<b><b>Jeremy Gates talks to Manor Kingdom Homes managing director Keith Punler following his acquisition of Berkeley subsidiary St Andrew </b></b><br><b>Keith Punler is the first man in living memory to prise a housebuilding company out of the formidable grasp of Tony Pidgley senior. The £25 million acquisition of Berkeley subsidiary St Andrew by the Manor Kingdom Homes boss offers his firm the chance to be what he calls a &amp;"national niche player&amp;". </b><br><b><b>Acquisition trail </b></b><br> By holding the St Andrew assets in a joint venture company with Bank of Scotland, 36 year old Punler, a schoolboy signing by Dunfermline Athletic as a promising full back, retains 100% ownership of Manor Kingdom. <p></p><p>With the bank apparently happy to extend its high-profile investment in the housebuilding industry, there is every prospect that Manor Kingdom will soon return to the acquisition trail. Last year Punler launched a Surrey-based subsidiary promising one-off mansions up to £3 million. Rivals such as Octagon are not yet quaking in their boots, but they would be wise to sit up and take notice. </p><p>&amp;"We have set up the joint venture company on a 50-50 basis to position ourselves in the market more aggressively,&amp;" says Punler. &amp;"The five year business …