Ask Real Estate
Ask Real Estate is a Manchester-based, privately held UK property developer specialising in complex urban regeneration across the Northern Powerhouse. It delivers mixed-use, office, residential and logistics schemes via joint ventures with public sector partners and institutional capital, with a portfolio exceeding 3.75 million sq ft.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2000
- HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ask Real Estate does
Ask Real Estate is a privately held UK real estate development and regeneration company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Manchester. The firm specialises in complex, large-scale urban regeneration projects across the Northern Powerhouse region — North West, Yorkshire, and North East England — delivering mixed-use, office, residential, leisure, and logistics schemes with end values ranging from £22.5m to £400m. Its 20-project portfolio spans 3.75 million sq ft with cumulative end value exceeding £1.45 billion, including flagship developments such as First Street in Manchester, 100 and 101 Embankment in Salford, GPA First Street Hub, Gateshead Quays, Tower Works in Leeds, and First Street Living at Square Gardens.
The company operates through three interconnected revenue streams: development management services (professional fees for design, procurement, delivery, and lettings), direct property development (sale or lease of completed commercial, residential, and leisure assets), and joint venture partnerships with institutional capital providers including Tristan Capital Partners, PATRIZIA AG, M&G Real Estate, and Downing. Ask combines its own equity with that of public sector partners (Manchester City Council, Salford City Council, Gateshead Council, Bury Council) and institutional investors to deliver schemes requiring multi-stakeholder coordination. Core technical capability centres on brownfield regeneration expertise, sustainable design delivery (BREEAM Excellent, NABERS 5.5-star, Net Zero Carbon in operation), and structuring complex public-private partnerships.
The company is owned by Richardson, a third-generation Midlands-based family property business with over 50 years of commercial property experience. Ask is led by Managing Director and founding shareholder John Hughes (25+ years of development experience) alongside Finance Director Jonathan Cross, Project Director Neil Pickup, and Development Director Jamie Hills, supported by a lean corporate team. Customer segments span local authorities and public sector bodies, housing associations, large corporate occupiers across professional services, insurance, automotive, technology and entertainment sectors, and institutional capital partners. GTM motion is sales-led and relationship-driven, with public sector work procured via OJEU tendering and private developments negotiated directly through partnership frameworks.
Ask Real Estate firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ask Real Estate
- Legal name
- Ask Real Estate Ltd.
- Website
- https://askrealestate.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2000
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Ask Real Estate is a Manchester-based, privately held UK property developer specialising in complex urban regeneration across the Northern Powerhouse. It delivers mixed-use, office, residential and logistics schemes via joint ventures with public sector partners and institutional capital, with a portfolio exceeding 3.75 million sq ft.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Ask Real Estate industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Real Estate Development
- NAICS
- Other Activities Related to Real Estate (531390), Lessors of Other Real Estate Property (531190)
- SIC
- Real Estate Dealers (For Their Own Account) (6532), Land Subdividers & Developers (No Cemeteries) (6552)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Real Estate Development & Feasibility Advisory (Highest-and-Best-Use, Entitlements Support) (BPAJANAC)
Keywords
Where Ask Real Estate is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Ask Real Estate business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Development Management Services: Act as development manager on projects, providing development management services from inception to completion. Earn fees for managing design, procurement, delivery and lettings process.
- Property Development: Develop and deliver large-scale mixed-use regeneration projects, generating revenue through sale or lease of completed commercial, residential, and leisure properties.
- Joint Venture Partnerships: Enter into joint ventures with equity partners, sharing development profits and risks on major projects.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Ask Real Estate product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ask Real Estate is a UK property development company specialising in complex urban regeneration and large-scale mixed-use developments across Northern England. It acts as development manager and joint-venture partner, delivering Grade A offices, residential schemes, logistics facilities, leisure and cultural destinations for public sector bodies, corporate occupiers, housing associations and institutional investors.
Product overview
Ask Real Estate operates as a real estate development company offering a portfolio of distinct property development products and professional services rather than a unified software platform. Their core products encompass Grade A office developments (100 Embankment, Aviary, GPA First Street Hub, N08 First Street, 101 Embankment), residential schemes (Tower Works, First Street Living at Square Gardens), mixed-use regenerations (Gateshead Quays, First Street Leisure), and logistics/industrial facilities (Horizon at Manchester Business Park). Professional services include development management, partnership development, and sustainability consulting. The company specializes in complex urban regeneration projects across the North West, Yorkshire, and North East of England, delivering BREEAM-rated sustainable buildings.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- 100 Embankment A 167,000 sq ft Grade A office building in Manchester/Salford, second phase of the Greengate neighbourhood masterplan. Delivered with Salford City Council, Richardson and Tristan Capital Partners as partners.
- Aviary (58 Mosley Street) A 112,000 sq ft highly sustainable Grade A office refurbishment at 58 Mosley Street, Manchester, delivered for M&G Real Estate with major ESG focus, health and wellbeing hub, and roof terrace.
- One Strawberry Lane
Quantifiable outcome
- 44% social value score achieved at One Strawberry Lane - up to 3x national average
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Ask Real Estate
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ask Real Estate technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Ask Real Estate partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
19 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- LendleasemajorAppointed to deliver The Sage International Conference Centre at Gateshead Quays following planning approval.
- The SagemajorFTSE 100 technology company. Secured 10-year sponsorship deal for arena at Gateshead Quays to be named The Sage.
