Narrow and undermining: ‘Living with Beauty’ recommendations disappoint leading housebuilder

Opinion piece from John Tutte, Executive Chairman of leading housebuilder Redrow

Titled ‘Living with Beauty’, many expected the Building Better Building Beautiful Commission’s report to be widely focused on how to build beautiful communities and homes for residents across the country at scale. Instead we’ve found it to be very narrow in its scope, and while it does offer some sensible solutions, it ultimately presents the industry with a number of additional challenges to overcome, leaving both housebuilders and planning departments potentially facing a dilemma about their implementation.

While the report does include some sensible suggestions, our hope was that it would offer solutions that recognise the range of property types available when creating beautiful places to live, such as the use of detached, semi-detached and terraced homes. Instead, it proposes blanket recommendations which undermine the integrity of consumer desires and regional buying patterns. Whilst there is acknowledgement within the report that the architectural style preferences of housebuilders’ customers are relevant and important, the report does not do the same for the types of homes. Indeed, it refers to a ‘powerful consensus’ that people want to live in higher ‘gentle’ density places (gentle densities being four storey terraces or five storey ‘mid-rise’ blocks).  However, a failure to explain the evidence behind this statement raises questions about its validity.  

We regularly conduct market research and have a keen understanding of our customers’ preferences and find a strong inclination amongst our customers outside of cities, such as London, for a detached or semi-detached property as opposed to any form of dense housing scheme. And, in fact, when it comes to creating a beautiful, sustainable, landscape-led place, we find that it is a range of typologies, including detached and semi-detached homes that offers the most potential. This is not to say that gentle density developments aren’t suitable for some communities across the country – but one size doesn’t fit all.

Many of the property examples contained within the report are bespoke schemes which are difficult and expensive to build. Unfortunately, the report largely ignores the recommendations provided to the Commission by the country’s top housebuilders. Sadly, while we contributed more than 100 pages to the Commission to help inform from the perspective of volume housebuilders, these thoughts have largely been overlooked, which is strange given that the top 10 UK housebuilders were responsible for selling more than 84,000 homes in 2018/19. 

Following much criticism in recent years – much of it valid – many housebuilders are already taking significant steps to ensure they are building high-quality and well-designed homes and indeed many of the proposed solutions outlined in the report are already being delivered across the country.

We are huge advocates of bringing back tree-lined streets for example. In many instances however a housebuilder’s vision of a ‘tree-lined street’ has been met with resistance from highway authorities and, as a result, high quality original concepts end up being watered down. This is largely down to authorities being concerned with the technical and financial challenges of maintaining the trees, as well as the liability of the perceived impact on highway safety and drainage systems. We find highway authorities in general must move with the times – if there was less hard surfacing, for example, it would moderate surface water run-off, and would also reduce the carbon emitted and allow for more land for biodiversity and foliage such a street trees.

We place a strong emphasis on creating high quality homes and thriving communities across England and Wales. It’s to this end that we established our ‘Redrow 8’, a set of eight placemaking principles which guide every community we create. Our design manual includes a clear scoring system which was created to help us develop the highest quality concepts and layouts for new schemes. It also helps us to understand how we are performing against each of our placemaking principles. The manual incorporates principles from a range of authoritative external sources, including the key urban design objectives from the Building for Life 12, the revised National Planning Policy Framework and the NHS, with a view to creating healthy communities. These values have played a pivotal role in our discussions with planning and local authorities who are hugely receptive and positive about the benefits they bring to local residents.

Our duty is to build homes that our customers desire so creating communities that they demand is at the forefront of our strategy. New homes need to be of their time, not rooted in the past and ignoring how people now live. For example, according to forecasts from Bloomberg New Energy Finance, UK electric vehicle sales will rise from 3.4% of all vehicles sold in 2019 to 5.5% in 2020 and this figure is only set to rise in years to come. Therefore, as an industry, we must continue adapting our product to reflect the impact of climate change by recognising customers’ preferences for more sustainable features such as conveniently located charging points.

We need less utopia and more down-to earth quality design appreciated by the man on the street. After all, they are the ones best placed to judge great places to live.

Redrow’s South Midlands division have excelled in designing a new state-of-the-art community centre, which is classified as a Zero Carbon building.

The Community Centre, which will host a range of activities, recently opened at Redrow’s Caddington Woods development in Chaul End. The Centre was constructed using similar practices to the homes on the development and will utilise renewable energy sources.

Redrow’s Group Sustainability Manager Nicola Johansen explained: “The community centre is classified as a Zero Carbon building due to the large number of solar photo voltaic panels on the roof which offset any carbon the building creates.”

In order to achieve a Zero Carbon building, Carbon Dioxide emissions were initially reduced through improvements to the design and layout of the building and to the thermal performance of the building fabric. A specific focus was also put on specifying higher levels of insulation for the floors, external walls, roof, and higher performance windows and doors. Other important measures include the use of energy-efficient light fittings (with occupancy sensors) and mechanical ventilation with low fan power.

Following on from the application of energy efficiency controls to reduce baseline energy consumption - various renewable energy technologies were considered for their economic benefits, technical feasibility and ability to meet with the overall Zero Carbon target.

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Panels were deemed the most feasible solution to meet the aspirations of Zero Carbon Dioxide emissions. Their installation is likely to offset just over 6.5 tonnes of CO₂ per annum and generate 12.6 MWh of electricity; which could mean that more than 5% of the building’s energy demand and/or CO₂ emissions would be offset using Solar PV’s.

The Community Centre was built on land which had little ecological value previously. Senior Project Co-ordinator, Scott Chamberlain, was part of the technical design team involved and added “It is amazing to see a tarmacked car park transform into a fully flourishing neighbourhood with areas for children to play and enjoy in safety.”

We are likely to see more Zero Carbon buildings like this in the future, as they do not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and are considered sustainable. Furthermore, Zero Carbon buildings have been identified as a key way that the Government can tackle the Climate Emergency.

We have been awarded a gold level status in this year’s NextGeneration Benchmark, retaining third place for the fourth year in a row.

The NextGeneration Benchmark assesses and ranks the sustainability performance of the UK’s 25 largest housebuilders. This year’s results were announced at the launch on 3rd December at an event which brought together developers and investors from across the sector. Despite new, tougher criteria and weightings introduced this year, we achieved a sustainability score of 76%, which is significantly above the industry average that sits at 32%.

This success follows us receiving the 2019 NextGeneration Innovation Award in June, which is awarded to a homebuilder that has demonstrated initiatives that go far beyond the criteria used for the benchmark. We were recognised for our commitment to supporting healthy communities by developing a unique social value calculator.

Limiting the environmental impact of our developments by building responsibly and creating thriving and desirable places to live are key parts of our strategy, and through the use of our design principles, we ensure social, environmental and economic aspects are incorporated into the communities we deliver. From guaranteeing that 99.9% of our timber was responsibly secured to ensuring 97.7% of our waste was diverted from landfill in 2019, we have continued to fulfil our company ethos of building responsibly.

We have also teamed up with The Wildlife Trusts to develop a robust group-wide wildlife strategy for all of our sites, and we are also partners with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, which has seen us introduce of a variety of pollinator-friendly measures, resulting in the implementation of hedgehog highway networks, bat bricks and bird boxes to encourage local wildlife.

Nicola Johansen,our group sustainability manager, commented: “We are thrilled to have maintained our gold status in the NextGeneration 2019 Benchmark for the fourth year in a row. At Redrow, our ethos is based on creating thriving communities by building responsibly and valuing people, and we do so by utilising our placemaking design principles which ensure social, environmental and economic aspects are incorporated into all our developments.

“For us, it’s important that a sense of sustainable community, culture and wellbeing grows from a very early point, and endures all the way through the build phases and beyond, and the NextGeneration benchmark is a vital tool that helps us make sure we are continuously improving in the right areas.”

NextGeneration is the only sustainable housing benchmark used by the majority of the UK’s largest homebuilders. It is overseen by an executive committee made up of Homes England and the UK Green Building Council.

To download the full report, please visit https://nextgeneration-initiative.co.uk/.

Redrow invest in facilities and infrastructure that benefit customers and the surrounding community.

This includes community and leisure facilities, transport infrastructure, educational funding, public art, green spaces; and affordable housing. In the process of contributing to community infrastructure, new jobs are also created; which helps to boost local economies.

During the financial year 2018-2019, Redrow contributed more than £66 million to local communities through Section 106 (S106) payments via planning obligations. The remaining £248 million in community investment were in the form of social and affordable housing.

Planning obligations under Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (commonly known as s106 agreements) are a mechanism which make a development proposal acceptable in planning terms. They are focused on site specific mitigation of the impact of development.

This year, Redrow has made additional donations locally within divisions; through charity contributions and sponsorships. One example of this is sponsorship of the Fylde Cricket Club in Poulton-le-Fylde, which has received more than £5,000 in donations over the past three years.

Lesley Myers, sales manager at Redrow Homes’ Lancashire division said:

“Helping local sports teams such as Fylde Cricket Club is testament to Redrow’s commitment to support thriving communities. We have a responsibility not only to deliver high quality homes but to support the wider community.”

 Redrow has sponsored the club £1,500 per season for the last three seasons and donated a further £500 for benches and new kits.

Sponsorship donations are often in addition to s106 payments, which demonstrates how Redrow is prepared to go above and beyond planning obligations in order to create thriving communities. The contributions made this year will have positively enhanced the quality of life for thousands of people in our communities.

Spending on Community Infrastructure has increased significantly over the past three years, and it is hoped that this trend will continue into 2020.

Olivia Ward, Sustainability Coordinator

It is vital that house builders offer residents the chance to future-proof their new homes and install charging facilities for electric vehicles.

Last year, we installed 312 electric-car charging points on our developments, an increase of 71% from the previous year. This number is expected to continue to rise, in line with the growing number of electric vehicles on the roads and a subsequent demand for charging points.

The Government recently announced new plans to introduce more financial benefits for electric-car owners; such as cheaper parking through the use of special green number plates. It is hoped that such benefits, and a potential ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles in 2040, will boost electric car sales - helping the UK to achieve its target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Through the MyRedrow tool we offer the chance for charging points to be added to homes, and our Group Technical and Commercial teams have been making preparations to improve our electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Redrow has recently added hybrid vehicles to the fleet options for company car drivers, and there are plans to install more car-charging points at offices and sites. We are also looking to install a charge point in all Sales Area Car Parks going forward. Agreements are in place with Rolec and Pod Point, two of the most technologically-advanced Electric Vehicle solutions companies.

Installing more electric car charging points on our developments better enables our customers to make a swift transition from diesel to electric and hybrid cars. Promoting this switch also has the potential to improve the health of people living in our communities – because having fewer diesel cars helps to reduce air pollution and improve air quality. Redrow are committed to creating healthy places to live; and the Redrow 8 placemaking principles are founded on the concept that we must create sustainable settlements that will remain healthy, happy places to live long-term.

Across our communities in Yorkshire, charge points are used by electric-vehicle drivers on a daily basis. They are reliable, easy to use, and our customers love them. Last year, the Yorkshire division installed more electric car-charging points than any other division. Yorkshire’s Construction Director, Wayne Morris (who has an electric car himself) is a believer in the positive influence of electric vehicles and says “Providing electric car-charging points on our developments demonstrates a strong environmental commitment. This is just one of the steps we are taking to reduce our carbon emissions.”

The Yorkshire Division is also set to trial another low-carbon technology in the next few months; a new heating system for our homes that will be tested in preparation for the transition to low-carbon homes.

Over the next few years, Redrow is looking to invest more in charging stations and other modern technologies in order to help meet our environmental ambitions. You can read more about our commitments here https://www.redrowplc.co.uk/about-redrow/sustainability/our-commitments/

 Olivia Ward, Sustainability Coordinator

We are actively encouraging the drive towards decarbonising the built environment and we continually monitor and evaluate progress against our environmental objectives. We have recently contributed to the UK Green Building Council’s Climate Commitment Platform and Climate Leadership Model, an online tool designed to profile the headline commitments and carbon targets of built environment organisations.

Launched in September to coincide with the UKGBC’s support to the Global Climate Strike, this platform aims to enable UKGBC members to showcase their company’s climate commitments and to promote further action and ambition across the built environment sector. By being listed on this platform, Redrow demonstrates their climate commitments compared to different built environment sub-sectors and their actions to mitigate the climate change impact on their homes and communities.

Redrow is now among the 27 companies listed on the platform, demonstrating the company’s commitment to continually drive improvements in social, environmental and economic performance.

Our headline commitment is currently to reduce the carbon intensity of construction operations and offices by 10% by 2022 from a 2017 baseline. In order to mitigate the effects of climate change and flood risk on our developments, we incorporate Sustainable Urban Drainage systems, which also often provide habitats for wildlife. Our homes are industry-leading in terms of water efficiency and we are also developing a waste monitoring project. We are investigating new heating systems in preparation for the transition to zero carbon homes which we are trialling these on pilot plots and we are also working with our energy supplier to examine greater use of renewables.

Read more on the UKGBC Climate Change Platform here: https://ukgbcclimate.net

Read Redrow’s Carbon Commitment here: https://ukgbcclimate.net/company/redrow-plc/

The White Lion Nature Reserve on our Heritage Park Development in Penymynydd has won the small-scale project of the year award at this year’s CIRIA’s Biodiversity BIGChallenge Awards. The Biodiversity BIGChallenge invites the construction industry to add at least one new biodiversity enhancement to construction sites, developments or existing buildings. This year, the judges were very impressed with the partnership approach, the community centred focus, the ecological outputs and legacy of the White Lion Nature Reserve.

The award-win demonstrates Redrow’s commitment to championing the delivery of biodiversity within construction and the built environment.

Project Overview

Redrow’s Heritage Park development comprises 55 high-quality family homes and a popular 0.8 hectare Nature Reserve, maintained by the Amphibian and Reptile Trust. The development was shaped by the surrounding natural environment, and carefully landscaped and cultivated to preserve wildlife habitats and enhance biodiversity.

What were the biodiversity conditions on site, prior to the enhancement?

The site is positioned just over the Welsh border in the semi-rural setting of Penymynydd. Spanning around 4.4 hectares, the site had previously been home to an active quarry, a pub and also agricultural land. The plot had been identified as having little wildlife value prior to enhancement, although it was noted that the site did have a good potential for rich wildlife habitats based on the surrounding ecosystems. An initial ecological survey identified Great Crested Newts in the site’s pond - a significant discovery as these are a European protected species.

What were the reasons behind this project?

Protecting and creating areas for wildlife close to where residents live is a key element of our Biodiversity Strategy ‘Nature for People’. Redrow is one of the first UK housebuilders to embark upon an ambitious plan to achieve verified net biodiversity gain across developments by 2022 and we aimed for this to be one of them.  We wanted to go above and beyond the legal obligations to protect the newts, and change the way housebuilding and biodiversity work together.

What were the biodiversity measures taken?

We established that the best way to support the declining Newt population was to collaborate with an expert organisation. We approached the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) Trust and developed a long-term partnership. The ARC Trust is a national wildlife charity committed to conserving amphibians and reptiles, it manages more than 80 reserves, each chosen for their significant reptile or amphibian populations.

A specific site management plan was developed for Heritage Park. Under the guidance of the ARC Trust, we opened the White Lion Nature Reserve adjoining the housing development – a tranquil environment featuring six man-made ponds, wildflower meadows, hedgerows and walkways. The landscape work was carefully orientated so as not to disturb the newt population and the pond, which evolved into an important feature of the development in its own right.

It was not a planning requirement to incorporate a Nature Reserve or educational initiatives into the development, but we saw this as an opportunity to engage with the local community whilst also supporting the declining Great Crested Newt population. In the summer of 2018, all the partners involved in the project were invited to the unveiling of a community information board at the reserve, helping better inform residents and visitors of the increasing abundance of wildlife and biodiversity on site.

The ARC Trust manage the nature reserve to a standard set by a legal management plan, including meadow cuts and amphibian surveys.  Further to this, we utilised the knowledge of The Environment Partnership (TEP) and Natural Resources Wales, which carried out regular in-depth ecological assessments of the site throughout the whole construction and development phase. This project was designed for longevity, with resources and information for customers, guided nature walks, landscaping and maintaining the site.

Further information

This development has resulted in proven ecological advances; for example, the Great Crested Newt population has increased six-fold in the first three years since the development’s launch. The White Lion Nature Reserve is now also home to four other native amphibian species, as well as the rare mud snail. The six new ponds, wildflower meadows and hedgerows are ecologically valuable and have created usable habitats from what the land previously was. These new additions have also contributed to achieving biodiversity enhancement and provide homes for a variety of wildlife species such as mammals, birds and invertebrates.

The site is used by people who live within Heritage Park, as well as the wider community and education establishments. This is a unique community setting whereby guided walks, species surveys and pond dipping sessions (delivered by the ARC Trust) take place. Careful, ongoing care and management of the green spaces and features have created places where both residents and wildlife can thrive for the long-term.

Project Team

Natural Resources Wales, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) Trust, Flintshire County Council, Elan Homes (neighbouring developer), Building Wildlife Trust, Paul Sinclair Technical Director for Redrow Homes (NW).

What was the motivation for carrying out the enhancement?

Our aim was to create a new development with a lasting legacy. Legacy issues were considered from the outset to maximise the health and wellbeing benefits of nature. We ensured this was not only a location to live but a green space haven with immeasurable public benefit. We are working closely with the ARC Trust to try and duplicate the opportunities which have been achieved at The White Lion nature reserve. Through collaboration, planning, development, mitigation and compensation we now have a site that is rich in wildlife and provides opportunities for local people and communities to enjoy nature for years to come.

Olivia Ward, Sustainability Coordinator

Last week, Saxon Square received an outstanding achievement and certificate of excellence from the Considerate Constructors Scheme. The site has complied with the Scheme's Code of Considerate Practice by achieving a score of 8 or above in each of the five sections (Appearance, Community, Environment, Safety and Workforce).

The Saxon Square development was subject to four external site visits over the course of 2 years. The visits (undertaken by a Considerate Constructors monitor) aim to highlight areas of improvement for sites, with the overall aim to improve the image of construction.

The CCS monitor reported that the appearance of the Saxon Square site was exceptionally tidy, and also praised a recent measure introduced to improve operative’s off site appearance is the ‘check yourself before you leave’ initiative with signage and mirrors provided.

