No entry is required for this category, as the award will be made exclusively from online entries received in categories 2, 3 and 4.

This is our top award and the most coveted prize in British housebuilding – the ultimate new homes accolade.

It is important that all housebuilders, large, medium and small, enter into either category 2, 3, or 4 to be eligible for the top award.

As well as the quality, design and range of the houses built, all aspects of the housebuilder’s performance will be assessed, including: the influence of senior management, staff values, recruitment & training, sustainability initiatives, marketing, homebuying assistance schemes, aftersales service and customer care, etc.

This is not an award for the biggest or most conspicuous; it is an award for the best and is open to all housebuilders, large or small who enter categories 2, 3 and 4.

(1,000 units or more a year. Please state number)

This is an important category for all volume housebuilders in the UK to enter. If you do not enter your company into this category you will not be eligible to compete for Housebuilder of the Year.

As well as the quality, design and range of the houses built, all aspects of the housebuilder’s performance will be assessed, including: the influence of senior management, staff values, recruitment & training, sustainability initiatives, social impact, marketing, homebuying assistance schemes, aftersales service and customer care, etc. This award is only open to companies building at least 1,000 units a year.

All entrants in this category will automatically be considered for the Housebuilder of the Year award.

(100-999 units a year. Please state number)

This is an important category for all medium-size housebuilders in the UK to enter. If you do not enter your company into this category you will not be eligible to compete for Housebuilder of the Year.

As well as the quality, design and range of the houses built, all aspects of the housebuilder’s performance will be assessed, including: the influence of senior management, staff values, recruitment & training, sustainability initiatives, social impact, marketing, homebuying assistance schemes, aftersales service and customer care, etc. This award is only open to companies building between 100 and 999 units a year.

All entrants in this category will automatically be considered for the Housebuilder of the Year award.

(Less than 100 units a year. Please state number)

This is an important category for all small housebuilders in the UK to enter. If you do not enter your company into this category you will not be eligible to compete for Housebuilder of the Year.

As well as the quality, design and range of the houses built, all aspects of the housebuilder’s performance will be assessed, including: the influence of senior management, staff values, recruitment & training, sustainability initiatives, social impact, marketing, homebuying assistance schemes, aftersales service and customer care. This award is only open to companies building less than 100 units a year. This is an opportunity for brand new companies having recently completed their first developments, or established small, niche housebuilders.

All entrants in this category will automatically be considered for the Housebuilder of the Year award.

This category recognises the significant growth of build to rent schemes, with judges looking for the best developers and operators in this increasingly significant and influential asset class. This is for developers operating across the sector’s eco-system, whether they are delivering tailored apartments, single family housing, senior living, or purposebuilt student accommodation (PBSA).

Entries should showcase relevant developments and the property management companies, highlighting the importance of design, location, amenities, value-for-money, interactive social hubs, working space and leisure facilities, as well as dedicated onsite services to support the needs of the tenants.

Cutting-edge technology and design and innovative product and lifestyle partnerships will be considered, together with all aspects of the developer’s performance, leading the way in the BTR sector, including the influence of senior management, staff values, recruitment & training, sustainability initiatives, marketing, social impact and customer care.

An award for the best developers serving the retirement home community. Judges will be looking at the overall package of home support and care provided for residents. Development designs and product quality across the portfolio, including accessibility, adaptability and use of technology to support residents, will be considered, as well as the quality of additional services and leisure amenities in delivering outstanding homes and care facilities.

The developer’s overall commitment and contribution to the promotion and enhancement of retirement living is also important.

This category covers age-restricted housing, sheltered accommodation, assisted senior living and retirement villages and developments, offering a wide range of care options to residents.

With ever-increasing mortgage criteria to meet, the judges are looking at starter homes – either standalone developments or within wider housing schemes – that not only offer quality, value-for-money properties for entry-level budgets but also provide accessible pathways to homeownership.

Shared ownership plays a crucial role in this, offering first-time buyers a more affordable route onto the housing ladder. The category also welcomes entries from affordable housing schemes led by housing associations, shared equity initiatives, mixedtenure projects, and joint ventures between the private and public sectors.

The Best House award is for middlemarket houses with that something extra – a high-quality family home of exceptional standard. Between the firsttime buyer and the big-money executive lies a mass new homes market. What judges are looking for is a house that combines comfortable family living at a realistic price, but with the edge to lift it above its competitors. Not too big and not too small, both affordable and aspirational.

