Focused on building communities and place
Front cover: Local children enjoying the 2022 Teviot Festival in Tower Hamlets, East London
Above: New Union Wharf in the Docklands, East London
It is my pleasure to present The Hill Group’s annual report for 2022, marking another year of considerable growth across all areas of our business.
Despite various economic and sector-specific challenges, we have achieved positive underlying financial results, alongside significant investments and structural changes that position us well for long-term success.
In the past year, we delivered over 2,200 new homes, generating revenue of £716m and profit before tax of £65.6m. This performance puts us on track to achieve our vision of doubling the size of our business by 2025 while growing headline turnover to £1.25bn. I am grateful to the performance of my leadership team and every member of Team Hill for their commitment and dedication in achieving this year’s results.
Our strategy is centred on being the UK’s leading and most trusted housebuilder, creating exceptional homes and sustainable communities. Our balance sheet of £322m puts us in a strong position to take advantage of future market opportunities. Additionally, we ended the year with net cash of £132m, enabling us to make strategic investments in our development pipeline.
Our development pipeline is in great health, consisting of 8,500 homes with planning consent, 3,800 homes awaiting consent, and a further 11,200 marked for future delivery. These factors place The Hill Group on a sure footing as we enter the next economic cycle. However, we hope for an improvement in the planning system over the years to come in order to build out this pipeline. Our profit increased on last year’s figures, but our overall revenue has fallen from £753m in 2021, largely as a result of delays in planning.
Our housebuilding expertise spans a range of sectors within the housing market, and we have reinforced all areas of our business model in the past year. Our joint venture partnerships with housing associations and local authorities to deliver large-scale redevelopment and estate regeneration have been a key focus. This diversified approach is one of our strengths, allowing us to balance risk and remain resilient to any further weakening in economic conditions.
The Hill Group is now the second largest private housebuilder in the country, with strong leadership and an excellent management team. Our independence means we are highly agile in our decision-making and flexible in our operations, free from the burden of external investors or shareholders. This allows us to continue building on existing relationships through delivering on what we promise and forge new ones based on our reputation.
All nine of our operational regions have contributed to this year’s success and are in a stable position for the year ahead.
In London, we have been highly active across the capital, making progress in our long-term strategic projects with housing association partners. In joint venture with Peabody we will soon start work on the former Ford plant in Dagenham, building 935 new homes as the first phase of a transformational 3,500 unit scheme. Across the city, we entered a new partnership with Pinnacle Investments to build over 1,800 new homes in Dollis Hill and Wembley. In Brentford, we started on-site to deliver 441 new homes with L&Q on the site of the former Citroën garage.
We also gained initial planning permission from Richmond Council for a 452 unit housing-led regeneration project in Ham, South West London alongside RHP. In Hounslow, we topped out on the first 260 units of our Lampton Parkside project with Notting Hill Genesis, which will eventually bring 780 high-quality new homes to the area.
In recent years, we have been increasingly engaged in large-scale and often complex estate regeneration in London, becoming a trusted partner for our community-focused approach and sensitive handling of the planning and construction process. At the Douglas Bader Park Estate in Colindale, we secured planning and began work on a landmark 10-year regeneration programme in partnership with Home Group, to provide over 750 new homes for existing residents and local people.
In Cambridge, we continued to deliver high-quality award-winning homes across several key sites around the city. At Knights Park in Eddington, we are nearing completion of Rubicon, a sustainable development of apartments that forms part of the wider awardwinning neighbourhood in North West Cambridge. Furthermore, following the success of the first phase, we launched the latest phase of new homes at Marleigh, our exciting partnership with The Marshall Group of Cambridge.
Dagenham Green, East London, a major new joint venture with Peabody.As part of our successful Cambridge Investment Partnership with Cambridge City Council to deliver housing stock across various sites, we have delivered 694 council homes, and the start on-site at Colville Road Phase 3 provides an additional 48 affordable homes. The South Cambridgeshire Investment Partnership submitted plans for 256 new homes at Cambourne in Autumn 2022.
I am also delighted to report progress in our expansion into the Bristol and South West region. We recently achieved topping out on a major residential scheme of 142 apartments at McArthur’s Yard, which will form part of the Bristol dockside regeneration. Additionally, we also commenced work on the Hengrove Bookends project in South Bristol, a 53-unit scheme that will serve as the gateway to a wider project of over 1,400 homes for Bristol Council.
Looking ahead, we have started 2023 carrying forward the momentum of our strategic partnerships to ensure further success over the next year and beyond. In July we were announced as the development and funding partner of Shearer Property Group for City Centre South in Coventry and having secured planning consent in November, reserved matters planning is now being prepared ahead of submission in Spring 2023. We are also continuing to grow and strengthen our working relationship with Homes England and the Greater London Authority, with many significant regeneration projects earmarked across the country and within the capital.
Our commitment to the highest Environmental, Social and Governance standards was once again a constant
Our commitment to the highest Environmental, Social and Governance standards was once again a constant throughout the year. In 2022, we released our first full ESG report that set out a bold vision for our future endeavours. Among our targets is to achieve net-zero carbon in our Scope 1 and 2 business operations and net-zero operational carbon in the homes we build by 2030. To achieve this, we have made great strides in the use of biofuel on our construction sites and the use of 100% purchased renewable energy supplies.
In recognition of our efforts, we participated in external benchmarking and moved up to the fifth position in the NextGeneration appraisal of the largest 25 housebuilders by turnover and annual completions. As a non-listed housebuilder with fewer mandatory reporting requirements, we are proud of this standing.
Alongside ESG we published a new five-year HSE strategy to ensure health and safety remains at the forefront of our approach. In April, we were proud to be among the first housebuilders to sign the Government’s building safety repairs pledge, committing to remediate life critical fire safety works in buildings over 11 metres.
We are also committed to delivering social value, as seen in our work on the Teviot Estate, where we have committed over £278m of social improvements to establish a legacy for the community. Our delivery plan is based on 12 key outcomes, identified as priority areas by the residents themselves. I am pleased to report our in year social value created for 2022 is £358.8m, which represents a £94.4m increase on the previous reporting period.
Rubicon is a sustainable development of apartments at Knights Park in Eddington, Cambridge.
We have continued to strengthen our leadership team with several key appointments throughout the year, including our new Sustainability Director, Andrew Day. In the strategic land team, a number of additions were made to successfully progress our growing portfolio of long-term strategic projects, including the promotion of Matt Tunley to Strategic Land Director. We remain an attractive employer for top talent within the industry, with a strong working culture, a commitment to training, and excellent career progression.
As we continue to invest in the future generation, we are pleased to announce the launch of our Hill Training Academy for young apprentices, and an innovative initiative with NHBC, Cambridge City Council, and Histon Football Club to address industry skills shortage by providing aspiring bricklayers with intensive practical training.
Overall, we are future-proofing The Hill Group to ensure our long-term resilience with concerted efforts to move towards more sustainable building methods, as evidenced by the further development of our partnership with Volumetric Modular and the acquisition of Fusion Steel Framing. The strategic purchase of Fusion adds to our capacity and capability in Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and off-site fabrication, as well as securing our own supply chain. We are already seeing the advantages this brings to our core business, such as in the off-site fabrication of bathroom pods.
Over the past year, we have continued to drive innovation in the housing sector, expanding our SoloHaus technology to provide high-quality temporary housing for local authorities and charitable organisations supporting those dealing with homelessness. We were thrilled to see our SoloHaus homes put into action in Cornwall, where the local Council acquired 79 of the modular homes to alleviate local housing pressures and provide safe temporary accommodation for those at risk of homelessness. The success of this awardwinning product encouraged us to expand our range to a full Haus Collection, including DuoHaus for couples and FamilyHaus for multiple occupants, which was exhibited to wide acclaim at the Offsite Expo in Coventry.
We were delighted to win Best Family Home at the Evening Standard New Homes Awards 2022.
A total of 79 SoloHaus homes were put into action by local authorities in Cornwall to help tackle homelessness.
At The Hill Group, we believe in using our housebuilding expertise to make a positive impact on society, which is why we developed SoloHaus and have committed to donating 200 of these homes to local authorities and homeless charities over a five year period as part of our Foundation 200 pledge. We are now moving into year three of our pledge and will be installing further homes in Bristol, Harrow, Redbridge, Gravesham, and Coventry in the year.
Our SoloHaus technology has received numerous awards, including Best Community Initiative at the 2022 Housebuilder Awards, the Offsite Awards Building Pioneer prize, Best Healthy Homes Initiative at the Inside Housing Development Awards for Olive Morris Court, and the RTPI Planning Excellence for Communities award also for Olive Morris Court. We are proud to see our commitment to innovation and social impact recognized in this way.
In addition to our work with SoloHaus, The Hill Group has been honoured to receive several other awards over the past year, including Medium Housebuilder of the Year at the Housebuilder Awards and FamilyHome of the Year at the Evening Standard Awards for Knights Park. We are pleased to see our talented staff and commitment to high-quality homes receive such prestigious recognition. In 2022 we also felt it was important to recognise excellence within our own supply chain, hosting the inaugural Hill Supply Chain Awards Dinner in London to celebrate the invaluable work of over 500 supply chain partners.
