In the shifting sands of global mobility, investors are constantly seeking new pathways — ways to tie up capital in meaningful ventures while anchoring their lives within stable jurisdictions. Occasionally, the intersection of these priorities produces something unexpected.

Such is the case with Formby Hall Golf Resort & Spa, a quintessentially British property with long heritage, which has quietly become a conduit for European residency — not through the UK, but via Portugal.

It’s an unusual route. And that’s precisely what makes it worth exploring.

Formby Hall: A Tangible Asset, a Strategic Entry Point

Situated just outside Liverpool and surrounded by rolling acres of greenery, Formby Hall is an icon of British hospitality. It’s a venue that has long hosted professional athletes, public figures and well-heeled guests in search of quiet luxury. With an 18-hole championship golf course, a full-service spa, and facilities primed for private events, it has held its place in the leisure market with understated distinction.

Recently acquired by the Harland & Poston Group — a cross-border investment firm headquartered in Lisbon — the property is now undergoing redevelopment. Plans are in motion to refurbish guest rooms, revamp the spa and dining experience, and squarely position Formby Hall in the upper echelons of the domestic and international hospitality market.

But beyond the commercial upgrade lies something else: an invitation to participate — not merely as a guest, but as an investor.

Investment Meets Migration: The Portugal Angle

At the centre of this opportunity lies HP Invest, the Group’s Portuguese-based investment vehicle and Investment Visa, the brand dedicated to residency programmes. Through it, qualified investors may participate in a European business venture linked to high-quality assets — including the renowned Formby Hall.

This structure meets Portugal’s D2 Entrepreneur Visa requirements, aimed at entrepreneurs with genuine business interests in the country. While activities may expand abroad, the visa is granted on the understanding that core corporate operations remain in Portugal.

In this light, investing through HP Invest offers more than just a financial foothold in a premium hospitality development — it opens the door to residency within the European Union, under a framework that values enterprise, innovation, and long-term vision.

How the Portuguese D2 Visa Works

Applicants to the D2 Visa programme are expected to show:

• Ownership in a Portuguese business
• A viable business plan or record of activity
• Sufficient financial means to support themselves in-country
• Accommodation in Portugal
• Basic administrative requirements (NIF, bank account, etc.)

Upon successful application at a Portuguese consulate, the applicant receives a four-month entry visa, during which time they must formalise their residency with AIMA (Portugal’s immigration authority). This leads to a 2-year residence permit, renewable and extendable towards permanent residency or citizenship after 5 years.

Importantly, the business’s physical operations may span borders — as they do in the case of HP Invest.

Why This Structure Appeals to Global Investors

In an age where more conventional migration pathways have narrowed, this model offers rare alignment between investor intentions and regulatory frameworks.

On the one hand, it provides a tangible asset-backed investment — not a paper company, nor a synthetic fund. On the other, it unlocks residency in Portugal, a country that continues to attract international residents for its political stability, mild taxation, and quality of life.

This is not a case of compliance for compliance’s sake. It’s a thoughtful structure: European legal footing, British real estate foundation, and international investor access.

The Role of the Harland & Poston Group

Any structure of this kind is only as strong as the entity behind it. The Harland & Poston Group began as a modest consultancy in Portugal in 2017 and has since evolved into a €500 million multinational operator, spanning real estate, visa consultancy, hospitality development and investment advisory.

Led by co-founders David Poston and Gary Harland, the Group now runs operations through a network of offices in Lisbon, Manchester, Dubai, Athens, and Hong Kong — with over 70 professionals representing 17 nationalities.

Its portfolio is as diverse as it is dynamic. In Portugal, it includes Fonte Santa Resort and Portimão Hotel in the Algarve, central Lisbon’s Matria Co-working hub, and a series of premium refurbishments. In the UK, alongside Formby Hall, the Group is behind the expansive Cook Street Urban Gardens in Glasgow — a 1,200-unit and 50.000 sqm regeneration project.

The Harland & Poston Group is a seasoned player with the track record and infrastructure to handle cross-jurisdictional projects of substance.

Harland and Poston Group’s CEO David Poston (left) and CFO Gary Harland (right)

What Investors Can Expect

Investors in Formby Hall — via HP Invest — gain not just residency exposure, but a seat at the table of a significant hospitality redevelopment.

The financial model is built around:

• Revenue shares from the operational uplift of Formby Hall post-refurbishment
• Asset-backed security tied to a historically valued property
• D2 Visa eligibility through Portuguese corporate ownership

Minimum investment thresholds apply, and applicants are subject to standard due diligence. But there’s no need to purchase residential property, no reliance on lease-back schemes, and no commitment to physical relocation — unless, of course, one wishes to reside in Portugal.

A Quiet Evolution in Investment Migration

This hybrid model — capital invested in a UK property; residency gained through Portugal — signals a deeper trend in the investor mobility space.

We’re seeing the blending of commercial logic with migration policy, where investors no longer accept suboptimal projects simply for the sake of immigration status. The expectation is shifting high-quality assets, strong management, regulatory clarity — and meaningful personal or professional benefit.

In the wake of Portugal’s curtailed Golden Visa routes and the UK’s increasingly inhospitable stance on investor migration, this model provides balance. It leverages the operational reliability of British real estate with the legal openness of the Portuguese residency framework.

Looking Ahead

Further UK acquisitions by the Harland & Poston Group are in the pipeline, with a vision to replicating this cross-border model. In doing so, they’re building a platform that does more than shelter capital — it activates it.

CEO David Poston summarised the strategy succinctly:

“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.”

For investors navigating today’s complex landscape, that coherence may be the most valuable commodity of all.