Marking 150 years in business, Jenner Group managing director Martin Sandall reflects on its evolution from local builder to a regional housebuilder tackling new challenges.
Reaching 150 years in business is a rare achievement in construction and for Jenner Group this milestone is far more than a marker of longevity. It represents a century and a half spent shaping homes, neighbourhoods and communities across Kent and the south east.
Founded in 1875 as decorators and builders, Jenner’s early commitment to quality, value and service laid the foundations for what would become the region’s largest and longest‑standing contractor. Today, with a 160‑strong team and a group structure spanning multiple specialist disciplines, the company’s evolution has been driven by one constant: a deep-rooted dedication to delivering exceptional housing.
Although the company’s early years included moments of diversification – even at one point, coffin-making – Jenner’s true legacy has always been in creating places for people to live, grow and thrive. Its appreciation of craftsmanship now lives on through its joinery and glazing divisions, supporting the delivery of high-quality homes across the region.
Even in the 1930s, Jenner was taking on ambitious projects that shaped local communities, such as the Folkestone Rotunda development with its pioneering clear-span concrete roof – a European first. But it is in modern housing where this appetite for technical challenges has truly flourished.
The recently completed Shoreline development – 60 apartments, 20 interconnecting townhouses and four duplexes – stands as a flagship example of Jenner’s capability in contemporary housing delivery. As the first phase of a 1,000‑home masterplan for Folkestone seafront, Shoreline represents both a homecoming and a bold step forward. Built on the site of the demolished Rotunda scheme, the project demanded engineering precision, from over 200 piles driven 27 metres deep, to the complex curved forms exposed to the full force of the English Channel. The result is a triumph of craftsmanship and design, providing much needed homes while elevating the standard of coastal living.
Today, Jenner’s commitment to housing is visible across a diverse portfolio of live schemes. At Seasalter, the company is delivering 220 affordable homes for Hyde Housing in a major phased development running until 2028. The scheme will provide a carefully balanced mix of one and two bedroom apartments and two, three and four-bedroom houses, with 120 homes offered for shared ownership and 100 for social rent.
While very different projects, they both come with their challenges. The UK housing construction sector continues to navigate one of the most complex and fast‑moving periods in recent memory, and at Jenner we are experiencing these pressures first-hand across our portfolio. While demand for high‑quality homes remains strong, the path to delivering them has become increasingly challenging, shaped by planning constraints, evolving design expectations, skills shortages and volatile material markets.
One of the most significant barriers to progress is the ever more complicated planning process. Securing consent has become slower, more unpredictable and more resource intensive, with local authorities under immense pressure and policy frameworks shifting frequently. The result is extended pre‑construction periods and greater uncertainty for clients and contractors alike. Projects that would once have moved swiftly from concept to site now require far more upfront coordination, consultation and technical justification. Add to this the ever evolving regulatory and compliance framework and it is easy to understand why projects are being delayed getting on to site.
At the same time, the nature of available development land has changed dramatically. A decade ago, many of the sites we are now asked to build on – tight urban infill plots, constrained brownfield land, or locations with significant topographical or logistical challenges – would have been considered commercially unviable. Today, they are increasingly
the norm.
This demands a higher level of ingenuity in design, sequencing and construction methodology, as well as closer collaboration between all parties from the earliest stages.
Another notable shift is the transformation of social and affordable housing design expectations. Gone are the days when such schemes were associated with purely functional, uninspired architecture. Clients are now far more astute in seeking developments that are architecturally driven, sustainable, and designed for longevity. This is a hugely positive evolution, but it also raises the bar in terms of technical detailing, material specification and quality assurance. Delivering homes that are
both cost‑effective and future proof requires a careful balance of innovation and pragmatism.
The industry-wide push towards offsite construction is another area where ambition and reality do not always align. While whole‑house modular solutions continue to attract interest, we are finding that they remain complex to procure, integrate and deliver at scale. Traditional construction methods still tend to win out in terms of flexibility and risk management. However, hybrid approaches are proving invaluable. Prefabricated roof sections, bathroom pods, bay windows, M&E modules and other component‑based offsite solutions are increasingly embedded in our projects, offering genuine programme, quality and safety benefits without the constraints of full modularisation.
Overlaying all of this is the ongoing skills shortage, which affects every trade and every region. Recruiting and retaining experienced operatives is an escalating challenge and the industry must continue investing in apprenticeships, training pathways and long‑term workforce development to safeguard future capacity.
Unpredictable material demand and pricing volatility also continue to complicate tendering and cost planning. With lead times fluctuating and prices difficult to forecast 12 months ahead, contractors are being asked to commit to programmes and budgets in an environment where certainty is increasingly elusive.
Despite these pressures, Jenner remains committed to delivering high‑quality homes through collaboration, transparency and a solutions focused approach. The challenges are real, but so too is the opportunity to build better, smarter and more sustainably for the communities we serve and we are proving that across the many sites we are currently working on.
For example, in Aylesham, Jenner is progressing a development of 39 affordable homes for Moat, supporting the continued growth of the village. Meanwhile, groundworks have commenced on Oakleigh House in Ashford, where Jenner is creating 59 specialist residential units for older people and adults with learning disabilities on the site of a former sheltered housing scheme.
The company has also recently begun work at in the village of Seal, delivering 13 affordable homes for West Kent Housing, and continues to advance a mixed-tenure scheme at Station Road
in Rainham, where 75 homes for shared ownership and rent are taking shape for Moat.
Alongside these live projects, Jenner has recently completed several significant residential schemes. In Chatham, the company successfully completed Hallwood House for MHS Homes, delivering 46 high-quality independent living units, having been appointed part way through the build. Other notable recent project completions include Canterbury Riverside Square, the
award-winning William Muge & Snelgrove regeneration for Dover District Council and the 65 homes delivered at Canterbury Road West in Cliffsend for Monson Homes. These projects continue to serve as an example of thoughtful, well-executed housing development, with potential future phases still under consideration.
To support this expanding residential portfolio, Jenner has strategically strengthened its in-house capabilities. The rebrand of its General Works division to Park Farm Construction, alongside Park Farm Glazing and Park Farm Joinery, has enhanced the company’s ability to deliver homes with greater control and efficiency. The acquisition of Reina, a plumbing and heating contractor, and the creation of Park Farm Civils, focused on groundworks, further reinforce Jenner’s capacity to deliver large scale housing projects with integrated expertise from the ground up.
We’ve come a long way over the past 150 years. It’s definitely more complex now but some things haven’t changed. The importance of relationships and reputation remains central to the
way Jenner builds homes and communities. The company’s family ethos and people first culture have carried it from one generation of leadership to the next, shaping a business that continues to evolve while staying true to its founding principles.
As Jenner looks ahead, its commitment to professionalism, integrity and innovation remains unwavering. The next housing project will no doubt bring new challenges but after 150 years, Jenner has learned more than a thing or two about rising to meet them.