On a personal note, I was immensely proud to receive an OBE in the 2023 New Year Honours List for services to Affordable Housing in the UK. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team at The Hill Group, as well as our partners and supply chain. I am grateful for the support of my family throughout my many years in this business.
As we look to the future, we acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead, including the cost of living and energy crises, increased mortgage costs, and the end of Help to Buy. However, we remain optimistic about the future of UK housebuilding. There continues to be a shortage of well-built housing in the UK, and there will always be a demand for high-quality sustainable homes, which is what The Hill Group is known for. Our mixed-business model and strong development pipeline, along with our resilience to short-term economic impacts, means we are well-positioned to continue going from strength-to-strength in the years to come.
Andy Hill OBE Group Chief Executive
Topping out at McArthur’s Yard in Bristol, a significant harbourside site with new homes and commercial space.
2022 has been another very strong year for Hill, with profits at their highest ever level at £65.6m, despite challenging economic and industry headwinds.
This, together with a balance sheet that has grown to nearly £322m during the year, which includes £132m of cash with no borrowings, as well as having a committed £220m bank facility should we need it, means that we are in a great position to grow the business and deliver our five year business plan aspirations.
2022 was the first year since 2019 where trading was not interrupted in some way by the pandemic, delivering a record pre-tax profit of £65.6m, albeit on very slightly reduced revenue levels from the previous year. Both the development and contracting businesses performed well, with our new South West region coming fully on stream in the period.
We completed 2,203 new homes in 2022, over half of which were delivered from our private sale and joint venture activities.
We are now three years through the Group’s £15m Foundation 200 5 year pledge to deliver 200 homes for the homeless. A further donation of £3m against the pledge was made during 2022, taking the total donated to date to nearly £8m. To date, 60 completed and installed modular homes have been gifted, with a further 70 homes allocated to identified opportunities.
In these challenging economic times, we know that it is as important as ever that we pay our supply chain on time. I am therefore pleased to report that
£716m revenue
£65.6m pre-tax profit
£322m balance sheet
our payment times to our suppliers have improved for a fourth consecutive year, down from an average of 30 days at the end of 2021 to just 29 days at the end of 2022.
A key feature of the business has always been that the vast majority of all profits made each year are retained in the business, which has seen the balance sheet go from strength to strength in recent years. As a result, our balance sheet has grown from £273m at the start of the year to £322m by the end of 2022, an increase of nearly 18% on the previous year. A robust balance sheet is key in providing a strong base from which to deliver the growth anticipated in our five year business plan numbers.
At the heart of our balance sheet is a rock-solid cash position of £132m with no bank borrowings. Furthermore we have a committed bank facility of £220m through to 2026 which will allow us to invest in large-scale developments and help us deliver our long-term business plan targets.
Set against this is our land bank, from where all future development profits are generated. We have £315m invested in our land bank as at the end of the year, which represents nearly 12,300 homes either with planning or pending planning consent, which is expected to generate over £4.6bn of future income to the Group, with another 11,200 homes expected to be delivered from other opportunities currently being explored.
The Group’s contracting order book is also as strong as it has ever been, which together with the Group’s land bank puts the Group in a great position as we enter 2023 and head towards our business plan targets.
2,203 1,132 new homes from private sales and joint ventures
£3m donated from the Group’s £15m Foundation 200 pledge
18% increase in net assets
PROFIT (before tax)
£315m in land bank which represents: >12,300 homes, generating £4.6bn of future income, plus
11,200 homes expected from other opportunities
2023 AND BEYOND
2023 is set to be a challenging year, particularly as inflation and increasing interest rates begin to bite and the private sale market potentially slows. However, it will no doubt be another important step in our long-term journey towards doubling revenues and profits in the five years to 2025 to £1.25bn and £110m respectively, with an increasingly large part of the business being development led.
With our strong balance sheet and committed funding already in place, we are well positioned to make the most of market conditions in years to come.
Net cash of
£132m
29 days Supply chain payment average
£220m Revolving credit facility (RCF) linked to meeting sustainability targets
As always, a big thank you to everyone across the business who has helped us deliver some great results in 2022.
Neil Williams FCA Group Finance Director
Health, Safety and Environment are the primary concerns in everything we do; in our offices, on our construction sites, and in the homes we build.
We are committed to minimising the risk of accidents and injuries, and maintaining an open dialogue across the business, always endeavouring to set a well-established approach to HSE for our people and our supply chain.
In 2022, we launched our new HSE Vision and Five Year Strategy, outlining the measures we are taking to promote wellbeing and prioritise health and safety to support the longterm objectives of The Hill Group. We are excited to see this vision brought to life with a renewed commitment to ensuring that everyone, from the top of the organisation down, plays an active role in achieving our objectives.
Our HSE vision is to achieve class-leading and uncompromised standards across the business, creating safe and healthy working environments for all.
In a single day, as a Group, we bear the responsibility of ensuring the wellbeing, health, and safety of approximately four thousand people, and in the space of a year, successfully completed in excess of eight million person-hours of work.
Throughout 2022, we achieved an Accident Frequency Rate (AFR) of 0.10 (Hours Worked Calculation) and an Annual Injury Incidence Rate (AIIR) of 218 (Average number of employees / operatives).
Notably, our AIIR during the reporting period is significantly lower than the construction industry average (326). Our AIIR has improved steadily yearon-year, and we continue to rank highly in the Home Builders Federation’s (HBF) safety league table.
Each month, every one of our sites is visited at least once by an independent third party specialist to conduct Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) site
audits. Furthermore, our Group HSE Director and Managing Directors perform quarterly environmental audits and spot-check visits on at least 50% of our active sites, as specified by our Environmental Management System (EMS).
In 2022, to improve the way we approach site-based HSE auditing, we moved away from a system based on percentage scores to a red, amber, green (RAG) system. This move has helped reinforce a positive health and safety culture at Hill, enabling our teams to prioritise their work to capitalise on opportunities for swift improvement, delivering on important areas more quickly and effectively.
Working with our supply chain partner WISE, we developed a QR code reporting system that allows any HSE concerns or good practices to be recorded quickly and efficiently. This enables both employees and the supply chain to notify the HSE team of issues within a site as they happen. Reporting these near misses enables us to minimise the risk of potential injuries occurring.
Throughout 2022, our Group HSE Director and his team set up new internal communications processes consisting of email-based safety alerts and informational vlogs to keep our company abreast of important updates and regulatory changes. This more direct communication method is an engaging and valuable tool for the business.
In 2022, we launched a new HSE Strategy to dovetail with our Five Year Business Plan. The strategy set out within the document is based on four key pillars, Culture, Competence, Supply Chain, and Collaboration. These four areas are essential to the ongoing enhancement of our business and essential for us to maintain our position as a leading housebuilder, ensuring high standards of health, safety, environment, and personal wellbeing. Emphasising these key areas can greatly reduce risks and foster secure and positive work environments.
The four key pillars of our new HSE strategy:
As a family-owned business, people are at the core of everything we do and we prioritise the health and safety of our teams above everything else.
Establishing a positive culture forms a strong foundation for how we approach HSE strategy within the business. Our inclusive onboarding process positively impacts our culture by encouraging an open dialogue amongst new employees across all disciplines, helping newcomers successfully integrate and develop within the business.
Our employees’ wellbeing is important at every level and all staff have access to mental health support. We are determined to tackle the stigma associated with mental health and empower people to raise awareness and understanding on the subject.
Each of our regions has dedicated mental health first aiders, trained internally in association with the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity. This provides emotional, physical, and wellbeing support to construction workers and their families. We ensure our staff have access to adequate mental health support, including a counselling service and an online rewards club offering free health, fitness, and dietary advice to our teams.
As an industry leader, we have developed an HSE training programme for all employees and contractors, to instil the desired leadership attitudes and behaviour that encourages positive HSE practices.
Our Safety Leadership Programme is designed to work across all levels of our business, and we are committed to developing individual, cultural, and organisational capacity to create and maintain a workplace in which nobody is put at risk of harm.
The programme is a constructive opportunity to increase our awareness levels of health and safety by making it a personal, relevant, and important priority that will empower our choices and actions.
With continued strong leadership and our staff and supply chain collectively embracing Hill’s health and safety culture, we are confident we can achieve yearon-year improvements and reach our strategic targets.
MEASURING OUR IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT
85 average SAP rating 34% average Biodiversity Net Gain score
97% of waste diverted from landfill
Reviewing work on site at Lampton Parkside, West London.Competence can be described as the combination of training, skills, experience, and knowledge that a person has, and their ability to apply them to perform a task safely. Other factors, such as attitude and physical ability, can also affect someone’s competence.
To achieve the safety, culture, and performance of a market-leading housebuilder, it is crucial to invest in levelling up and developing our workforce and supply chain.
We are constantly reviewing and updating our HSE training across all disciplines in line with our objective to ensure our training is matched to the demands of the business and changes within the industry.
We work closely with the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and our partners to develop first-class industry-wide training, recognised by the Home Builders Federation (HBF), partners and other industry training bodies, helping ensure the ongoing competence of our workforce.
