The Harland & Poston Group has just announced the acquisition of the prestigious Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa; a landmark deal finalised on 19 December 2024. This agreement was concluded during a pivotal meeting between the Group’s founders, David Poston and Gary Harland, and the previous owners of Formby Hall.Located on England’s picturesque Sefton Coast, Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa is renowned for its exceptional amenities, championship golf courses, and luxurious hospitality. Spanning over 200 acres, this premier destination features an 18-hole Championship Golf Course, a 9-hole Woodhey Dunes Course, a state-of-the-art award-winning spa, and 76 elegantly designed guest rooms.David Poston, CEO of Harland and Poston Group, commented:"After months of negotiations it is great to finally have Formby Hall as part of our portfolio, expanding into the UK has been a priority for the group during 2024, and to have 2 fantastic assets already in place gives us a great platform for 2025. Formby Hall has a very prestigious reputation that we intend to preserve and improve upon, along with the award winning Shulte as our management team, we intend to make Formby one of the leading Golf & Hotel Resorts in the Northwest."Gary Harland, Co-Founder and CFO, added:"This acquisition aligns perfectly with our strategy of investing in iconic properties that offer exceptional value and potential. We look forward to introducing enhancements that will make Formby Hall an even more remarkable destination for guests and investors." The Harland and Poston Group’s acquisition marks a significant milestone in the resort’s history. Established in 1996, Formby Hall has earned a sterling reputation as a luxury retreat, hosting high-profile guests, including Taylor Swift, elite PGA golfers, and Premier League football teams. This investment underscores Harland & Poston Group’s dedication to curating world-class properties and delivering exceptional experiences.Plans are already underway to explore strategic enhancements to the resort’s offerings, ensuring its continued success as a premier destination for relaxation, sports, and corporate events.

Harland & Poston Group has been recognised with the prestigious Five-Star Award in the category Best New Hotel Construction & Design Portugal at the International Property Awards 2025–2026. The ceremony took place last Thursday, the 23rd, at the Grosvenor Marriott Hotel in London.The accolade highlights the new Holiday Inn Express & Suites Portimão, located in the heart of the city, an urban regeneration project led by Harland & Poston Group through its development arm, HP Invest. The hotel impressed the judging panel for its blend of architectural innovation, design, sustainability and local economic impact, positioning itself as one of the most promising contemporary hospitality references in southern Europe.Two International Property AwardsSecuring the Five-Star Award, the highest distinction in its category, also qualified the hotel for the Regional (Europe) Awards, allowing it to compete at a European level for international recognition among the world’s leading real estate developments.Commenting on the award, Andreia Leite, Harland & Poston Group’s Business Development Director and project lead, said:“This award is a source of great pride for our entire team. The Portimão project demonstrates that strategic investment can go far beyond financial returns. What we achieved here was the restoration of confidence, the creation of jobs and the generation of long-term value for the community, which is why this project is so special. Its impact is visible not only in the building itself but also in the renewed quality of its surrounding urban environment. For us, this is the true meaning of development.”The Holiday Inn Express & Suites Portimão: From Abandonment to a Five-Star Award WinnerScheduled to open in the first quarter of 2026, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Portimão has undergone a complete transformation. Before redevelopment, the site consisted of the ruins of the former Hotel Tropimar, a building often occupied informally by drug users and homeless individuals who, during winter, resorted to lighting fires indoors to stay warm. The regeneration addressed these safety concerns, an essential improvement given the presence of a school just across the street, while revitalising local commerce and creating new jobs.Working closely with regional suppliers, the Group ensured that the majority of the hotel’s construction and equipment utilised Portuguese labour and materials, reinforcing its commitment to the Algarve’s economy.As completion approaches, the hotel is emerging as a new benchmark for sustainability. It is the first IHG-branded hotel in Portugal to join the Low Carbon Pioneers programme, operating with zero on-site emissions and powered exclusively by renewable energy. The project was designed with energy efficiency and environmental responsibility as guiding principles, setting a new national standard for sustainable hospitality.Design plays a pivotal role: this is one of the first Holiday Inn Express properties to incorporate IHG’s new Gen 5 Design, a concept that enhances the guest experience through more functional, modern and efficient spaces. Another distinctive feature is the inclusion of a swimming pool and outdoor area — uncommon for this IHG brand, typically associated with urban locations and short stays. This addition broadens the hotel’s appeal, attracting leisure travellers seeking a holiday destination with proximity to Praia da Rocha, combining comfort, recreation and sustainability.With Holiday Inn Express & Suites Portimão, the Group continues to demonstrate its ability to transform underutilised assets into high-performing, socially responsible projects, further consolidating its position as one of Portugal’s leading forces in real estate and investment.Pátio do Jordão: A Benchmark in Contemporary Residential RedevelopmentSet within the historic neighbourhood of Lisbon, the Mouraria, Pátio do Jordão has brought a renewed sense of coherence and quality to its immediate surroundings. Now fully completed and occupied, the Pateo stands as a thoughtful reimagining of a once-neglected 19th-century courtyard.What had long been a fading architectural relic has been carefully revived by the Harland & Poston Group and reshaped into a residential enclave noted for its elegance and purpose. The development comprises 11 bespoke homes, each designed to honour the building’s original character, from its preserved façade and vaulted structures to the distinctive limestone features, while introducing the standards expected of modern urban living.Contemporary enhancements are discreet yet substantial: reinforced structural stability, improved thermal and acoustic performance, and the use of environmentally responsible materials all contribute to a more resilient building.Pátio do Jordão is more than a residential project; it is a respectful nod to Lisbon’s architectural lineage, illustrating how sensitive restoration can yield places that feel both enduring and beautifully contemporary.