Respect for the community was again excellent with the site issuing informative newsletters to the local residents and promoting the local neighbourhood watch.

Our Saxon Square site has some great environmental sustainability initiatives, and during the first 18 months of the contract 63% of waste was segregated on site and 99.6% diverted from landfill. Furthermore, multi-use thermos flasks and recycled bamboo fibre coffee mugs have been issued to the workforce in lieu of plastic cups. A beehive is also being provided in the wild-flower meadow to complement the ‘bee friendly’ plants already established.

Safety measures in place were reported the be excellent with traffic marshals receiving additional training so that all delivery vehicles are CLOCS registered and checked to ensure safety features are working correctly.

The site demonstrated respect and value for the workforce and during periods of hot weather the workforce were issued with collapsible and fold up when empty water containers complete with carabiners for clipping to belts. Furthermore, the site team are encouraging the fitness of the workforce by promoting the company’s monthly Health and Wellbeing Campaign ‘Steptember’ - a ‘10,000 step’ challenge. All personnel achieving this daily target enter a draw for a £100 gift voucher.

The monitor commented “It has been very rewarding visiting this site over the past 2 years as Justin and his colleagues have noted and addressed items raised for consideration in the reports. As a result, the sites score has increased on every visit.”

At Redrow Head Office, we’ve been working with our environmental solutions company Veolia to look into ways we can better manage our office waste. Subsequent to this review, we have introduced a new procedure for the food waste produced from the canteen.

Our catering waste is now segregated onsite and collected by Veolia, who transport it to a special anaerobic digestion plant in Widnes, where it is transformed into a useful resource – biogas.

Biogas is a renewable source of energy which can be converted into electricity and used to power homes. This is much better for the environment than food waste going to landfill, as organic waste discarded in landfill creates methane and carbon dioxide (significant greenhouse gases), contributing to climate change as it breaks down. To put this into perspective; according to the UN, if global food waste could be represented as its own country, it would be the third largest greenhouse gas emitter, behind China and the U.S.

Gavin Cooper, Facilities Manager at Redrow Group Services, has been guiding the canteen staff on the new process for onsite food waste segregation. Gavin said, “Food waste accounts for a significant amount of our overall office waste. As well as helping the environment, recycling our food waste will also bring long term financial benefits.”

Segregating our food waste onsite will save the company money in the long-term, as food waste is cheaper to collect than landfill waste. It is becoming more expensive to send material to landfill because of decreasing capacity and rising Landfill Tax - atwhich the current rate stands at £88.95 per tonne. The Landfill Tax Regulations (1996) were introduced to encourage organisations to produce less waste, dispose of less waste, and recover value from the waste produced.

Ann Doherty, Redrow Account Manager at Veolia, estimates that at Head Office we will divert approximately 4.2 tonnes of food waste from landfill in 2019. This reflects our wider company waste and recycling targets, and we have made a commitment to divert at least 95% of our waste from landfill.

Olivia Ward, Sustainability Coordinator

Image Credits:  Veolia 

The NextGeneration initiative, which benchmarks the sustainability performance of the UK’s largest homebuilders, has selected Redrow to receive the 2019 NextGeneration Innovation Award. This is awarded to a homebuilder that has demonstrated initiatives that go far beyond the criteria used for the benchmark. This award builds on our success in 2018 where we won gold for the third year in a row in the NextGeneration Benchmark.

We have secured this prestigious award in recognition of our commitment to supporting healthy communities by developing a unique social value calculator.

Created in partnership with research consultancy Simetrica, our social value calculator’s assessment methods are consistent with the guidance advocated in HM Treasury’s Green Book on quantifying the social impact of its policies.

The innovative calculator presents a monetary value against individual outcomes over a 25-year period, the typical length of a mortgage. For example, the tool calculated that over 25 years, 1 hectare of green space could contribute £9.7 million of social value, while having a pub, bar or restaurant in close proximity to a development can generate around £1.9 million.

As the first developer to carry out research on the social value associated with multiple aspects of home building and community creation, our ground-breaking work ensures we have a clearer, more holistic perspective on the impact of the placemaking decisions. It also allows us to take a more strategic approach to design and community planning and further our knowledge and perspective on the features and characteristics of a new development which are most likely to make people happier and healthier.

The research findings derived from our social value calculator could also be drawn upon in the formulation of an industry wide framework to provide consistency in the measurement of social value in new developments across the UK.

Will Heath, Group Development Director at Redrow, comments: “At Redrow we are dedicated to providing our customers with a better way to live. That means more than just building great homes; it extends to the places and communities we create too. We have always known instinctively that customers valued these features but lacked a way of quantifying their benefits. This is why we developed our social value calculator and are today thrilled to see it recognised so highly by NextGeneration.  

“The introduction of the calculator has already enabled us to have more informed conversations with local authorities and planning teams about our homes and investment in community focused infrastructure and we are excited to see how these recommendations further improve people’s wellbeing going forward.”

NextGeneration’s Executive Committee comments: “The NextGeneration Executive Committee is impressed by the ambitious scope and scale of the project submitted by Redrow for the Innovation Award. The Social Value Calculator offers a robust, academic, industry leading tool which focuses on a part of sustainability we recognise is of growing importance in the homebuilding sector. By developing this tool, Redrow not only promotes positive change on a large scale across their own business but also to the wider industry.”

We work closely with communities to base our designs around what is important locally, creating attractive places to live which encourage healthier lifestyles and instil a strong sense of community spirit. In 2018 we committed £184 million to improving local communities, which included the provision of facilities to support education, health, and transport.

To ensure we place a strong emphasis on creating thriving communities across all of our developments across England and Wales, we have also created our own set of measureable placemaking principles to adhere to, which includes creating safe, attractive and friendly streets.

For further information on our eight placemaking principles, visit https://www.redrowplc.co.uk/thriving-communities/placemaking/

The future of waste management and its impact on the environment was the focus at a meeting in London.

Redrow is a participating member of the Home Builders Federation (HBF) Waste Group, which was set up for housebuilders to share best practice and discuss ways to manage construction waste in a way that safeguards the environment and reduces costs for developers.  

The group, which also includes representatives from Bellway, Bovis, Crest Nicholson, Taylor Wimpey, and Telford Homes, met in London last month. 

The meeting kicked off with a group discussion around the various methods used to collect waste data.

At Redrow, waste data is collected by commercial teams, who receive waste reports from waste management companies on a monthly basis. Each division collates and submits their waste data to the Group Sustainability department, who monitor and analyse it at group level.

The Sustainability team provides each division with feedback on the amount of waste they produce each month, and how this compares to the group average.

Additionally, divisions are also informed of their monthly waste costings per equivalent unit, which helps to incentivise the Procurement Management Teams and provide healthy competition and attitudes towards Recycling and Waste Management.

The HBF Waste Group also discussed various resources available to housebuilders to support them in managing construction waste. This includes the BRE Smartwaste Tool, which enables companies to measure, report on and manage waste generated on their construction sites, whether these waste materials are retained, reused on site, or sent for recycling and processing.

Government updates

The meeting was also attended by Graham Winter from the Environment Agency, who informed the Group on legislative updates regarding waste - including the Government’s Resources and waste strategy for England.

Graham also explained the Draft London Plan waste provisions to the group.  Of particular interest, the London plan requires all construction sites to have a Circular Economy Statement. A Circular Economy Statement should demonstrate:

1. 1. How all materials arising from demolition and remediation works will be re-used and/or recycled
2. 2. How the proposal’s design and construction will enable building materials, components and products to be disassembled and re-used at the end of their useful life
3. 3. Opportunities for managing as much waste as possible on site
4. 4. Adequate and easily accessible storage space to support recycling and re-use
5. 5. How much waste the proposal is expected to generate, and how and where the waste will be handled.

At present, this plan is only in draft form and is only London specific. However, elements of the plan could well be rolled out nationwide in the future and it is important that we are aware of such changes within the industry. 

Furthermore, it is vital for Redrow to continue working with other housebuilders to improve environmental performance on key topics such as waste, which has a significant environmental impact.

‘Tapping into best practice’

Kieran Walker, Technical Director of the HBF who hosted the meeting, highlighted the importance of a collaborative approach.

He said: “By attending the Waste Subgroup, Redrow are able to tap into best practice and information sharing UK wide as well as being able to showcase and demonstrate initiatives and innovation within the business. It is also a critical function for Redrow and others to be part of because in order to drive improvement and innovation within the sector it is vital this is undertaken with a united front of other developers with common goals.”

Olivia Ward, Sustainability Coordinator

Redrow has achieved a BREEAM Domestic Refurbishment ‘Very Good’ rating for the redevelopment of the 17-storey iconic Blake Tower. The Grade II listed tower block forms part of London's Brutalist Barbican Estate and was built in 1968 by architects Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, who also designed the Barbican Estate in the 1950s.

The re-use and adaptation of an existing building contributes to the sustainability and regeneration of urban communities on many levels. However, improving the environmental performance of an existing building is a great challenge due to specific features that come inherited with the building, for example the structure, fabric, location and orientation. If the existing building is formally listed or located in a conservation area, it is necessary to respect and preserve the layout and external appearance of the building. 

Achieving a BREEAM certification for a refurbishment project is always more difficult compared to a new build project due to limitations on the design options and the specific requirements of a listed status. In addition, refurbishment projects typically achieve lower BREEAM ratings than new build projects as fewer credits can be targeted. The former Barbican YMCA building is now transformed into 74 apartments with few changes only allowed to its listed façade and to the interval concrete features due to its Grade II listed status. 

Some of the key sustainability features of Blake Tower are:

- Provision of a home user guide so that the home owners or tenants can understand how to operate their apartment efficiently and effectively

- Considerate constructor’s scheme score of 42

- Advance ventilation credits for the fitting of mechanical ventilation systems in each home, which means they remain airtight while ensuring the circulation of fresh air

- The final assessment of the building’s energy use (SAP score) demonstrated an improvement of 17 per cent

- Provision of energy efficient white goods

- All specified lighting is LED

- Provision of adequate and secure cycle storage facilities, thus reducing the need for short car journeys

- Installation of water efficient fittings that resulted in a predicted use of 118 litres per person, per day, which is significantly below the average use of 142 litres

- Consideration of the environmental impact of materials by using responsibly sourced materials and insulation and responsibly sourced site timber

- Credits were achieved for the provision of recycling facilities, for having a site waste management plan in place and for achieving good practice waste benchmarks

- A flood risk assessment was carried out confirming that the assessed building is located within a low flood risk zone

The BREEAM certification is an impressive credential for the achievement of Blake Tower’s sustainable refurbishment and Redrow is proud of the project team’s commitment to key sustainability principles such as the circular economy, energy and water efficiency and responsible sourcing of materials.

If you have been keeping up with national news recently, you will have likely seen multiple dates and demands flying around regarding Climate Change. Notably, the Committee on Climate Change recently called for Net Zero Carbon Emissions in the UK by 2050, and groups such as Extinction Rebellion, have gone one step further than this, demanding Net Zero Carbon Emissions by 2025.

“Net Zero” refers to achieving an overall balance between emissions produced and emissions taken out of the atmosphere. Most sectors of the economy will need to dramatically cut their emissions to achieve Net Zero by 2050 including housebuilding, as 14% of UK greenhouse gas emissions come from domestic dwellings. Last week, the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) held a Workshop on Advancing Net Zero, which covered what Net Zero means in the built environment and how the UKGBC framework could be used as a tool for companies to transition to Net Zero carbon.

Discussions revolved around two elements of the UKGBC Framework: operational (in use) energy and emissions derived from the construction process. The framework suggests that Net Zero could be achieved by reducing operational energy use, increasing renewable energy supplies, and offsetting any remaining carbon. With this in mind, we can expect to see more energy efficient homes (using low carbon heating) as well as more energy efficient methods of construction. In the next quarter of a century, we are likely to see an industry shift towards large-scale use of onsite renewable energy sources such as photovoltaics and heat pumps. At Redrow, we have been striving for continuous improvement in this area, and the percentage of homes and apartments connected to on-site renewables or low carbon community energy increased from 13% (2016) to 37% (2018).

UK Government Advisers have cautioned that new homes should be banned from connecting to the gas grid within six years to tackle climate change. It is likely that electricity (generated by non-fossil fuels) will compensate for this as an energy source and be used to heat homes and hot water.

In order to reach “zero” emissions, companies are likely to use offsets or carbon credits. Trees are key in balancing the levels of C02 and Oxygen, and The Woodland Trust recently quantified that the UK will need 50 million new trees per year to hit Net Zero Carbon emissions by 2050…that’s a lot of trees! At Redrow, green spaces are already important to us; our new Nature for People Strategy includes achieving Biodiversity Net-Gains.

It is evident from recent events that we are seeing changes to our socio-political environment, and the demand for action on climate change is rapidly gaining momentum. The UKGBC notes that the framework on its own is not enough to achieve Net Zero – as further policies, regulations and incentives will be needed to improve energy efficiency and use of renewables. Nevertheless, the framework does indicate steps in the right direction, and provides a useful guide to enable the construction industry as a whole to have a consistent and collaborative approach towards transitioning to Net Zero Carbon emissions.

To read the full document, please download it here (https://www.ukgbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Net-Zero-Carbon-Buildings-A-framework-definition.pdf) and share with others involved in design and construction.

Olivia Ward, Sustainability Coordinator

The construction industry in the UK is a large contributor to landfill waste as compared to other industries. Waste has a direct impact on the environment and it has been attributed to a number of issues including poor air quality and increased CO2 emissions. Redrow aims to continually improve in the field of waste management and in particular, the proportion of waste sent to landfill. Our North West Division sets a good example for others to follow and through implementing circular economy practices; they have been able to benefit both environmentally and financially. Last year, the NW Division reported c93,000 tonnes of materials were re-used and diverted from landfill. This is 99% of the division’s total waste, and represents a cost-saving of £663,750.00.

So, how do they manage it? We caught up with Chris Hayton, a Project Engineer for the North West Division, to find out more. “The segregation and crushing of inert waste (including concrete) has been key to our waste management strategy. We have found ways to reuse waste on site, or transported it to other developments where necessary. We work with Kenny Waste Management Company to develop site-specific waste and materials management plans. It also has to be recognised that considerable effort goes into formulating plans with ground workers, and ensuring that these are executed correctly.” Chris has a strong knowledge of soils management and excavated materials, and applies his expertise to real scenarios on site.

At the Goetre Uchaf Redrow Development in Bangor, North Wales, more than 3000 Cubic Metres of used topsoil was screened to generate a clean topsoil by-product; which was subsequently reused. The reuse of waste products such as this has reduced the division’s transport emissions too. Approximately 195,368 miles of transport emissions have been eliminated through reuse (this is based on an average of 40 miles round trip).

The division’s recent achievements in resource efficiency can also be attributable to the commitment of management including Scott Howard, North West Commercial Manager, who acts as a driving force behind division’s waste strategy. Scott and the team have developed and implemented initiatives such as a monthly Divisional League Table for the amount of waste produced per site, which are displayed on staff noticeboards. Initiatives such as this have contributed to higher levels of employee engagement and information-sharing.

Through repeat use of materials, Redrow is demonstrating steps towards a circular economy model; increasing the value derived from existing structures, products and materials –rather than consuming new resources. This subsequently enables us to reduce waste from our activities.

Redrow has been awarded the top Five Star rating by the Home Builders Federation (HBF), based on a survey of its customers in which more than 90% said they would recommend Redrow to a friend.

The leading housebuilder has increased its customer satisfaction scores year-on-year since the launch of its ‘Customer First’ strategy in 2015.

As well as significantly investing in people and systems, Redrow created a new customer journey, which was influenced by the best retailers outside of housebuilding.

It also became the first top ten housebuilder to join the Institute of Customer Services and this year was nominated for Best Customer Satisfaction Strategy at the UK Customer Satisfaction awards.

Redrow has achieved these accolades following the introduction of a range of customer service focused initiatives, including:

- Customers being engaged throughout their journey to Redrow home ownership, including hard-hat tours which show future homeowners the care and attention that is going into the process of building their home. They are arranged at pre-plaster stage and help customers gain a detailed insight into their new home.

- Site and Customer Service Managers now use an iPad app when inspecting homes during the build process and beyond. Stages in the inspection process are photographed and automatically communicated to subcontractors. The app is designed in-house and unique to Redrow.

- Redrow customers also benefit from My Redrow, an online members only area for customers, providing a secure dashboard to support their journey and choose their finishes  and upgrades to personalise their homes

Net promoter score
As well as the recommend score of more than 90%, Redrow has also achieved a very strong net promoter score (NPS) of 50.3 in the HBF’s survey. The NPS is a measurement used globally across all industries to provide an indication of customer satisfaction and Redrow’s score ranks amongst the best.

John Tutte, group chief executive at Redrow, comments: “Our customers are not generally comparing us with other housebuilders when it comes to the quality of service they receive. As a result, four years ago, we created a new customer journey, which was informed by homeowners and inspired by the best retailers outside the industry.

“Since that time our customer and quality satisfaction scores have improved year-on-year. We review every survey in detail and it’s been great to see increasing customer comments highlighting the teamwork, flexibility and dedication of our people to deliver a Five Star customer experience.”

Stewart Baseley, executive chairman of the Home Builders Federation said: “Getting a positive endorsement from the people who buy and live in the homes they build has to be the number one priority for a successful home builder. A Five Star rating demonstrates quite clearly that the processes and culture put in place to achieve this are being implemented effectively across the business.  Delivering such high levels of customer satisfaction should provide customers with real confidence in the company and the homes that they build.”

Measuring the social value added to a community through new developments can be quite a challenging concept to grasp. And perhaps you may question why you would even need to place an economic value on people’s happiness when you’d expect this to already be of paramount importance in the decision making process.  

However we often find that the primary debate when building a new community is around outputs. How many and what type of homes are needed? How much public open space should be provided? What new or improved infrastructure is required? Whilst these outputs are important, what can sometimes be overlooked are the outcomes of these choices on people’s wellbeing. By seeking greater clarity on the impact of these decisions, housebuilders, local authorities and planning teams can develop a more informed perspective on the features and characteristics of a new development which are most likely to make people happier and healthier. Social value in its simplest form is about ensuring that wider social benefits are considered in planning decisions.