Our supply chain is essential to our success, and we are dedicated to building enduring partnerships with our suppliers. We work with our supply chain to make sure everyone understands and adheres to our training and competency requirements and are fully aligned with our vision and values.
Defined as the network of individuals, organisations, resources, activities, and technology involved in building the homes we build, it is our subcontractors and suppliers.
At Hill, we are committed to maintaining high standards of health and safety across all of our construction sites. One of the ways we achieve this is by fostering strong relationships with our tradespeople and suppliers, particularly our sitebased trade supervisors, or Black Hats.
We recognise the crucial role Black Hats play in the success of our projects, and we believe that engaging with them regularly and treating them as integral members of our team is key to achieving our goals. We strive to make them feel invested in the success of the project by providing opportunities for open dialogue, collaboration, and a shared sense of accountability.
Hill is one of a small group of organisations who have become a charter champion with Building a Safer Future
AndyMullins, Head of QualityWe are able to create a culture of safety that benefits everyone on our construction sites.
By forging strong working relationships with our tradespeople, we are able to create a culture of safety that benefits everyone on our construction sites.
In short, we believe that engaging regularly with our suppliers, at all levels, is essential to achieving our health and safety goals. By working collaboratively with our Black Hats and other tradespeople, we can create a safer, more efficient work environment that is aligned with our company’s values and vision.
We are a Construction Logistics and Community Safety (CLOCS) ambassador. CLOCS is an operating standard whereby each member organisation commits to safer practices and implements a nationally recognised best-practice approach to ensure contractors, site teams, suppliers and other stakeholders oversee and encourage each other to reach the safest levels of construction vehicle journeys.
“Our supply chain is fundamental to Hill’s success and, through their hard work and commitment, we are able to create better training and career opportunities, deliver on our community and social value commitments, and create better, more sustainable places to live.”
Andy Hill OBE, Group Chief Executive.Collaboration is a joint effort between two or more people, free from hidden agendas, to produce an output in response to a common goal or shared priority.
Hill acknowledges that collaboration and communication are essential tools for running a successful businesses and safer sites.
To maintain standards across the Group, each department and business unit is held accountable, including all of our non-construction areas.
We hold individuals accountable for their own standards of safety and our appointed Safety committee ensures our health and safety practices are inclusive of all Group departments, providing an overall perspective on the operations and risks within the company.
Safety Committee members, representing various departments within the company, are always active in gathering valuable information which we can review and use to implement changes for improvement.
With meetings running regularly throughout the year, we can ensure that items are raised, agreed and addressed in good time.
At Hill, we are committed to excellence, and this has been the key to our continued success and standing within the industry. We believe beautiful, sustainable design is the foundation for creating a harmonious lifestyle in the homes and communities we create.
Our 5 status with the Home Builder’s Federation, which we have now sustained for six consecutive years, demonstrates our unwavering dedication to our customers, both through the homes we create for them, and the levels of customer service that we provide.
As a leading housebuilder, our customers’ satisfaction is crucial. Our Trustpilot score of 4.9 (at the time of writing) and the many positive reviews on HomeViews underlines this. Success in customer service is hard won and easily lost. However our team’s consistent commitment and high standards across the Group is a major factor in maintaining these scores.
We take pride in helping customers find their dream home, whether a first time buyer looking to take their first step onto the property ladder, or a family looking for space to grow. Here is what some of our happy customers have to say.
Family reaps the benefits of downsizing at ST JAMES QUAY
When Stuart and Tricia, with their daughter Ruby made the decision to downsize from their fivebedroom detached house on the Norfolk coast to a two-bedroom apartment at St James Quay in Norwich, they sold their car and opted to travel by bike. The family is now enjoying living in one of the UK’s most coveted cities and reaping the greener rewards that getting around on two wheels offers.
Talking about their new two-bedroom apartment and how the home supports family life, Stuart says:
“Living at St James Quay has brought our family closer together. The layout is fantastic, it’s really spacious and there is a lot of natural light throughout the apartment. There is a huge openplan living, kitchen and dining room with doors opening onto a private south-facing balcony.
The build quality and internal specification we have is exceptional
The build quality and internal specification we have is exceptional. We also have lots of storage space, which is one of the reasons we chose St James Quay. We feel that Hill provide a premium when it comes to the finishing touches.”
Talking about their experience with the Hill sales team and concluding their journey:
“The whole process has been great. The sale went through within a few weeks even though we had a property to sell, we really can’t thank the team enough for all their help. Our new apartment already feels like home, and we are thoroughly enjoying living in Norwich as we have everything we could need on our doorstep.”
Stuart, Tricia and Ruby enjoy a new car-free lifestyle at St James Quay in Norwich.First-time buyers find commuter joy at ASPECTS
When Becca and Jake purchased their first home together at Aspects in Stevenage, they were able to take advantage of the lower running costs that a newbuild property offers, saving themselves up to £2,000 per year. They also moved closer to their jobs which halved their commuting time, resulting in double savings – now spending less on fuelling their cars while also using less energy at home.
Enjoying a prime location, less than three miles from Stevenage town centre, Aspects is ideally placed to reap the rewards of town, country and shorter commutes. Explaining how they found their new onebedroom apartment at Aspects, Becca comments:
“We had been searching for around 3 months before finding Aspects online. We liked the location as it was central and when we viewed the show home, it sparked a feeling in both of us when we walked in – it had that lovely, homely feel and we could imagine ourselves living in it.”
Talking about the benefits of their new build home, Becca continues:
“We are on the second floor and have access to a shared garden, which has been lovely when we’ve had warmer weather. The kitchen is sleek and stylish with lots of storage space in the cupboards, and we also have a big utility cupboard in the hallway. It is much more spacious than some of the other new build homes we viewed. With the property being a new build, we have a much higher level of energy efficiency than an older property, which is great when it comes to keeping our energy costs down. We would definitely recommend The Hill Group to friends and family.”
We would definitely recommend The Hill Group to friends and family
Becca and Jake love their first home at Aspects in Stevenage, and the savings on energy and commuting it has brought them.Cambridge Investment Partnership celebrated its 150th tenant moving into the brand-new council homes when Callum and Kai moved into the flagship development Ironworks, Mill Road, Cambridge.
Callum and Kai had been living in a one-bedroom council home in Trumpington Meadows for four and a half years, however, due to ongoing health issues, the flat became unsuitable. Having previously submitted several offers for much older properties, they were delighted to be offered the brand-new council apartment in the Eagle building at Ironworks.
Callum comments, “When we first visited Ironworks, we were so impressed with how modern it was and really liked the community feel.
We love our brand-new contemporary kitchen; it feels so cosy and warm. In our previous apartment, it was always quite cold, but we haven’t had to put the heating on at all since we moved in and love the fact that although we are close to Mill Road and the railway line, we are able to have the windows open and watch TV and the noise is minimal.”
Enjoying their new neighbourhood and everything it has to offer, the couple says “There is already a really nice community forming at Ironworks and a lot of our neighbours are really friendly. Everything we need is on our doorstep, we feel fortunate to be living here and are so settled already.”
we were so impressed with how modern it was and really liked the community feel
Ironworks residents Callum and Kai are enjoying being part of this thriving community, and love their brand new home.
We believe that it is our responsibility to build homes that meet the needs of society, both today and in the future. This means ensuring they are sustainable, energy-efficient, and offer a safe and healthy place for families to build their lives for generations. It is this forward-thinking approach that has enabled us to maintain our reputation for high-quality, safe homes that stand the test of time.
This year we have seen tangible results from our investment in our digital quality processes. Our ability to manage change control through digital systems ensures that any changes are clearly communicated and tracked effectively. This has enabled us to maintain the golden thread of information, an initiative that ensures all stakeholders are aware of the current information and updates regarding quality processes.
As a result, we have seen an increase in engagement and quality, with improved understanding and communication of the processes from both sides.
Our approach is reflected in our readiness to adopt significant new regulations in the sector ahead of required deadlines. With the introduction of the Building Safety Act’s new regulatory regime in October 2023, we are pleased to already be working towards complying with the new regulations, well ahead of the deadline.
Our valued relationship with Local Authority Building Control has enabled us to ensure systems and processes are embedded in our business ahead of new regulations being implemented. We have prepared for these changes by implementing new processes that include risk assessment systems, robust reporting procedures, and establishing working groups to review our competencies.
Our proactive attitude to compliance was recently recognised with a certificate of commitment and progress by Building a Safer Future (BSF), a scheme designed to recognise companies that are working towards achieving best practices in health and safety management systems. An accomplishment achieved by just 10 organisations in the UK, demonstrating our dedication to becoming a BSF Champion organisation and driving culture change in building safety.
“Hill is one of a small group of organisations who have become a charter champion with Building a Safer Future, an initiative supported by Dame Judith Hackitt to recognise companies who demonstrate leadership and culture in putting building safety at the heart of their business.”
Andy Mullins, Head of Quality.
Hill’s continued relationships with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and London Fire Brigade have enabled us to drive forward innovation and progress in the sector, helping to ensure that our homes are built with quality, sustainability, and safety in mind. This is also useful to help shape where we focus our resources for improvements.
