This week’s exclusive one-on-one interview is with Richard Beal, who in the role of managing director and chairman, celebrates the family-run Beal Homes’ 50th anniversary with a very busy year and its latest range of high-quality developments.
Please tell us about yourself and Beal Homes in its 50th year.
This year has been a major milestone for Beal Homes as it’s now 50 years since we were founded by my father, John, and my late uncle Raymond. Back then, the first project was just two shops and a house. Now we’re about to submit a planning application for our biggest single scheme, so we’ve come a long way!
I joined the company in 1988, working on building sites and in all aspects of the business. I became managing director in 1996 and in 2010 also succeeded my father as chairman.
This year has been our busiest ever. Our workforce is growing and we’re delivering a series of prestigious developments. It’s a very exciting time.
What projects is the company currently working on?
We’re really excited by the quality and range of developments we’re currently working on, all in our heartland of Hull, East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.
We’re close to completing our flagship West Hill development of 130 mainly detached homes in Willerby, East Yorkshire, which has been a huge success.
With top prices at over £500,000, West Hill has set a new benchmark for developments of this size in East Yorkshire. Most importantly, buyers at West Hill simply love the place. In customer surveys over 90% rated the overall experience as excellent and 98% said they would recommend Beal to family and friends.
We’re also working with another long-established local company, Wykeland Group, to create Hull’s first urban village in the Fruit Market waterfront district. As part of that we’re building a community of mews-style homes, with almost half of the 101 properties already reserved off-plan.
Is there one that you think is particularly impressive?
We’re very excited about the Fruit Market development because of the vital role it plays in the wider regeneration of the area and because it’s the first residential development of its kind in Hull.
It will create a unique new community offering the contemporary lifestyle and energetic vibe seen in the most vibrant areas of other major cities, within an area buzzing with creativity and culture.
What do you build that is especially popular, and what makes them so in-demand?
We build the full range, from our ‘First Step’ homes for first-time buyers up to our ‘Signature’ range of executive properties. Every property is a design-and-build project, with the opportunity for the buyer to create their own bespoke internal layout.
The common element is that all our properties are high-quality homes in developments that enhance local communities and where people love to live.
Our reputation for quality and service also drives demand. We’ve been named as Yorkshire Housebuilder of the Year three times in as many years and this sets us apart from our competitors.
Does the Beal Homes portfolio have something to appeal to all kinds of buyers, such as first-timers, growing families, downsizers and investors?
Yes, our portfolio covers all bases. We offer 24 different property types, from one-bedroom homes for first-time buyers to top-of-the-range, six-bedroom luxury properties. All of them are bespoke-designed to our customers’ tastes.
In fact, in the Fruit Market our buyers range from a couple who are both just 20 to a retired lady of 79!
Several of our developments in the Kingswood neighbourhood of Hull have included our ‘First Step’ range of homes for first-time buyers and the Fruit Market development is also attractive to entrants to the property market, as well as investors attracted by the opportunities available in a city benefiting from so much investment.
Our core market is families who want homes that offer the very latest in contemporary living, with the opportunity to customise their Beal home to suit their lifestyle perfectly.
In a competitive market, what's the Beal Homes USP?
What really sets us apart from other housebuilders is our commitment to create homes unique to every buyer.
Our customers are at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we offer a uniquely personal experience to every Beal buyer, consistent with our inspiring vision to create exceptional homes as individual as our customers.
It’s what we call the Beal difference and it’s made possible through our unique Customer Selection Studio, where every homebuyer works with our expert design team to develop a bespoke internal layout and select from an extensive range of fixtures, fittings and finishes.
In fact, we believe we’re the only housebuilder of our size or larger offering fully customised specifications across the entire range of property types.
Do many buyers need, or like to use, schemes such as Help to Buy?
We’re committed to doing all we can to help our customers move into a Beal home. We realise every customer’s circumstances are different and that’s why we offer a wide range of options to help make it as easy and affordable as possible.
We’re strong supporters of Help to Buy, which has helped more than 350,000 buyers across the country – the vast majority of them to gain their first foothold on the property ladder.
The housing market is the anchor of the economy and the housebuilding industry provides a massive economic stimulus. Given austerity and how constrained household incomes have been over recent years, it is hard to imagine how the property market could have remained healthy without Help to Buy.
What's coming up from Beal Homes over the next few months?
Our growth shows no sign of slowing up. We’ve just announced an exclusive development in Beverley, East Yorkshire, which is frequently rated as one of the best places in Britain to live, and we have secured planning approval for a major development of almost 300 homes in Welton, Lincolnshire.
We’re also just about to apply for planning permission for a development of 800 homes in Goole, East Yorkshire, which will be the biggest single development we have ever delivered.
We see Goole as an up-and-coming area enjoying significant investment and growth. It’s also well located for travelling to work in Hull, Leeds or York. This development will reinforce our position as Yorkshire and Lincolnshire’s leading private housebuilder.