A development by Chapter One.
Once upon a time, Ashley and Tom created a development company called Chapter One. Their dream was to write a new story, one centred on sustainability and the thoughtful repurposing of buildings and plots of land for future generations.
Ashley and Tom purchased The Courtyard in June 2023 and quickly set to work obtaining planning permission for 23 apartments, which was granted in November 2023. Construction commenced on site in January 2024 and was completed in March 2025.
During this period, the site secured further planning permissions. The Coach House, The Smoke House and The Courtyard Mews have all contributed to a highly sustainable development which, at the end of construction in July 2026, will be home to over 40 new residents.
Ashley Burton MRICS
Thomas Llewellyn MRICS
As the lead characters of Chapter One, Ashley and Tom bring over 25 years of combined experience as construction professionals and Chartered Surveyors with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. Their backgrounds include Partner roles at Gardiner & Theobald LLP, one of London’s market-leading construction and property consultancies.
Over the years, they have helped deliver a host of award-winning residential and mixed-use projects across the UK, including The Stage development in Shoreditch, a 37-storey residential tower made famous by the discovery of Shakespeare’s Curtain Theatre. Having worked together for more than a decade, the pause created by Covid-19 gave them the headspace to create what they had always envisioned, a development company of their own, focused on sustainability and long-term value.
Drawing on this depth of experience, they lead a wide range of in house disciplines, from early stage viability, site acquisition and planning assessment through to construction and delivery. And they do it all with a single ambition, to write the ultimate story, one where intelligent, climate-positive, zero-carbon homes are just the beginning.