Andy Mullins, our Head of Quality and responsible for leading our digital quality systems, was appointed as a member of the Building Advisory Committee Steering Group. This achievement will see Andy play a key role in supporting the Building Safety Regulator’s strategies to deliver culture change as well as setting standards for the design and construction of buildings.
As a member of the HBF’s Tall Buildings Group, we collaborate with cross-industry working parties to strategically review challenges and respond to government consultations, ensuring compliance with the new regulations is viable. We are proud to raise awareness of new developments and promote best practices in the industry, continuing our commitment to improving construction standards.
We are also working with the Future Homes Hub through various working groups and initiatives to support the development of Future Homes Standards concerning energy conservation, sustainability, air quality and electric vehicle charging points.
We understand that the homes we construct for our customers and partners are not just buildings, but rather, they are where residents build their lives and forge lasting memories. Our comprehensive quality assurance processes, which are adopted by our entire supply chain, ensure we provide quality homes that last for generations.
To ensure that the homes we build meet the highest standards of quality, we engage with our design and build customers’ quality teams. By working closely with our partners, we can tailor our approach to meet their unique needs and expectations.
We also engage third-party inspectors to conduct facade works, fire safety, and clerk of works type checks. These independent inspections provide an additional layer of quality assurance, ensuring that our work meets all necessary safety and compliance standards over and above our own processes.
We believe that quality should be embedded in our designs and specifications to de-risk any problems that could arise through design and material selections. As a result, we review our standard details and specifications constantly, to ensure they comply with current and future regulations.
In addition, we continuously review the performance of our suppliers. By doing so, we can ensure that the materials and products we use are of the highest quality and meet all necessary safety and compliance standards.
We actively engage with our clients to provide feedback and share our knowledge and expertise on design and material selections. By doing so, we can limit any issues for the end-users of the homes we build.
Our approach to quality is comprehensive and proactive. By embedding quality into every aspect of our work, we can ensure that the homes we build for our partners are of the highest standard and meet all necessary safety and compliance requirements.
Hill’s advanced implementation of Building Information Modelling (BIM) has helped ensure data accuracy is optimised in the ever-evolving building and construction industry, future-proofing the company and laying the foundations for continued success.
The implementation of Construction, Operation, Building Information Exchange (COBie) and Industry Foundation Class (IFC) outputs has improved the handover of information to clients, allowing for the communication of projects more effectively during the operational stage. These new tools allow for easier integration of new technology by providing a standard environment for all users working on a project.
Tools such as Power BI have streamlined our data management processes enabling us to manage and interpret information more easily and helping us make decisions more quickly. The data visualisation software provides an extensive range of tools which has helped improve the reporting of information, whilst offering better insights into our operations. The comprehensive visual overview of the project and its various components will enable us to make informed design decisions, ensuring consistency across all our projects.
Forward-thinking design and carefully considered placemaking are key to our success in creating exceptional, award-winning homes and communities.
At Hill, we are proud of our track record for designing beautiful, high-quality, sustainable homes.
We are committed to creating homes that meet the standards of today and continue to do so in the future. Our commitment enables us to ensure each home looks stylish and welcoming, and features practical, ergonomic features for added comfort and convenience.
With sustainability becoming an increasingly important focus within our industry, Hill has been a prominent advocate of ‘fabric first’ design and development for nearly two years. This approach prioritises the selection of materials and components based on their performance, affordability, and quality. By adopting a fabric first approach, we ensure that the homes we build are energy-efficient and comfortable throughout the year, enabling our customers to save money whilst also being mindful of the environment.
We have successfully incorporated sustainable technology in many of our new homes, such as airsource heat pumps, which help to reduce carbon emissions significantly by providing gas-free hot water and heating. Many homes also include a combination of photovoltaic and solar thermal panels to provide renewable energy.
Further measures include initiatives to reduce water consumption, electric car charging points, extensive cycle storage, and green roofs to reduce rainwater runoff and help promote biodiversity.
We have recently taken an innovative approach to design that enables homeowners to live comfortably and sustainably without compromising on the style and appearance of their homes. For instance, at St Ann’s, Haringey, we adopted a dual-aspect design that achieved excellent results. The buildings were orientated East-West to minimise any North-facing units. The cores were moved centrally or to an inner corner, and the balconies were pushed to the corners, enabling us to achieve dual-aspect designs for 100% of the homes. This design solution offers better air quality than traditional units, allowing residents to enjoy ample natural light and ventilation from both sides of the apartment, which helps to keep the temperature stable and reduce the need for heating and cooling. This approach is beneficial to creating healthy indoor environments, especially as future climate fluctuations may become more extreme. Our innovative approach has helped to mitigate the effects of climate change while also providing homeowners with comfortable, sustainable living spaces.
In an age where more people are working from home and the workplace is becoming increasingly fluid, flexible workspaces are becoming a necessity. We have introduced co-working spaces designed for different needs into our designs, including a mix of private workspaces and areas for collaboration.
Considering the layout of the homes we create is just as important as design style. In response to the increasing popularity for open plan living, our lightfilled floorplates have been considerately designed to offer versatile spaces that cater to all lifestyles.
Successful placemaking is at the core of our approach, creating inviting new neighbourhoods and enhancing the ones we regenerate.
We strive to shape all our developments into positive, welcoming environments that are tailored to the needs of their local communities.
Thinking beyond the resident’s four walls and building for healthy lifestyles – including gaining Building for Healthy Life Accreditation on all appropriate schemes –we focus on creating communities where people can live well together in a healthy way, with amenities that encourage social interaction and cohesion, such as our Jubilee Square at Marleigh, Cambridge. Our developments are designed to ensure our homes and the neighbourhoods we create encompass all the elements needed for a community to thrive.
We are always looking for new ways we can make our communities feel even more like home and believe that by engaging the community to understand their needs and aspirations we can provide tangible benefits for the community at large. We are committed to incorporating placemaking principles into each development we create by combining elements that promote connection and community. This includes shops and cafés, play areas for kids, communal workspaces, urban squares, parks, schools and much more.
As a responsible business, we carefully consider nature in all its forms when creating new communities, from trees planted along streets to parks and open spaces, often exceeding standards for both green space and carbon reduction.
Making sure the homes we build complement the local architecture and historic surroundings is essential to defining the unique character of our developments and helps us to create vibrant, active, and connected places to live. By blending urban design with landscaping and amenities, we create a better social infrastructure that encourages diversity and local identity in our neighbourhoods.
Encouraging people to come together, share experiences and feel connected in the neighbourhoods we build is essential to creating happy communities and we’re excited about the ways our new developments cultivate this spirit.
“Providing first-class amenities and a central point for residents to come together is crucial to its long-term success and vital to ensure the new community can flourish.”
Andy Hill OBE, Group Chief Executive. Marleigh’s Jubilee Square opened with a celebration day for the late Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee.Marleigh is a large-scale development of 1,300 new homes located on the North East side of Cambridge. The project is being carried out in joint venture partnership between Hill and Marshall of Cambridge, who are working in close collaboration with leading affordable homes provider L&Q, architect Pollard Thomas Edwards, landscape architect Robert Myers, and sculptor Matthew Lane Sanderson.
Marleigh has been designed to be more than just a collection of new homes. As partners we are dedicated to creating a community that is sustainable, liveable, and fully-equipped with all the amenities residents need to live happy and fulfilling lives.
As part of this vision, we collaborate with leading landscape architects, to creating green spaces that inspire social interaction, outdoor activity, and a sense of community. These spaces include parks and playing fields that are perfect for families, as well as gardens and green spaces.
Marleigh also offers a range of other amenities including a new primary school and a nursery, which will ensure that families have access to high-quality education on their doorstep. We have created a market square that serves as a hub for the community and an outdoor event space, hosting regular Farmers Markets. The square also offers residents access to a range of retail offerings including a supermarket, and food and beverage options, providing a vibrant and dynamic space for socialising.
The amenities at Marleigh will ensure the development becomes a successful new district of Cambridge, giving residents everything they need to live happy, healthy, and fulfilling lives.
“Marleigh has already attracted a wide mix of buyers and is developing as a thriving and exciting place to live, with excellent community facilities and attractive green spaces. We thank all our partners, contractors, and stakeholders for working with us on this decade-long project and helping make Marleigh a new destination in Cambridge.”
Greg Hill, Deputy Chief Executive.
We believe that creating a sense of community and belonging is an essential part of good placemaking. To this end, we organised a fun Easter event in 2022 that brought together the local community and families.
Children from the development were presented with an Easter goodie bag and were guided through an Easter trail with clues leading to the show home garden where Peter Rabbit was waiting to meet and greet the surprised guests with chocolate egg gifts. Small yellow chicks were hidden within the garden area, and children were encouraged to find and count them, fostering a sense of community and teamwork.
The event was a great success, and it allowed us to showcase the connectivity and community feel of Marleigh. It also allowed us to raise Hill’s profile in the local area and demonstrate our commitment to creating a vibrant and inclusive community.
