34 (30) Eric Grove £135m (£115m)
Harley Davidson and B&Q are just two of the big names moving into one of Catesby Property Group’s latest and biggest ventures – a £200 million business and retail park near the M18 in Doncaster.
Firstpoint, being developed in partnership with Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council and Yorkshire Forward, is also the new home of Doncaster Chamber and Business Link.
Firstpoint’s development and rapid big-name letting will give Eric Grove, who founded Stratford-based Catesby 12 years ago, a lot of pleasure. At 77, he still takes a keen interest in the development of the Warwick Road company.
Another major project for Catesby is the development of a two-unit 115,000 sq ft £8 million distribution complex near Fort Dunlop in Castle Bromwich.
Catesby broke records by paying £500,000 an acre for the site when named as preferred bidder by Advantage West Midlands. It’s a high-value development in a prime location, as are other Catesby projects in Coventry, Redbourne and Southport.
Catesby is also a partner in the £100 million re-development of a former Inland Revenue site in Coventry.
The group has developed a reputation for hiring some of the best people in commercial property to develop the business. Graeme McCallum, previously operations director at Taylor Woodrow, has just joined Catesby as a non-executive director, as has Mike Tanner who has many years experience at George Wimpey and Tarmac.
Eric Grove made his fortune after setting up a residential property business - Canberra Developments - in 1968. He sold out to housebuilder McAlpine, netting around £40 million in shares.
A former director of Coventry City FC, he now lives in Warwickshire. His other business interests include residential developments in Jersey and a stake in a property investment company.
