Industry award for innovative first time buyers scheme

A Redrow housing scheme, which brought homes to first-time buyers for less than £50,000, has scooped another national award.

The ground-breaking scheme in Rugby, Warwickshire, was the first Redrow development to feature the innovative Debut product range, aimed at helping people to get onto the property ladder.

The Debut @ Willans Green scheme by Redrow Homes (Midlands) was awarded a commendation in the “renewed neighbourhoods” category of the RTPI planning awards 2007 at a glittering ceremony held at the London Hilton on 7 February.

Alan Dorn managing director of Redrow Homes (Midlands) says: “We are delighted that the significance of Debut @ Willans Green has been recognised by the RTPI. This development made home ownership achievable to people, who would otherwise have been unable to take that first step onto the property ladder.

“Following on from the success of the Willans Green development – which was first launched in 2005 - Debut became an established part of Redrow’s product range, with schemes from South Wales to Yorkshire and Lancashire.”

The 103 one and two-bedroom houses at Willans Green were on the market for prices that started at under £50,000, making them accessible to people who had previously been priced out of the property market.

The judges were impressed by Redrow’s unique approach to the delivery of affordable homes and praised the fact that modern construction methods kept costs down but the development has still won a BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) eco-excellent rating - a benchmark for the environmental performance of buildings.

They also commended the scheme’s use of open space and its good design, adding: “its layout belies all the densities achieved.”

The judges continued: “We were impressed by the fact that it is a market product, not benefiting from public sector support, as well as being a genuinely affordable product - it therefore meets the essential needs of those on low incomes, particularly young people looking for their first home.

“The scheme has dramatically enhanced the appearance of the site and created a pleasant and welcoming environment, replacing formerly derelict land and giving new life to this traditional urban quarter of Rugby. The ‘Debut’ product raises the standard in terms of meeting ‘sustainable development’ objectives.

“The scheme is also a good example of the benefits of close working between the house building industry and the local authority and other agencies.”

Debut schemes have been successfully completed at Buckshaw Village in Lancashire, Ewloe, Flintshire, Stoke on Trent and Sittingbourne, Kent. Current developments can be found in Lincoln; Hilton, in Derbyshire; and Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire; Chorley in Lancashire; Newport, Merthyr Tydfil and North Cornelly in South Wales. and Selby in North Yorkshire.

For more information on how Debut can help you get onto the property ladder log onto Debutbyredrow.co.uk.