This year, to mark the celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we renamed Marleigh’s community square ‘Jubilee Square’. Home to Marleigh Primary Academy, Monkey Puzzle nursery, the community centre and a supermarket, the square is a central part of the community that can be rented to host events such as parties, exhibitions, or clubs, represents a lasting totem of Queen Elizabeth II’s significant milestone.
The Marleigh community came together as we got into the festive spirit, wrapped up warm, and indulged in the delicious food and drinks. Over 400 visitors enjoyed a Christmas carol concert and cheered on the Cambridge Women’s Football Team as they switched on the development’s Christmas lights.
We collaborated with Farmers Fayres to bring a number of markets to Marleigh throughout 2022. The market featured a variety of stalls offering everything from sweet treats and refreshments, local produce, homeware, jewellery, flowers and more.
We celebrated the opening of the new Marleigh Primary Academy school with a time capsule burial event. Filled with a selection of pictures, messages, and drawings created by the pupils, it was wonderful to see the children participate and we hope the capsule will provide a glimpse of their energy and aspirations when it is opened in the future.
Marleigh has already attracted a wide mix of buyers and is developing as a thriving and exciting place to live.Live music at the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Greg Hill, Deputy Chief Executive
Knights Park forms a major part of Eddington, which was conceived by the University of Cambridge as a sustainable and welcoming neighbourhood within easy reach of Cambridge city centre. It offers an excellent quality of living with an alluring range of amenities including a supermarket, community centre, public square and sports facilities, as well as plenty of green open space. It also boasts the sleek new Hyatt Centric and Locke Hotels, which play host to community markets in their connecting undercroft areas.
Offering the perfect blend of beautifully crafted homes with state-of-the-art energy-efficient features, and amenities to support an inclusive fulfilling lifestyle, Knights Park is fast becoming a thriving new community that bestows a first-class quality of life for its residents, both for now and for many years to come.
The Hyatt Centric Hotel proudly hosted the Spines and Wine Book Club on a monthly basis, providing an enjoyable and stimulating social environment for community members to discuss literature with newfound friends.
The Turing Locke courtyard was the setting for several showings of classic blockbuster movies, hosted by the Enchanted Cinema, giving the community a chance to experience cinematic magic under the stars.
Eddington Square offers opportunities for independent retailers to grow their businesses and shape the community. This year the popular Douce hair salon celebrated the move from its Airstream trailer in Eddington Square to an innovative concept space in Turing Locke, offering a unique salon experience with a café bar and a small mixed retail area.
We were proud to receive multiple awards in recognition of our innovative designs, commitment to sustainability, successful placemaking, and dedication to customer service in 2022, serving as a testament to our commitment to delivering quality and excellence in every home we create.
Our award-winning homes speak for themselves, and it is through continual innovation and striving for excellence that we hope to continue achieving these impressive honours in the years to come.
We were proud to win three fantastic accolades at the Housebuilder Awards, including Medium Housebuilder of the Year (for the third year in a row) as well as Best Community Initiative for SoloHaus, and both Best Sustainability Initiative and Best Design for three storeys or fewer (Highly Commended) for the Cavendish Villas at Knights Park.
We were awarded four trophies at the annual WhatHouse? Awards, including Best House (Gold) and Best Exterior Design (Gold) for the Cavendish Villas at Knights Park. We also won Best Partnership (Silver) for the Cambridge Investment Partnership, our equal partnership with Cambridge City Council, and bronze in the Best Medium Housebuilder category.
At the Inside Housing Development Awards, along with partners from a range of organisations, we were thrilled to be awarded Best Healthy Homes Initiative, for Olive Morris Court with Haringey Council, Best Development rural / suburban for Bury Street West with Enfield Council and our flagship development with Cambridge Investment Partnership, Ironworks, was highly commended in the Best Regeneration Project category.
At the Evening Standards Awards, we won the coveted Best Family Home over £1.5m for the Cavendish Villas at Knights Park. The same homes were highly commended in the Eco Living Award and Best out of London Home categories. We were also highly commended by the judges for the Ironworks development in the Best Regeneration Project category.
The annual WhatHouse? Awards.Through forging new partnerships, whilst taking care of existing relationships, we have scaled up our operations into new and exciting regions.
SHROPSHIRE
DERBYSHIRE
STAFFORDSHIRE
WEST MIDLANDS
WORCESTERSHIRE
HEREFORDSHIRE
Projects completed in 2022
Projects under development
Future projects
Strategic land
Volumetric
HILL OFFICES
Head Office – Waltham Abbey, Essex (shared between all divisions)
Eastern and CIP – Ickleton, Cambridge
Eastern – Norwich, Norfolk
Western – Abingdon, Oxfordshire
Southern – Crawley, West Sussex
South West – Bristol
DORSET
WILTSHIRE
WARWICKSHIRE
BRISTOL OXFORDSHIRE GLOUCESTERSHIRENOTTINGHAMSHIRE
OXFORDSHIRE
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE
LINCOLNSHIRE
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
HERTFORDSHIRE
NORFOLK CAMBRIDGESHIRE SUFFOLK ESSEX LONDON KENT EAST SUSSEX WEST SUSSEX HAMPSHIRE BERKSHIRE SURREY BEDFORDSHIRE34 projects in total
15
Projects completed in 2022
Projects under development
Future projects
Strategic land
Project value: £199m
New homes: 452
Project value: £282m
New homes: 753
Project value: £193m
New homes: 441
Ham Close, Richmond 1 Douglas Bader Park, BarnetProjects completed in 2022
Projects under development
Future projects
Strategic land
Project value:
Project
2 10 17 projects in total
Projects completed in 2022
Projects under development
Future projects
Strategic land 5
OXFORDSHIRE 2 4
Project value: £64.3m
New homes: 166
Project value: £62m
New homes: 273
Project value: £36m
New homes: 142
Baltic Wharf, Bristol 1 Littlemore Park, Oxford McArthur’s Yard, Bristol 2 3 BRISTOL 3 1
Project value: £154.4m
New homes: 317
As a leading housebuilder, we understand the importance of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) factors in achieving long-term success and we are committed to putting environmental and social value at the forefront of our strategy.
Our vision is to be a leader in exemplar sustainable homes and business practices. To achieve this goal, we have highlighted key areas of focus within our ESG pillars and we believe this approach will not only benefit our planet but also position us as a forward-thinking, sustainable housebuilder.
In 2021 we set out our ESG pillars and goals and to underpin our work towards reaching those targets we worked with a consortium of lenders to secure the first major Sustainability-Linked Loan (SLL) in the housebuilding sector, valued at £220m.
Last year marks our first full year of operating and embedding our commitments across the Group. We have made substantial progress across each pillar and have published a more detailed ESG strategy to 2025 and a broader set of commitments to the end of the decade in our 2030 Roadmap. To provide a more rounded insight into our goals and approach, we have back-dated our commitments to 2020.
Creating net-zero carbon homes
Taking care of our natural resources
Reducing our environmental impacts
People come first
Communities and customers
Tackling homelessness
We recognise that strong governance is essential to ensuring the long-term sustainability of our business and have implemented practices that promote transparency, accountability, and ethical behaviour.
We have a robust system of risk management and internal controls to ensure we comply with all relevant laws, regulations, and ethical standards and we have established partnerships with suppliers who share our values and commitments.
Strategy and responsible business
Reporting and assurance
Future proofing
We were pleased to welcome Andrew Day to Hill as Sustainability Director last Autumn, demonstrating our commitment to operating as an environmentally conscious developer and bolstering our strategic leadership.
Andrew’s vast experience is helping to shape the delivery of our ESG strategy, ensuring our approach continues to support the business plan across all areas whilst ensuring that emerging policy changes are fully embedded in the business.
Last year, Sian Rebourg, Head of Social Value, established a new team of Social Value and Community Managers to provide day-to-day community liaison and support the delivery of social value activity across our operating regions. Embedding this new team has enabled us to scale up our output and provide more valuable support to communities.
We have redefined our Sustainability Leadership Group (SLG) and related focus groups to ensure we are better positioned to put into operation the findings of our materiality review and prioritise our sustainability efforts. Representing a wide range of internal disciplines and levels of seniority across the business, the groups play a crucial role in measuring our progress, setting targets, and developing recommendations to help us achieve our business objectives. Through this collaborative approach, we are able to ensure that we are constantly improving and striving towards our goals.
We have conducted a Double-Materiality Review to help shape our strategy and commitments for the remainder of our five-year business plan cycle. As part of the review, we invited over 850 individuals and organisations to participate in a survey focusing on legislation, sectorial best practices, and sustainability.
Through this review, we defined commitments across our pillars aligned with the Paris Agreement, and our Principal Opportunities and ESR (Existing Substances Regulations) Risk Register. We also embedded sustainability into our 2030 Roadmap by harnessing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, to provide a global context for our ESG commitments.
The review has informed our approach to a Just Transition, which we believe is critical to achieving our sustainability goals. The concept of a ‘Just Transition’ encompasses sustainable development achieved by striking the right balance between economic, environmental, and social components, including supply chains and communities.
We are working on achieving this balance through our 2030 Roadmap and our ESG pillars, each defined to reduce our environmental impacts, maximise our social value outreach, and improve our governance. We are confident that our strategy of supporting a Just Transition will enable us to make a meaningful and lasting contribution to society.