Social value is on the government’s agenda and its importance is growing. In the government’s revised National Planning Policy Framework, supporting strong, vibrant and healthy communities is defined as priority, and as an industry that builds communities, we must see it as one too.

How social value is calculated

To get under the skin of how to do this effectively, we worked with research consultancy Simetrica to create a social value calculator. By adopting methods used by the government to quantify the social impact of its policies, as outlined in HM Treasury’s Green Book, and surveying our customers to understand how much certain characteristics of where they lived contributed to their wellbeing, we were able to reveal the impact of healthy, friendly and nature-rich communities.

Our findings

The calculator found that living in a well-designed community of around 250 new homes where you feel welcomed and regularly speak to your neighbours can add just over £34 million worth of social value to a community. Given that we are living in a time when, according to the Office for National Statistics, there are 1.1 million more people living alone than twenty years ago, combatting loneliness in new communities must be high on the agenda.  

Interestingly, our tool also calculated that over a 25 year period, the typical length of a mortgage, 1 hectare of green space could contribute £9.7 million of social value, while having a pub, bar or restaurant in close proximity can generate around £1.9 million. This goes to show the degree by which social spaces like parks and restaurants help to improve quality of life.

Why we created a social value calculator

With the guidance of our placemaking principles, Redrow work hard to ensure that we create not just a home to live in, but also a place for living. The introduction of the calculator enables us to have more informed conversations with local authorities and planning teams about our homes and investment in community focused infrastructure that will help improve people’s wellbeing. Our recommendations on community features are now underpinned by robust data, taking some of the ‘fluff’ out of potentially nebulous terms like ‘community’ and ‘well-being’.

We believe housebuilders have a duty to not only deliver beautiful, high-quality homes but also places that help residents make important and meaningful social connections that enhance the quality of their lives long after we have left the site.

Rob Macdiarmid, Group Sustainability Director at Redrow

Redrow Homes have been working with The Community Wood Recycling Scheme to increase the reuse of waste wood. The rise of the circular economy (where resources flow continuously and safely) has encouraged Redrow sites across the country to adopt a culture of reuse. 

The Community Wood Recycling Scheme is a network that provides an efficient collection service for excess wood, with the aim of saving resources by reusing and recycling waste timber. The Community Wood Recycling Scheme also operates as a Social Enterprise, by creating jobs and volunteering options for disadvantaged people.

Redrow has been participating in the scheme successfully since 2016 and has made a positive contribution socially and environmentally. So far, over 1,460 tonnes of waste has been collected from our sites and 68% of this has been reused and the rest has been recycled; therefore rescued from the waste stream. 

A detailed breakdown of rescued waste and timber is shown in the chart below:

• High Grade Reuse: 437 tonnes of waste has been pushed up the waste hierarchy into reuse.
• Low Grade Reuse: 558 tonnes of waste has been processed into firewood.
• Recycling: 468 tonnes of waste was sent for recycling.  
  
  

High grade reuse material has been used by communities for DIY or building projects, or made into a range of products such as bird boxes or dining tables. Furthermore, low grade reuse wood has been processed into firewood and kindling, helping to displace fossil fuels and reduce carbon emissions. Remaining waste wood has been recycled into woodchip (used in the manufacture of particleboard and animal bedding) or used as carbon-neutral fuel in power stations.

Redrow’s collaboration with the Community Wood Recycling scheme ties in well with the company’s overall waste and resource efficiency strategy, and approach towards Building Responsibly. As we continue to help deliver new homes for our community, we also aim to protect the environment. In 2018, more than 97% of waste was diverted from landfill, and we are striving to continuously improve this figure.

Redrow has been shortlisted for the highly coveted Best Customer Satisfaction Strategy award at the upcoming Institute of Customer Service UK Customer Satisfaction Awards. The annual event aims to recognise organisations and individuals that have implemented successful customer service strategies. 

We have been nominated for our successful ‘Customer First’ approach. Since our implementation in 2015, our customer satisfaction scores have significantly improved and it currently has one of the best Net Promoter Scores (NPS) of all our housebuilding peers. Other nominees for the award include EE, Centrica and Kia Motors. 

John Tutte, Group Chief Executive, Redrow commented: “We’re delighted Redrow has been shortlisted for this prestigious award. We benchmark ourselves against other major retailers outside our industry and, therefore, it’s really pleasing to have made the shortlist ahead of such a wide range of customer-focussed organisations.

“Every Redrow colleague plays a part in delivering a great customer experience, which makes this nomination particularly satisfying for the entire Redrow team.” 

The UK Customer Satisfaction Awards will take place on 5 March 2019 at Hilton on Park Lane, London. 

Our Customer First approach was based on detailed customer research, which led to the introduction of new customer service teams, which are now introduced to customers much earlier in the home buying process. Alongside colleagues in sales and build, these teams help to deliver a series of customer events such as Hard Hat Visits, Home Previews and Courtesy Checks. Customer Service training is now an integral part of our induction programme for new starters, and our Customer Service Culture course is accredited by the Institute of Customer Service.

- This is much higher than the proportion of SMEs employing apprentices across all sectors (just 65%)
- More than half (56%) of Redrow’s own apprentices aspire to own their own business in future
- However, 38% of construction SMEs not employing apprentices are prevented from doing so by lack of funding
- If each construction SME NOT employing apprentices took on just one, this could create 270,000 more places for apprentices

Almost three quarters of construction sector SMEs (73%) currently employ apprentices, much higher than the proportion of SMEs employing apprentices across all sectors, which stands at 65%. This is according to the latest research from Redrow which surveyed 1,000 SME businesses and 119 SMEs operating in the construction sector, as part 1 of its third annual report on skills and apprentices, launched ahead of National Apprenticeship Week: Apprenticeships and SMEs in the UK – the cycle of success.

Apprentices are key to Redrow’s business and account for 10% of all employees, and Redrow finds having apprentices in the business highly beneficial due to the fresh ideas they bring to the table and the way they motivate others in the workforce due to the opportunities they provide for mentorship. More than half (56%) of Redrow’s current apprentices [1] have aspirations to own their own business. Redrow believes apprentices are future business founders and owners, particularly within the construction sector, and it is vital that SMEs are able to employ and train apprentices to sustain this cycle of success.

However, 38% of all construction SMEs not employing apprentices at the moment, are failing to do so due to a lack of funding. Redrow argues that if some of this financial burden was alleviated construction SMEs would be able to take on even more apprentices, helping to plug the construction skills gap.

There are approximately 1 million construction sector SMEs operating in the UK at the moment [2] ; extrapolating Redrow’s findings, if the 27% of construction SMEs not employing apprentices at the moment took on at least one, this could create 270,000 places for apprentices.

Redrow has a range of recommendations for improving construction SMEs’ ability to take on apprentices including:

- Rapid clarity from Government on the implementation of the reduction in the amount non-levy paying organisations have to pay for apprenticeships from 10% to 5%. A significant 59% of construction SMEs we questioned said this policy will lead to an increase in the number of apprentices employed in their business. 
- Expansion of what levy funds can be used to pay for. Currently the following are excluded: wages, statutory licences to practise, travel and subsidiary costs, work placement programmes or the setting up of an apprenticeship programme. For SMEs at least, this should be reviewed and expanded. 
- Implementation of a discrete funding pot for non-levy paying businesses to access.

Karen Jones, Group HR Director at Redrow, comments: “Construction is the largest industrial sector in terms of SME numbers, with approximately 1 million operating in the UK today, and according to our findings around 73% employ at least one apprentice. In our experience, apprentices add considerable value in construction businesses and it’s an invaluable way to learn a trade or other skill. Apprentices working through the ranks in businesses today aspire to own their own business in the future. When we asked the apprentices at Redrow, 56% said they have an ambition to set up their own venture in future. We want to see even more apprentices coming up through the system and SMEs are a key part of this, but they need help. 
“With their entrepreneurial streak, apprentices represent the future of SMEs in this country, so it’s vital that we help construction SMEs operating in the UK to take on and train more, and that industry and educators are providing rigorous information to young people which helps direct the right people onto the right apprenticeship. With just 6% of all apprenticeship starts in construction-related areas in 2017/2018, we feel there is real opportunity to encourage more young people into careers in construction via apprenticeships and thereby safeguard the future of our economy’s lifeblood, small and medium enterprises.”

To read part one of the full report, click here 

[1] Redrow surveyed 144 of its own apprentices.

[2] According to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy around one fifth of the 5.7million SME businesses in the UK operate in the construction sector: https://bit.ly/2SAFrcA 

Steve Morgan CBE, the founder and Chairman of one of the UK’s leading housebuilding companies, Redrow PLC, has secured substantial damages and an apology following the settlement of his defamation claim against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers Limited.

The action followed various false and defamatory claims by the Daily Mail that Steve Morgan made significant personal gain by purchasing six Redrow houses, designated for sale as affordable homes, at a substantial discount to their market value.

At Steve Morgan’s request, a substantial payment has been made in full to charity in lieu of damages. This payment will be used towards adapted mini-buses for two special needs schools, Archer’s Brook in Ellesmere Port and Ysgol Gogarth in Llandudno. The buses enable severely disabled children to access offsite activities, promoting their independent living skills.

Mr Morgan, who was appointed CBE in 2016 for philanthropic services, and will be present today at the High Court in London to hear the apology, comments:

“This is a significant victory against the Daily Mail and one which demonstrates that the publication cannot unjustly print defamatory and untrue stories without basis or reason.

“The suggestion that I would ‘greedily’ take self-advantage at the expense of low-income families is hugely insulting and has caused me a great deal of anger and distress. These allegations fly in the face of all that I stand for.

“It is a shame that it has taken 18 months for justice to be served and for the Daily Mail to recognise its wrongdoing, however, I am pleased the record has now been set straight and that we may now draw a line under this issue.

“I am particularly pleased that the substantial damages received from the Mail will be put to good use by providing specially adapted mini-buses which will improve the lives of the children at these wonderful special needs schools.”

Mr Morgan was represented by Himsworth Scott solicitors and by Counsel Justin Rushbrooke QC and Felicity McMahon.

Open court apology

A joint statement will be read aloud by both parties in open court today.

Daily Mail to publish apology

Additionally, the following statement was published in today’s Daily Mail and has also featured on the Mail Online:

An article of August 24 2017 headlined ‘Building tycoons using staff discounts to snap up homes meant for families’ said that Redrow PLC chairman Steve Morgan CBE had made a very large personal gain by buying six houses - built by Redrow as affordable homes - for £860,000, a substantial discount to their market value of £2.1m. In fact, £860,000 was the highest offer made, so we were wrong to allege that Mr Morgan had exploited his position to line his pockets in a greedy, unethical and morally unacceptable way. He did not buy the houses at a discount to their market value, and they are being rented out to local residents in accordance with affordable housing criteria. We apologise to Mr Morgan for the distress and damage to his reputation and, at his request, have made a substantial donation to charity in lieu of damages.

Harrow Estates, which has assumed responsibility for leading housebuilder Redrow’s strategic land holdings, has appointed Alex Sciarretta as its Land Director and Steve Neal as its Head of Planning. 

Alex and Steve joined Harrow Estates from housebuilder Taylor Wimpey, where they both worked for four years. Alex was most recently their Land and Planning Director for our Southern region, while Steve’s role was to lead the Planning team at their Oxfordshire business unit as Senior Planning Manager. There they both developed strong relationships with land owners and local authority officers, as well as their regional land and planning knowledge. 

Alex’s role at Harrow Estates will see him focus on acquiring both strategic sites for future development and more immediate sites for us to grow our presence in the South of England. Steve will lead the planning function of current and forthcoming sites in both the South of England and South Wales and he will oversee all strategic land opportunities. Alex and Steve will be working closely with our regional land and planning teams and local authorities to drive forward these new land opportunities. 

Alex Sciarretta, Land Director, Harrow Estates South, comments: “I am looking forward to being part of the close collaboration between Harrow Estates and Redrow’s regional teams. Becoming a land director at Harrow Estates has opened the door for me to be part of a business that is driven by placemaking and creating communities where people want to live. Together we have strong expertise to deliver future models like Woodford Garden Village.”

Steve Neal, Head of Planning, Harrow Estates South, adds: “It is exciting to be joining such a forward thinking company, which has impressive ambitions to grow, and working with the teams at Redrow that pay such close attention to detail in the quality of their product. The Harrow Estates team has a wealth of experience in the housebuilding and planning industry and I am looking forward to building on that with my expertise in project management.”

Established by Steve Morgan in 2001, and owned by us since 2009, Harrow Estates has been key to the acquisition of our strategic sites for developments such as Woodford Garden Village in Greater Manchester and Ebbsfleet Green in Kent. It plays an integral role within our business by finding serviced parcels of land to aid delivery and provide additional strategic land resource. The recently expanded team will allow for a more strategic approach to all future land acquisition and the delivery of infrastructure across all regions.

Harrow Estates’ expertise lies in land and property acquisitions, masterplanning, regeneration and commercial development. Since the inception, we have been successful in acquiring sites with optimal development or redevelopment prospects, as well as adding value to large sites that are environmentally challenged or lack the necessary planning consents to realise their full development potential. The close collaboration between us and Harrow Estates has ensured strong commercial viability and high-quality design across every site.

Julian Larkin, Managing Director, Harrow Estates, comments: “Redrow’s pull through from strategic land sites has been very strong in recent years and the Group’s acquisition strategy has seen it solidify its presence as one of the foremost experts in creating new communities across the length and breadth of England and Wales. The introduction of Alex and Steve to our team will further strengthen the relationship between Redrow and Harrow Estates and build on our current momentum to ensure we are acquiring the best possible sites where we can create thriving communities, and not just housing developments.”

Alex and Steve are based in Oxfordshire but will be travelling regularly across the South East, South West, the Midlands and South Wales.

Redrow Homes has been named Housebuilder of the Year for the third time in as many months.

This time the accolade comes from business magazine and website NW Insider and, in particular, reflects the achievements of our divisions operating across Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire. 

It follows national housebuilder of the year titles from both What House and Building magazine in November last year.

Announcing our latest win at Insider Media’s fourth annual North West Residential Property Awards, judges said: “Redrow’s entry reflected a wide array of sites across the region. The judges commended our admirable track record in community engagement and partnership working and called out the [Woodford] Garden Village scheme as a particular highlight.” 

In addition to picking up the top housebuilder trophy, we were a finalist in the large housing development category for our transformation of the old Woodford Aerodrome site near Stockport into a 950-home garden village that will also include shops, a primary school and 19 separate areas of public space, parks or play.

Warren Thompson, our regional chief executive for the North of England, said: “This is a great accolade for Redrow in general, but especially for our NW and Lancashire divisions whose developments have played a major part in winning the title. It seems particularly fitting in a year when we achieved our 100,000th legal completion as a business and that milestone was reached at our Regent’s Grange development in Chester.”

“For the financial year ended June 2018 Redrow reported record revenues of £1.92 billion and completed more than 5,900 premium homes in England and Wales – almost a fifth of which were built in the North West of England, which has been our ‘heartland’ since the business was founded in 1974.”

When our founder and chairman Steve Morgan handed over the company’s 100,000th home to Chester couple Tom and Claire Culshaw in October last year, he highlighted that during our 44-year history the business had provided homes for around 300,000 people, the equivalent to cities such as Nottingham and Newcastle. It had also delivered:

• £2.7 billion into community infrastructure including schools, affordable housing, green spaces and a variety of community amenities. 
• Over 2,300 hectares of publicly-accessible open space, the equivalent of 40 Hyde Parks. 
• More than 36,000 direct jobs, while a further 200,000 people have been employed indirectly through its supply chain.
• Over 2,000 trainees, approximately half of them apprentices.

Two of our 14 operating divisions cover the north west of England, Redrow Homes (NW), based in Daresbury, Cheshire, and Redrow Homes (Lancashire), at Buckshaw Village, Lancashire. There are currently around 30 live developments across Merseyside, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Lancashire, between them offering premium quality homes from the Arts & Crafts inspired Heritage Collection and the Georgian inspired Regent Collection. The choice ranges from two-bedroom mews style properties to large five-bedroom detached ‘country manor’ style executive homes; and prices across the region range from below £200,000 to circa £1 million. 

Living in a well-designed community, having good neighbours who welcome new residents, and who speak to each other on a regular basis, can add just over £34million [1] worth of social value to a community, according to our latest research into communities and social value.

Our research is based on our innovative new social value calculator – formulated with research consultancy Simetrica, the leading consultancy in social impact analysis. This is the first time research of this nature has been carried out to measure multiple aspects of home building and community creation and focused on social value, a concept supported strongly by the Government, which is about quality of life or wellbeing of current and future generations.

Our social value calculator found that in Redrow communities where new residents feel welcomed £11.5million of social value is generated and where 77% of residents talk regularly to neighbours £8.8million of social value is added. This means the total social value of the ‘good neighbour effect’ alone, or social capital as it’s sometimes referred to, is worth £20.3million. [2]

We commissioned this ground-breaking work to develop a clearer, more holistic perspective on social value, which we can use to inform our strategic approach to placemaking design and community planning. Loneliness is having a more profound effect than ever on quality of life and an increasing number of people live on their own in the UK; there are 1.1million more people living alone today than 20 years ago, according to ONS statistics.

Our findings provide clear evidence that improvements in people’s wellbeing are associated with high quality homes and well-designed, healthy, green places. This strongly supports principles embedded in the revisedNational Planning Policy Framework which is striving to ensure that new homes and places embody high standards of quality and design.

Table showing top 6 social values in a Redrow community of 250 homes. Source: Redrow. 

Our research highlighted that a Redrow development generates 10% more social value than an industry standard housing development.Whilst this additional social value may only apply to Redrow communities, all the features Redrow incorporates to achieve these outcomes could be adopted on a more consistent industry-wide basis to ensure that new communities are having the greatest possible positive impact on residents’ lives.

Rob Macdiarmid, Group Sustainability Director at Redrow, comments: “Our social value calculator shows that well-designed and friendly developments can add more than £34million of social value to communities. Our previous research, which surveyed 2,000 consumers, shows that 87% of people want to be part of a community, and how we build the streetscape, integrate community features and encourage people to interact with ease, can all make a huge difference.

