The Saint George development, set in woodland on the edge of Morpeth.
In a year which saw the focus on the UK’s housing crisis sharpen, a rapidly growing North East developer continued to make its mark in the region.
Galliford Try Partnerships North and its new home-building brand – Linden Homes – saw turnover climb to around £60 million as it delivered on its pledge to improve the quality and choice of homes for all.
In partnership with the region’s top registered housing providers, it constructed properties for affordable rent and shared ownership, as well as building high specification Linden Homes for sale on the open market. Around 500 new homes were completed and with a string of new sites in the pipeline, 2018 looks set to be an even busier year.
Highlights have included the completion of Extra Care facilities for the over 55’s in North and South Tyneside and Redcar and the launch of new phases of developments for sale at Birtley, Blyth, Gateshead and Morpeth.
Managing Director, Sean Egan, who joined the business in August, said: “I want to make this business the strongest regeneration organisation in the North East; the partner of choice for housing providers and developers of the very best new mixed tenure communities.
“In parallel, our Linden Homes brand has the skills and expertise to deliver high quality homes for sale in which communities can thrive and grow. It’s already well established and has more exciting initiatives on the horizon.
“The government’s recent commitment to meet the growing housing shortage means there is huge potential for new work across all housing tenures and our unique hybrid contractor-developer business model is well placed to capitalise on the opportunity.
“I am confident we can further build on the platform that’s already been achieved in the North East. Turnover has grown from around £9 million to £60 million over the past five years and I anticipate further growth as we establish a very strong reputation with housing providers and home buyers.”
Prime examples of Linden Homes’ success are its two Morpeth developments. Saint George is part of a £90 million initiative involving the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).
Here, Linden Homes will create 374 properties – from two bedroomed apartments to five bedroomed houses – set in picturesque woodland and close to the town centre. The first phase, comprising 119 homes, of which 83 are for outright sale and 14 for shared ownership is progressing well, with the highest levels of customer satisfaction.
Just a mile away, opposite the market town’s golf club, is The Fairways, an exclusive development of 39 homes. Again, business is brisk, which Sales Director, Tracy Iles, attributes to the fantastic value the homes represent: “The designs, high quality specification, overall size and finish are key selling points,” she says.
The commitment to quality is further demonstrated by the award of the Seal of Excellence, from the National House Building Council, to The Saint George site manager, Steve Bellamy. He is the only site manager in Northumberland – and one of only seven in the whole of the North East – to be achieving such high standards.
Further success has come through the Gateshead Regeneration Partnership, in which Galliford Try Partnerships North and Linden Homes are working to transform up to 19 neighbourhoods across the borough.
This ambitious partnership, also involving Gateshead Council and Home Group – with support from the HCA – is investing £350 million in the development of up to 2,400 new homes over the next 15 years.
Phase one, providing the first 309 of these, is now approaching completion. The first development, The Sycamores in Birtley, proved extremely popular and so the next stage of development here – The Aspens – is under construction and is also selling quickly.
The Trilogy I development, off Saltwell Road, Gateshead, is changing streetscapes almost beyond recognition with tired and semi derelict flats and terraced properties making way for modern, energy efficient family homes around a green courtyard.
Just as importantly, the project is providing jobs and training for local people, with three apprentices and 11 previously unemployed local people now in work. Overall, a quarter of the jobs and apprenticeships created by the entire project will be filled by Gateshead people and 25% of the contract value will be spent within the borough.
The homes have proved popular with local people. More than half of the buyers are from within the borough and all but 14% are from the North East.
First buyer, Colin Twist, said: “These homes provide great value which we’ve not seen matched by any other builder in the area. They are also unique to the development, which added to the attraction for us.”
Looking ahead to the New Year, Sean Egan said: “There is optimism right across the business with developments just underway, or about to begin and we are confident that many of the new projects for which we are bidding will come to fruition, ensuring the order book is full throughout 2018.”
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