We have made significant progress in our commitment to ESG by submitting our first Task Force on ClimateRelated Financial Disclosure (TFCD) statement and publishing our first Opportunities and Principal ESG Risk Register, among other policies.
Our TCFD analysis has informed our approach to ensuring developments are being designed with a greater awareness of projected physical and transitional climate change risks. As we work to reduce our carbon footprint, we have incorporated enhanced design features into the super and substructures of our homes to respond to climate change risks, as well as addressing overheating and daylighting strategies to ensure year-round resident comfort throughout the year.
The NextGeneration Sustainability Benchmark (NextGen) assesses the sustainability credentials of some of the largest 28 housebuilders in the country.
In 2022, we achieved an improvement in our NextGen benchmark ranking, moving from 6th place (in 2021) to 5th and achieving the bronze award, solidifying our standing as the most sustainable private company in the rankings. This achievement reflects our ongoing commitment to sustainability and our efforts to integrate ESG considerations into our decision making and operations.
“Hill has followed up its impressive debut year as a NextGeneration Benchmark member, climbing from 6th in 2021 to 5th in 2022, and maintaining its position as the highest ranked privately-owned homebuilder.”
Iona Deacon, Associate, Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL).
At Hill, sustainability is not just an obligation, rather it is an opportunity for us to create better homes and a healthier planet. We have set ambitious targets to reduce our carbon footprint and minimise our impact on the environment. Through exploring innovative technologies and construction methods, we aim to improve energy efficiency, reduce waste, and promote sustainable development.
We recognise the urgency of the climate crisis and are taking action to reduce our carbon emissions and contribute to a more sustainable future. We are committed to reaching net zero carbon in our Scope 1 and 2 business operations by 2030 and net zero operational carbon in the homes we build by 2030.
This commitment includes a set of targets and actions that will help us to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030. These include increasing our use of renewable energy, reducing the carbon emissions from our operations and supply chain, and investing in innovative sustainable technologies and practices.
In preparation for the 2025 Future Homes Standard (FHS), which requires new homes to produce 75% to 80% less carbon emissions than current homes, we’re taking steps to future-proof our homes and developments against the risks of climate change with sustainable urban drainage systems, subterranean engineering solutions, and a focus on Passivhaus or fabric-first construction methods.
We have adopted and tested a range of certified Passivhaus, comparative fabric first designs, and Active Homes, which have shown to achieve the required reductions in carbon emissions in low to high density homes. By introducing Passivhaus and Passivhaus-like homes into our portfolio, we are promoting more sustainable construction practices and contributing to a greener future.
CASE STUDY:
With the impact of continued rising energy costs and a drive towards meeting the Cambridge City Council’s objectives to be net zero carbon by 2030, this year, Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP) started work to deliver its first pilot Passivhaus council homes for local residents.
We are delivering 12 new low carbon council homes at Fen Road, East Chesterton, the first of three pilot sites selected by CIP for Passivhaus council homes. The Passivhaus council homes will have very low energy use and heating costs and will be built using off-site timber frame systems, with highly insulated walls and gas free heating.
As part of this development, we will create a new, green access for walking and cycling to the Five Trees open space, which will be preserved in its entirety, helping the local community to enjoy this space. There will also be electric vehicle charging points and generous provision for new cycle parking.
We are committed to employing sustainable methods of construction as we progress towards the introduction of the FHS in 2025.
We have embraced Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) as a more efficient and sustainable way of building homes and our significant investment in Fusion Steel Framing and Volumetric Modular increases our capability to provide and employ prefabricated building components manufactured offsite and assembled onsite.
By utilising MMC, we can reduce our carbon footprint, minimise disruption to local communities, and deliver high-quality homes that meet the needs of modern living. In line with the Government’s MMC Definition Framework Guide, we are working towards incorporating MMC techniques across at least 25% of our projects and completed homes.
We introduced the Hill eDrive scheme, providing our workforce with a cost-effective way to lease and drive low-emission cars.
The scheme has been introduced to reduce the air pollution generated by company vehicles and encourages staff to consider the environmental impact of their travel choices, as well as providing financial savings over time.
Our commitment to positively impact those living in and around our developments continues to be at the forefront of our methods and approach.
Our business model prioritises a long-term perspective over short-term results, and we are committed to establishing high-quality environments that support thriving communities. We accomplish this by implementing a variety of social, economic, and environmental programmes designed to enhance the prosperity and wellbeing of an area. Our goal is to ensure that the impact of our work endures for generations to come.
Together with our partners, we provide a diverse selection of apprenticeships and support various training programmes to foster education and establish local employment prospects. This helps to introduce our sector to a broad range of talented individuals. Additionally, by providing assistance to charities and social enterprises, we play a role in addressing challenges faced by some of the most marginalised and disadvantaged members of our society.
We are committed to creating real tangible social value and in 2021, we achieved over £264.4m of value, circa 35% of our annual turnover. This created a benchmark for our Social Value Strategy, to target at least 25% of lasting community and wider societal benefits, across our business by 2025. It is pleasing to note we have created £358.8m of value, circa 50% by turnover during 2022 – and we are on target to meet the 2025 milestone.
In 2022, we launched our first official Social Value Strategy, establishing our business objectives for delivering social value in all our Hill projects by 2025. We aim to leave behind thriving communities and this new strategy outlines our approach to delivering best-in-class social value. Additionally, it outlines how we plan to engage our supply chain to help us deliver more social value, maximising opportunities to create a lasting impact on our communities.
Our Social Value Commitment Statement:
“The Hill Group will deliver industry-leading impact within our communities; we are committed to maximising social value at a portfolio level and actively working with our wider supply chain, leading by example to maximise our added social value.”
We’ve partnered with Community Insights to measure our social value activity. The system enables us to better understand the needs of local communities and identify areas where we can make the most difference. It can be used to investigate geographic areas to determine whether groups of people are experiencing poor health or need more employment support and can report on specific age groups which may require additional assistance.
We use Impact’s reporting tool in conjunction with TOMs (Themes, Outcomes, Measures) metrics and HACT’s Social Value measurement to measure performance against targets as we progress through the programme.
With the rising costs of living and inflation impacting vulnerable people hardest, it is essential for us to focus on maximising our social value. Our systems help us achieve this by providing a more nuanced understanding of the challenges faced by local communities.
Social value is a method of quantifying and comprehensively reporting the extent and impact of our activities on local communities, encompassing social, economic, and environmental factors. We recognise the important role social value plays, ensuring people and communities are at the heart of the projects we deliver.
£358.8m social added value
197 SoloHaus homes delivered (including Foundation 200)
£1.91 SROI*on per pound spent
Total SROI* £1.88 per pound spent
*Social Return on Investment
Average 24% local labour (within 10 miles) across all our projects
Gold in 5% Club for second year running
400% social return for WiC
£239k donated to charitable causes
+ 9,019 earn as you learn (EAYL) weeks
+7,500 hours of school engagement
I could not have wished for a better start in the industry Kath
We are committed to addressing the gender imbalance in the construction industry, and our award-winning partnership with Women into Construction (WiC) empowers women to gain valuable experience, leading to a more diverse workforce. The programme provides pre-employment support for women to ensure they are site and work-ready candidates, including employability support, training to gain CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) cards, supported work placements, and one-to-one mentoring.
In the past year, the programme has engaged, supported and guided many women, enabling them to explore exciting, varied, and sustainable career choices within the industry. Women who participate in the WiC programme report positive and transformative career experiences in the construction industry. We remain passionate about addressing the gender imbalance in our industry and are committed to continuing our partnership with WiC to achieve this goal.
Building on the success of our three year partnership with Women into Construction (WiC) in Cambridge, which resulted in a social return on investment of £4 for every £1 invested, we expanded our programme
to reach more regions. Our business units now fund regional community hubs, creating working partnerships with WiC across East Anglia, London, and Bristol (in collaboration with The Guinness Partnership), providing a more comprehensive geographical reach for job seekers in the construction industry.
As part of this, Hill, WiC, and The Guinness Partnership commenced a pre-employment programme in September for women in Bristol, helping to address the gender imbalance in the local construction workforce, which currently sees just 16% of female representation.
17 women were engaged, of which 10 were recruited to the programme. Following initial one-to-one reviews from the WiC Project Manager, the women completed pre-employment training with the Restore Trust, covering Level One Health and Safety, enabling them to gain their CSCS cards.
The women were matched with employers for twoweek work placement opportunities, which included ground maintenance, project management, building surveying, plumbing, electrical, dry lining and quantity surveying.
After the success of our three year partnership with Women into Construction in Cambridge, we expanded it to more regions.Our commitment to diversity and inclusion in the construction industry was recently recognised at the Women into Construction Celebration Event, where the company won several awards. Among the winners was Lauren Goodhew, a trainee site manager on the Meadows project, who won the ‘Rising Star Award-East’.
“Thank you to both Hill and WiC for helping me to gain work experience. I thoroughly enjoyed the practical element of site management. Not only has the placement given me an understanding of the different jobs, but it has also given me a future pathway that I’d like to pursue.”