As the world of investment migration evolves, traditional routes are giving way to more flexible, asset-driven frameworks. One of the more sophisticated strategies that is currently emerging involves the pairing of cross-border investment with residency planning, and Portugal is fast becoming the spotlight for this trend.At the heart of this development is the D2 Entrepreneur Visa, a lesser-known but increasingly viable alternative to Portugal’s traditional Golden Visa programme. While the Golden Visa currently relies on funds acquisition, the Portuguese D2 Visa route invites business participation — rewarding operational substance over capital presence alone.This shift opens the door for structures that engage meaningfully with business activity, while still offering the residency benefits investors seek. A recent example illustrates how this can work across jurisdictions. A European Residency Route Anchored in British AssetsIn the north-west of England lies Formby Hall, a long-established hospitality asset with over a century of heritage. Known for its 18-hole golf course and spa facilities, it has historically attracted a high-end clientele from sport, business and public life.The property was recently acquired by the Harland & Poston Group, operating the investment through HP Invest, a company incorporated in Portugal. The acquisition forms part of a wider redevelopment programme, aimed at elevating Formby Hall’s offering to meet modern leisure and high-end event demands.What’s notable here isn’t simply the asset, but the structure. Investors participating in the project do so through HP Invest, a Portuguese business, thereby fulfilling one of the primary requirements for the D2 Entrepreneur Visa.David Poston, Chief Executive of HPG, notes:“This approach allows us to reshape how high-value assets are opened to investors. We’re creating access, not just returns. And in doing so, we’re linking lifestyle, mobility and growth in one coherent structure.”Under the Portuguese immigration law, foreign nationals may qualify for a D2 visa if they establish or hold equity in a company based in Portugal. Crucially, that company is not restricted to domestic-only operations; it may hold or manage assets abroad. This detail is what makes international investment-led residency strategies viable within current EU frameworks.Why Investors Are Looking Beyond Traditional ProgrammesPortugal has long been viewed as a stable, EU-aligned jurisdiction with favourable tax policies and a high standard of living. The changes which the Golden Visa programme went through in October 2023, culminating in the end of the Real Estate investment, created a gap for those seeking EU mobility without full relocation.The D2 Visa is emerging as the response — more demanding in structure, yet also more sustainable. It requires:Ownership or executive role in a Portuguese-registered company;A feasible business plan or record of activity;Proof of financial means;Residence arrangements within Portugal;Basic administrative compliance (tax number, bank account, etc.). Once approved, the applicant receives a 2-year residence permit, renewable for successive periods, with a path to permanent residency or citizenship after 5 years. By investing through a Portuguese-based company like HP Invest, participants benefit not only from potential returns on an international hospitality asset but also from the right to reside in Portugal, and with it, easier access to the Schengen area.Here's What This New Cross-Border Model Means for the IndustryThe cross-border structure reflects a broader movement in investment migration — away from those programmes designed around simple asset transactions, and toward the ones that engage with enterprise, risk, and reward.This new model balances legal substance with commercial intent: a real business, managing real assets, with room for investor participation. For international entrepreneurs, and globally mobile individuals, it allows capital to work in multiple dimensions — financial, legal, and lifestyle.As borders tighten and compliance expectations rise, the appeal of these hybrid models will likely grow. They encourage engagement with local economies and legal systems, while preserving the global outlook modern investors require.Looking Forward with the Harland & Poston Group as a PartnerWith more investors seeking flexible routes to the EU residency — and regulators placing closer scrutiny on passive capital inflows — the Portuguese D2 Visa offers a timely alternative, rewarding those prepared to enter the market through operational alignment rather than transactional shortcuts.In partnership with Harland & Poston Group, we can connect your clients to a pathway that combines Portuguese residency prospects with competitive returns across hospitality, real estate and services. Organisations wishing to explore co-investment, distribution or advisory collaborations are invited to send enquiries to the Group’s new-business team, which is already charting the next wave of cross-border capital and residency solutions.