Huntsmead Partners specialises in the financing and delivery of highly complex and politically sensitive development opportunities.

What makes us different analytically is our ability to understand real estate from both the asset and corporate perspective.   We think laterally and gravitate towards challenging situations; for us, complexity means opportunity.

Whilst we are residential led, our approach to real estate is to look at every opportunity on its own merits, ensuring that we optimise value creation at all times.   We achieve this by granular proprietary analysis, proactive stakeholder management and by selecting the right delivery partners for each investment; expert collaboration is key to our success.

Huntsmead Partners management has exceptional experience across a wide range of real estate asset classes, with approaching £1bn of transactional and development track record to date.

The focus of Huntsmead Partners’ strategy is to acquire residential led, mixed use regeneration or value add opportunities, within the Greater London area.   We also consider key satellite locations, with a particular affinity for Bristol.   We prefer to acquire unconsented sites and management has a strong track record in adding value through planning.

Huntsmead Partners also provides real estate advisory services to institutional and private HNW clients.

Barnaby started his career as a finance lawyer with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer before moving into real estate development and construction in 2003.   Since then, Barnaby has held various senior management positions, both in the UK and abroad.   Prior to founding Huntsmead Partners in 2018, he was Chief Investment Officer and main board member at F3GROUP, a leading development and construction management business.

From 2011 to 2017, Barnaby was the co-owner of prime residential developer Tenhurst, growing the business from start-up to projects under management worth in excess of £400 million.

Prior to Tenhurst, Barnaby co-founded Echo Barrier, which is now one of the world’s leading construction noise attenuation companies, and also spent 6 successful years in Dubai, growing various development and construction related businesses.

Barnaby holds an MA in Law from Magdalene College, Cambridge and a postgraduate diploma from the London College of Law.

When not at work: Barnaby practices daily meditation, when he tries (usually unsuccessfully) not to think about work.  When not injured he enjoys all sport, particularly running and skiing.

THOMAS BROWN, FOUNDING PARTNER

A chartered accountant, Thomas began his career in 2008 with Deloitte, where he spent 5 years working predominantly with real estate clients.

Most recently Thomas was Investment Manager at F3GROUP, working closely with Barnaby on a range of development opportunities.   Prior to F3GROUP, Thomas was UK Head of Finance for Far East Consortium, where he led the £30 million development financing of the Dorsett Hotel, Aldgate.

From 2013 to 2016, Thomas worked for Hammerson plc, leading the finance function for the development team.   This included £250 million of onsite developments.   In 2015, Thomas was promoted to lead the finance team on the £1.5 billion redevelopment of the Whitgift Shopping Centre, Croydon, the joint venture between Westfield and Hammerson.

Thomas holds a BSc (Hons) in Accounting and Finance from the University of Birmingham.

When not at work: Thomas is a keen footballer and athlete, with a sometimes inexplicable commitment to supporting Peterborough United.

Role – developer.   This major residential regeneration site in central Croydon was acquired with private investor backing in 2018.   The planning process is well underway and, guided by Croydon Council, we are currently refining a scheme of several hundred apartments, including a substantial amount of affordable housing.

With 80 private flats to acquire on the existing estate, community engagement and understanding has been paramount.

Please visit the designated project website for further details.

Click here to view a short film on our approach to community engagement.

THE SLOANE BUILDING, CHELSEA

Role – developer.   This listed former Edwardian school was acquired in 2012 and planning then secured for conversion into 18 imposing apartments over 50,000 sqft, including a new structure at the rear of the building and underground parking.   The project is now complete with sales revenue projected to reach circa £120m.

THE KING’S CHAPEL, CHELSEA

Role – developer.   Also acquired in 2012, planning consent was secured to convert this listed chapel into 2 large houses, totalling 15,500 sqft.   The houses include underground leisure facilities, off street parking and landscaped gardens, with the interiors delivered by leading international designers.   Completed in 2019, this scheme is on course to achieve sales revenue of circa £35m.

ST THOMAS STREET, BRISTOL

Role – development manager.   Consent was obtained in 2017 to demolish the existing 4 storey office block and deliver 357 student apartments over 8 storeys, together with parking and amenity space.   This scheme is currently under construction with a likely end value of circa £60m.

DORSETT HOTEL, ALDGATE

Role – debt financing and monitoring.   A £30m debt facility was arranged for the development of this leading city hotel in 2017, which subsequently completed in 2018, comprising 267 rooms over 13 storeys.

DOVEHOUSE SQUARE, CHELSEA

Role – design and planning consultancy.   Consent was obtained for this market leading Auriens luxury retirement scheme in 2017.   Comprising 55 apartments and extensive amenity space over 130,000 sqft, this ground-breaking scheme is due to complete this year.

GLEN HOUSE, SOUTH KENSINGTON

Role – developer.   Originally acquired in 2011, consent was obtained to demolish this 1930’s office building, retaining the flagship Ferrari showroom on the ground and lower ground floors, and delivering 2 floors of offices and 3 floors of residential above.   Placed into a new joint venture in 2014, this 45,000 sqft / £70m scheme was sold post demolition in 2018.

WHITGIFT SHOPPING CENTRE, CROYDON

Role – development and compulsory purchase appraisal.   Between 2015 and 2016, the feasibility analysis was redone for this £1.4bn retail joint venture between Hammerson plc and Westfield (now the Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Group), covering both the development itself and the complicated compulsory purchase process supported by the London Borough of Croydon.   This once in a generation project, delayed by recent events, is central to the continuing development of this dynamic part of London.

AUDLEY SQUARE CAR PARK, MAYFAIR

Role – opportunity identification and acquisition. This site was acquired on behalf of Caudwell Properties in 2011 for circa £150m, the largest UK residential development acquisition of that year.   The resulting development, currently under construction, is set to be one of London’s finest, comprising 30 extraordinary residences.