Lauren Goodhew, Trainee Site Manager.In addition, Hill was recognised for its commitment to inclusion and its status as the most engaged WiC member in the East and was highly commended for its efforts to open up opportunities for female talent.
When asked to reflect on the impact the WiC programme had on their career:
86% of women reported an increase in their wellbeing as a result of the programme.
62% of women said they felt happier with their employment prospects.
In 2022, we were proud to celebrate the transformative opportunities that our apprenticeship programme, in collaboration with the London-based organisation K10, has provided to young people in the South East. Our partnership has enabled us to train 18 apprentices in Cambridge, equipping them with valuable new skills and creating new career opportunities. This initiative will contribute to the growth of the talent pool within the construction industry, while simultaneously having a positive impact on the careers and lives of the apprentices involved.
The K10 Annual Apprenticeship Awards were established to recognise the hard work and dedication of the apprentices who have participated in the Cambridgeshire-based apprenticeship programme.
A special Mentor of the Year award acknowledged the valuable support of Richard Dunmore, Project Manager at Rubicon, Cambridge. Richard commented:
“The Hill / K10 Cambridge shared apprenticeship is a great initiative; it’s been a pleasure to host so many excellent apprentices from the local area at our site.”
We recognise the skill shortage in bricklaying, which is impacting the ability of builders to meet the high-quality standards set by the National House Building Council (NHBC). To address this issue, we have collaborated with the NHBC to develop a training hub, in partnership with Cambridge City Council and Histon Football Club, to improve the delivery of bricklayer training in the area. We are confident that this new training facility will provide opportunities for local people seeking an exciting career in construction.
We supported the first two cohorts of the Future of London Emerging Talent programme, an inclusive group for Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic (BAME) entrants to the housing and regeneration sector. Each candidate earns a competitive salary while completing three placements with private and public sector employers.
Aliya, our first placement, started in January 2022 and spent nine months with our development team at St Ann’s in the London Borough of Haringey, and then a further six weeks on-site at Wood Street, in her local borough of Waltham Forest.
Receiving The 5% Club Gold accreditation for our ‘earn and learn’ training schemes.
Kinta, our second placement, joined us after a public sector placement, and worked on the Teviot regeneration with Poplar HARCA in Tower Hamlets, before gaining a permanent role within local government.
We offered 24 students from Bartholomew Sixth Form in Eynsham, West Oxfordshire, invaluable insight into the world of work when they attended a Green Futures Conference. This was followed by three days in the classroom working with our construction team on an ‘Innovate to Renovate’ project, looking at ways to improve the school’s site. The students presented their projects to our construction team, the school’s chair of governors and other staff and the week ended with students selecting environmental initiatives to support, as part of the nearby Long Mead Plant Propagation project.
“Thank you again for running the Innovate to Renovate project. The students really responded well to the task set and the presentations were amazing, so thank you for inspiring them to put so much time and effort into the programme.”
Linda Williams, Careers lead at Bartholomew Sixth Form.
The 5% Club is a dynamic movement of employer members working to create shared prosperity across the UK by providing ‘earn and learn’ skills training opportunities. In 2022, we were proud to have been awarded Gold accredited membership for the second consecutive year, via the 5% Club’s 2022/23 Employer Audit Scheme, recognising our significant contribution to the continued development of all our employees through schemes such as apprenticeships and graduate schemes.
We were a lead sponsor of the first-ever Cambridgeshire County Day, celebrating the best businesses and charities in and around Cambridgeshire. The event, held at the Newmarket July Racecourse, helped raise money for the new Children’s Hospital in Cambridge, and showcased many of the best businesses and charities in the area. Our marquee was on full display during the event, and we were delighted to meet with attendees and promote careers in construction to the circa 5,000 high school age students who visited on the day.
We understand the significance of investing in future generations, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) careers. In partnership with Cambridge LaunchPad, we hosted a student workshop at The Meadows Community Centre, followed by a site tour of the Meadows development in Cambridge. Cambridge LaunchPad is a movement led by science and technology companies to inspire young people, particularly girls and young women, to take up STEM careers. During the workshop, four teams of Year 10 students from The Netherhall School, Comberton Village College,
and Swavesey Village College were tasked with forming their own property development companies, competing against each other to regenerate Ellham, a fictional run-down city.
We were proud to be part of the initiative, judging the competition, and taking the students on a site tour. We commend all the participating teams and are excited to see the next generation take an interest in sustainable housing and property development.
In the spirit of the holiday season, we donated a Christmas tree to Merryhills Primary School in Enfield and hosted a bauble-making workshop for the students. The students thoroughly enjoyed the craft session, and we are pleased that the tree was gifted to a family in need to enjoy over the Christmas holidays.
During 2022, we have reshaped our resident engagement offering and evolved our Social Value Strategy to 2025. In support of our vision: “To be the UK’s leading, most trusted housebuilder, creating exceptional homes and sustainable communities” we have set out three main areas of focus:
Deliver on our promises and commitments set out in our Social Value Strategy. Setting a target of 25% of our annual turnover to be achieved as added social value by 2025.
Homes are more than just buildings; they are the places we grow as individuals and families.
At Hill it is important to focus on placemaking ensuring our residents have happy, healthy and safe lives.
Our communities should enable people to feel connected and included. Providing opportunities for people to live and work locally, as well as grow local businesses and social enterprises providing careers for future generations to come.
Promoting construction careers to school pupils at the Cambridgeshire County Day. Most trusted HousebuilderBarnet Council with Barnet and Southgate College were delighted to launch a successful information event for the arrival of refugees from Ukraine in May 2022. Sponsorship funds were donated by Cadent Gas and Hill to purchase and provide laptops so refugees could access employment and education opportunities more easily.
“It is vital that support is given to those who have fled Ukraine. We’re pleased we have been able to offer assistance and help those affected settle into their new living arrangements in Barnet.
The laptops will ease their adjustments to life in the UK, help keep them connected with family and friends in Ukraine, and provide access to work opportunities.”
Simon Trice, MD Hill Partnerships.In partnership with The Phoenix Trust, a local Cambridge charity that provides work experience opportunities for young people and adults with learning disabilities and additional needs, we donated materials to support an initiative to create bee hotels for our sites around the city. We are proud to have worked with this fantastic charity in support of their mission to empower individuals to gain new skills and experiences.
As part of our commitment to creating thriving communities, #TeamHill volunteered at the Silver Lining lunch club in London. This self-funded pensioners’ club in Aylesbury provides a space for elderly individuals to meet weekly, catch up, play games, learn new skills, and have lunch together. During our visit, members of Team Hill helped to serve food, teas and coffees, and engaged with residents throughout the day. We also donated £500 to the lunch club to support future activities.
In 2022, Hill joined as launch members of ActionFunder, an innovative platform that facilitates more effective connections between organisations and charities, community initiatives, and grassroots projects. This platform enables a more cohesive and strategic approach to localised social value funding and empowers better support for communities.
In December 2022 we launched a pilot £12,000 community fund on ActionFunder to support grassroots community initiatives in Bristol.
Our pilot Bristol grant programme provided support to a range of community groups and charities, each with grants of up to £2,500. We supported a variety of project themes, including a hot food service that provides around 100 meals per week to people experiencing homelessness, the Mazi Project, which provides food and nourishment to marginalised young people in Bristol, a community gardening initiative that supports people living with dementia, and Changes Bristol, a charity that supports individuals experiencing mental distress.
Additionally, we funded Bristol Autism Support, which empowers parents and carers by providing information about local and national services, benefits, interventions, and therapies.
The funding would not have been possible if not for the financial support from our partners, including Capel Waterproofing, C W Jones Carpet & Flooring, Dantaag Ltd, DMH Interiors, Falcon Tower Crane Services Ltd, Hoist Hire Services Ltd, Jeff Way Group Ltd, John Curley Scaffolding, Metek, Stanta UK, MadiganGill, JS Wright, and The Guinness Partnership.
Live Unlimited is a charity that focuses on empowering young people in Barnet by building their confidence, teaching them new skills, creating job opportunities and reducing social isolation. One of their campaigns, Driving Ahead, aims to provide young people with 46 hours of free driving lessons, covering driving and theory test fees, and offering additional support to those with special needs.
In 2022, we donated £2,500 towards Live Unlimited’s Christmas Driving Ahead Campaign, acknowledging the significant positive impact it will have on the lives of young people. Being able to drive provides individuals with the confidence and independence to pursue their goals, and we are proud to have played a role in the future opportunities and aspirations of those who will benefit from our contribution.
As a company dedicated to fostering thriving communities, we are proud to have helped parents returning to work with their childcare costs via a £4,500 donation to the London Borough of Camden.
The Passivhaus accredited Agar Grove regeneration in North London is focused on creating sustainable communities, and part of the donation has already been used to support a family, giving them the opportunity to return to the workplace. Agar Grove will become the largest Passivhaus development in the UK once complete.
As proud sponsors of Silver End Youth FC, we were delighted that the football team donated their football kits to Essex-based charity, Boots2Africa.
