The first edition in the Pimlico Homes series, Pimlico Court, sold out off plan almost instantaneously from its inception earlier this year.

Well-placed in an iconic location and showcasing innovative design, Pimlico Court tugged at Durham’s heartstrings. But the chords didn’t just resonate locally, with buyers and interest coming from the capital to battle for the exclusive development.

2024 marks the first chapter for Pimlico Homes, however any talk of being a new kid on the block would be off brand. The Ali family, including director, Imad Ali, have 30 years of experience in the property game under their belt – and Imad’s vision was to “redefine luxury living” with a statement site in the new build market.

Being described as a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ was not an exaggeration in Pimlico’s case. Nestled next door to Durham School, with an unobstructed view of the city’s historic cathedral, this was a site unimaginable to host a new development. It took the ambitious local group to spot the gap in the market.

Director, Imad Ali, says: “Being a Durham native, I have always understood the importance of our city’s history, as well as its beauty. It was my vision to introduce a fresh look at modern living that managed to co-exist among the stunning historic features of the area.”

Paying tribute to the city, Pimlico directed an incredible drone video to showcase the location, which is gathering steam on YouTube in the hundreds of thousands of views. The video can be viewed directly via the QR code at the bottom of this article.

The drone visuals also provide an insight into how central the location is; Durham’s riverside on the doorstep and the site is within a minute’s walk into the bustle of the city centre.

“Location is going to be an extraordinary feature of all future developments. We’re selling lifestyles, not just homes,” says Imad.

All the co-ordinates point to Pimlico planting pins on the UK map in many of its major cities. Imad’s sights, we learn, are on the north – not just the North East – fuelled by a no limits attitude.

“The next 18 months plans are already nailed on in-house and will soon be announced. We will definitely be turning a few heads,” he says.

The build was carried out by Aykley Construction – owned by Imad – which certainly understood and met the brief – with modern living at the forefront. After all, one of Pimlico’s core values is “future-proofing your home”.

Energy-efficient air-sourced heat pumps and electronic vehicle charging points in the driveways feature, along with distinctive textures throughout the exterior which stand out from the crowd in the new build sector and promise to cut an unmistakable figure in the central skyline.

Interiors-wise, the brand’s tagline – ‘The Pimlico Difference’ – really comes to life. Enlisting LUSSO sanitary, Quooker taps, Elica Nikola Tesla Hobs, Dekton surfaces, Bosch Home kitchenware, the fixtures feel like a ‘who’s who’ hit List.

“We wanted the process to be seamless for clients to move in and to be able to hit standards we aspire to in our own life,” says Imad.

“Pimlico Court was the first in a signature series, setting our standards from the off. The tagline “building your dream home” sounds ambitious, but that fits everything about this project.”

So, if we are to judge Pimlico Homes on merit with its entry into the housing market, then we have to take a breath; the first development has set a new record in the city of Durham for pound per square foot.

Raising eyebrows and glasses alike, awards are surely in the offing for this milestone as we move through 2024.

Quite literally “setting the standard for new builds”, Imad said: “These things don’t happen by chance. Late nights, early mornings, calling on every contact, calling up on every bit of knowledge we have gained over the years – it all amounted to this. Recruitment and procurement were everything.

“If we hadn’t had experience in all the different areas of the property market, then we would have never known the ingredients for a recipe like Pimlico Court.”

“It takes award-winning interior designers, out-of-the-box architects, incredible brands and immaculate builders. We took an all-star approach to quite literally build dream homes.

“Life is short – we wanted to make something unique come to life. Now we have the bug for that, we will be putting our foot on the pedal with everything we have for our future sites.”

For more information or to register your interest in future developments visit www.pimlico.homes

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