Abingdon: Kemp & Kemp acquired by Carter Jonas property consultancy

Carter Jonas, the national property consultancy, has acquired Oxfordshire planning and development consultancy Kemp & Kemp, based in Abingdon.

Founded in 1954, Kemp & Kemp has an established client base in Oxfordshire and across the UK. Providing advice in development, planning and professional services for more than 60 years, the firm has worked on a number of landmark developments including the Diamond Synchrotron at Harwell Campus, the Joint European Torus (JET) at Culham Science Centre and Müller UK’s headquarters in Shropshire.

Kemp & Kemp will join Carter Jonas’ national planning and development division, which offers multi-disciplinary advice from offices in London, Cambridge, Leeds, Bath and Winchester, as well as in Oxford. The division is currently managing projects nationwide for a number of public and private sector clients including the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, Buckinghamshire County Council, Welbeck Strategic Land and Wadham College. The addition of Kemp & Kemp increases the size of Carter Jonas’ planning and development division to over 100 people, which will make it one of the largest in the UK.

The acquisition marks another step in the growth of Carter Jonas, which counts Oxfordshire as one of its key regional locations. With teams based out of the hub office in Mayfield House, Oxford, the firm offers a wide range of expertise across the commercial, residential, rural and planning and development sectors together with a number of specialist services. The acquisition increases the number of Carter Jonas employees based in Oxfordshire to over 100, making the region the largest of its hub locations outside London.

James Bainbridge, head of planning and development, Carter Jonas, said: “The addition of Kemp & Kemp marks an exciting new chapter in the growth of our Planning and Development division, at both a national and regional level. Alongside its experience in residential land promotion, Kemp & Kemp has a strong track record in commercial and institutional consultancy work and has achieved consent for close to a million square feet of new commercial space over the last three years. We will look to harness these additional areas of expertise moving forward as we strengthen our position in the market.”

Steven Sensecall, partner, Kemp & Kemp said: “Having worked together on a number of major projects over the years, it is clear that both firms pride themselves on taking a joined up, multi-disciplinary approach to planning and development with the aim of realising the full potential of our clients’ property assets. This approach has enabled Kemp & Kemp to maintain long-standing relationships with clients such as the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Berkeley Homes, Müller UK, CEG and Oxford Preservation Trust. We look forward to joining the Carter Jonas team and to maintaining these relationships and building on our core strengths and shared values.”

Chris Wilmshurst, partner, Kemp & Kemp added: “We are extremely proud of the work and ethos that we have fostered at Kemp & Kemp and entrusting this to another business was always going to be a daunting prospect. We are confident however that Carter Jonas is a firm that appreciates our values and approach as well as providing the right structure and environment in which our team will flourish.”

Mark Granger, chief executive, Carter Jonas, said: “The acquisition of Kemp & Kemp highlights Carter Jonas’ continued appetite to invest in our principal regional locations as we continue to build a market-leading position in Oxfordshire and across the UK. Oxfordshire and the surrounding counties are among our most important markets and with the addition of the team from Kemp & Kemp we become the largest independent property consultancy practice in the region.

“Our business has grown significantly in recent years with a projected turnover for 2017/18 of £66 million from £34.24m in 2012/13. We welcome Steven, Chris and the team to Carter Jonas. We look forward to working together to build on the scope and reach of our work for the benefit of new and current clients.”

This latest deal is the third in a series of recent acquisitions by Carter Jonas of planning and development businesses. Most recently Carter Jonas acquired New Square Holdings, an acquisition that included Cambridge-based commercial and planning consultancy Januarys. This followed the acquisition of London-based planning consultancy, Planning Perspectives.

The acquisition of Kemp & Kemp is effective from May 1, from which date Kemp & Kemp will trade as Carter Jonas LLP. Steven Sensecall joins Carter Jonas as partner, Chris Wilmshurst joins as a consultant.