“Physical features in the community like access to green, open spaces and proximity to pubs and restaurants significantly enrich people’s lives and add real social value as our new calculator shows – opening up opportunities to leisure activities and providing important places to meet friends, family and other residents.

“We believe housebuilders have a duty to not only deliver beautiful, high-quality homes but also places that help residents make important and meaningful social connections that enhance the quality of their lives.”

[1] Social value presented for a typical 250 home Redrow development, present value over 25 years.

[2] Social value in this instance is based on a subjective well-being valuation which places a monetised value on the change in well-being caused by the change in the outcome. In this case having friendly neighbours!

Redrow’s full report and recommendations can be found here.

Redrow announced a significant corporate partnership with The Wildlife Trusts which will see the two organisations work together to develop a group wide wildlife strategy for all of Redrow’s sites. The partnership will ensure that a robust and achievable strategy is created that will see Redrow protect, maintain and increase natural habitats in the areas where they build.

We are delighted to be producing a biodiversity strategy of this magnitude in partnership with The Wildlife Trusts, demonstrating our commitment to creating vibrant and thriving communities and habitats.

Our focus on ‘nature for people’ aims to create areas for people and wildlife close to where residents live. It will be the first time The Wildlife Trusts will second a member of staff to us to advise on the development of a strategy for people and wildlife. The Wildlife Trusts will help deliver a series of internal workshops to educate and equip us with the necessary skills to enable them to put the nature strategy into practice. 

The new partnership strengthens our existing work to improve biodiversity on its developments. Since 1974, we have created over 2,300 hectares of publicly-accessible open space. We are already partnered with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, which has seen the introduction of a variety of pollinator-friendly measures, and has also implemented hedgehog highway networks, bat bricks and bird boxes to encourage local wildlife. 

Our new biodiversity strategy is expected to launch in summer 2019 following extensive consultation and input across the business. The strategy will ensure biodiversity ‘net gain’ is achieved across our developments and will have a focus on ‘nature for people’, putting residents at the heart of the strategy to ensure they benefit from wildlife-rich landscapes on developments. It will also consider legacy issues from the outset and maximise the health and wellbeing benefits of nature. 

Robert Macdiarmid, Group Sustainability Director at Redrow, comments: 
“This partnership with The Wildlife Trusts demonstrates how seriously the senior leadership team at Redrow take the issue of creating diverse habitats and nature rich communities. It will take our existing biodiversity efforts to the next level, with the expertise of the Wildlife Trusts providing an invaluable element of scrutiny and robustness.

“Through this commitment, we want to inspire our internal teams to be a positive force for change, act as a role model for the wider housebuilding industry and give our customers the confidence and knowledge to connect with nature and wildlife. We can’t wait to see all the amazing benefits this partnership will realise.”

Peter Dorans, Corporate Relationship Manager, The Wildlife Trusts said: 
“The Wildlife Trusts believe everyone deserves to live in healthy, wildlife-rich natural communities and should have the opportunity to experience the joy of nature in their daily lives. 
“People living in nature- friendly homes can enjoy birdsong, reap the benefits of rain gardens which soak up floodwater, and delight in plants that bees and other pollinators need to survive. With good design the costs of doing this are a tiny proportion of the overall cost of a housing development but represent a big investment for the future.
“We are looking forward to working with Redrow to help them make nature a key part of their future developments.“

‘It can only be Redrow’ will communicate what makes a Redrow home different highlighting the importance Redrow places on attractive, functional design and will showcase the attention paid to creating beautiful streetscapes, contemporary, open plan living spaces at the heart of every home, high-end kitchen diners, bespoke bathrooms and bedrooms all designed to suit the needs of modern day living.

Ahead of the campaign launch, we spoke to more than 2,000 British adults to reveal their most desired property features. We are constantly looking to update the design of our homes to reflect what our customers want and undertook this survey to better understand the attitudes and preferences of would-be buyers, recent first-time buyers, trading-uppers and downsizers

The survey uncovers exactly what buyers covet most when visiting the homes of friends and relatives, and what their biggest turn-offs are, revealing that top of any buyer’s wish-list is a home with its own swimming pool or hot tub (26%). 24% of respondents meanwhile are envious of a friend’s or relative’s garden or outside space. When it comes to respondents’ biggest turn-offs, however, both homeowners and would-be buyers take a more practical stance, with more than half stating that a lack of parking would put them off buying a property. In London, where public transport is more accessible, 74% would be prepared to compromise on parking.

A lack of natural light was also a gripe of just under 50% of those looking to purchase a home, and would also put more than a third of people off their friend’s property. A cluttered home or one with poor heating and ventilation is also considered by more than three in ten people as big turn-offs when visiting someone else’s home.

Our homes are light and airy, with plenty of space for possessions and storage and areas that are designed to encourage interaction and forming connections. They are also generously proportioned, with an average home measuring 121 metres squared, compared to the national average of 67.8 metres squared.

Dave Bexon, Group Sales and Marketing Director at Redrow, comments: “For us, attention to detail and considered design are all important and it’s these aspects which ensure our homes stand the test of time and create real value for their inhabitants. Understanding our customers and their needs and desires is key to ensuring their love of our product continues, so undertaking this research was very important to us. Despite the question mark of Brexit, right now is a good time to buy a high quality new home, with interest rates comparatively low and Help to Buy available, meaning buyers need only put down a 5% deposit.

“Our survey findings show that a lack of natural light can be a significant contributing factor to a person’s decision to buy a home, with just under half of all respondents turned off by this. In each of our homes we seek to maximise light where possible with large windows and glazing where possible. For example, the homes in our Heritage Collection, which were inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, benefit from large bay windows that flood the living spaces with light and light, airy and modern interiors.

“It’s no surprise that appropriate and sensitive parking provision is a key requirement for many respondents. Our sales teams on the ground report that many of our buyers question this aspect when viewing with us and it’s the key reason many particularly favour our Heritage collection which includes dedicated parking, either on-drive or with a purpose-built garage.

“Our findings confirm how important layout is to buyers. A property with an awkward layout could put almost half of potential buyers off a home, which is why the use of technology in the marketing process is so important. Improvements to technology over the last few years has allowed our customers to visualise layouts and floorplans and consider how their furniture might fit within a property. We have found that the open plan kitchen, dining and family areas in particular in our Heritage Collection homes prove very popular with buyers at all stages of the market.”

Our campaign will be promoted nationally via our social channels, property portal advertisement and direct mail.

Today it was announced that Redrow won gold for the third year in a row in the NextGeneration 2018 Benchmark, which assesses and ranks the UK’s 25 largest homebuilders on their sustainability performance.

Retaining its third place position, we received a sustainability score of 82%. Up by two percentage points on the year, our NextGeneration Benchmark score outperforms the current industry average of 37% and the NextGeneration member average of 75%.

The benchmark assesses homebuilders on a range of criteria, including the company’s strategy and reporting, future proofing, its design and placemaking strategies and minimum sustainability standards for homes.

Limiting the environmental impact of its developments by building responsibly and creating thriving and desirable places to live are key parts of our strategy. Since 1974, we have created over 2,300 hectares of publicly-accessible open space, the equivalent of 40 Hyde Parks, and contributed £2.7 billion into community infrastructure which includes green spaces and a variety of community amenities.

We also are currently partners with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, which has seen the introduction of a variety of pollinator-friendly measures, and has led to the implementation of hedgehog highway networks, bat bricks and bird boxes to encourage local wildlife. These examples form part of our evolving ‘net gain’ approach to biodiversity which seeks to retain, enhance and create new habitats to ensure measurable benefits for nature and people in the provision of new homes, amenities and green spaces. We will soon announce our latest partnership, where we will be developing a strategy to achieve this.

Robert Macdiarmid, Group Sustainability Director at Redrow, said: “We are proud to once again be named as one of the top three sustainable UK housebuilders in the NextGeneration Benchmark. Our sustainability objectives such as protecting and enhancing our natural and built environment, making effective use of land and helping to improve biodiversity are actually echoed in the government’s revised National Planning Policy Framework. With the guidance of our placemaking principles, we work hard to meet these aims at each of our developments, and create not just homes for people to live but thriving communities for people and the local wildlife to enjoy.” 

We utilise our placemaking design principles to ensure social, environmental and economic aspects are incorporated into our developments. This includes communities, such as Ebbsfleet Green in Kent, where we our delivering up to 900 new homes, alongside a primary school, shops, a community centre, sports pitches, allotments and a pub and hotel, which have already opened their doors.

NextGeneration is the only sustainable housing benchmark used by the majority of the UK’s largest homebuilders. It is overseen by an executive committee made up of Homes England and the UK Green Building Council.

To download the full report, please visit: https://nextgeneration-initiative.co.uk/.

19 November 2018: Redrow, won the prestigious accolade of Housebuilder of the Year at the WhatHouse? Awards 2018 on Friday, in recognition of the company’s achievements over the last year, including selling its 100,000th home.

We also picked up Gold in the Best Large Housebuilder category, for companies completing 1,000 or more homes a year, and our flagship 2,900-home development in north London, Colindale Gardens, was awarded bronze in the Best Public Realm category.

WhatHouse? commended us for building almost 6,000 homes in 2018, as well as reporting record revenues of £1.92bn and record pre-tax profits of £380m, an increase of 21% on 2017. The judges recognised us for our contribution to important industry issues such as apprenticeships, sustainability and for having a strong voice on key housing issues. They also noted the exceptional variety of homes the company builds: “[It does] traditional, doffing hard hats to the vernacular and period-style family homes; it does bold and modern; it does garden villages; and – in the case of Colindale Gardens in north-west London – it does brand new urban settlements.” 

This success comes just weeks after we were named Housebuilder of the Year at the 2018 Building Awards and picked up eight awards at the 2018 UK Property Awards.

Steve Morgan CBE, Founder and Chairman at Redrow, said: “It’s fantastic that Redrow has been recognised as both Housebuilder of the Year and Best Large Housebuilder at the WhatHouse? Awards, which are among the most prestigious and coveted accolades within our industry. I was delighted to be able to collect the award on behalf of the Redrow team as our achievements are a total team effort.

“This recognition is even more special given we recently completed our 100,000th home, which is something I never would’ve imagined achieving when I founded Redrow 44 years ago.” 

Described as the ‘Oscars’ of the housebuilding industry, and now in their 37th year, the awards were hosted by comedian Jack Whitehall, sports presenter Gabby Logan and former England Rugby captain Lawrence Dallaglio in front of more than 1,600 people at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane in London.

Our founder and Chairman, Steve Morgan, has announced he will retire from the Board at the end of March 2019, virtually 10 years to the day since he returned to the business on 30 March 2009.

He will be succeeded as Executive Chairman by John Tutte, our current Group Chief Executive.

Matthew Pratt, 43, will be appointed Chief Operating Officer and will join the Board at the end of March 2019. Matthew has been with Redrow for 16 years and is currently the Regional CEO of our Southern businesses and a member of the Group Executive Board.

Steve said, “I am delighted that John has accepted the invitation to succeed me as Chairman. I have worked closely with John over the last 10 years and believe that his appointment will ensure the stability and continuity so important to a business like Redrow.

“By the end of March 2019, it will be exactly 10 years since I returned to the Group and I am proud of what has been achieved over this time. Since I founded Redrow in 1974 we have had many important milestones. Just two weeks ago we completed our 100,000th Redrow home and 2018 will see us complete 6,000 homes in a calendar year for the first time, both significant milestones for Redrow and for me on a personal level.

“We have built an exceptional team at Redrow with strong succession plans in place across all our key disciplines. John Tutte has been an outstanding CEO of the business over recent years and is the ideal successor to me as Chairman. Matthew Pratt, who has progressed through the ranks over the past 16 years, is an excellent appointment in the role of Chief Operating Officer.

As a major shareholder I will look forward to watching the continued progress of the business under John’s leadership.”

John added, “The Board is very grateful to Steve for his inspired leadership of Redrow since he founded the Group in 1974, a period in which the Group has changed much and grown substantially. Steve has made a huge contribution to the industry over many years and his leadership since he returned to Redrow in 2009 has been immense. We wish him every happiness for the future”.

The news comes shortly after we handed over our 100,000th home since Steve founded the company in 1974.

Providing homes for around 300,000 people, the equivalent to cities such as Nottingham and Newcastle, Redrow has experienced all types of political and economic conditions over the last 44 years. During this time we have seen twelve UK general elections; eleven UK referendums and four recessions.

Steve said, “Throughout the political and economic ups and downs of the last 44 years, I am very proud that Redrow, from a £5,000 loan in 1974, has built 100,000 homes; housing the equivalent population of a major city like Nottingham or Newcastle.

“Redrow has taken the lead in designing great places to live as one of the early pioneers of Garden Villages, whilst creating quality homes inspired by the arts & crafts movement.

“Looking forward to our next 100,000 homes, a key part of Redrow’s vision remains inspiring the next generation to build. One of the most rewarding aspects of our industry is being able to train a young person – from any background – and see them flourish with a skill for life.

“We take as much pride in the jobs we have created and the young people we have trained, many of whom have gone on to become Senior Directors in the business, as in the number of homes we have provided.

“We wouldn’t be where we are today without the loyalty, commitment and expertise of all of our people and I thank them all”.

From temporary Customer Service Coordinator to Assistant Customer Service Manager - a real success story! South Wales’ Elaine Cliffe gives us a quick insight into her Customer Service career with us so far.

I’m Elaine, an Assistant Customer Services Manager for the South Wales division. I manage Severn Heights, Tinkinswood Green, The Maltings and Plas Ty Draw. I was born and bred in Kent, but moved to Wales when I met my husband 18 years ago.

I began my Redrow journey as a temporary agency Coordinator to cover maternity leave. I was later contacted for a permanent position as a Coordinator, and was recently promoted to Assistant Customer Service Manager - which was my dream!

A typical day for me varies, but it tends to consist of doing customer service inspections, monitoring plot progression, carrying out home previews with the customers before legal completion, hosting welcome parties in the evening for neighbourhoods to get to know each other and obviously answering customer queries too!

I work closely with the Site Managers and Coordinators in the office. The Head of Customer Service for our division, Emma Morris, is very supportive too, so I can always go to her for a second opinion or advice. The other customer service managers are always helpful when you’re unsure with an issue, so it's nice to work together and help one another.

I love doing a home preview, it’s my favourite part of the day - it’s the first time the customers get to see their home when it’s nearly finished! It's a bit like Christmas morning to them - it’s lovely to see their excitement and how pleased they are, which is very rewarding.

When I first started, I was a bit nervous when it came to doing the welcome parties as I wasn't used to talking in front of people. However, from frequently doing them, my confidence has improved and I am able to believe in myself more - now I look forward to them!

I’d describe my role at Redrow as enjoyable, challenging and rewarding - as you can see, it’s made up of a mixture of things  and every day is different - which I love!

If you’d like to find out more about a career with us, or view our current vacancies, visit our website www.redrowcareers.co.uk – it really could be the making of you!

It was a perfect fit for Rachel Lawrence and husband Steven when they moved into their three-storey Kenilworth home at The Green in Horsforth Vale, near Leeds, three years ago.

Since then the couple have added to their family with daughter Phoebe, almost two, who is a welcome addition to five-year-old son Charlie – and now their home suits them better than ever!

“Having our own space on the top floor was key and it has been lovely for me and Steven. Plus it means I can come up and watch EastEnders in peace if I want to – or I can send him up to watch the football!” says Rachel.

“One of the main reasons we chose the three-storey home was for the bedroom space.  We couldn’t have afforded a four-bedroom home across two floors because they were more expensive, but we got all the room we wanted by going up a level.

“Each child can have a bedroom of their own, which is what we always wanted, and we have got a much-needed study for when Steven and I – both high school teachers – need to get on with work, whether it’s marking books or preparation.  It’s perfect.”

Rachel, 38, and Steven, 42, had previously lived in a flat but wanted a real family home in West Yorkshire in which to bring up their children.

When they first bought the home, the couple loved the idea of the top floor master bedroom with its own bathroom so much that they didn’t even look at other similar properties. And it’s turned out to be everything they wanted – and more. 

Rachel explains: “We love having our own space, which we didn’t have when we were in a flat. It’s not that the children don’t come up here, it isn’t out of bounds; but it’s great, for instance, when I’m getting ready in the morning – as is having our own bathroom which isn’t filled with the children’s toys!”

“A few people have asked how we feel about sleeping on a separate floor but the acoustics are so good that if you leave the doors open you can hear everything perfectly. I don’t think we anticipated the challenge of so many child safety gates with the extra set of stairs, but that’s a short-lived issue and one which wouldn’t have changed our minds that this was the house for us.”

The Kenilworth property they live in has a spacious open-plan kitchen and dining area, which two years on Rachel says is still her favourite room in the house, and a good-sized lounge.  And while a two-storey detached home might have afforded more space downstairs, it was the second and third floor space of the Kenilworth that impressed the pair and continues to do so.

“We have used what we originally intended to be the study for Charlie’s bedroom and kept one of the bigger bedrooms for our study because we have a lot of books and, while there’s a desk in there, there’s still plenty of room for the kids to use it as a play room too. It enables us to compartmentalise and organise our lives, and it will do that even as Charlie and Phoebe grow,” Rachel continues.

“It’s so cleverly designed that we have found it easy to manage and look after. It’s fun, we love it and we are looking forward to enjoying it even more as the children get older.”  

The family is 100% certain they’ll stay at The Green, although Rachel and Steven sometimes joke that as they get older they might have to move down a floor.

“We have lovely views from the front and back and the development itself is better than we’d expected,” Rachel says. “It’s got a local shop just two minutes away and a children’s play area.  We have got a teacher like us on one side, a family like ours on the other, and Charlie’s got about five or six classmates on The Green which means he’s got friends to play with and it’s nice for us to have a bit of support in terms of other parents.

“Steven’s mum is coming to live in Horsforth and has looked at a Redrow home and my brother is thinking of buying one as an investment – everyone is always so impressed!”

For those wishing to embrace the space of going up instead of out to get more for their money, the three-storey options include Kenilworth and York house types.

