Welcome to Distinctive Developments!™
“Building the Future, Restoring the Past”
Who’s Distinctive?
- Multiple award-winning boutique developer and bespoke housebuilder
- Creating beautiful traditional homes with a lasting legacy
- Thoughtful innovative and sympathetic designs that enhance the local area
- Design-led development and affordable luxury
- Individual, sustainable, environmentally friendly homes
- Restoring old buildings and regenerating land
We are a boutique multiple award-winning property developer and bespoke housebuilder specialising in small to medium-sized residential projects. We manage and deliver every project from end to end, beginning with sourcing and securing the land. Working with our team of experts, we spend time at the outset to get the most optimal design and then navigate the planning process in order to build homes to exacting standards with the highest quality finishes and landscaping, not forgetting delivering excellent after-sales customer support and service.
Our schemes are design-led with bespoke homes requiring an obsessive attention to detail and quality standards to ensure desirable and sustainable developments. We pride ourselves on providing beautiful new homes for families and individuals and supporting the local economy. We work exclusively with local architects, surveyors, planning consultants, trades and contractors, and wherever possible, we source materials from the local area.
We’re based in Stamford, Lincolnshire, declared by Sir Walter Scott to be “the finest stone town in England” and the first town in England to be awarded conservation area status. The old Georgian town, surrounding villages and beautiful countryside of Rutland, South Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and East Northamptonshire is one of the most picturesque areas to be found anywhere, full of charming stone cottages. This sets a high bar for house building and design. We love this area and we like to think that our designs enhance the beauty that is already here. We live here too and pride ourselves on creating beautiful homes that we would be proud to call our own and which will leave a lasting legacy.
Distinctive Purpose
We strive to deliver houses that leave a local legacy of which we can feel proud. House buyers deserve more than living in a box in a row of other boxes. We offer a bespoke, individualized and higher quality alternative. Homes that both complement and enhance the beautiful area in which we are fortunate to call home.
We believe that developers have a social responsibility to the communities they serve and we are proud to donate a share of our profits to charities that help the homeless in the Stamford area.
We are delighted to announce a new partnership with the local charity P3, to whom we are donating funds from the sale of each house to support their excellent cause in getting homeless and vulnerable people off the streets and into their own homes.
Distinctive Principles
- We don’t do ordinary. Who wants to live in an ordinary house? We build stunning homes that are distinctly different, because we want to impress. No boxy cookie-cutter designs crammed into a tiny site, the Distinctive difference means homes that are beautifully and thoughtfully created to make the best use of space and your budget. Homes of character that are individual but inspired by the local vernacular and built to last for generations. That’s why they are Distinctive.
- We use traditional materials to reflect the local character, for example, limestone rubble-built houses with ashlar quoins. Interiors are contemporary and thoughtfully designed with spacious open plan layouts. Roof lanterns and bi-fold doors are used to optimise the natural light and enhance the sense of space.
- We create value for landowners by enhancing land through securing optimised planning schemes that work for all parties including neighbours in the local community.
- The designs and materials we use are sympathetic to the local character. We care about what people think – our buyers, the neighbours and those passing by.
- We turn difficult brownfield sites into desirable communities, with a lasting legacy.
- We choose high quality appliances and high specification fixtures and fittings – it’s these details that make us distinctive.
- We love restoring run down old properties with tender love and care. We have experience of heritage buildings such as listed building renovations.
- Barn conversions are something of a speciality, see our case studies.
- We support the local economy by working with local contractors and professional consultants and using locally sourced building materials.
- We use only the best materials as we believe in creating truly unique homes and building to impeccable standards.
- We are obsessive about quality and standards, so we ensure that all our developments meet or exceed building and energy efficiency regulations.
- All our homes are environmentally friendly, sustainable and energy efficient.
- We use the latest technology and innovative construction techniques including renewable energy. Our latest developments have featured air source heat pumps to provide sustainable, environmentally friendly and more efficient heating.
- We operate in a spirit of partnership and co-operation, engaging with the local community, inviting views on our proposals and working closely with the local planning authority.
- Personalisation – it’s not just a house, it’s your home – carpets, flooring, kitchen units and surfaces, appliances, tiling and other finishes can all be customised to your preferences. Talk to us about adding your own finishing touches.
