One of our newest additions to The Collection, comes in the form of a magnificent collection of coastal apartments, Southend Row.
Located in the heart of Mumbles and within the former Patricks with Rooms, Southend Row is amongst the most sought-after apartments in South Wales. The man behind the development is South African property developer, Sean Thomson, whose love for Mumbles has seen him split his time between the Welsh coastal village and his hometown Plettenberg Bay in South Africa.
To celebrate the launch of Southend Row, we spoke with Sean, to get to know the person behind the properties…
What do you love about property development?
Property is ‘people’s business’ and I love people. From negotiating a deal and providing a win-win for both parties, to working with my trusted team and project manager Gareth Potter to deliver a quality product. I am always blown away by what we have been able to achieve in transforming neglected properties into quality homes.
What’s the quirkiest development you’ve ever worked on?
The first commercial to residential conversion Gareth and I tackled was the old Tex-Mex Pub on Neath Road, Swansea. The building was incredibly quirky (with lots of nooks and crannies) so to get seven residential flats into the space was a real challenge. Also, with it being my first development, it meant a lot of learnings along the way. But we got there in the end and as they say, teamwork makes the dreamwork!
Why invest in Mumbles?
In 2013, my wife and I decided to renovate our London home. It was a major refurbishment that required us to move out of the property for 6 months. As a result, we decided to make it an adventure and move into one of our rental properties in Burry Port (as I was actively buying in Wales already). Over that six month stay, we discovered Mumbles and immediately fell in love with it. So much so that we decided to sell our London home and stay in Wales – on my wife’s strict instruction that we move to Mumbles.
We loved the vitality of Mumbles and while living there, I noticed just how much Mumbles was evolving with the arrival of the likes of Oyster Wharf and M&S. This inspired me to actively look for development opportunities which resulted in me redeveloping the old Mumbles Flooring shop on Gower Place, and also, acquiring 4 Langland Road- which will begin its transformation in 2023. When the Patricks with Rooms opportunity arose, I jumped at the chance to help transform a piece of Mumbles history.
Did you know the significance of Patricks with Rooms before you purchased the property for development?
Yes. I knew it was a much-loved piece of mumbles history. I see the High Street down Southend changing continuously, shifting away from hotels and cafes, to luxury accommodation, boutique shops and destination restaurants. My vision is to continue what we have started with Patricks and be part of this exciting transition.
What excites you about Mumbles and its future?
I love how it is a beautiful village and a gateway to the incredible Gower Peninsula. Mumbles is continuously modernising but with its history and local passion, it retains its elegance, making it one on the best places to live in Wales. I’m proud to be part of the positive change in a village I absolutely love.
What’s next for you?
We are hoping to kick off the first stage of our next residential development, 4 Langland Road in early 2023. I am incredibly excited to be part of this ground up development. This will be my first new-build development.
If you can picture yourself living at Southend Row, get in touch with our Belvoir Mumbles team today by emailing mumbles@belvoir.co.uk
Prices range from £450,000 – £525,000