Redrow, the leading UK housebuilder, today announces that it will be expanding its regional presence by opening a new division in the Thames Valley. The strategic decision to expand into this area comes as Redrow continues to experience growth in outer London and the Home Counties, as well as strong strategic land pull-through in the Thames Valley region. The new division is expected to make a contribution to the Group’s turnover in the financial year ending June 2020.

Based in Oxfordshire and covering the surrounding counties, the Thames Valley division will be headed up by recently appointed Managing Director, Rameen Firoozan, former Regional Managing Director at Berkelely Group’s Oxford and Chiltern division.

The Thames Valley has become one the fastest-growing economies in the country with a forecast GVA growth of 2.3% until 2020 – ahead of London (2.2%) and the South East (2.0%). As a result, demand for new homes is high, with house prices in the heart of Oxford, rising almost 10% since 2015.

John Tutte, Group Chief Executive, Redrow, said: “Outer London, and particularly the areas just outside of the M25, are a growth area for Redrow. Redrow already has a successful presence in Reading, Bracknell, Oxford and High Wycombe, therefore it makes sense to open a permanent regional office within the area. Rameen is a very experienced Managing Director, with in-depth knowledge of the region, and we look forward to working with him to create the new division."

Rameen Firoozan, Managing Director of Redrow Thames Valley, said: “I am very excited to be joining Redrow and I have strong ambitions for the performance of this region due to the strength of the housing market here and subsequent investment in the area. The amount of land availability, coupled with the connectivity of the region, means there is an opportunity for us to offer customers more choice through our award-winning Heritage Collection.”

Rameen Firoozan will be responsible for appointing a new Thames Valley team in due course, as well as finding a location for the new offices. He will report into Matthew Pratt, Regional Chief Executive for Redrow’s southern regions. The new division is set to formally launch in summer 2019. 

Five Redrow site managers from across the country have been awarded commended status in the NHBC’s annual Health and Safety Awards. Now in its ninth year, this is the only health and safety awards ceremony exclusively for the construction industry that recognises site managers who prioritise the health and wellbeing of their teams.

The commended Redrow site managers are Matt Cain (Redrow London), Simon Nix and Daniel Cato (Redrow Lancashire), Ashley Terron (Redrow North West) and Andrew Wilson (Redrow Yorkshire). This year the awards commended 57 site managers who will now go on to compete for the Highly Commended and National titles, to be announced at a Gala Awards evening in Birmingham on 6 July 2018.

Matt Cain is overseeing the construction of Redrow’s flagship scheme in North London, Colindale Gardens. Once complete, Colindale Gardens will feature 2,900 new homes alongside shops, cafes and extensive public open space and will be Redrow’s largest scheme to date. Colindale Gardens was Highly Commended at 2017’s Awards, with Darren Smith receiving the accolade on that occasion.

Simon Nix works at The Hedgerows in Clayton-le-Woods and this is the second year in a row he has been recognised in the Health and Safety Awards. He has previously received the NHBC’s coveted Seal of Excellence Award in 2016 and was named Construction Professional of the Year at the North West regional Local Authority Building Control (LABC) Awards 2018.

Daniel Cato is celebrating his second commendation in as many years for his work at Oldfield Park in Poulton-le-Fylde. It also follows his Seal of Excellence award last year at the NHBC’s Pride in the Job Awards. Ashley Terron, a project site manager at Lancaster Green at Woodford Garden Village, will be adding his award to his existing collection which includes a British Empire Medal for 'services to skills'. 

Andrew Wilson has been a site manager with Redrow for almost two years, during which time he won one of his two NHBC Pride in the Job Quality awards. He has previously been Highly Commended in the NHBC Health & Safety Awards with a previous employer and is now hoping to bring that accolade to Redrow on July 6th.

David Ford, Director of HS&E Legal Compliance Assurance at Redrow, commented: “I’m incredibly proud that the hard and immensely important work our site managers, site teams and contractors carry out across our sites has been recognised by the NHBC. All five have led by example and ensure that they maintain the highest standards of workmanship and health and safety.

“At Redrow, keeping our staff, contractors and visitors safe on our building sites is, and will continue to be, a top priority. Having five site managers commended by the NHBC is testament to that and motivates us to continue ensuring the highest safety standards are upheld.”

Stephen Ashworth, NHBC Health and Safety Services Manager, said: “Congratulations to all five Redrow site managers on winning an NHBC Health and Safety Commended Award. To win an award at this level clearly shows that they have a real desire to keep their colleagues healthy and their workplaces safe.

“We wish them all the very best of luck in the next stage of the competition.”

For the full list of winners please visit: www.nhbc.co.uk/HSAwards/

Redrow assistant site manager, Manjeeta Pathak, was named Most Inspiring Rising Star in the ‘30 & over’ category at the Inspire Awards at The Hilton, Deansgate, in Manchester on 5th June 2018.

The Inspire Awards aim to encourage a more diverse and inclusive culture in the construction, engineering and housing industry by celebrating those who are leading the way.

Manjeeta was recognised for her involvement with the Considerate Constructors Scheme on the Lyon Square development in London. She was praised for being instrumental in educating and generating awareness of the programme, which seeks to help developers work more positively with local communities. Manjeeta’s work has resulted in improvements in the local scheme in Croydon, while her excellent work has been included on the Considerate Constructors best practice hub, as an inspirational example for other developments and builders.

Manjeeta has been one of Redrow’s figureheads in efforts to attract more women into the housebuilding industry. With her willingness to talk openly about her experiences overcoming barriers as well as notable success in her chosen career, Manjeeta represents a great example for young women considering professional careers or skilled trade roles in construction to aspire to.

Clare Hindley, Group Learning and Development Manager at Redrow, comments: “It’s wonderful that Manjeeta has been recognised by the Inspire Awards for going above and beyond to get the most out of her own career and support those around her. Since joining Redrow she has made every effort to break down barriers, both culturally and practically. For example, she recognised some challenges with spoken English within subcontracted trades and labour on developments. She volunteered to organise and coordinate basic English tuition for staff which was gratefully received by her peers. She is truly an inspiration to individuals from ethic minority backgrounds and as an ambassador for women in construction.”

“We would also like to recognise the work of Liz Gibbs, a painting and decorating apprentice at Redrow’s Hamilton Park development in Leicester, who was shortlisted for Most Inspiring Star in the ‘Under 30’ category. Liz is a real asset to Redrow and has bright future ahead of her as a professional and advocate for diversity in our industry.”

For the full list of winners please visit: http://theinspireawards.co.uk/winners/

Redrow and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust celebrate next phase of their strategic partnership with educational event at the housebuilder’s Amington Green site. 

Redrow is working with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust to introduce nectar-rich plants to its developments and educating customers and communities on making their gardens bee friendly. 

Britain is home to 24 species of bumblebees and urgent action is needed to halt the decline of some species. 

Redrow, the leading housebuilder, and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT) have announced a renewal of their strategic partnership to save Britain’s bumblebees. 

The organisations marked this announcement with an educational event for school children on Wednesday 25th April to celebrate Britain’s bumblebees at Redrow’s Amington Green development in Tamworth, Staffordshire. The launch coincides with the arrival of spring and the moment at which queen bumblebees begin to emerge from hibernation. 

Bumblebee populations in the UK have fallen by more than half since the 1980s according to research by the University of Reading. Factors for this decline are largely due to intensification of agriculture, pests and disease in wild pollinators, climate change and increased use of pesticides.   

Over the coming months, Redrow and the Trust will continue to work together at Redrow developments across the country to create habitats that allow bumblebee populations to flourish.  The two organisations will also roll-out their campaign to educate and inform Redrow customers and local communities on how they can get involved in helping the UK’s bumblebee populations. Redrow is creating bee-friendly show home gardens to inspire new customers to do the same and have also been providing free membership of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust to customers on selected developments across the country.

Commenting Rob Macdiarmid, Group Sustainability Director Redrow, said: 
“The UK’s bumblebee populations have fallen dramatically in recent years and it is of paramount importance that we do everything we can to prevent further decline. Joining forces with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust is a key way in which we hope to help save our bumblebees. From our celebratory event at Amington Gardens we will work hard to create bumblebee friendly habitats at our developments and educate the public on how they can better support Britain’s bumblebees. 

“At Redrow we are committed to creating communities by building responsibly and that includes establishing developments that enable wildlife to thrive. Ensuring that our sites have a biodiversity net-gain is one of our key priorities and being able to deliver new pollinator-friendly environments to help bumblebees flourish is a key part of this.” 

Commenting, Gill Perkins, CEO Bumblebee Conservation Trust said: 
"There is a surge of support and enthusiasm around the subject of pollination, particularly by the charismatic bumblebee. Through these charming insects, we can inspire young and mature alike to view bees as our friends who pollinate our crops, wildflowers and produce much of our food. Our partnership with Redrow is of great value and will enable us to create more bee-friendly habitats in and around their developments and through their customers making their gardens bee-friendly.”

To commemorate the partnership, Redrow colleague Pauline Turnbull, Sales Director, has written a book for children, Redrow Green: Bumblebee Cottage, which includes information on the UK’s different bumblebee species and the plants that they feed on.  This was read to the schoolchildren by TV presenter Naomi Wilkinson at the educational event and will then be disseminated by Redrow colleagues across the country.  

The housebuilder has already experienced success in supporting bumblebees at its Saxon Brook development in Exeter where it ran a pilot project to create a pollinator friendly environment. Redrow is doing the same at Ebbsfleet Green, part of Ebbsfleet Garden City the first garden city to be delivered in 100 years, by incorporating bee boxes and pollinator friendly plants into the landscaping. Creating an environment that enables bees to flourish.

Redrow, the leading UK housebuilder, has become a Gold Leaf member of the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) as part of its commitment to building sustainable homes and communities. 

Redrow joins over 400 UKGBC member organisations across the construction and property sector, who collaborate to share ideas, produce cutting edge research and collectively advocate to challenge industry standards and influence policy. Entering the membership at Gold Leaf level puts Redrow amongst an exclusive group of the industry’s aspiring leaders, advocating for transformative change.  UKGBC is part of the World Green Building Council (WorldGBC) network, a global network of over 70 national Green Building Councils transforming the places we live, work, play, heal and learn.

Rob Macdiarmid, Group Sustainability Director at Redrow comments: Redrow, as one of the UK’s leading homebuilders, is focused on developing thriving communities by valuing people and building responsibly.

“Sustainability is something we take very seriously and joining the UKGBC enables us to collaborate across the industry with like-minded organisations.”

Julie Hirigoyen, Chief Executive at UKGBC added: “With the government targeting the delivery of 300,000 new homes a year, there has never been a more appropriate time for housebuilders to demonstrate their commitment to building sustainably.

“I’m very pleased to welcome Redrow into the membership as a Gold Leaf member, a category designed to represent those businesses aspiring to sustainability leadership. We look forward to working together with Redrow for a better built environment.”

Redrow is one of the first UK housebuilders to develop a strategic approach to achieving a net biodiversity gain across all its sites by measuring the ecological value of land prior to development. This approach allows Redrow to take steps to enhance the biodiversity of the area following the creation of new homes and amenities. 

In 2015, Redrow was the first housebuilder to be awarded the WWF’s coveted ‘Three Trees’ status for its commitment to using sustainable timber and has just been awarded this accolade again in the second assessment period. Last year, Redrow’s West Country division won an award at the BIG Biodiversity Challenge Awards for its Hedgehog Highways at its Glenwood Park development in Barnstaple. 

At its flagship developments, Redrow strives to create swathes of green open space. For example, at Woodford Garden Village in Cheshire, the housebuilder is creating 50 acres of green public spaces while half a million square metres of landscaped open spaces was delivered at Buckshaw Village in Lancashire. At Colindale Gardens in London meanwhile, Redrow has dedicated nine acres of public green spaces as part of the 49-acre development. Ebbsfleet Garden City, where Redrow is building up to 950 new homes, is the largest pilot in the Healthy New Town Programme led by NHS England, which includes a range of wildlife habitats. 

Today Chancellor Philip Hammond announced at this year’s Spring Statementthat the education secretary will release up to £80m to help small firms take on apprentices and that £29 million will be allocated to a construction skills fund, which will open for bids to fund up to 20 construction skills villages.

Commenting on these announcements, Karen Jones, Group HR Director at Redrow, said: “Apprenticeships are a way of future proofing the UK workforce, particularly in sectors where there is a considerable skills shortage such as construction. More needs to be done to incentivise employers to open up the apprenticeship route to young people, particularly given the fall in apprenticeship numbers seen over recent months since the introduction of the Apprenticeship Levy. However, it is positive to see that the Government has recognised the need to address the uptake of apprenticeships by giving smaller employers greater funding. It is also important that the Government looks into the Apprenticeship Premium proposed by the Learning & Work Institute. This premium calls for increased funding for business to employ apprentices from disadvantaged backgrounds which we support and called for in our recent report on the subject of apprenticeships. We believe this is crucial as it will help to increase the UK’s workforce by unearthing talent in areas not previously explored.

Karen Jones, added: “The Government’s intention to allocate £29 million into a construction skills fund, one that supports the creation of skills villages, is to be applauded. The skills gap remains one of the biggest issues affecting the UK, particularly with Brexit around the corner so it is important to upskill the UK’s labour pool with the necessary tools it needs to grow and prosper. As an example, our recent apprenticeships research discovered that many apprentices struggle to achieve at least a C grade at GCSE maths and English which is taught as part of an apprenticeship programme, leading to a high number of apprentices who fail to complete their qualification. The Government must ensure that subjects are taught in a way that is engaging and relevant to an apprentice’s role. This approach would equip individuals with applied skills rather than theoretical ones, benefitting both individual progression and the UK economy for the long-term.”

Leading UK housebuilder Redrow’s second annual research report, Building better apprenticeships: Delivering skills to drive UK productivity, has discovered that the perception of construction as an apprenticeship pathway has improved with a 14% increase (62%) of young people considering a job in the sector this year.  

Following on from its first apprenticeship report in 2017, Redrow again canvassed 2,000 parents and 15-21 year olds and 167 of its own apprentices and benchmarked the findings against last year’s responses. The results this year show an 8% increase in young women (24%) considering a career in construction compared to just 16% in 2017. This coincides with a 19% fewer young people believing that the industry is dominated by men with only 36% of young people saying this was true compared to 55% in 2017.

When it comes to apprenticeships, 63% of young people this year asserted that someone at school had outlined how apprenticeships work and their associated benefits. This is supported by a 10% increase in young people who said they had received high quality careers advice, information and guidance on a wide range of careers from their respective schools. Last year the figure stood at just 17%.

Karen Jones, Group HR Director, Redrow, said: “This year’s results illustrate that apprenticeships and careers in construction are being viewed in a more positive light. Efforts by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Apprentices and initiatives such as Go Construct from the CITB can be credited with helping to make these encouraging strides. Apprenticeships are a way of futureproofing the UK workforce, particularly in sectors where there is a skills shortage such as construction so it is pleasing to see that progress is being made.” 

This year’s findings, however also bring to light some fundamental barriers that remain in place for young people. Following discussions with construction and training industry experts as well as apprentices, it was revealed that the current tuition of maths and English skills as part of an apprenticeship programme are an additional hurdle for young people to overcome.

Meanwhile, low wages was referenced as the biggest barrier to entry into an apprenticeship with 42% of young people saying that an increase in first year wages would incentivise them into the system.  Further financial implications were expressed by parents with more than one in ten (12%) saying that the loss of family benefits when their child starts an apprenticeship (including cuts to child benefit and child tax credits) was a problem.

Karen Jones, commented: “Theory based classroom learning isn’t the right teaching method for every apprentice and with a third of people failing to complete their apprenticeships, it is more important than ever that we identify why this might be the case. Ensuring that maths and English subjects are taught in a way that is as relevant to an apprentice’s role as possible would be a good place to start. 

“As well as this, money is a barrier for apprenticeship take up. At Redrow, we pay a first year starting wage of £4.75 per hour, 35% more than the standard rate and therefore recommend that first year wages are raised closer to the National Minimum Wage. We also recommend that families keep access to benefits when their child starts their apprenticeship. If the Government wants to increase apprenticeship uptake and wants to advance social mobility, reducing the financial burden for young people and families is vitally important.”

Redrow’s full report and recommendations can be found here.

Redrow has secured the coveted ‘Three Trees’ status from the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) for the second year in a row. Redrow was the first UK housebuilder to achieve the status and has been awarded for its ongoing work to promote responsible forest management and eradicating illegal wood products from their supply chain.

Redrow’s track record for securing Credibly Certified Timber (Forest Stewardship Council - FSC) increased by 24% between 2007 and 2016, and it now stands at 63.47%. Redrow’s Source Assessed and Credibly Certified timber has also had an overall increase of 8.5% since 2007, and at present stands at 99.94%. The accolade places Redrow among the top 40 companies in the country using FSC legally approved timber and paper products.

Rob Macdiarmid, Group Sustainability Director at Redrow, comments:

“We are delighted to once again be awarded the ‘Three Trees’ status from the WWF, the highest score available. Timber is crucial to the construction that we do, so it important that we take the steps to ensure we source it in the most environmentally and socially responsible way possible. Our Group Commercial team’s strategy involves buyers at every level attending regular meetings and seminars conducted throughout the year to drive the importance of credible procurement, discussing areas to strengthen our mission and commitments going forward.

“At Redrow we work to embed sustainable values in all of our operations, contributing to economic development and creating vibrant, healthy communities wherever we work, whilst protecting and enhancing our natural environment. As part of this we have conducted regional workshops for our supply chain and have realigned our procurement policies in line with WWF’s standard. We are continuously working to improve the ecological value of our developments.”

The world’s largest leading independent conservative organisation, WWF, is calling on all UK companies to commit to buying sustainable timber and timber products. As part of their Global Forest Trade Network initiative they have launched the Timber Scorecard which assess 128 companies and awards them with a score from zero trees (no apparent progress on sustainable timber and timber products) to three trees, (sourcing over 70% certified sustainable wood and have policies and control systems in place).

What are Redrow doing to achieve their status?

• Redrow are undertaking regular auditing of timber supply chain and work with suppliers to address issues
• Redrow regularly review and seek to improve their timber purchasing policy
• Redrow are committed to publicising to their customers and other parties the importance of purchasing timber materials form a sustainable and approved source

Click here to find out more about the Timber Scorecard and the work that Redrow having been doing to achieve the status.

