was now required from another 12 houses for our project to continue without potential future injunctions. Needless to say, this created a major set back and required immense diplomacy to negotiate a way forward, which ultimately we achieved!

The lesson learnt here is to always look at a covenant from the point of view of the day it was applied.

“Business Friendships” – Do they really work?

l.shalson@jbs.limited (James Squirrel) — Tue, 18 May 2021 11:55:42 GMT

I'll keep it short and sweet - Family. Religion. Friendship. These are the three demons you must slay if you wish to succeed in business.
Matt Groening (Creator of "The Simpsons")

Perhaps unsurprisingly, these words from Matt Groening are a tad on the cynical side, however there is certainly some wisdom to be found in them. Indeed, we have found more than an element of truth in our experiences!

That said, we have always sought to foster solid, ethical, friendships based on trust and fairness which have matured into great “business friendships” some dating back over 35 years. (The partners first met when Andy employed James on a building site at a very young age in 1986!)

We have especially placed particular importance on our relationships with our core contractors; continuity is essential for excellent after-sales care, which has been a long standing obsession that benefits us, our team and our clients.

We have been fortunate to have found great partners who have stuck by us (and vice versa) through the highs and lows of the last three decades and to these we say, “Thank you”! (More to come on some of these `business friends` in the future…)

Matterport360: Mitigating investment risk during a pandemic.

PAR002_123@heg.com — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 15:35:19 GMT

Matterport360: Mitigating investment risk during a pandemic.

At JBS Ltd, we pride ourselves on providing effective management focused on rigorous quality control to track progress and actively reduce risk for investors.

It's our job to supervise all development processes directly to ensure optimum results for all parties but what happens when you can't visit the site during a lockdown?

As a traditional house builder, we pondered the same question (after all, physical work on site is naturally unavoidable) and found the solution #Matterport360, reducing and in some cases eliminating numerous visits by interested parties including the design team, quantity surveyors, potential purchasers, banks and investors. View our latest updates here .

“Prop-tech” has significantly increased time-efficiency and produced exceptional results. The use of digital technologies has helped us adhere to critical timelines during these challenging times, maintain accurate records and facilitate remote site inspections for both immediate and critical after-sales support.

Far from it being a disadvantage, adjusting to the 'new norm' has provided new and exciting opportunities for the management team at JBS Ltd. From the safety of our homes, we are assured that we can still monitor progress in order to regularly supply investors and other stakeholders with detailed reports, enabling them to complete 360 tours of projects throughout the build. As such, #Matterport360 has proved to be a fantastic fit with our luxury lifestyle brand, helping us maintain a consistent high-end service aimed at profitable outcomes.

Why not contact us @#jbs.limited for further information about current sites, up-coming projects and desirable investment opportunities?

Roundbridge Farm, Woking development gets the go ahead

PAR002_123@heg.com — Tue, 05 Jan 2021 15:35:19 GMT

JBS Ltd is delighted to announce the acquisition of Roundbridge Farm and its appointment as development managers for this prestigious project.

With planning permission already obtained, work will immediately commence on the restoration of the 4400sqft farmhouse to its former glory as part of the first phase of works in its beautiful quiet rural location though less than two miles from Woking mainline station.

The remainder of the 6 acre Green Belt site has planning permission for 4 additional houses from 2800 to 5500 sq ft which are beautifully presented in this short video; however, our intention is also to resubmit for a larger number of smaller units and thus an enhanced GDV.

9cbd5849

New Acquisition: 85 West Street in Farnham

We are delighted to announce the acquisition of "85 West Street", a prime site in the heart of Farnham!

Bishops Table: Phase 1 Complete

Upcoming Project: Swain & Jones Residential Development, Central Farnham

Upcoming Project: Natwest Bank Residential Conversion, Central Farnham

Completion and Sale of Swallows & Kingfisher House

Completion and Sale of Victoria & Wisteria Cottage

Development challenges - Hidden costs

The Problem: We encountered a challenging issue at one of our semi-rural sites in the southeast.

Joint Ventures – A potential minefield?

Finding Nemo

Finding Nemo.

Planning granted for two new semi-detached homes in Epsom.

Planning granted for two new semi-detached homes in Epsom.

The pitfalls of hidden historical restrictive covenants!

The pitfalls of hidden historical restrictive covenants!

“Business Friendships” – Do they really work?

I'll keep it short and sweet - Family. Religion. Friendship. These are the three demons you must slay if you wish to succeed in business. Matt Groening (Creator of "The Simpsons")

Matterport360: Mitigating investment risk during a pandemic.

Roundbridge Farm, Woking development gets the go ahead

I'll keep it short and sweet - Family. Religion. Friendship. These are the three demons you must slay if you wish to succeed in business.
Matt Groening (Creator of "The Simpsons")