We Can Do the Whole Journey | Howard Lord Talks to Insider
News
Our founder, Howard Lord, recently spoke to Insider Media about the journey behind CERT Property,
Looking back at the first half of 2024, we’ve expanded our BTR portfolio and introduced new innovations in property management. From securing Meadow Mill to launching the CERT Life App, we continue to enhance tenant experiences.
Here’s a quick look at our key achievements and projects shaping the future of BTR.
INNOVATION
The CERT Life App
Our exclusive Build-to-Rent community and management platform.
Last year saw the design and creation of the new CERT Life App, with beta testing underway during the first half of 2024 – launching the app to 1,000 tenants across 3 commercial buildings.
Developed for our pipeline of in-house BtR projects, the app has been created to enhance the experience of tenants across our buildings, adding tangible value, and further growing the communities within the buildings they live and work. The app provides a platform for tenants to interact with each other, receive notifications and updates for the building they reside in, as well as accessing discounts at local establishments from bars and restaurants to gyms. Exclusive to CERT’s developments, the app will be rolled out across all new BtR schemes upon completion, helping improve the tenant experience from both a functional and social aspect, with a strong focus of enhancing the community in and around the building.
For our investors, the app will help reduce OPEX through our digital concierge ability, achieving longer average tenancies and maximising rental levels through community benefits. The app will seamlessly bridge the gap between property management – allowing tenants to raise maintenance requests, whilst connecting them directly to their asset manager, with an unmatched lifestyle platform.
DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT
Peeler’s Yard
January saw the start of construction works at our Peeler’s Yard site in New Cross, a BtR development of 81 apartments. Originally a former 1800s police station, we were pleased to start works following months of careful design and planning to ensure we create a building that is sympathetic to the history of the site, encapsulating the uniqueness of the perimeter stone wall and creating a feature of the chimney, which will continue to be a landmark of the area for years to come. The reuse of existing structure also fits our ethos, to minimise waste and carbon output in our developments.
By the end of June, ground works have largely been completed and preparations for the arrival of the steel frame have been made, which will start to be erected in Q4.
Cross Keys
Planning was submitted in the first half of the year for our latest BtR development in New Cross, Manchester, with approval confirmed last month. The site sits opposite Peeler’s Yard and was previously a car park. The brown field site will be turned into 10 townhouses and 89 1 and 2 bed apartments, across 9 floors with some apartments benefiting from private terraces and views across the city.
Just a few years ago the New Cross area consisted predominantly of car parks, and is a perfect example of how successfully neighbourhoods can transform through co-ordinated regeneration. We have teamed up with a local architect who has been involved in 3 other developments in New Cross, including Peelers Yard, helping to continue with their overall vision and design for the area.
SONA
Works at our SONA development in Manchester have continued to advance during the first half of the year. A BtR development of 45 apartments which are due to be delivered early 2025, will be let on a co-living basis, by the room with all-inclusive bills. The development has been designed and centred around communal living, with a number of shared amenities for residents, including a residents lounge, a communal co-working area and cinema, all which can be managed and booked via the exclusive CERT Life App.
Committed to reducing the carbon footprint of construction, in addition to energy efficient measures incorporated into the building for the ongoing running of the apartments, we have also utilised a timber frame construction, reducing the embodied carbon footprint of the building at this earlier stage. The external facade is now largely completed, which was showcased with the removal of the scaffolding earlier in the year, apartments on the higher floors are now all complete and works are focussed on the ground level which can now be accessed with the scaffolding having come down. This includes the internal atrium and walkways, communal facilities and external works to the pavement and paths.
Once complete the development will attract a variety of tenants, benefiting from the close proximity to both the University of Manchester and Manchester Royal Infirmary hospital, as well as Manchester’s city centre which is just a 15 minute walk away.
Centric
In Liverpool, we have made use of the new permitted development rules, allowing commercial properties to be converted into residential, and submitted our plans to convert a 20,562 sqft stone office building, in the Moorfields financial district of the city centre, into 46 apartments. With planning confirmed, we have commenced works in Sept 24. With a 12 month build, the apartments are set to welcome their first residents in winter 2025.
Repurposing a historic building provides an opportunity to be creative with the interior design and layout of the apartments, showcasing exposed features of the original building and creating unique living experiences which will serve to further attract residents to the development following completion. Located opposite Moorfields train station, the location is second to none. Comprised of a limited 46 apartments and with revised love and energy injected into the building, Centric will be a popular choice for those looking for city centre living, offering strong returns to the individual buy-to-let investors of the scheme.
Royal Canal Works
Royal Canal Works (RCW) is a unique residential development due to the site’s location running alongside the Stretford Canal. Benefit from the regeneration of Stretford just a stone throw away, but in the peaceful tranquillity of a waterfront setting, RCW will offer residents the best of both worlds. Added to this, a Metrolink tram station just metres away with a service running every 6 minutes, means residents can be in the city centre in just 13 minutes.
We have designed the site to encompass both apartments and townhouses, taking full advantage of the waterfront aspect which provides each house with their own private terrace leading to the water’s edge. 40 apartments have been pre-sold to a housing trust while the 11 townhouses are set to be delivered as Build-to-Rent and managed by CERT. The townhouses will benefit from the exclusive CERT Life app as part of our continued beta testing. This will be the first time the app is to be rolled out to tenants in a suburban development, expanding the community and user base to out of city locations. The full scheme is due for completion in Q4 2025.
The steel frame for the 5 levels across the 2 apartment blocks were erected earlier in the year, with windows now being installed, along with the first fix mechanical and electrical, which has been completed in the apartments. Insulation is now being installed on the external of the walls, ready for the brick facade to be secured.
OUR LATEST PODCAST
Development Finance and the Art of Matchmaking
Our latest podcast episode takes a deep dive into the challenges and opportunities in the property development finance market, with the expertise of our guests Jack Poxon and Tom Bamber from Graphene Commercial Finance.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN OR WATCH BELOW