Redrow, the leading housebuilder, has been recognised at the National Apprenticeship Awards as a Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer for a record fifth year in a row. With over 1,000 entries to the awards each year from a wide-range of industries, competition to make the Top 100 is fierce. It is understood that Redrow is one of the few businesses to achieve this feat. The awards -  now in their 14th year -  are run by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) and celebrate the most innovative employers delivering apprenticeships across the country. 

Redrow’s award-winning apprenticeship and trainee schemes are industry-leading and in 2017 alone 353 trainees joined its workforce, a 19% increase on 2016.  As a member of the 5% Club, Redrow is committed to having apprentices, graduates or sponsored students make up at least 5% of the workforce in the next five years. In practice, the business already goes far beyond this and 17% of the total workforce are trainees.  

Redrow is also committed to supporting more women into the construction industry. Almost a quarter of trainees – 22% – are female – significantly higher than the National House-Building Council’s (NHBC) industry average of 14%.  Redrow’s apprentices can pursue training across all parts of the business including quantity surveying, designing, civil engineering as well as other skilled roles on site and in Redrow’s offices across the country. 

Karen Jones, Group HR Director at Redrow and Trustee at the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), comments: “We are proud that our hard work to develop the next generation of construction industry workers and equip existing colleagues with the skills needed to succeed in the sector has been recognised at the National Apprenticeship Awards for a fifth year in a row. Redrow has a long-term commitment to delivering apprenticeships in a strategic way and we are pleased to be commended.  

“Our award-winning apprenticeship training enables new entrants into the housebuilding industry to develop the aptitude, attitude and skills needed to succeed in a fast moving and competitive sector. Our apprenticeship offer encompasses the whole business. This ensures that young people have the opportunity to kick-start their careers and progress in the role that they are best suited for, from highly skilled trades on site to working in our head office.”  

Elizabeth Gibbs, Painting and Decorating Apprentice at Redrow, comments: “I have loved every minute of my apprenticeship at Redrow and it’s great to learn the business’ apprenticeship programmes are recognised outside the industry too. I couldn’t have hoped to join a better team to learn my trade. I am out on site developing my skills every day and my peers and teachers have been so welcoming and taught me so much. Once I’ve completed my qualifications in painting and decorating I hope to continue my career with the business and progress into management.”

Nurturing the next generation of construction industry talent has been central to Redrow’s business since inception. Founder and Chairman Steve Morgan CBE is passionate about supporting more young people into the sector and recently met with Redrow apprentices and graduates to learn about their career aspirations and to answer any questions they have about the business. With Redrow CEO, John Tutte, chairing the Home Building Skills Partnership and Karen Jones, Group HR Director, serving as a Trustee at the CITB the business is using its experience to help shape skills training in the wider housebuilding industry too.

If you are interested in pursuing a career at Redrow please visit: www.redrowcareers.co.uk 

Redrow, the leading housebuilder, in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) and Coleg Cambria, one of the UK’s largest colleges have established the UK’s first dedicated Housebuilding Degree. LJMU have also validated the qualification. 

The first students to embark on the degree programme will be Redrow team members and they will start their course in 2018. Over the coming years Redrow hope to open the degree out to other housebuilders. 

The three-year degree gives candidates a full overview of housebuilding skills; these include housebuilding quality, project management, health and safety, business skills, negotiation, right through to relevant aspects of law, mathematics and economics. Six modules will be completed each year by students. 
Candidates will be assessed in a variety of ways including examinations, coursework and a final year dissertation project. In each year there are six block weeks of classroom learning which will be taught in partnership between LJMU’s Department of the Built Environment, Coleg Cambria and Redrow business experts with the rest of the contact time satisfied through virtual learning, practical site visits and tutorials. This means that students will be able to continue to combine working with Redrow with their studies. 

Any Redrow team member with a level three qualification or a minimum of five years in industry can be nominated for the programme and Redrow expects up to 15 people to participate in each year.  The first two years will form a foundation degree with the final year topping up to become a full degree in Construction Management – Housebuilding. Redrow has already seen success in 2017 through its training programme, announcing a record 353 trainees in its workforce earlier this year, a 19% increase on 2016.

Karen Jones, Group HR Director at Redrow and Trustee at the Construction Industry Training Board, comments: “The housebuilding sector has a real opportunity to innovate the way we develop and deliver skills training to ensure colleagues can fulfil their potential and progress in their careers. Part of that means working in partnership with further education and higher education providers to develop new pathways that enable recruits to develop the aptitude, attitude and strategic nous to deliver communities at scale. This is why we are working with Coleg Cambria and Liverpool John Moores University to deliver the UK’s first dedicated Housebuilding Degree. Participants on the course will be able to learn while they earn and develop the skills necessary to rise through the ranks in the housebuilding sector.”

“We feel it is important to share best practice with other housebuilders and we hope that in the future that the degree programme can be opened up to construction industry workers from across the industry. We believe this new programme will encourage people to enter the sector, as well as imparting crucial skills on those already in the workforce.”

Nick Tyson, Assistant Principal at Coleg Cambria, said: 
“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Redrow and Liverpool John Moores University on this innovative and exciting new qualification. 
“As one of the largest providers of education and training in Wales and the North West we are proud to work with a sector leading company like Redrow to provide opportunities for their staff to develop skills and expertise in the housebuilding industry.
“At Cambria we are fully committed to work with employers to serve all the learners and communities in our region, and challenging them to develop the expertise they need to build successful futures.”

Professor Alison Cotgrave, Associate Dean at the LJMU Faculty of Engineering and Technology, said: 
“The development of the BSc (Hons) Construction Management in Housebuilding in conjunction with Coleg Cambria and Redrow, is an example of how the Department of Built Environment at LJMU is proactively seeking to address the education and training requirements of employers with bespoke needs. Our home undergraduate portfolio, whilst diverse, cannot fulfil the needs of all parts of the industry, and as such this type of development helps us achieve one of the Department’s long term aims, which is to provide diverse education and training at all levels, to fulfil industry requirements moving forward. The development of innovative programmes with high calibre partners will help us achieve that aim.”

If you are interested in pursuing a career at Redrow please visit: www.redrowcareers.co.uk 

Hedgehog Highways, a scheme developed by Redrow West Country, has won a prestigious award at the Big Biodiversity Challenge Awards 2017.

Providing a simple way of making gardens hedgehog-friendly, the scheme was announced as the winner of the Small Scale Permanent Award.

Redrow worked closely with the People’s Trust for Endangered Species and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, to introduce small, square marked holes into the new garden fences in phase two of their popular Barnstaple development, Glenwood Park. The hole allows hedgehogs to move freely between gardens whilst they forage for food.

Redrow committed to the scheme after learning that since 2,000, it is estimated that between a third and a half of all hedgehogs have disappeared from Britain with impermeable fences being criticised as one of the main reasons for the decline. Workers and staff have been engaged in the project from planning and designing the fencing to promoting the scheme to prospective buyers in the sales centre.

Every year, The Big Biodiversity Challenge Awards which are run by the Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA), recognise businesses that go beyond normal business practice to incorporate biodiversity enhancements into construction projects.

Rob Macdiarmid, Sustainability Director at Redrow commented: “We are delighted the Hedgehog Highways scheme has been acknowledged at the national Big Biodiversity Awards. Since its launch, the scheme has been met with such enthusiasm from residents and prospective buyers at Glenwood Park. It is a simple yet innovative concept which can make a huge difference to the hedgehog community.”

Henry Johnson, Hedgehog Officer at People’s Trust for Endangered Species, commented: “Redrow are the first developer in the south-west to consider hedgehogs. With carefully planning there is no reason why new residential developments cannot have thriving hedgehog populations and we hope this cheap, easy and attractive feature becomes the norm for all gardens.”

Redrow has secured the coveted ‘Three Trees’ status from the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) for the second year in a row. Redrow was the first UK housebuilder to achieve the status and has been awarded for its ongoing work to promote responsible forest management and eradicating illegal wood products from their supply chain.

Redrow’s track record for securing Credibly Certified Timber (Forest Stewardship Council - FSC) increased by 24% between 2007 and 2016, and it now stands at 63.47%. Redrow’s Source Assessed and Credibly Certified timber has also had an overall increase of 8.5% since 2007, and at present stands at 99.94%. The accolade places Redrow among the top 40 companies in the country using FSC legally approved timber and paper products.

Rob Macdiarmid, Group Sustainability Director at Redrow, comments:

“We are delighted to once again be awarded the ‘Three Trees’ status from the WWF, the highest score available. Timber is crucial to the construction that we do, so it important that we take the steps to ensure we source it in the most environmentally and socially responsible way possible. Our Group Commercial team’s strategy involves buyers at every level attending regular meetings and seminars conducted throughout the year to drive the importance of credible procurement, discussing areas to strengthen our mission and commitments going forward.

“At Redrow we work to embed sustainable values in all of our operations, contributing to economic development and creating vibrant, healthy communities wherever we work, whilst protecting and enhancing our natural environment. As part of this we have conducted regional workshops for our supply chain and have realigned our procurement policies in line with WWF’s standard. We are continuously working to improve the ecological value of our developments.”

The world’s largest leading independent conservative organisation, WWF, is calling on all UK companies to commit to buying sustainable timber and timber products. As part of their Global Forest Trade Network initiative they have launched the Timber Scorecard which assess 128 companies and awards them with a score from zero trees (no apparent progress on sustainable timber and timber products) to three trees, (sourcing over 70% certified sustainable wood and have policies and control systems in place).

What are Redrow doing to achieve their status?

• Redrow are undertaking regular auditing of timber supply chain and work with suppliers to address issues
• Redrow regularly review and seek to improve their timber purchasing policy
• Redrow are committed to publicising to their customers and other parties the importance of purchasing timber materials form a sustainable and approved source

Click here to find out more about the Timber Scorecard and the work that Redrow having been doing to achieve the status.

THE J’s Hospice in Essex is on to a winner after teaming up with Redrow Homes for a charity race night which raised almost £43,000.

More than 120 people attended the fundraising event at Chelmsford City Racecourse. Races were sponsored by Redrow suppliers, contractors, recommended solicitors and financial advisors, who also donated raffle prizes and auction lots.

Alex Stark, regional director for Laindon-based Redrow Homes (Eastern), said: “It was great to see so many of the businesses we work alongside supporting our charity of the year, The J’s Hospice. The hospice provides an important service to the people of Essex and this was reflected in the generosity of those who attended the race night. Special thanks goes to D&B Scaffolding Ltd who donated £5,000.”

The most popular lot in the auction was a signed and framed Ronaldo Real Madrid shirt which sold for £1,050.

In total the event raised £42,805. It will be used by The J’s Hospice to support young adults with life-limiting conditions and their families across Essex in the comfort of their own homes.

The J’s director of clinical services, Beverley Barclay, and the charity’s founder, Denise Whiffin, both spoke at the event about how the money raised will help the charity to transform lives.

Beverley explained: “Thank you to the kind people at Redrow and the team at Chelmsford City Racecourse for organising such a brilliant event. It was lovely to see so many people there and we were overwhelmed by their enthusiastic support for The J’s Hospice.  Raising £42,805 is an amazing achievement. It will help to pay for the vital enhanced care that our patients and their families really rely on - including specialist nursing, respite care and advice, as well as end of life care and bereavement support. Redrow’s support will make a real difference to these young adults at a time when they need it the most so thank you so much.”

Redrow is building across Essex with developments in Basildon, Thundersley and Great Dunmow, with homes also planned in Witham. For details of the developments and the homes available see www.redrow.co.uk.

For more information about The J’s Hospice see www.thejshospice.org.uk.

Redrow Homes South Wales took to the banks of the river Taff last weekend to take part in the Great Taff Tidy. Armed with bin bags and litterpickers, around 300 volunteers, including 17 staff members from the Redrow Homes South Wales Office, turned out to help clean up the Taff and its surrounding area.

As the main sponsor of the Great Taff Tidy Redrow Homes also worked closely with Keep Wales Tidy to organise the event, which took place from the 17^th to the 19^th of February and saw volunteers from local businesses, clubs and community groups come together to give up their time for the cause.

In total the volunteers cleared almost 400 bags of litter from the Taff, its banks and the surrounding woodland, as well as some larger and more unusual items including shopping trollies, bikes, an anchor and even the remains of a car.

Several members of the Redrow Homes South Wales management team were on hand over the weekend with Sales Director Beverley Wookey and Area Sales Managers Kate Lacey and Sian Smith all doing their part to help clean up the iconic river.

Beverley Wookey said: “At Redrow Homes we’re passionate about protecting the environment. Our South Wales office has been involved in several fundraising initiatives in support of Keep Wales Tidy and their incredibly important work, so when we heard about the Great Taff Tidy we decided we had to get involved.

“The River Taff is an integral part of the landscape of South Wales and is vital to wildlife and recreational activities in the area, so making sure the river stays clean and safe for everyone who uses it is incredibly important. The event was a fantastic success and we all had a lot of fun taking part.”

Lesley Jones, Chief Executive for Keep Wales Tidy said: “It was fantastic to see so many people from across Cardiff getting involved in The Great Taff Tidy. It’s vital that we all do our bit to care for our local environment and this weekend has been a perfect example of what local communities can achieve when they work together. 

“We would like to thank Redrow Homes for their support – The Great Taff Tidy 2017 would not have been possible without them.”

Second only to doctor’s surgeries – 98% of people say high-speed broadband is most important factor for social well-being in their community

- Community spirit is alive and well – 87% of people want to be part of a community

- However 25% of people are currently NOT living in a community and 9% of people do not know their next door neighbours’ name

- 81% of people do not think the government is doing enough to prioritise creating communities as part of its housebuilding plans

- Most important factor for community is a GP surgery, followed by high-speed broadband

Nearly 100% of people surveyed by housebuilder Redrow say that high-speed broadband is important for creating a strong community. This is more important than traditional community amenities such as a post office, a village green, and local shops such as a butchers or a fishmongers.

The findings are outlined in Redrow’s latest research report, which comes shortly after the Government’s Housing White Paper highlighting the importance of digital infrastructure and its commitment to achieving full fibre connectivity.

The survey of 2,000 consumers also revealed the top 10 most important factors for creating communities which promote social well-being. A local GP surgery came out at number one – the full ‘top 10’ can be seen in the table below (with urban vs. rural split).

Table 1: percentage of people indicating that a community feature is important (top 10) – source Redrow

Living in a community continues to be very important to the UK population, with 87% of people wanting to be part of a community, but 25% currently do not feel they live in one. Nearly one in 10 (9%) cannot name their next door neighbour.

A significant majority (81%) of people said the government is not doing enough to prioritise creating communities as part of its housebuilding plans.

Rob Macdiarmid, Group Sustainability Director at Redrow, comments on the report:

“Our research shows that people strongly aspire to be part of a community. The reality however is that a good number of people feel a sense of detachment from their neighbours and others in their local area. They also believe that the Government can, and should, be doing more to reconcile communities.

“The Housing White Paper published by the Government in February emphasises the importance of supporting infrastructure to creating communities, but this sentiment can and should go further. Vibrant communities are beneficial to UK PLC as a whole and housebuilders must be gearing their strategies toward helping to create communities; a duty to do this borne out in legislation ought to be considered. The time is right for the housebuilding industry and national and local governments to come together and set out coherent principles for creating better places for people to live. The organisations that build our homes, including all housebuilders, should follow this blueprint.”

Embedding social value in the house building process

Redrow’s report highlights ways in which the housebuilding industry can contribute to building communities that promote social well-being. These include an industry-wide approach to structuring and undertaking post-occupancy evaluation studies (to assess how a place affects its people); creation of an industry-wide social value calculator (to make it easier to assess well-being) and a greater emphasis on welcoming and orientating people into a new community through social media platforms like Facebook, Streetlife.com and WhatsApp.

Redrow is also currently compiling a series of placemaking principles in order to further embed the placemaking ethos internally.  These will distil the essence of a Redrow community and provide guidelines internally across the entire business for helping to create successful communities.

Rob Macdiarmid explains the current thinking at Redrow: “When we create new communities some of the top features we are currently integrating include good access to key local amenities, the ability to walk to schools, shops and social meeting places, such as pubs. Twenty years ago housebuilders tended to think about green areas last, but now these are the very first and central consideration on an upcoming development. As an industry we are also now thinking about how to encourage community integration. New people need to feel welcome for a community to continue to grow, so we are helping residents at new housing developments in small ways, such as setting up WhatsApp groups for social gatherings, like jogging or trips to the park, and welcome packs which inform people about the facilities available to them in the locality. By being made to feel welcome and facilitating social interaction people can start the process of social attachment.”

Creating Britain's New Communities Report

Redrow has achieved a Gold Award in the NextGeneration Sustainability Benchmark - an industry-specific initiative established in 2004 to drive best practice in sustainability into the heart of the UK’s housebuilding sector.

Redrow continues to be steadfastly committed to sustainability and creating a better way for people to live. High level business principles addressing social, environmental and economic aspects have been developed and incorporated into an integrated annual report, placing emphasis on high quality homes and strong, cohesive communities that offer a wide range of local amenities, as exampled with developments such as Woodford Garden Village (Cheshire) and Colindale (London).

In 2016 alone, we invested £142m into community development and created 239 hectares of public open spaces, with a focus on building thriving communities and inspiring healthy living. In addition, through a partnership with the BBCT (Bumblebee Conservation Trust) and other local wildlife organisations, we have supported the creation of essential ecological networks and wildlife-friendly habitats on and around our developments.

Robert Macdiarmid, Sustainability Director at Redrow, said: “Sustainability is core to our business, ensuring we build responsibly and create prosperous communities whilst maintaining and enhancing the natural environment. This outlook is reflected in our strategic business principles – growing responsibly, putting customers first, managing resources efficiently, creating better places to live and valuing and developing our people. We are all extremely delighted to have received Gold Award status, which is testament to the dedication to improvement of sustainability throughout the company.”

John Tutte, CEO of Redrow, outlines his predictions for the property market in 2017:

Housebuilding

“The Government has acknowledged Britain’s mounting need for new homes with various measures implemented to kickstart the sector in 2017. The announcement of a £2.3 billion Housing Infrastructure Fund, together with the unlocking of a number of brownfield sites, are particularly helpful measures from Government. The supply of land for housing is improving, with many local authorities now taking a more proactive approach in their area by identifying the number of homes needed to meet current and future demand and implementing plans to progress delivery.

