Luxury housebuilder Homes by Carlton aims to be a leading regional housebuilder across the North East and Yorkshire in the next few years. We spoke to MD Simon Walker on progress and the impact of the pandemic on growth plans.
How many sites does Homes by Carlton have in the region?
We currently have three sites across the North East – at Middleton St George, Thorpe Thewles and Redmarshall – with several more planned for later in the year. With the sites ranging from 11 homes at Redmarshall to a multi-phase development covering 198 homes at Middleton St George, it’s an immensely exciting time.
What makes you different to other housebuilders?
Our focus is on building the homes people need, in the areas they want to live – and every home we build is treated as if it was for ourselves. We want to live in the homes and locations we build. We spend a considerable amount of time sourcing the right land. We have all lived in the region for decades and fully appreciate the need not just to have a fantastic home, but for that home to be in the right location.
What impact has the pandemic and lockdowns had?
The first lockdown was a period of uncertainty, as it was for everyone. The importance of the housebuilding industry though – which supports around 750,000 jobs a year and adds over £30 billion to the UK economy annually – was recognised and we’ve been able to continue operating for the vast majority of the last 12 months. In fact, the only time we’ve had to actually stop building has been because of the weather. We’ve obviously had to introduce a number of measures to ensure the safety of everyone on site because of COVID, but I’m delighted at how the team has responded.
How strong are sales and demand?
When the pandemic hit, there was a feeling among all housebuilders everything would effectively be put on hold – but that’s proven to be anything but the case. With completions and reservations continuing over the last 12 months, demand has been high throughout. Our sales and marketing teams have been fantastic, introducing COVID-precautions to ensure our showhomes remain open, whilst creating virtual tours – you can explore our showhomes, experiencing 360 degree views of every room, from the comfort of your sofa. There’s always been a strong demand for high quality homes throughout the region. But the Stamp Duty holiday coupled with existing schemes such as Help to Buy – and many homeowners saving more money than planned – has meant it’s been a more active time than anyone in the industry could have imagined at the start of the pandemic.
How many homes do you hope to complete in 2021?
Our intention is to have 50 new homes ready to welcome their new owners by Christmas this year. We’re very fortunate we have an experienced team who are agile and deliver the required output through the most challenging of times.
What are the company ambitions in the next few years?
We are working tirelessly to be the leading housebuilder in the region when it comes to quality. And that stretches across everything – from the finishes of our homes themselves, to the locations in which they’re built, and the service you receive as a homebuyer.
Our primary focus isn’t on volume. It’s on providing homes people want and need in the areas they want to live – and homes they’re genuinely proud to live in.
How do you relax off-site?
Now, the same as most others – sat in front of the TV digesting a box set on Netflix! I’m a huge fan of hiking and biking though, so I’m fortunate COVID hasn’t hampered this. We have some stunning countryside walks in the region that really do help you reset and refresh. I love live music, too, so you could often find me at gigs throughout the region before COVID, and I’m arguably looking forward to this most.
More details www.homesbycarlton.com
