One Year On: WhatHouse? Award-Winner Hayfield

The title of WhatHouse? Housebuilder of the Year is the most prized in the UK’s new homes industry and in advance of the 2022 WhatHouse? Awards event, taking place on Friday 18 November, we review the holder of the top accolade from 2021, and a winner in several other categories – Hayfield.

Before receiving the overall title, earlier in the day Hayfield had been given the Gold award for Best Medium Housebuilder. With a number of live sites in the East Anglia, South East and South West of England, the company was building a host of house types for different requirements and budgets, using a high standard specification including things like air source heat pumps, underfloor heating, EV charging points and ultra-fast broadband. Green space and environmental considerations are also a part of its policy

The judges also pointed out Hayfield’s exceptional customer rating – 96.4% of buyers would recommend the company to a friend – and its numerous purchaser initiatives to save those customers time, hassle and money. They summarised by describing Hayfield as “a worthy gold winner in an incredibly competitive and impressive category.”

With the announcement of the overall title, they continued: “It has taken just five years for Hayfield to reach the pinnacle of British housebuilding. It is a rare to see such a young housebuilder evolve such a distinctive brand so swiftly, shaking up its bigger competitors.”

These prizes were not the only ones Hayfield picked up at the 2021 Awards event. There was a Gold in the Best Public Realm category for its Hayfield Green development in Stanton Harcourt, Oxfordshire, based on “a rare fusion of aviation history, biodiversity and architectural style and sympathy”. This scheme comprises 66 private and affordable homes – now fully sold out – and as well as the retention and creation of landscaped areas and mature trees, there is a notable recognition of the heritage of the development’s site as a former World War II airfield with restored blast shelters and an air-raid shelter, an old water tower and guard room which will be used by the parish council as a community hub, and a bronze memorial for RAF Stanton Harcourt was unveiled.

‘The Hanwell’ show home

Hayfield also received Bronze in the Best Interior Design category for ‘The Hanwell’ show home at Hayfield Wood in Broad Blunsdon, Wiltshire. “The decision to decorate the house in monochrome colours was a good one,” said the judges, “and Gemma Schofield of Lifestyle Interiors has a magic touch, creating a stylish and sophisticated design on a tight budget, which proves you can be an award winner without throwing loads of money at the interior design.”

Both Hayfield Green and Hayfield Wood are also fully sold out, demonstrating the demand for homes of this quality.

Shelley West, Hayfield regional sales director, said: “It was a great honour to be recognised across four categories at last year’s WhatHouse? Awards, but to be named Housebuilder of the Year was the pinnacle of the event and gave us a whole new confidence in our own brand.

“Every member of the team is proud to say they work for an award-winning homebuilder, and it has made us all determined to raise the bar further every day.

“These accolades provide a highly positive message to our customers and the communities in which we build. It’s been incredible to say we are the Housebuilder of the Year!”

Find out more about current Hayfield developments.