“Despite this, family housing continues to be in short supply in some areas and red tape and a lack of planning resource in local authority departments remains the number one barrier to bringing more homes to market. The upcoming Housing White Paper must include measures to target this area which could include implementing an incentive based system to encourage planning departments. While it remains doubtful that the combined housebuilding industry will build 1 million new homes by 2020, with all the impetus currently being achieved, 2017 looks set to be the first year since 2008[1] in which we might build 200,000 new homes.

“Across the country, we are bringing to market thousands of new homes located in some important and geographically diverse regeneration areas. Thousands of new homes will be created over the next decade in just four locations alone which include Ebbsfleet Garden City in Kent, Woodford Garden Village in Cheshire, Plasdwr in Wales and Colindale Gardens in North London. Our focus in 2017 and beyond is to create better places for people to live which means creating true communities which are supported by a range of lifestyle based amenities. To this end, it is positive to see the government announce the locations of 14 proposed new garden villages which will deliver new homes, facilities and amenities. It is important for government support to not only be given to building new homes, but to creating thriving and sustainable communities.”

Demand

“Demand for new homes continues to outweigh supply. Record low interest rates, a competitive mortgage market and government incentives such as Help-to-Buy have boosted demand. The high cost of deposits combined with stamp duty and other moving costs has resulted in people moving further out as they look to get more for their money. Schemes located in prime commuter belt locations which are under an hour journey from the UK’s major cities are popular and this is a trend that looks set to increase in 2017 and beyond. Our buyers want homes that offer all the benefits of a suburban lifestyle – being located near to local schools and green spaces – but with easy access to urban infrastructure and business centres.

“This shift is now acknowledged by the Chancellor who, in a break from prioritising investment in London transport links, recently announced plans for an expressway connecting Oxford and Cambridge in an effort to strengthen the two economic hubs and support residents in and around these historic cities.

“Analysis of our buyers also reveals their habits towards buying new homes. While our buyers favour new homes for the craftsmanship, low-maintenance lifestyle and ten-year NHBC guarantee they bring, they are also keen to live in a bespoke home that offers individuality, and in 2017 customisation will continue to be popular. Tools such as My Redrow offer a range of upgraded product choices and options which allow purchasers to create the home of their dreams. Upgrading standard products is an option many of our customers go for and we’re seeing them favour premium flooring, tiling and kitchen fittings for their new home. In addition, adding a conservatory to the property is also a frequent request from buyers purchasing extra products on My Redrow.”

Skills

“2017 will be the year in which article 50 is triggered, setting in motion the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Of key concern to the housebuilding sector are the implications for the workforce which is already suffering from a crippling shortage of skills. A drive for more homes must come hand-in-hand with a drive to recruit more workers, so the Government must implement measures not only to retain the international talent already attracted to the UK, but to further support the sector to train and upskill the existing UK labour force. The industry itself has a major role to play and it’s essential that housebuilders work together to highlight the benefits of a career in construction and the sheer variety of pathways that exist. From brick layers, to quantity surveyors, to architects and decorators – in 2017 inspiring and supporting people into these careers will need to be one of the industry’s biggest focus areas. At present, 15% of Redrow employees are trainees on structured programmes – a fact that we as a company are immensely proud of and encourage other firms in the sector to match.”

[1] Source: Department of Communities and Local Government – UK housebuilding, Homes completed financial years 1970/1 – 2013/14 

We’ve become an ambassador for The right Waste, right Place (rWrP) campaign to raise awareness of Duty of Care legislation around waste management.

rWrP provides practical information to help businesses from a broad range of sectors to comply with legislation and help keep waste out of the hands of waste criminals. As an ambassador, we will now take up the mantle of raising awareness with our suppliers too.

To qualify as an ambassador, we proved we embrace the principles of rWrP and have an internal programme and policy on waste management. We’ve also demonstrated a commitment to promoting best practice with regard to waste management and to actively engage with rWrP to promote the campaign.

Sam Corp, head of regulation at the Environmental Services Association (ESA), said: “The number of organisations actively involved with the right Waste, right Place campaign, representing a broad range of sectors, shows just how serious an issue Duty of Care waste compliance is. Therefore, I am delighted to announce Redrow as a Campaign Ambassador and champion of the cause of raising awareness of the programme.”

Rob MacDiarmid, Group sustainability director, said: “We’re proud to be actively supporting this campaign in an ambassador role. Managing construction waste is a huge investment for Redrow, running into the millions of pounds each year.

“We are currently developing a new blueprint for reducing waste on site. This will not only strengthen our reputation as a responsible builder but also help us to become a more efficient business. A trial project is underway in our South East division to introduce a selection of new procedures and site controls. Our aim is to develop a culture of resource efficiency and waste prevention that we can then roll out across all 13 divisions within the company.”

The website www.rightwasterightplace.com offers practical advice on how to manage waste safely and efficiently.

A new fairy garden has been unveiled at Hope House children’s hospice in Oswestry following an ambitious makeover project.

The garden, which offers a quiet and peaceful area for families at the hospice to relax in, was given a magical transformation in just four days by a team of graduates from house builder Redrow.

The team of 14 green fingered graduates volunteered their time and asked for support from Redrow’s suppliers to give the fairy garden a sprinkling of fairy dust. Improvements include a new fence, paving, benches, fresh planting, bird and bat boxes, bug hotels, toadstools and fairy houses.

Redrow graduate trainee Alex Shine said: “Hope House is our North West division’s nominated charity so we wanted to do something that would have a lasting impact and benefit the children and their families who stay at the hospice.

“The fairy garden was in real need of a revamp and so we worked hard as a team over four days to firstly prepare the area - which involved plenty of digging - and then set about restoring it into a magical garden for all the children to enjoy.

“It’s fair to say that none of us expected how much hard work would be involved in the project. Equally though, none of us realised how rewarding the experience would be either. When it came to the big reveal to the families and staff at the hospice, their amazed reactions exceeded all of our expectations.”

Hope House Children's Hospices - Hope House in Oswestry and Ty Gobaith in Conwy - provide specialist nursing care in addition to practical and emotional support to terminally ill and life limited children and young people. The charity must raise over £4 million every year to maintain this care. Last year, Redrow’s staff raised £57,000 for the hospice.

Simi Epstein, director of fundraising and marketing at Hope House, said: “When Redrow offered to help us with the fairy garden we never imagined they would produce something so spectacular for the children.

“The children love the garden and have spent a lot of time hunting for insects in the insect hotel and peeking in the hedgehog houses to see if we have any visitors! The new fencing has made the area safe, secure and private which has enabled the children to enjoy it even more.

“Without companies like Redrow and their fantastic graduates we would not have been able to do the work and for that we are truly grateful.”

Redrow’s graduate project promotes team work, problem solving and working under pressure - all essential qualities for a career in construction. The participants are all currently on two year programmes, gaining valuable skills and experience with Redrow.

The graduates that took part in the project were: Joshua Cinna, Amanda Hollins, Sam Davies, Alex Shine, Catherine Gower, Claire Holt, Anthony Iren, Noah Overton, Emily Smith, Rebecca Smith, Michael Stuttaford, Nora Waldendorf, Keiran Wood and Megan Woodburn.

Redrow is extremely grateful to the many suppliers who offered their time, labour, materials and expertise completely free of charge. Thank you to: HSS, Lex Autolease, Reconomy, Hobbycraft, WBP Visual Solutions, Frontline Image Ltd, WAP Lawton & Sons Ltd, Trevor Bridge Associates Ltd, AM Norris Ltd, Paul Sellick Brickwork Ltd, Town and Country Vibro, B&Q, Brandwells Construction Co Ltd, Sign-Build, AkzoNobel, TCL Group, Speedy, Landstruction, P&A Group, Forest Hill Landscaping, Tate Contracts Ltd, S&E Painting Contractors Ltd, JB Cleaning Services, Bob Joyce Joinery, M.B Heating Ltd and Jack Moody Group.

For further details about Hope Hospice, visit www.hopehouse.org.uk.

For more information about career and graduate training opportunities with Redrow go to www.redrowcareers.co.uk/graduates. 

Budding gardeners at Barton Seagrave Primary School in Northants will be able to grow their love for the outdoors in a dedicated space created with help from Redrow and its landscapers.

The school’s previous wildlife garden was built over to make way for an extension to provide additional facilities for the 480-plus children. Teacher Kim Pack was keen to develop a new garden and form a gardening club, but with no budget for tools, seeds or plants appealed to the local community for assistance. 

Among those who stepped in to support the project were Redrow Homes and landscape gardeners TCL Group. Between them they installed new fences – including fencing made from pallets donated by B&M Pallets – and rotavated part of the area so that the children could carry out planting. 

Kim Pack said: “We wanted to create a new garden area where the children could do some gardening and enjoy being outside, as well as having somewhere quiet they could sit. One of the issues we needed to overcome was keeping the area separate from the playground and stopping balls and the like from damaging the flowers, but we didn’t have a budget available for fencing.

“The support from Redrow and TCL has made a huge difference. The children can look over or through the fencing and we’ll be planting up the pallets that have been used for some of the fence to add an extra splash of colour. We’re really grateful to Redrow, TCL and everyone else in the community who’s helped. We’re a community school and it’s great to see the community coming together. We’re looking forward to making a good start on the garden in September.”

The project will develop gradually and will include themed areas such as a herb garden and wildflowers planted on banks.

The Ready Set Grow Club will tend to the garden every Friday.

Tonia Tyler, sales director for Redrow Homes (South Midlands), said: “Barton Primary School is close to our River View and Castle Fields developments and as good neighbours we were happy to be able to assist with preparing their new garden. Hopefully it will help the children develop a love for the outdoors.”

Carl Maddocks, operations manager at TCL Group, added: “It’s great to see a school encouraging children to take an interest in the environment at an early age. Who knows, those who are members of Ready Set Grow could be the landscape gardeners of the future.”

River View and Castle Fields at Barton Park, Barton Seagrave, have both blossomed into thriving new neighbourhoods and feature acres of public open space of their own and 27 allotments. Show homes are open daily, but for more information see www.redrow.co.uk/river or www.redrow.co.uk/castlefields. 

We’re the only major home builder to partner with the trust, and have recently strengthened our relationship by undertaking a pilot project at our Saxon Brook development in Pinhoe, Exeter.  

The pilot project involved creating a tailored pollinator friendly habitat for bees and we will now use this as a blueprint to create similar wildflower areas at all of our developments in the future.  

Our Group sustainability director, Rob Macdiarmid, said: “We greatly value our partnership with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust and we’re looking forward to forging a long-term relationship that will enable us to create more and more bee-friendly habitats across the UK in a bid to boost bumblebee numbers. 

“Our work at Saxon Brook is the first project we’ve undertaken on this scale within a new development and it’s expected that the knowledge we gain will be shared across our technical departments in all 14 of our housing divisions to expand the scheme far and wide.”

In the last 80 years bumblebee populations have declined dramatically.

Celebrating its 10-year anniversary this year, the BBCT has 9,500 members and has worked with over 400 farmers and landowners to create, restore or enhance over 3,000 hectares of flower-rich habitat for bumblebees.

Gill Perkins, CEO at BBCT, said: “Bumblebees keep us healthy by pollinating our fruit and vegetables. It is vital we reverse their declines and we aim to make new housing developments with Redrow Homes bumblebee havens. Our partnership will lead the way in promoting pollinator friendly landscaping on housing developments.”

For more information on BBCT visit bumblebeeconservation.org

The Liverpool Housing Partnership is a unique collaboration between Liverpool City Council, Redrow and Liverpool Mutual Homes, designed to drive up the range and quality of properties in the city of Liverpool. Redrow Homes and LMH will jointly build 1,500 new homes and LMH aims to bring up to 1,000 back into use as part of a £205 million investment over five years.

Redrow’s focus is to provide high quality family housing which will help keep people in the city who might otherwise be tempted to move elsewhere. Contributing to address Liverpool’s under supply of housing and boost revenue for the city, as well as to reinvest into the housing programme, to enable more affordable homes to be built.

A team of 14 green-fingered employees from our head office in Flintshire has helped Mostyn Kitchen Garden turn over a new leaf with a makeover.

Organised as part of our activities for Volunteers’ Week 2016, the group transformed part of the garden, which grows fresh fruit and vegetables for the local community.

Run as a social enterprise, the kitchen garden regularly welcomes participants from schools and local groups, giving them the opportunity to get involved in all aspects of growing fruit, vegetables, herbs and flowers - encouraging exercise, social interaction and new skills.

Our volunteers overhauled two of the main beds; removing undergrowth and weeds, tending to the areas around the raspberry bushes to encourage better growth and create room for extra fruit bushes to be added, and introducing some extra herbs.

Kate Harcus, sustainability and social responsibility advisor, said: “It was great to have a large group of us to blitz a big area and remove a lot of the weeds that had taken over. We’ve specifically chosen plants to attract pollinators to the garden and now they have a much better setting in which to grow.

“We’d like to thank our suppliers, Jewson, who have kindly provided materials to enable the Kitchen Garden to cover two polytunnels and build some raised beds. Some of our volunteers will be returning to fit the polytunnels over the summer.

“It’s a wonderful project that’s encouraging members of the local community to develop a love for gardening and home-grown food. We hope our day’s work will assist the Mostyn Kitchen Garden to generate more income through sales of produce.”

Members of our sustainability, commercial, design and technical and health and safety departments came together to take part in the project, along with our head office Pathfinders team, a group of eco-minded employees who are tasked with building on our company’s sustainability credentials.

Philip Handley, Mostyn Kitchen Garden manager, said: “We are amazed at the amount of work that the team from Redrow managed to complete in just one day. It was a difficult task for our volunteers to attempt but the two borders have now been transformed. The new herbs will be appreciated by everyone and add to the wildlife habitat. We would like to say a big “thank you” to everyone for helping.”

Bringing a wealth of experience from the third sector, we’ve appointed Kate Harcus as sustainability and social responsibility advisor to help us build on our reputation as a company that cares.

Part of our now five-strong sustainability team Kate’s appointment to the newly created position signals our commitment to improving our reputation as a responsible business, by further strengthening our links with the communities in which we build and focussing on the wellbeing of our staff, as we continue our rapid growth.

Kate said: “Initially my focus will be on launching the new ‘Pathfinders’ scheme, which will involve working with groups of employees within each of our 13 regional divisions, to encourage improved sustainability practices, health and wellbeing for staff and partnerships with local charities and community organisations.

“I’ll also be looking to strengthen communication channels within the business so our efforts to operate responsibly are reported and made available for our stakeholders.

“There is already so much good work going on within the company but there’s an opportunity to make a real difference to the wider communities in which we build. We’ll be looking to link up with a network of smaller, local charities. Becoming a more sustainable business is not just important for our corporate social responsibility agenda, it’s proven to be a boost for a business’s bottom line.”

Marine resource management graduate Kate has previously worked for Groundwork in Greater Manchester as an environmental business advisor, working with a variety of commercial business to improve on resource efficiency and corporate social responsibility practices, and Business Supporting Communities, where she encouraged companies in North East Wales to support and work with the third sector. 

We helped a North Yorkshire primary school to gear up for the Tour de Yorkshire with a day of cycling fun and educational activities.

‘Le Tour’ passed through Sherburn-in-Elmet on route from Otley to Doncaster, close to Athelstan Community Primary School and our Saxon Gardens development.

To celebrate, we funded ‘Bikeability’ workshops at the school, which included a bike obstacle course, cycling games, race training and a bike fix challenge. Around 125 pupils took part in the sessions, delivered by cycle training company CycleLeeds.

The school also planned a complementary range of lessons to incorporate various subjects including maths, geography, science and art – but all with a cycling related or Tour de Yorkshire theme.

James Tucker of Athelstan Primary, said: “We are very grateful for Redrow’s generosity and enthusiasm to organise the cycle event taking place at Athelstan. The Tour de Yorkshire passing through Sherburn-in-Elmet is an exciting event, and thanks to Redrow we are able to mark the occasion in an equally exciting way. Children throughout Key Stage Two had the opportunity to take part in fun and enriching cycling activities, ranging from obstacle courses to bike maintenance challenges, all designed to increase their skills and confidence on a bike.”

Rebecca Cliff, for Redrow, said: “When we realised that the Tour de Yorkshire would be coming right past our development we thought it would be great to offer to fund an activities day that would get all the pupils behind LeTour. We certainly had fun and we hope they did too!”

We’ve helped to steer new research into how car clubs can benefit new developments.

By providing funding and contributing a case study, we’ve supported the creation of a new report by Carplus, in collaboration with the University of the West of England.

Car clubs are designed to provide a means of vehicle sharing for residents who are considering deferring a planned vehicle purchase.

The first comprehensive review of its kind, the study looked at the last 10 years of experience of using the schemes on new developments.

Our Group sustainability director Robert Macdiarmid said: “Redrow welcomed the opportunity to contribute to this report, which will be a valuable resource for those involved in planning new developments.

“It assists in the sharing of best practice, helps developers to identify where car clubs will be viable and also highlights potential pitfalls to avoid.”

Our Cheswick Village development, in Bristol, was one of the case studies featured. Designed as a brand new sustainable urban village, built over a number of phases, the development is a prime example of how partnership work with local authorities can achieve an improved standard of development for residents and surrounding communities.

As well as helping new residents that do not own a car to be more mobile, the report concludes that car clubs can reduce traffic congestion, carbon emissions and improve air quality. They can also free up space within developments for added amenities and communal space, particularly vital in urban areas.

For more information visit www.carplus.org.uk. 

We recently invited schoolchildren across West London to create a 60 second audio commercial to explain to other young people how important energy saving measures are in the home and raise awareness of how new homes are built with energy efficiency in mind.

Three Bridges School in Southall won a public vote via our YouTube channel against one other shortlisted school, chosen from a total of 45 commercials entered.

Run in partnership with UTV Media through its ‘ucreate’ Schools Project, successful year 5 students Aneal Panesar and Lois Valério have now had their commercial professionally produced at West Side Radio in Hanwell, while we also contributed £500 for sustainability projects at the school as part of their prize 

Lois said: “As soon as we arrived, the station manager escorted us into studio one where we were interviewed live on air. It was so exciting for Aneal and me. After the interview we then recorded our Redrow commercial professionally.