Some of our most Distinctive Projects
Glaston Gardens, Seaton Road, Glaston, Rutland
Our multiple award-winning boutique development of three new detached homes is constructed in Clipsham coursed rubble limestone with high quality traditional features, incorporating design details such as ashlar limestone quoins, flush casement windows with stone cills, and brick soldiers under blue slate roofs. These stylish homes truly complement the village street scene. Hawthorn House and Pear Tree House are three bedroom properties, whilst Araucana House is a larger four bedroom house.
Despite retaining a traditional and sympathetic exterior, the interiors provide open plan living with contemporary kitchens, bathrooms and fixtures and fittings. Roof lanterns, sun tubes and bi-fold doors flood the homes with natural light. Contemporary internal doors, contemporary kitchens, air source heat pumps and underfloor heating complete the sleek modern finish.
The site was a former garage and had been a derelict eyesore for 20 years in an otherwise beautiful Rutland village. Many previous planning applications had been refused and, together with its former use as a petrol station, this led other developers to question its viability as a regeneration project. The Local Planning Authority were also keen to retain one of the former traditional stone buildings; this has been sympathetically restored and incorporated into the scheme, creating a stunning garden room at Araucana House.
Completed in 2019, these luxury homes were bestowed an award for “Outstanding Craftsmanship” from The Consultative Committee for the Construction Industry. The award relates to the scheme as a whole, but the quality of our stone masonry has also been singled out for an additional award.
See the attached case study on our Glaston Development to see how we execute on our principles and values. Glaston Case Study
Spire Mews, Swinegate, Grantham, Lincolnshire
Spire Mews is a gated development of three new homes in the old Victorian quarter of Grantham, in the heart of the town centre under the shadow of the spire of the renowned St Wulfram’s church. The three houses replaced old workshops and barns within an attractive courtyard, approached through an archway. Two of the homes are modern single storey dwellings with glass facades, wood burning stoves and courtyard gardens. The third home is a two-storey house, stone-built with a modern open plan interior.
We completed this development in 2017 and were honoured to be granted a commendation award from the Grantham Civic Society.
Main Street, Upper Benefield, Northamptonshire
This is a pair of large semi-detached stone-built cottages that were sympathetically designed and built around the character of a picturesque village in East Northamptonshire.
The Bakehouse, Main Road, Uffington, Lincolnshire
The Bakehouse is a Grade II listed barn conversion and former village bakery. The works required a full restoration and conservation of the heritage features including a large Inglenook fireplace with 17th century bread oven, and the vaulted oak-framed roof set under Collyweston slates. The restoration also included a bespoke oak, steel and glass staircase, custom-made joinery throughout, structural repairs, stonework restoration, cleaning and repair of the oak roof structure, and a new stone floor complete with underfloor heating.
Distinctive Awards
We are honoured that our Glaston development in Rutland was granted an award for the entire scheme. The development also won a second award for the quality of our stone masonry. These awards were granted by the highly respected Joint Consultative Committee for the Building Industry, which is backed by The National Federation of Builders, The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and The Royal Institute of British Architects. The awards recognise “Outstanding Craftsmanship”.
Our earlier development Spire Mews, Grantham was also honoured with a commendation from the Grantham Civic Society, who approached us for the award as they were impressed by our approach to the regeneration of the site.
Testimonials
We moved into our new home recently, Pear Tree House, and we are delighted with the quality and level of service we received from Distinctive Developments. As soon as we saw it, we fell in love with it and knew it was the home for us. We feel a lot of thought has gone into the design, build, and exceptionally high finish of the house. We watched its progress to completion over a number of months and always dreamed that one day it would become ours. Now we couldn’t be more happy and excited to be living here.
Many thanks to you Jonathan and Richard for having the vision to build such beautiful houses in a lovely location and we consider ourselves very fortunate in finding our dream home."
Also, from Richard Swann taken from random post purchase emails, we had to include this as we think it shows how important the little details are.
"Went to the lockup yesterday to bring back a ladder to gain access to the loft, carefully going upstairs so as not to damage walls, unlocked the loft hatch and what an absolute pleasant surprise to find a ladder already installed, you and your team have put some real thought into the design of this house and into its fixtures and fittings, the ladder was a most pleasant surprise, and a light to boot, thank you much appreciated. I know Sheila & I will be very happy here, congratulations on such a great house and build."
