Building Relations PR (BR) has been appointed to handle corporate, development and digital PR for City & Country, the UK’s leading heritage developer. Now in its 60th year, the award-winning company continues to bring its innovative approach to both the restoration and conversion projects for which it is best known, as well as new build homes created with the same ethos of creativity and sensitivity to their surroundings.

BR is a rapidly expanding agency specialising in all aspects of the property industry, including residential and commercial property, estate agency, interiors and proptech. Established eight years ago by Founding Director, Rachel Colgan, the company has recently undergone a brand refresh to signify the growing business’s forward-thinking approach to PR and be more reflective of today’s sustainable world. BR will work with City & Country to raise its profile, build its reputation, and give back to its communities.

“City & Country has been on our new business wish-list since the early days of Building Relations PR.” said Kathryn Reucroft, Managing Director at Building Relations, who joined Rachel seven years ago, to help grow the business. “I was lucky enough to work with City & Country at the beginning of my career and relished having such an eclectic portfolio of properties to cut my teeth on. We are looking forward to working with the team as the company enters its next decade, continuing to innovate in the sphere and building new homes with the same craftsmanship and care as its heritage properties.”

Rachel Colgan adds: “We are incredibly proud to be working with such a renowned brand and look forward to delivering impactful corporate PR and bespoke and multi-platform campaigns to help promote the sale of developments; building meaningful relationships within local communities and developing a smart content and social strategy for City & Country as they look to expand their operations.”

City & Country is a family-owned business, which was founded in 1962 in Essex. The company has evolved to become a market leading developer specialising in restoring the very best of Britain’s architectural heritage and sensitive landscapes including former schools, hospitals, factories, and mansions. Some of the most notable of these include Bristol’s former General Hospital, King Edward VII Hospital, Donaldson’s College in Edinburgh and the Mansion at Sundridge Park. The business currently builds around 160 homes a year, with more than 250 homes currently under construction and a pipeline of more than 1800 homes. Over the next two years the number of homes built is expected to double. The company works with Channel 4’s Restoration Man, George Clarke, as a brand ambassador.

“We are looking forward to working with Building Relations PR to support us with our ambitious growth plans. It is an exciting time and we have a lot to talk about”, said Jennifer Rhodes-Finch, Head of Marketing at City & Country. “While we are renowned for our work in renovation and conservation, we are also delivering high-quality new build projects. Homes at Burderop Park in Wiltshire, Sanderling Reach, and the most recently launched Manningtree Park in Essex, have been constructed with the same level of craftsmanship and attention-to-detail that is expected from City & Country’s heritage developments.”

“It is great to be working with Kathryn and Rachel. It was a clear from the pitch that they have a real understanding and affinity for the work that we do at City & Country and the ability to turn it into stories that the media love,” said Tim Sargeant, Chairman of City & Country.

Building Relations PR has also been focusing on growth, and recently expanded from a boutique agency to a nationwide mid-size company, with a £1million turnover and a 50% increase in staffing levels up to 23 in the last 18 months alone. The business, established and still based in Egham, Surrey, has opened new offices in London and Edinburgh and taken on a number of major new clients, while maintaining a 96% client retention rate. The agency is currently nominated in three categories in the prestigious Property Press Awards.