Judges want to see evidence of a minimum of three of the house types, either on one scheme or across multiple developments. Please include price, size and locations.

This is not an award for a bespoke, one-off house (see Best Luxury House category).

This category recognises housebuilders and their supply chain who have gone above and beyond in tackling household bills and the cost of living, allied to smart, connected technology to support and augment the running and performance of the home, including renewable energy products and the best broadband provision.

The integrated home must be intelligent and efficient, but also practical and functional, meeting consumers’ needs and expectations, with design and build quality still core values. Homes that marry energy efficiency with smart technology and sustainable materials.

This may be a block of onebedroom apartments at a budget price for first-time buyers, a luxury waterfront apartment scheme, or a stylish high-rise development. Judges will be looking at the internal layout, elevational treatments and architectural innovation, while considering the relative price range and the overall quality of the scheme.

A one-off bespoke house on a single plot or a luxurious, individually designed property on a small, exclusive development. This is the brand-new home that has everything – and a little bit more, that twist that lifts it above its peers.

Luxury and quality, but value for money in an exalted price range. Entrants should provide details of price and size.

This award recognises enterprising development of dated or derelict property.

Exterior and interior appearance as well as interesting adaptation of original features will be considered. Before and after images are key.

Is your site the Best Development in Britain?

Judges will be looking for a stylish mix of original designs, top-quality site layout and landscaping, a variety of external elevations and plenty of design flair inside and out.

This is not an award for luxury, but an award for a mass-market development lifted above the ordinary by the quality of its component parts, be it geared to first-time buyers, the middle market, or a mix of properties across the price range.

This award is designed to highlight the excellent partnerships, or joint ventures, forged between developers and other bodies, be they housing associations, local councils, retailers, or any other sectors or institutions partnering with housebuilders to meet housing need.

This category is for a top-of-the-range development of executive homes, with an unswerving commitment to design, finish, landscaping, security, sustainability and customer care.

Top houses for top people at premium prices, be it swanky riverside apartments, or a millionaires' row of new-build mansions, set in luxurious surroundings. The development should offer value for money, albeit in an exalted price range.
 

This category recognises the increasing importance and number of mixed-use schemes. Judges will be looking for developments with a range of different facilities and amenities and how they contribute to the economic and social enhancement of the neighbourhood.

The development could be a large urban scheme, or a smaller scale, local mixeduse project. All developments must have a residential element, combined with commercial, retail, leisure, or other relevant uses.

This category will reward housebuilders developing schemes that are an exemplary response to cutting carbon emissions and enhancing biodiversity, be they urban projects or a rural housing development. T

he development must be innovative and demonstrate sustainability from land acquisition through planning, design, supply chain, materials and building techniques. Winning projects will not only be energy-efficient but must support the environment, as well as have positive social impact.

The housebuilder should also demonstrate a culture of sustainability throughout its business and supply chain.

Awards for developers who demonstrate a commitment to the inner city and urban renewal, or rural regeneration, including new build on derelict land, brownfield sites or refurbishment of existing housing stock.

Regeneration of brownfield sites is at the forefront of the housing debate and this category should provide outstanding
examples of the housebuilder as an engine of growth and renewal.

This category recognises both interior design and interior architecture – the quality of the internal layouts, as well as furnishing and specifying trends and interpretations.

How has the space been best utilised and has the full potential of the finished product been expertly showcased to the consumer?

Interior designers and architects, who should be credited in entry submissions, are invited to encourage their housebuilder clients to enter. The submitted properties should be available to view and supported by extensive photography.

This category is for the best looker.  A striking housetype, façade or development profile, oozing kerb appeal and style. It does not have to shout loudly or show a lavish face and could be in the vernacular style of the area, or thoroughly modern and mould-breaking architecture.
 

This category embraces every aspect of placemaking and public realm, including the vital commitment to biodiversity across both urban and rural landscapes.

Judges are looking for housing developments amid wider communities that support and enhance nature-based solutions, showcasing renewable energy infrastructure, conservation and ecology, working in partnership with experts and other key stakeholders. As well as the natural environment, entrants must also champion civic pride and public open space, be it through cultural attractions or community projects and show a commitment to the health and well-being of residents.

This category is open to housebuilders, large and small, but also progressive landed estates across the country, with residential schemes, partnerships with housebuilders, as part of the estate’s wider business portfolio – developers as custodians and legacy builders, seeking long-term collaboration and legacy to meet housing need across all tenures.