Richard and Sheila Swann Pear Tree House, Glaston, Rutland
We are very happy in our new home in the heart of the old town area, within the conservation area in the shadow of the tall spire of St Wulfram’s Church. it’s a secure and gated courtyard development of just 3 homes and despite its town centre location, its very secluded and private yet so close to the restaurants, shops, theatre and cafes.
Our home has been well built with a thoughtful design and we love the that it has such an amazing amount of natural light from the bifold doors all along the frontage. The fixtures and fittings are of a high quality and with great insulation its very economical to run. Jonathan, the developer has been proactive and very responsive to all of our questions including a minor snagging issue a year or so after we moved in.”
Patricia Gayfer Spire Mews, Swinegate, Grantham
From the first moment we viewed the house, the quality of the workmanship was immediately obvious. Having suffered at the hands of large house builders in the past, this house had clearly been built with an attention to detail that only comes from the personal commitment of a smaller developer. I am pleased to report that two years on from our purchase, our expectations have been exceeded and we continue to enjoy the peace of mind this gives us.”
Tom Colley Spire Mews, Swinegate, Grantham
We eventually found our new home after a great deal of searching and it ticked all of our boxes.
It was a brand new modern build in a unique old part of the town and was listed so came with limitations on what could be done which the developer took great care to comply with to his credit. Our beautiful new home is one of three dwellings in this gated community is just perfect.
The build quality, clever design and well-chosen fitments made this the perfect choice for us.
This was the developer’s original design showing great flare and imagination despite the restrictions of limited space and listed building requirements, which is no mean feat.”
Neville Curzon Spire Mews, Swinegate, Grantham
The transformation to the property in Glaston has turned, what used to be a derelict garage into an attractive development improving the street scene tremendously. Everyone who I speak to is greatly impressed with the quality of the houses, and the sympathetic way they have blended into the surrounding area”
Di Morgan Parish Council Leader, Glaston, Rutland
The Distinctive Commitment
Our quality and service pledge
House buyers deserve the best, rightfully so.
Examples of unhappy buyers of new homes abound with stories of never-ending snag lists and houses crammed into over-developed, often soulless estates in every town across the land. That might work for the national housebuilders, but it’s not for us.
Here is what you get with Distinctive:
- Individually designed smaller schemes. Our typical schemes are up to 10 houses in desirable locations with a bespoke design.
- We personally project manage each build, this is too critical to contract out. We are the principal contractor as well as the developer, so we are vested and invested in the outcome and in ultimate customer satisfaction.
- Our quality control procedures, directly managed by us, are rigorous and obsessively thorough. Each construction phase and all materials are signed off by our Construction Director, Jonathan.
- Jonathan is on site every day of the build as our Site Manager as well as Project Manager. He is literally in the trenches and on the tools with our building staff and contractors.
- All our staff and sub-contractors are local and have worked with us for many years. We have a trusted relationship with these firms, and we know their quality is of the highest standard. As it is for us, their local reputation is their most important asset. Nevertheless, their work will still be rigorously monitored. If a new contractor is used at any time, they will be fully vetted and approved before starting any work.
- Personalised after-sales support – many of the major housebuilders have a poor reputation when it comes to snagging. In a recent customer satisfaction survey 70% of new home buyers reported more than 6 problems to the house builder with 26% having more than 16 complaints (HBF survey 2019). With Distinctive that simply would not happen; our homes are super low maintenance and DIY free.
- Jonathan personally oversees and signs off every last detail of the work. He is an experienced and accomplished builder with an unequalled local reputation and has been building high quality homes for almost 20 years. He is on site every single day, casting his careful eye over the craftsmanship.
- Snagging is rare in our homes and whilst we can’t guarantee no snags at all, we can guarantee that they will be dealt with swiftly and responsively until you are 100% satisfied.
- You will have our personal assurance of service together with our new homes 10 year warranty and, most importantly, Jonathan’s personal mobile number to call in the event of any issues.
The Distinctive Family: Our team
We are a small family orientated team that is tightly knit.
We expand our capabilities by using an extended team of trusted tradesmen, sub-contractors and professional service providers,
whom we have known and worked with for many years.
