Find your prime location with Stamford Homes

From trendy townhouses to family detached homes - from rural villages and market towns to city centre living. With so many differing lifestyles and priorities, it is down to new homes builders like Stamford Homes to look at the bigger picture when planning a new development.

Location, Location, Location! It may be a popular property catchphrase, but it is the starting point in a lengthy process for Stamford Homes when it comes to choosing a great place for new housing.

It can take up to 18 months from the point of identifying land to the first new home being sold – with a host planning, social, environmental and economic boxes to be ticked along the way.

Stamford Homes land director Mike Walker said: “Even before we put in a bid for land we carry out extensive market research which allows us to plan the type of housing we would like to provide – focussing on economic drivers, the surrounding environment and the local housing market.

“From experience, you do develop a nose for what you think is right for the area, generally getting a feel for it.

“Once a bid has been accepted, we have a number of local authority obligations and requirements to carry out before the first bricks are laid.”

These include conducting ecological studies, liaising with relevant agencies (like the Environment Agency) and submitting a planning application in accordance with the local plan.

Environmental studies and ground investigations can, and have, included; tree surveys, assessing whether a bat colony was present at proposed new development; tracking the habitat of badgers close to a site and working with environmental partners to clear land of any inherited contamination.

Mike added: “As a responsible new homes builder it is paramount that our housetypes and developments are harmonious with the surrounding area. We work closely with the local authority and key stakeholders throughout the process.

“It is also important to say that we are able to invest in the local area by means of employment opportunities.”

Stamford Homes currently builds around 500 new homes each year in strategically-chosen brownfield locations from key market towns and rural villages.

And just like prospective buyers, Stamford Homes also has a list of checkpoints when it comes to choosing a location.

- Economic drivers: good road network, bus route and easy access to main roads and motorways.
- Access to the railway station
- Locality of hospital and GP services
- Good schools
- Leisure and recreations facilities being close by
- Distance to employment areas

Stamford Homes identify potential land through a range of sources; local plans, land agents, individual landowners and the company’s own land team.

For more information, visit: stamford-homes.co.uk