- BAM ConstructioncoreConstruction partner on multiple projects including 100 Embankment, GPA First Street Hub, One Strawberry Lane. Long-standing relationship delivering complex city centre developments.
- Gateshead CouncilmajorDevelopment partner for Gateshead Quays - 12,500 capacity arena and waterfront complex on banks of River Tyne. North East Mayor providing £24m funding support.
- Salford City CouncilmajorPublic partner for 100 Embankment and 101 Embankment developments in Greengate regeneration area. Joint venture partner for Embankment scheme.
- Manchester City CouncilmajorLong-standing development partner for First Street neighbourhood and various other schemes. Provided masterplan endorsement and development framework.
- Network RailminorJoint venture partner for Embankment scheme with Ask and Tristan Capital Partners.
- Home GroupmajorOne of UK's largest housing associations. Appointed Ask as preferred developer via OJEU process for new 70,000 sq ft headquarters at Newcastle.
- DowningmajorDevelopment partner for First Street Living at Square Gardens - £400m co-living development with 44-storey tower.
- ASM GlobalmajorArena operator appointed for Gateshead Quays - world's leading venue management and events company.
- Bury CouncilmajorJoint venture partner through Askbury Developments LLP for Knowsley Place mixed-use town centre development.
- Sir Robert McAlpinemajorConstruction contractor for Tower Works residential development - historic Victorian towers transformation.
- Crosby Homes (North West)minorDevelopment partner for Rossetti Place & Bauhaus at Rossetti mixed-use scheme.
- M J GleesonminorJoint venture partner for Leopold Square heritage restoration in Sheffield.
- Lancashire County Cricket ClubminorPartnership for Old Trafford cricket ground redevelopment and 50-acre mixed-use scheme.
- Tesco plcminorPartner in Lancashire County Cricket Club redevelopment - 170,000 sq ft food store.
- GoodmanminorPartner for Central Park East Manchester - UK's first urban mixed-use business park.
- NewmarkminorAppointed as letting agents for Horizon at Manchester Business Park.
- DeloitteminorAdvised Ask on planning for Horizon development at Manchester Business Park.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Ask Real Estate competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Muse Developments: UK urban regeneration developer specialising in public-private joint ventures across Northern England, with a portfolio model (offices, residential, mixed-use) and council partnership approach nearly identical to Ask's, including comparable project scales and ESG focus.
- Bruntwood: Manchester-headquartered commercial property developer and operator with a strong Northern England footprint developing Grade A offices and mixed-use schemes for public sector and corporate occupiers — directly comparable customer base and product type.
- Scarborough Group International: Leeds-based developer of large-scale mixed-use regeneration projects across Northern England, sharing Ask's regional concentration, mixed-use product mix and council-partnered development model.
- Argent: UK developer known for large-scale, phased urban regeneration partnerships (e.g., King's Cross, Brent Cross) with public and private sector partners; highly comparable development management and JV equity model.
- Stanhope: London-headquartered commercial property developer focused on complex mixed-use and office-led schemes for institutional capital partners — directly comparable JV-driven, occupier-led development proposition.
- Ballymore: UK-focused developer of large-scale mixed-use regeneration projects with significant JV capital partner activity; comparable scale, occupier-led development approach and institutional capital model.
- Mount Anvil: London-focused residential and mixed-use developer with a partnership-driven model targeting institutional capital; relevant peer for Ask's residential build-to-rent and co-living development pipeline.
- Telford Homes: UK residential developer with strong institutional BTR partnerships; relevant comparator for Ask's Tower Works and First Street Living build-to-rent/co-living schemes delivered with partners like Downing and Homes England.
Broad incumbents
- Peel L&P: Much larger UK-wide regeneration and infrastructure developer (MediaCity, Liverpool Waters) with broader geographic and asset class coverage; relevant incumbent for understanding competitive dynamics in UK regeneration.
- Lendlease (UK): Global developer with significant UK urban regeneration operations including public-private partnerships; competes for the same institutional capital and large mixed-use mandates as Ask but at greater scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ask Real Estate social profiles
Digital presenceAsk Real Estate financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ask Real Estate leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Ask Real Estate subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Ask Real Estate funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ask Real Estate M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ask Real Estate
What does Ask Real Estate do?
Ask Real Estate is a UK property development company specialising in complex urban regeneration and large-scale mixed-use developments across Northern England. It acts as development manager and joint-venture partner, delivering Grade A offices, residential schemes, logistics facilities, leisure and cultural destinations for public sector bodies, corporate occupiers, housing associations and institutional investors.
Is Ask Real Estate a public or private company?
Ask Real Estate is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Ask Real Estate founded?
Ask Real Estate was founded in 2000. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Ask Real Estate based?
Ask Real Estate is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Ask Real Estate make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Development Management Services are the primary driver. The others are property Development and joint Venture Partnerships.
Who are Ask Real Estate's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Muse Developments, Bruntwood, Scarborough Group International, Argent, Stanhope, Ballymore, Mount Anvil and Telford Homes. Broad incumbents are Peel L&P and Lendlease (UK).
Does Ask Real Estate have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ask Real Estate.
What industry is Ask Real Estate in?
Ask Real Estate's product category is Commercial Real Estate Development. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAJANAC, Real Estate Development & Feasibility Advisory (Highest-and-Best-Use, Entitlements Support). Its NAICS code is 531390 and its SIC code is 6532.