Jonathan Plant, Construction Director
Mr Meticulous. Jonathan is way too modest to have written this himself, but he is a super-talented builder. He built his first new house as principal developer and contractor at the age of just 22 and now has over 17 years of development experience with new builds and complex conversion projects. He has additional experience as the main contractor for a number of residential build programs, managing these to a successful outcome.
He is more than accomplished in most trades and leads our projects from the trenches, often wielding the tools himself. No piece of work is signed off until he is 100% happy with the quality. But his skills don’t end there; he is also talented with regard to design, and our house buyers always comment on how much thought has gone into the layouts and space planning (see testimonials). They also always appreciate the characterful exterior design aspects that he introduces. It’s often the little touches that count and Jonathan will personally select all of the high quality materials we use right down to taps and door ironmongery.
He is adept at managing complex projects as well as dealing skillfully with awkward planning issues, legal title problems and the many other hurdles you can bump into during a build. Missing deadlines and budgets does not feature in our business, Jonathan is on top of this daily. He is also an expert at sympathetic barn conversions and complex restorations, including listed buildings and heritage matters.
He’s a local guy, having lived in the Stamford area all his life. His family were farmers in the area. He is well-known within the local community and highly respected for the quality of his work and his professional approach. He has a loyal network of tradesmen and contractors, as well as professional consultants who respect and enjoy working with him. Nowadays he is too immersed in our own projects to handle any contracting work, but his phone is still buzzing with requests for his services.
Soon to be married (yay) Jonathan lives with his fiancé Nelly and their cat in a beautiful Grade 11 listed barn conversion just outside Stamford. Naturally, he practices what he preaches and converted this barn pretty much single-handedly.
Richard Evans, Commercial Director
Mr Partnerships. Richard has been involved with property for over 20 years. As a marketing guy by background, he has a particular strength in identifying opportunities, working out audiences and demand then delivering the best product to market.
He handles the company’s commercial matters from site sourcing and appraisals, thinking creatively regarding planning opportunities, managing risk via detailed financial analysis, fund raising, protecting our risk and legal position as well as dealing with sales and marketing in the final phase.
Enjoying great relationships with our partners at all levels is super important to us, it makes life more fun when you get along and are well aligned. We respect our partners time and funding whether that’s joint venturing on land or utilising funding or contracting and taking professional advice. We have a financial and moral responsibility to look after your time and money. Richard sets up our partnerships to ensure that all parties win and achieve a successful outcome.
Before teaming up with Jonathan he honed his skills within a corporate career as a senior Executive and General Manager with P&L responsibility with several global fortune 500 business, but Richard has an entrepreneurial drive and began a new phase of his career developing new businesses 15 years ago. He still has involvement is some of these, but his primary focus in the past few years is building Distinctive Developments and creating the best house builder and development company in the local area. We want to deliver houses that leave a legacy of which we can feel proud. House buyers deserve more than living in a box in a row of other boxes. We offer a bespoke, individualised and higher quality alternative.
Richard lives in Stamford with his wife Shelley and his adorable Cockapoo called Morrissey (unlike his namesake he’s a happy puppy, you can check him out in our Glaston video).
Hit him up on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richevans/
John Dickie – Architect C. Build E MCABE
John is our architect and planning wizard and a critical member of our team. He is a Chartered Building Engineer and Member of the Chartered Association of Building Engineers with over 30 years experience working with small developers helping them to design creative, desirable and innovative schemes as well as navigating through complex planning issues. John is Stamford based and has an enviable reputation in the local area. He has many years’ experience of working with all of the local planning authorities such as South Kesteven, Rutland, Peterborough, Huntingdonshire, Peterborough, East Northants, South Holland and several others. His success rate for gaining planning permission is second to none.
Maureen Plant – Accounts and Office Manager
Maureen is a godsend. She looks after the office and all our administration issues including book-keeping and managing the accounts. She has an accounts and office management background with several local companies and now keeps us on a Distinctively even keel. Most important, she’s also Jonathan’s Mum and lives in Uffington, just outside Stamford.
Some of our amazing staff, superb tradesmen and women,
expert sub-contractors and professional service providers
Darren, (our master stone mason whose work at our Glaston development earned the site a second award for outstanding craftsmanship), Mark, Tim, Richard, Barry, Jonno, Mark, Adam, Aaron, David, William and Mike.
Many of the team have been with us for many years contributing to all of our developments. Thanks for all your hard work and support guys!
Here are some images of them on site.
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