The largest event in UK housebuilding has ended with Churchill Retirement Living being crowned WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year 2016, in front of 1,700 industry peers at the Grosvenor House Hotel this afternoon.
The specialist developer, which builds around 500 homes per year exclusively for people aged 55 and above, also picked up the title Medium Housebuilder of the Year and a Silver for Best Retirement Development.
Berkeley Homes was named Large Housebuilder of the Year (those building more than 1,000 new homes over 12 months) in addition to four other Awards, with Spitfire Bespoke Homes handed the Gold in Best Small Housebuilder (for those completing under 100 new homes annually). Trivselhus by Esh took the title of Sustainable Housebuilder of the Year, while Network Homes, which won a Gold and Bronze for starter homes schemes in Greater London, took the title of Housing Association of the Year.
Last year’s Housebuilder of the Year Hill, which has seen a very busy last 12 months, narrowly missed out on retaining the crown, but still won a Silver for Best Medium Housebuilder, Bronze for Sustainable Housebuilder of the Year and Golds for Best House and Best Development.
In all, the WhatHouse? Awards 2016 Gala Luncheon in the Great Room of the five-star Park Lane hotel saw the independent judging panel name Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in 19 categories before the Housebuilder of the Year was announced by host William Hague, former leader of the Conservative Party and Foreign Secretary.
Other major winners include Crest Nicholson, with three Awards (Best House, Best Partnership Scheme, Best Mixed-Use Scheme), London Square (Best Medium Housebuilder, Best Luxury Development, Best Mixed-Use Scheme) and Audley Retirement (Best Medium Housebuilder, Best Retirement Development, Best Interior Design)
Rupert Bates, editorial director of Whathouse.com and head of the judging panel, says: “[It's] the day the new homes flag flies highest. The industry has many challenges ahead, but for now let us celebrate the best new homes in Britain. We would like to thank all the housebuilders, suppliers and other industry colleagues who have once again supported this great event.”
Here’s the full list of winners from this year’s WhatHouse? Awards, download the Judges' Report (pictured) for all the details:
Housebuilder of the Year
Churchill Retirement Living
Best Large Housebuilder – sponsored by Roca
Gold, Berkeley Homes
Silver, Redrow Homes ; CALA Homes
Bronze, Barratt Developments
Best Medium Housebuilder – sponsored by N+C
Gold, Churchill Retirement Living
Silver, Hill ; City & Country Group
Bronze, Audley Retirement ; London Square
Best Small Housebuilder – sponsored by Jablite
Gold, Spitfire Bespoke Homes
Silver, Metis Homes
Bronze, Wyatt Homes ; Langton Homes
Sustainable Housebuilder of the Year – sponsored by NHBC
Gold, Trivselhus by Esh
Silver, Linden Homes
Bronze, Hill
Housing Association of the Year – sponsored by What House Digital
Gold, Network Homes
Silver, NU Living/Swan Housing Association
Bronze, Peabody Trust ; Sentinel Housing Association
Best Starter Home Scheme – sponsored by Sky
Gold, Network Homes, The Junction, London SW9 ; St Modwen, Glan Llyn, Newport, Wales
Silver, Kier Living, Balaam Wood, Birmingham
Bronze, Network Homes, Lime Walk, Wembley, London
Best House – sponsored by Nolte Kitchens
Gold, Hill, 'The Longstowe', Ninewells, Cambridge
Silver, Turnwood, 'Park View', Chesterton, Cambridge ; Millgate, Plot 13, Sundridge Park, Bromley, London
Bronze, Crest Nicholson, The Villas, Bath Riverside, Somerset ; Fruition Properties, 8 Merchant Terrace, Hammersmith, London W12
Best Apartment – sponsored by Warwick Estates
Gold, Ipsus Developments, Ipsus 08, Blackfriars, London SE1
Silver, A2Dominion/FABRICA, City Wharf, London N1
Bronze, Berkeley Homes, One Tower Bridge, London SE1 ; Berkeley Homes, Abell & Cleland House, London SW1
Best Luxury House – sponsored by Alexander James
Gold, Huntsmere, ‘Franklyn’, Alderley Edge, Cheshire
Silver, Octagon, ‘High Ridge’, Oxshott, Surrey ; Henley Homes, 20 Linksway, Northwood, London
Bronze, Aspire, Kings Chase, Oxshott, Surrey
Best Renovation – sponsored by Jackson-Stops & Staff
Gold, City & Country, The Mansion Apartments, King Edward VII Estate, Midhurst, West Sussex
Silver, Thomas Homes, Old Railway Quarter, Swindon, Wiltshire
Bronze, Esquire Developments, Hazells Farm, Northfleet Green, Kent
Best Development – sponsored by Beko
Gold, Hill, Ninewells, Cambridge
Silver, Durkan Estates, The Academy, Woolwich, London
Bronze, Developing London, Clock House Gardens, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire ; Millgate, Woolley Hall, Maidenhead, Berkshire
Best Partnership Scheme – sponsored by Thomas Gray
Gold, Crest Nicholson, Park Central, Birmingham
Silver, Hill, Ilan Square, Hackney, London E5
Bronze, St James, Vauxhall City Farm, London SE11
Best Luxury Development – sponsored by Laufen
Gold, London Square, Star & Garter, Richmond, London
Silver, Millgate, Englemere, Ascot, Berkshire
Bronze, Berkeley Homes, One Tower Bridge, London SE1
Best Mixed-Use Scheme – sponsored by Aldermore
Gold, Quartermile Developments, Quartermile, Edinburgh ; St George, Fulham Reach, Hammersmith, London
Silver, London Square, London Square Putney, London
Bronze, Crest Nicholson, Harbourside, Bristol
Best Retirement Development – sponsored by Show House
Gold, Audley Retirement, Audley Chalfont Dene, Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire
Silver, Anchor, Hampshire Lakes, Yateley, Hampshire ; Churchill Retirement Living, Hawthorn Lodge, Farnham, Surrey
Bronze, McCarthy & Stone, Constance Place, Knebworth, Hertfordshire
Best Regeneration Scheme – sponsored by Kerry London
Gold, Berkeley Homes, Woodberry Down, London N4
Silver, Miller Homes, Varsity North, Edinburgh ; Network Homes, Park Heights, Stockwell, London
Bronze, Bower Mapson, The Buttercross, Witney, Oxfordshire ; Inspired Homes, Green Dragon House, Croydon, London
Best Interior Design – sponsored by Green Lighting
Gold, Audley Retirement, Audley Chalfont Dene, Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire
Silver, Oakmayne Bespoke, The Fitzbourne, Marylebone, London W1
Bronze, Telford Homes, ‘The Triplex Penthouse’, Parliament House, London SE11 ; London Square, Star & Garter, Richmond, London
Best Exterior Design – sponsored by Ibstock
Gold, A2Dominion/FABRICA, City Wharf, London N1
Silver, Hill, Ilan Square, Hackney, London E5
Bronze, David Wilson Homes, Leithfield Park, Godalming, Surrey
Best Public Realm - sponsored by TCL
Gold, Berkeley Homes, Goodmans Fields, London E1