A local housebuilder has triumphed in a fierce competition against 11 regional finalists across England and Wales to win the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) National Building Excellence Award for ‘best small housing development’.
Hills Homes, part of the Wiltshire-based Hills Group,won for its development, The Old Dairy in Upper Castle Combe, Wiltshire.
The award was presented to Mike Hill, chief executive of the Hills Group at the LABC award ceremony hosted by author, broadcaster and former MP Gyles Brandreth at The Brewery in London. Mr Hill said: “I am over the moon! It is justified recognition for an exceptional team of people.
“It has been an exciting albeit nail-biting wait since winning the West of England regional round back in July, and we are just so proud of our achievement tonight,” commented Nick King, group director, Hills Property. “This award represents all the hard work, care and dedication that my team puts into delivering first class homes and creating wonderful places to live.”
The picturesque setting of Castle Combe inspired the exclusive development of seven homes at The Old Dairy, where strict rules apply to preserve the beauty and character of the village. The development was noted for having improved the setting of the existing adjacent listed Grade II property whilst maintaining a rural theme to blend into the local environment. This has been reflected in the palette of natural stone, clay and slate tiles and timber joinery that Hill Homes has used for the external appearance, as well as the sloping ceilings inside.
LABC chief executive Paul Everall said: “Once again it was a tough assignment for the judges to pick winners from a very high standard field. All the finalists deserve recognition for their great work in helping to improve building standards, boost sustainability and efficiency and show that despite a difficult economic backdrop, standards do not have to slip. These awards show good building control can save both time and money. Our congratulations go to the finalists – and especially the winners – all of whom have helped to show the importance of local authority building control.”
