Posted 17 November 2016 by
Keith OsborneOn the eve of the 35th WhatHouse? Awards, we chat to the sales director of our current Housebuilder of the Year and ask Tony Woodman how the last 12 months with the title have been for this fast-growing company.
Hi Tony, please tell us a little about yourself and Hill.
As the sales director at Hill I oversee our residential developments across London and the South East. Hill is a UK top 15 housebuilder and we pride ourselves on delivering a variety of bespoke developments, including family homes, first-time buyer apartments, regeneration projects, as well as communities for those aged over 55.
The company swept the board at last year's WhatHouse? Awards, with eight wins and the Housebuilder of the Year title - how have the subsequent 12 months been?
Last year’s fantastic wins drove this year’s whirlwind of activity and planning. We were really proud to win the top accolade, Housebuilder of the Year, and we promoted this widely across the business from our site hoardings and website through to our stationery and customer service vans. There was a surge in prospective buyers visiting our show homes thanks to our new award-winning status and since then we have also welcomed a host of exceptional talent to our growing team. Colin Campbell, our new head of strategic land, and Chris Walker, our new regional director for the western region, both said that our WhatHouse? Awards and positive ethos played a key role in their decision to come on board.
What developments are you currently working on?
We are currently working on a fantastic array of developments, from London to Cambridge, north Norfolk to Surrey, west out to Oxford, including our four-bedroom family homes at Sycamore Gardens in Epsom and our duplex apartments at Base17 in Elephant & Castle.
Our urban extension projects at Barton Park, Oxford, and north-west Cambridge are particularly innovative. We are working with Oxford City Council and Grosvenor Estates on Barton Park and with the University of Cambridge on North West Cambridge to bring more homes to these growing cities. We are really building a strong reputation for delivering joint venture projects through our high standards and ability to meet partners expectations. The fact we have so many on the go is testament to that.
Is there a "star" development performing especially well, and what are the qualities that you think are attracting buyers?
Currently Ninewells is the jewel in our crown. The award-winning scheme combines both great design with beautiful countryside views to draw in prospective buyers. The development was designed to sit seamlessly with the surrounding Gog Magog Downs and it has attracted buyers who would have been put off buying a new build previously.
The bespoke artwork, natural landscaping and community atmosphere reminds them of traditional village life and has helped many buyers make the transition from period property to new home very easily. It is also just a 12-minute cycle ride from the city centre and Cambridge train station, which means it can provide buyers with the perfect work/life balance - especially for those with a busy professional or commuter lifestyle who want to return home to a tranquil and relaxing environment.
Do you find homebuyers value the award-winning status of your company and individual developments?
Our customers certainly value the award-winning status and like to associate themselves with the fantastic quality homes that we provide. There’s nothing like telling your friends that you live on an award-winning development.
Are schemes such as Help to Buy taken up by many of your buyers?
Help to Buy is a fantastic government scheme which is really opening doors for first-time buyers. We have seen many of them use it to get onto the first rung of the housing ladder at our Magna and Base17 developments. Our team provides first-time buyers with the advice and guidance they need when taking that first step, which helps them to identify the best route to secure their own home, which is often much more affordable than they thought.
Have the political and economic changes since the referendum made much difference to the UK property market?
Brexit was a shock for everyone and while there were concerns that it would have an impact on the housing market, we’re now more than four months in and we have not seen any lasting effects - it’s very much business as usual. The need for new homes is most certainly still a fundamental aim for the government, and we are continuing to increase the number of new homes we build and also the number of employees we recruit over the coming year.
How do you think the latest housing minister, Gavin Barwell, can make a difference to the industry and to buyers?
One question is whether he will take any steps to ensure the Help to Buy equity loan and Help to Buy ISA stay alive and kicking post-2020. These schemes are helping those who might not otherwise have been able to fulfil their dream of homeownership, get on the housing ladder. Their discontinuation would be devastating for first-time buyers and we urge the government to keep them in place.
What are your thoughts on how the market in the regions you're building in will perform in 2017?
We are not expecting much change in where we operate and expect sales to progress as they did post-Brexit. In Oxford, where there are too few new homes being built, we are expecting a lot of interest in our Barton Park development. This is the first significant residential scheme to be built there for many years and we can’t wait to see it progress!