By Ella Gascoigne

Introducing ‘The Residence’ at the award winning Gwel an Mor resort in Portreath, luxury holiday homes with a conscience. Combining leading-edge sustainable design, a boost to the Cornish economy and a shared ownership model which makes 5* living more affordable, The Residence is an exciting new development designed in harmony with its own and the wider environment.

Green

Each retreat uses timber from sustainable forests, provides hot water courtesy of a heat pump and is fully insulated, delivering energy efficiency to Government code level 4 – 44% better than 2006 BRE (Building Research Establishment) requirements. By swapping flights abroad for holidaying in the UK, owners will also be reducing their carbon footprint.

Affordable luxury

Hot tubs, plush furnishings, scenic views of rugged Cornwall, plus the trappings of a hotel – such as chocolates on the pillow, food delivered from Gwel an Mor’s exclusive restaurant and everything cleaned ready for your arrival – made affordable thanks to the shared ownership model, where up to 12 people own a piece of the freehold title.

Boosting the local economy

Cornwall has two problems; one that its reliance on tourism leaves its economy struggling in the winter months and two, that a high proportion of housing stock, as much as 60%*, are second homes, bumping up prices for locals. The Residence combats both of these issues; employing local staff all-year round and providing plenty for guests to do when the suns not shining, while delivering an affordable holiday home option; one that doesn’t affect local housing.

All-year round destination

With a wood burner to keep warm, a club house with swimming pool, spa and gym, a farm complete with tame foxes and The Terrace restaurant, The Residence offers something at anytime of the year. Soon owners will also be able to enjoy tennis courts, a nine hole golf course, fishing lakes, a rock climbing wall, indoor children’s and teenager’s entertainment centre and equestrian school.

Investment opportunity

This is not a timeshare, buying into The Residence means actually owning a slice of prime Cornish real estate which owners are free to sell, transfer or bequeath at anytime.

Meet the experts

William Haslam: The Residence at Gwel an Mor is the brainchild of Bill Haslam, an entrepreneur with a passion for quality. “My aim was very simple really; what would I want and expect for myself and my family at a UK resort? How would I want to be treated and what would we want to do when we’re there? Having been fortunate to have stayed at some amazing places around the world, The Residence at Gwel an Mor, and its ambience, reflects the best of these experiences.”

Bill does business in a way that is not only beneficial to him, but the community at large. Unlike many resorts in Cornwall Gwel an Mor is open all year round, providing full employment for his staff, who are all locals to the area. The Residence has been built with sustainability in mind and the on-site farm, Feadon, rescues wildlife such as foxes and hedgehogs.

Peter Robinson: Peter is behind the innovative way in which The Residence is sold and the director of an Alternative Investment company, specialising in property sales. As the former deputy chairman of the Association of International Property Professionals (AIPP), Peter helped promote best practice and innovative business models with property developers and agents. An industry observer and commentator, Peter has spoken at various shared ownership trade conferences and has written for trade journals.

David Leadbeatter: In charge of sales at The Residence, David returned to the UK at the end of 2010, following 18 years in Indonesia running his own real estate developing and marketing company (PT Dua Dewata Bali) specialising in leisure and tourism related projects – in particular hotels and gated communities.

* Office of National Statistics

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