Anthea Turner unveils Barratt's new Choices Centre

Many people consider their homes to be an extension of their personalities, and while the beauty of buying brand new is having a blank canvas from which to work, up until now new home owners have had very few choices available to them.

Many people consider their homes to be an extension of their personalities, and while the beauty of buying brand new is having a blank canvas from which to work, up until now new home owners have had very few choices available to them. For Barratt Southern Counties' customers, however, this shortcoming has become a thing of the past.

On Wednesday 30th April, Barratt, with the help of Anthea Turner, launched its new Choices Centre, in Walnut Tree Close, Guildford. All its buyers will now be able to choose from an enormous range of state-of-the-art fixtures and fittings, everything from carpets to toothbrush holders, to change or upgrade their specification. Though more choices are available with off-plan properties that are still in the early stages of construction, even those buying homes that are nearly complete will be able to add some finishing touches. After browsing for inspiration, visitors can relax in the café with their families to make those all-important final decisions on colour and style.

As Trevor Sawyer, the Managing Director of Barratt Southern Counties, commented, "Home buyers have previously been given a relatively limited range of options, but at Barratt we believe in choice. When buying a new home, our customers can choose their preferred fittings and fixtures, which will be installed before they move in, leaving them free to enjoy their new property from the very first day."

Though Anthea Turner might be best known as the presenter of Blue Peter and GMTV, she was equally well qualified to open the Choices Centre. Her top rating programme for the BBC, Perfect Housewives, and her monthly column in the BBC Good Homes Magazine have taught domestic skills to home owners around the country. She is also the creative inspiration behind the interior design firm Imagine Furnishings and has her own furniture range known as AT Home.

"Having your own home with your own style is one of the pleasures of life. With interior designers on television screens across the country, more and more people are being inspired to express themselves through their homes. The Barratt Choices Centre gives people this opportunity in an informal environment," said Anthea, "After all, what is the point in buying a new home if you cannot choose your own bathroom suite or curtains?"

The centre is an eagerly anticipated benchmark in the growth of Barratt Southern Counties, which is responsible for building around 1,000 homes every year across Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire, making it one of the largest divisions in The Barratt Group.

Reflecting the increase in homes being built, staff numbers at Barratt's Guildford office have increased by 30 per cent, and the nationwide shortage of senior staff is such that Barratt has been recruiting skilled personnel from overseas. At the instigation of regional managing director Gary Ennis, Barratt decided to look at the possibility of recruiting quantity surveyors from Southern Africa, as their training programs are closely related to those in the UK. The strongest response received was from Zimbabwe, with jobs offered to 18 of the 30 people short listed.

With an ever increasing population and the concentration on urban regeneration, recent Government guidelines have favoured high density housing schemes and developers have been focusing their efforts principally on apartment developments, leading to a shortage in traditional family homes. In recognising this problem, Barratt Southern Counties has, over the previous four to five years, been focussing its land acquisition outside the M25, buying in less urban areas such as Horley and Basingstoke, through to the South Coast in Brighton and Eastbourne. Barratt's current portfolio encompasses a wide spectrum, with properties ranging in price from £160,000 to £600,000.

"We have witnessed tremendous growth over the last few years, and, despite the ongoing uncertainties regarding the current market situation, we are still experiencing overwhelming demand for family homes," said Trevor Sawyer.

For more information, visit Barratthomes.co.uk.