”Nicola Johansen, sustainability manager, said: “We’d like to congratulate the pupils at Three Bridges on their well-deserved win and we’re delighted with the final commercial. This is the second time we have run such a competition with schools and it’s wonderful to hear from the younger generation about how they value their environment and saving energy in the home.

“Our aim was to raise awareness of how energy efficient new homes can be, helping reduce carbon emissions and our customer’s energy bills.  It was a great opportunity to engage pupils on this important subject.

”For more information on the ‘UCreate’ Energy Efficiency Schools Project visit www.u-create.net.

Photo caption: Competition winners Aneal Panesar and Lois Valério

To mark Fairtrade Fortnight 2016 and bring awareness to ways of helping farmers worldwide get a better deal, we recently hosted a Fairtrade Big Brunch event at our Flintshire headquarters.

Fairtrade supports those who produce our food to feel secure while inspiring people in the UK to use the power of their shopping to choose a fairer deal for farmers and workers.

Being part of Fairtrade means farmers get a fairer price for their products, and a little extra to invest in developing their farms.

To help to raise awareness for the campaign among our own workforce we challenged staff to cook their favourite recipes using Fairtrade ingredients.

Our neighbours at Starbucks at The Village Hotel St Davids supported the event by providing and serving up a range of Fairtrade teas and coffees, while Fairtrade chocolate company Divine Chocolate, 44% of which is owned by cocoa farmers, supplied products for blind chocolate tasting as well as prizes for our best bakers.

Donations at the brunch raised around £120 for our Group charity of the year Claire House Children’s Hospice.

Nicola Johansen, sustainability manager, said: “The event was a great success with lots of people getting involved to raise awareness for a worthy cause. We have some wonderful bakers within our team, with a range of tasty treats served up using as many Fairtrade ingredients as possible, including sugar, honey, bananas, vanilla, coffee and of course lots of chocolate!

“We also challenged staff to try to tell the difference between Fairtrade chocolate from Divine and non-Fairtrade chocolate with most agreeing that the Fairtrade product tasted nicer and was of a higher quality.

“We’d also like to thank Starbucks at The Village Hotel St Davids and the team at Divine Chocolate for their support.”

For more information on Fairtrade visit www.fairtrade.org.uk. 

Our latest research has challenged the long-held claim that customer demand for purchasing sustainable homes is limited.

On the contrary, 63% of the 1,730 prospective new homebuyers we surveyed indicated a desire to purchase a sustainable home and 38% actually said they intended to. In fact, 82% said they were willing to pay more for such a home, with more than a quarter prepared to pay at least a 6% premium. 

As well as being questioned on their purchase intentions we also delved into the factors that influence homebuyers’ decisions.  

Those surveyed ranked lower energy bills as more important than a garden, parking space, amenities, external appeal/design of home, and fittings & appliances when choosing a home; while 78% agreed the purchase of a ‘greener’ home was likely to have a positive environmental impact; and 92% had a positive attitudes towards making such a purchase. Interestingly, more than two thirds believed that ‘significant others’ in their lives would approve of the decision to opt for a greener home.

Our sustainability manager Nicola Johansen explains: “Our findings challenge the long-claimed, but previously under-researched, assertion within the industry that there is limited customer demand for sustainable homes. It also offers new insights into the factors that influence purchasers’ decision making. 

“As a responsible business, the drive to reduce the carbon footprint of our developments is high on our agenda. However, we also want to build the homes our customers want to live in and this research helps us to fully appreciate what purchasers are looking for from their home and their homebuilder.

“We hope the findings will also help the housebuilding industry to better understand the extent of customer demand for sustainable homes and, by doing so, put more effort into communicating these benefits to potential buyers.”

With 60% of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that they would be more likely to buy a new home from a company building sustainable homes, the evidence suggests that constructing more environmentally friendly properties, and promoting their credentials, can add value for our wider business.

Our study also highlighted some areas that can be addressed by housebuilders to assist homebuyers with their purchasing decisions.

While the majority of homebuyers were confident that a more efficient home would save them money (65%) and that it would be more comfortable (62%), a quarter indicated they thought it would be difficult or very difficult to buy a sustainable home and almost half of respondents weren’t confident of how sustainability features work. 

Nicola added: “This new research will hopefully provide a benchmark for homebuilders to gear their building methods and marketing strategies towards catering for what is clearly a significant demand from consumers for sustainable homes.”

Families flocked to our open day held in partnership with the RSPB at our development in the Lancashire coastal village of Banks, near Southport.

To support the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch – the world’s largest wildlife survey - we welcomed visitors to The Coppice, where RSPB wardens from the nearby Hesketh Out Marsh reserve were on hand to talk about how residents can attract birds to their gardens and make a home for nature where they live.

The event also provided information on the sorts of wildlife to look out for in the local area and activities including nest box and bird feeder making, badge making and other fun pursuits and puzzles.

The Big Garden Birdwatch is all about bringing people of all ages closer to nature and helping them discover the wildlife which lives on their doorstep. It’s estimated that more than half a million people across the UK took part in the survey by counting the birds in their gardens over the weekend.

We have partnered with the RSPB since April 2015, when we committed to providing new habitats where birds and animals can flourish around our new developments. We have already built features such as nest boxes and bird bricks into plans for new homes in selected areas, and the event in Banks was another way we have helped to encourage local communities to get involved.

Bethan Procter, RSPB spokesperson, said: “The event at The Coppice was a great chance to speak to families about the wildlife on their doorstep and how they can help make a home for nature in their own outdoor space. With the Big Garden Birdwatch surveys now being collated, we’ll soon have a snapshot of how different creatures are doing in this area and what we can do to help – which will be really interesting.”

 For more information visit www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch

We’ve been rewarded for our efforts to become more sustainable with a silver award from NextGeneration, an independent organisation which benchmarks the UK’s top 25 housebuilders on their sustainability performance.

Launched in 2006, to drive greener development and highlight best-in-class performance within the industry, this year’s NextGeneration benchmark saw us moving up into fifth place in the rankings.

Our above-average score of 71% is up 8% on last year and was calculated by assessing the impact our operations and the products we build have on the environment, society and the economy.

A membership based organisation, NextGeneration delivers benchmarking scores in partnership with the Homes and Communities Agency and UK-Green Building Council.

John Tutte, Group chief executive, said: “We’re proud of the strides we have made in improving our score and are delighted to move up the rankings and receive the silver award, particularly as changes to the scoring system this year have made the criteria tougher than ever.

“We’re committed to being a sustainable business. We will continue to build on this as we work towards achieving our 2018 targets.”

We’ve become the first major UK homebuilder to score a coveted ‘Three Trees’ from WWF for our commitment to using sustainable timber.

The world’s leading independent conservation organisation WWF is calling on all UK companies to commit to buying sustainable timber and timber products and inform their customers of where timber is sourced so they can make informed purchase decisions.

The Timber Scorecard assesses UK retailers, manufacturers and traders that buy timber on their policies and performance.

Each company is awarded a score from zero to three trees, the latter reserved for those who source over 70% certified sustainable wood and have policies and control systems in place.

Just 34 companies nationwide scored top marks in the latest round of results, announced in October 2015.

Our research and sustainability director Nigel Smith said: “We are delighted to have been awarded ‘Three Trees’ from WWF, the highest score achievable. We are the only major homebuilder to receive maximum marks. Timber is an important element of our construction process and we recognise the importance of utilising only timber from credible, certified legal and well managed sources. We are also a proud member of the WWF-UK Forest & Trade Network.”

The world’s forests are shrinking fast – and demand for wood is set to triple by 2050. The UK is one of the largest importers of timber in Europe and, as companies, we all play an important role in influencing the global market.

To find out more about the Timber Scorecard visit: www.wwf.org.uk.

On Friday 25th September, a 12 strong team of competitive-commuters met at Exeter central train station for our commuter ‘Top Gear style’ race to determine the fastest, greenest, cheapest, safest and easiest way to commute across the city to our office in Pynes Hill.

As the clock hit 8.45am, the busiest time for travel, the green chequered flag waved the competitors off in a bundle of chaos, consisting of runners, a cyclist, an electric bike, BMW i3 electric car, a taxi, walkers, a bus and a train to Newcourt, who completed the last leg by walking.

As this is was a green challenge, the winner wasn’t decided by coming first across the finish line. Each mode of transport was also scored on carbon emissions, cost, comfort, accessibility, image rating, safety and the time to complete the journey.

Back in the office, there was a crowded reception ready to welcome their racing heroes across the finish line with another green flag and plenty of cheering!

And the overall winner was… The Cyclist! Well done to Sean Papworth, Head of Customer Services, who not only cycled at an incredible pace, but had one of the lowest carbon outputs, little cost and a good image rating. It helped, of course, that Sean is a keen cyclist, and had the same equipment as Team Sky did for the Tour de France!

The next fastest mode was the electric bike, closely followed by the electric car, who completed the race in an amazing 14 and 17 minutes respectively, but were let down by accessibility and cost. However, with such speed, it proved what a great way of travelling across the city an electric bike can be, especially with its green credentials and pedal assistance.

In last place was the taxi, this was mainly due to its cost, CO2 rating and the fact that there weren’t any readily available taxis at that time of the morning, which caused this method of transport to take the longest.

It also proved an interesting test in to which commuting methods are actually available in Exeter. Whilst the race has helped determine the most effective travel methods, and show where improvements can be made, it has also helped trigger a lot of discussion about sustainable transport and how small personal changes could make a big difference to the city.

"The race has proved a great advert for cycling in Exeter, showing that it is actually the quickest way to get around the city, beating cars and taxis. And to discover that getting a bus from town is only eleven minutes faster than walking has been a real eye opener. The event has generated a lot of discussion about sustainable travel and hopefully posed a few questions, like how can public transport be improved, the price of electric bikes and would electric cars be suitable for the Redrow company car list?” Reuben Cooke, Technical Manager & Head of the Green team for the West Country office

We look forward to organising our next green event within the region, promoting a greener lifestyle in work and at home and continuing to raise awareness on our impacts as a business.

The (very scientific) official results table

We’re supporting ambitious research into the impacts of urban living on people’s health.

Funded under the Wellcome Trust's prestigious new initiative, Our Planet, Our Health, the three-year project will provide valuable insights about current and future health costs and benefits of urban environments in order to inform future design.

As the first volume housebuilder to pledge its commitment to the project, we are offering the research team access to our portfolio of housing developments.

Starting in February 2016, the study will be led by the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol) in partnership with urban planning and research consultancy, Daniel Black and Associates (db+a), and the University of Bath, with support from the University of Washington and United Nations University.

“It’s fantastic that Redrow are committing to this exciting research project. The links between health and urbanisation are complex, but there is an increasing urgency in tackling the health challenges that the Wellcome Trust are now focusing on, particularly those resulting from climate change, increasing population and urbanisation. Volume housebuilders play a key role in urban development in the UK and therefore must be central to the discussion.” Daniel Black, director of db+a and research project manager 

By 2050 the planet will need to support nine billion people, the majority of whom will be living in urban areas. Availability and access to essential resources, including food and water, is reducing, while incidence of extreme weather events and trends in non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardio-vascular and respiratory illness, are increasing.

“This is vital research if we are to ensure future development supports the health and wellbeing of those living there. We are pleased to support the research team by offering access to our current developments. We will be following the results of the study with interest so we can continue to be at the forefront of quality design and create sustainable communities for the future.” Nigel Smith, Redrow's research and sustainability director

The project will aim to demonstrate to decision makers the hidden costs to society of poor-quality urban development. In collaboration with partners on the ground, new models of urban development delivery will be developed where health and long-term health impacts are considered and integrated from the start.

For more information on the project visit www.wellcome.ac.uk.

We’re committed to improving timber regulation and have signed up to the WWF Industry Statement to prove it.

As a major purchaser of timber products, we have welcomed the introduction of a regulation that is more effective at stopping illegal timber from being traded on the European market.

You can read the Industry Statement in full here which outlines our pledge.

We’re committed to reviewing our processes on environmental and sustainability issues – from initial design choices at conception to the completed building.

Timber is an important element of our construction process and we recognise the importance of utilising only timber from credible, certified legal and well managed sources. In 2015, 99.82% of our timber was responsibly sourced.

We are also a member of the WWF-UK Forest & Trade Network (FTN).

Our sustainability team is celebrating after Redrow was shortlisted for two awards in the BIG Biodiversity Challenge. 

Run by CIRIA (the construction industry research and information association), the awards invite organisations to ‘do one thing’ to enhance their construction site, development or existing building.

Winners will be announced at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, on October 15 and Redrow is a finalist in two different categories.

Efforts to help birds, bees, hedgehogs and other creatures flourish at our UK headquarters in Flintshire are shortlisted in the ‘small scale permanent’ projects category; while an outdoor classroom that nine Redrow apprentices helped to create at a rural village school in Gloucestershire will compete for top honours in the class for ‘community engagement’.

 At St David’s Park headquarters, in Ewloe, we’ve installed 152 homes of a different kind, comprising:
• 60 bird boxes
• 50 roosting pouches
• 10 bat boxes
• 24 bee/bug/insect homes
• 5 butterfly homes
• 3 hedgehog homes.

We’ve monitored and recorded activity in each across the year and noted that around 80% of the new homes have been used. A key feature of the project was a bird box with a camera installed, which allowed our employees to observe the nesting and raising of chicks in the company’s very own ‘Nestwatch’.

The new outside eco-classroom at Ann Edwards C of E Primary School, South Cerney, was created in just seven days with no budget. Designed to help the school’s pupils learn more about natural habitats, biodiversity and provide an area where the school’s eco club can thrive, it includes biodiversity enhancements such as a log pile hibernacula and bug hotel.

The challenge saw the team of Redrow construction site and office-based apprentices work together to source free materials from local suppliers before building the structure on a previously unused bit of land within the school grounds.

“To be shortlisted for one award would be achievement enough, but for two of our sustainability projects to be singled out is truly amazing. We’ve worked hard within the business to be more eco-friendly and to make sure all of our staff recognise the importance of developing homes in a sustainable and responsible way." Nicola Owen, Redrow’s sustainability manager

In a bid to reduce their carbon footprint, employees at our head office have taken part in a ‘green day’, swapping their cars for alternative methods of transport and learning how to drive more economically in an eco-driving simulator.  In total, 765 car-miles were saved by employees opting to car-share, cycle, run, walk or use public transport to get to work.  Everyone who took part was rewarded with a well-deserved breakfast sandwich upon arrival!

NW technical director Paul Sinclair was awarded the prize for ‘most impressive commute’ winning a Fair Trade hamper after cycling and using the train to travel 84 miles to the Ewloe office from Wigan and back, while Group sales and marketing director Dave Bexon cycled the 60 mile round trip to and from his home in Nantwich.  Colleagues also competed to find the most ‘fuel efficient’ drivers using a driver training simulator, with Laura Wood from Group Marketing achieving the best individual score.

Staff also took part in bumblebee walks around the grounds of our head office at St David’s Park, Ewloe to learn more about Redrow’s partnership with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust (BBCT). Sinead Lynch, a conservation officer from the BBCT led the walks, teaching employees about the pollinator friendly habitats we have planted and their important role in attempting to reverse the dramatic decline of many British bumblebee species. Find out more about our partnership with BBCT on our Partnership Pages. Lots of other activities were running throughout the day, with raffles, an eco-themed cake sale and ‘best green dressed’ competition, all raising money for our chosen charities for the year - Hope House Children’s Hospice and D.A.F.F.O.D.I.L.S.

“It was a fantastic day to raise awareness of the simple steps we can all take to reduce our carbon footprint and help the environment. Organised by our St David’s Park ‘Green Team’, our aim was to get as many people involved as possible. Every member of staff arrived to a pack of wildflower seeds and Fairtrade Green Tea on their desk and everyone who left their car at home for the day was entered into a raffle to win a prize donated by one of our generous suppliers.” Nicola Owen, Redrow’s sustainability manager

To further embed our sustainability values throughout the business, all staff have been undergoing sustainability training, which has been delivered in a suitably eco-efficient way; through the introduction of a new eLearning module that is completed online at a time to suit each individual employee.

Delivered in ‘bite-size chunks’, by the end of the module all learners are able to discuss the key concepts of sustainability and its importance to the planet, people and businesses in general.  They’ll also be able to engage further with our sustainability vision, understanding how the company is working to improve its impacts on the environment and society, as well as identifying ways in which they can get involved with our sustainability agenda.

“The eLearning module is an engaging, interactive way to involve all staff with the important issue of sustainability regardless of their role.  We also provide more detailed, job specific training for our sales and site teams. This includes delivery of the CITB’s (SEATS) to all of our site managers, area construction managers and construction directors.” Nicola Owen, Redrow’s sustainability manager

We are also in the process of ‘threading’ sustainability through all of the training courses we run; even those which, on the face of it, might seem unrelated.

“We ensure that all the training we do, whether it’s time management, leadership skills or customer service, relates back in some way to Redrow’s Aspirations 2018 agenda. Sometimes the sustainability element within a specific training course is quite detailed according to an individual’s role and skills required, but at other times it is more subtle and only represents a small part of the course content. The important thing is that sustainability is embedded at the heart of everything we do.” Jon Chadwick, Redrow’s group learning and development manager 

Separately, members of Redrow’s ‘Green Teams’ – eco champions at different locations across Redrow’s business -  have undertaken IEMA/City & Guilds (level 2) training in environmental sustainability. This course covers the importance of resource efficiency, pollution prevention guidance, the impact of transport and understanding how employees can support environmental aims. It will be rolled out again to newer Green Team members each year.

We are delighted to have been recognised for our efforts in sustainability, by winning the ‘Green Award’ at the 2014 Daily Post Business Awards, which were sponsored by the Welsh Government and Bangor University.  The accolade recognises good environmental or sustainability practice by businesses that are reducing energy costs, minimising waste or otherwise taking steps to shrink its carbon footprint.

We have set ourselves a number of targets to make our business more sustainable and, while we are still working towards many of these, we are delighted that our efforts over the past year have been recognised. This award shows we are on the right track and we want to build on that momentum to take further strides in coming years.