£70 million into Kent over the next five years from Barratt & David Wilson Homes

Kent housebuilder Barratt and David Wilson Homes, has revealed the social impact of its ongoing development in the county, demonstrating how the creation of new homes can strengthen local communities, create employment and generate sustained local investment in the long term.

The report reveals the housebuilder’s socio-economic footprint for 2023[1], highlighting its £10 million+ investment into local communities through its Section 106 levy, alongside infrastructure upgrades including highways improvements and community facilities, and a further £100,000 charitable donations to keystone community organisations. The report also reveals that £5.8m has been invested back into local communities in the last year alone, thanks to resident spending in shops and on local services.

Key data from the report includes:

• £11.5 million spent on suppliers and sub contractors, contributing £133.7 million to the national economy.
• 4.2 jobs created for every house built by Barratt David Wilson – a total of 1,285 in 2023.
• Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy contributions total £3.1 million.
• A total of £7.5 million expenditure on physical works, including highway and environmental improvements, affordable homes and local facilities.
• Taxation generated from corporation tax, NI, PAYE and local council tax totals £12.8 million.
• 28% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to previous year, and 25% reduction in construction waste compared to 2015 benchmark.

The release of the report coincides with a recently launched video, which highlights Barratt David Wilson Kent’s forecast spending of £73.5 million over the next five years, and interviews some of the key community case studies that have already benefited from the housebuilder’s support.

William Walsh, Managing Director for Barratt David Wilson Kent, comments: “Providing for local communities across Kent is a vital part of our responsibility when building new homes. Our investment, whether through Section 106 agreements with local councils, expenditure within our supply chain, or the creation of jobs, plays a crucial role helping local communities to not just survive, but thrive. Every link in the chain plays an important role in supporting the local economy – for example, and in the last year alone, our new residents have generated millions by spending in local shops and on key services. As we enter a new calendar year, we remain committed to delivering meaningful support to individuals and communities wherever we build new homes.”

Barratt Developments plc is the country’s leading housebuilder. Barratt is committed to building quality homes and this year received more NHBC Pride in the Job Quality awards than any other housebuilder for the 19th year in a row and was awarded 5 stars by the HBF for customer satisfaction for the 14th year in a row

The video details the housebuilder’s support for local schools, education, charities, health services and apprentices, explaining its long-standing legacy within Kent. Highlighted in the footage is Barratt David Wilson Kent’s apprenticeship offering which supports young people in the local community to find employment opportunities.

Aside from apprenticeship and employer opportunities, Barratt David Wilson Kent also works with a range of community groups, including charities and local individuals. Just one is the housebuilder’s Charity of The Year 2023, Porchlight, which is a homeless charity based in Canterbury.

Natalie Perry, Director of Sales & Marketing Director at Barratt David Wilson Kent, comments: “As a sustainable housebuilder that is creating new homes to live in across Kent, we want to be able to work with, and not against, local communities when building in their areas. Building a strong community is a real cornerstone for us at Barratt David Wilson Kent and without it we wouldn’t be able to build and provide the homes that we do. Liaising with vital groups who are the pillar of communities is at the top of our priority list. We want to invest both our time and money into understanding the needs of our people in Kent, and how we can help. From Hythe to Ramsgate, we are committed to community investment for as long as we are building in these areas, and far beyond that too.”

To watch Barratt David Wilson Kent’s Community Investment Video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MYBX_NtFck&t=111s.

View the developments in Kent from Barratt and David Wilson Homes