This charity helps prevent injury and fatalities from poor foot health and sanitation and promotes football in rural African communities. Over 50 football shirts, boots, shorts, shinpads, and goalkeeping gloves were shipped to Africa to improve the quality of training for young footballers in the region.
As part of our commitment to having a positive impact on every community where we work, we recently held a family fun day at Basing Way in Finchley. The event was designed to bring the local community together and facilitate connections. On the day, residents from the local area enjoyed face painting, refreshments, ice cream, and a live entertainer for the children. This development, built in partnership with Barnet Homes, will provide 46 affordable new homes, and landscaped open space, including nature trails and play equipment, for the benefit of both existing and future residents.
The health and safety of our staff, residents and community is of the utmost importance. Working with the Lighthouse Club we have been running ‘Help inside the hard hat’ mental health sessions for our staff and supply chain on projects across our portfolio. The campaign raises awareness of poor mental health within our industry. In the UK, two construction workers take their own lives every working day, and stress, anxiety, and depression account for a fifth of all work-related illnesses. We are invested in the Lighthouse Club approach of important mental health training, and proactive support and resources for the construction community, including their free 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline app.
2022 saw the UK enter a cost-of-living crisis with energy bills soaring and families and communities struggling to cope. Accordingly, to support our local communities, Hill, in partnership with Powerday, hosted foodbanks at our sites. Our staff and supply chain generously donated food and essential items, together we distributed these gifts to local community foodbanks.
Through the summer holidays our Wood Street site team ran cookery lessons for local primary school children, and their parents / carers. The team explained how to cook nutritious meals and provided additional ingredients to cook another hot meal at home. Furthermore, two members of our social value team are trained Energy Advisors. In partnership with Warm Hubs, we ran energy saving advice sessions for residents and signposted them to grants.
“Everyone who comes to these sessions has a chance to experiment with food at such a young age and learn that food is fun. We also know that these children have eaten today.”
Alice Margaroli, East London Kids Kitchen.
We have committed to donate £75,000 per year to charities and community projects, run 75 food bank or furniture poverty initiatives, to support the most vulnerable in our communities through this cost-of-living crisis. Research indicates that residents’ quality of life is informed by physical, social, and psychological wellbeing – we believe the Hill Way is playing a part in improving neighbourhoods and residents’ lives – and helping to deliver a Just Transition.
We were delighted to participate in L&Q’s annual charity fundraiser for L&Q Living. This charity directly supports people with mental health illnesses and provides specialist accommodation and services throughout London and Essex. The day of football fun raised an impressive £5,500 for L&Q’s football team, made up of people living with mental health illnesses. We were proud of Team Hill who reached the Semi Finals of the tournament.
All ages enjoyed our fun day at Basing Way in Finchley, North London.
In joint partnership with Poplar HARCA, we are working with local residents to develop plans for the large-scale regeneration of Teviot Estate in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London.
In September 2022, the community of Teviot gathered to enjoy the second annual ‘Our Teviot’ summer festival, organised by community members, Hill, and our partners Poplar HARCA. The event brought together hundreds of residents, including enthusiastic volunteers from the community who helped make the day a huge success.
The festival took place at the Teviot Centre and Manorfield Primary School and featured a range of exciting activities, including a spectacular music concert by young performers from Spotlight creative youth service, ballet and martial arts demonstrations, bouncy castles, an inflatable slide, and an array of mouth-watering food stands.
The ‘Our Teviot Festival’ is just one of many community-focused projects that Teviot residents, Poplar HARCA, and Hill have initiated as plans for the area’s future take shape. These initiatives include coffee mornings, Money Management Workshops, drop-in sessions at the Teviot Centre, Community Cycling, health and fitness gatherings, community litter picks, and a popular repair café that teaches residents how to upcycle and repair old furniture instead of buying new.
The local community gathered together to enjoy the second annual ‘Our Teviot’ festival, which Hill helped to organise.
In July, a new grant funding scheme for community projects aimed at enriching the lives of residents in the Teviot estate was launched. This initiative, called the Community Chest Grant Fund, is part of a range of pledges that we put forward after being selected by Poplar HARCA and Teviot residents to lead the regeneration of the estate in 2020.
Projects awarded funding from the Community Chest Grant Fund will begin to take place from January 2023 to June 2024, and will be selected based on their potential to provide lasting benefits to residents. The grant is available to various groups, including social enterprises, community interest companies, and registered charities, with the condition that their projects include people who reside or work in Teviot and the surrounding area.
We unveiled a vibrant and eye-catching mural at Teviot Estate, the result of a successful collaborative art project in partnership with Poplar HARCA, Co-Creative Connection, and the local community. Led by the talented local artist Rose Hill, founder of Co-Creative Connection, residents of Teviot Estate were given the opportunity to participate in the creation of the striking artwork, uniting the community through a collaborative creative process.
It was so much fun, they treated us like VIPs
We chaperoned 11 young adults from the Teviot Estate on an unforgettable adventure when they travelled over 400 miles to attend The Platinum Jubilee Youth Spectacular in Fife. The group from Teviot was handpicked by Spotlight, an organisation created by Poplar HARCA to boost the confidence of local youth by providing after-school clubs, study spaces, friendship, and inclusion. All of the teenagers who journeyed to Scotland are members of the Youth Empowerment Board (YEB) at Spotlight, a dedicated team of young people who meet monthly to generate ideas, acquire new skills, and have their views and perspectives heard by top-level decisionmakers at Poplar HARCA.
Attendee Moosa said, “It was so much fun, they treated us like VIPs at the festival, and it was fun watching all the performances. The combination of the scenery, the food, and the activities made it so good.”
Learning new skills at the event.
We enabled 11 young people from the Teviot Estate to travel to Scotland and take part in The Platinum Jubilee Youth Spectacular in Fife.
Our commitment to becoming the UK’s leading and most trusted housebuilder extends to those without a permanent home. In 2022, Foundation 200, our charitable initiative launched in late 2019, made progress towards our goal of designing, constructing and donating 200 modular homes to homeless charities and local authorities by 2025.
Due to significant demand for the homes from across the nation – far exceeding the 200 homes we had initially pledged – we upscaled production and began marketing SoloHaus homes to help local authorities and charities meet the shortages of accommodation for rough sleepers in their areas.
Our aim is to ensure the SoloHaus model remains a viable option for as many partners as possible to address the crisis nationwide.
To date, we have donated 60 homes and delivered 197 SoloHaus homes across the country. We anticipate that by the end of the project in 2025, we will have provided homes for over 800 formerly homeless residents.
Our manufacturing partner, Volumetric Modular, constructs each SoloHaus at one of our two factories in the West Midlands, ensuring they meet our exacting standards and are available for rapid
deployment. The purpose-built modular homes are robust, easy to transport and arrive fully equipped for site installation, providing a practical solution for organisations working in homelessness and reduce the running costs associated with traditional temporary accommodation.
We are pleased to report since its inception, Foundation 200 has achieved a return on investment of £1.91 for every pound spent. Additionally, the initiative has already generated a total Social Value in excess £5.4m, reflecting our commitment to creating a positive impact in our communities.
FOUNDATION 200
£1.91
return on investment for every pound spent
£5.4m+ total Social Value generated
From manufacturing partner Volumetric Modular in the West Midlands to their permanent destination in Cornwall, a new delivery of SoloHaus homes on the road through Bodmin.
With a proven track record of delivering successful joint ventures, we have collaborated on over 50 major projects with various like-minded partners.
Our outstanding track record of working in awardwinning joint ventures is evidence of our dedication to creating not just homes, but sustainable communities and long lasting partnerships.
At the heart of our approach is a focus on creating mixed-use destinations that exude quality and deliver excellent community facilities and commercial spaces. Our goal is not only to create visually stunning spaces but also to provide new job opportunities and boost the local economy.
We understand that joint venture development is complex and requires a multidisciplinary approach. That is why we work closely with our partners to ensure our projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest possible standards. Our ongoing success is a testament to our ability to work effectively in partnership and create thriving, sustainable communities.
Marleigh is a large-scale development of 1,300 new homes located on the North East side of Cambridge. The project is being carried out in joint venture partnership with Marshall Group and working in close collaboration with leading housing association L&Q, landscape architect Robert Myers, and sculptor Matthew Lane Sanderson.
In March 2022, we broke ground for the second phase of development at Marleigh, marking the beginning of construction of a further 421 homes. These homes include one and two bedroom apartments and two to four-bedroom houses, catering to a wide range of residents and lifestyles. The new homes are being built to the highest eco standards incorporating energy-saving and carbonreducing features, including air-source heat pumps and solar panels.
As the partnership began work on Phase 2, Richard Howe of Marshall Group commented:
“It is fantastic to see work get underway on the second phase of Marleigh, building on the success of the first phase of development. Marleigh makes a significant contribution to the supply of new homes in the area and will become a vibrant new district of Cambridge for generations to come.”
The first construction phase at Marleigh includes 547 new homes, a nursery, a community centre, a market square, and a primary school. Once fully complete, the entire development will also consist of a supermarket, sports pitches, and beautifully landscaped green spaces, alongside the elegantly designed new homes.
In July of 2022, we reached a major milestone at Lampton Parkside, in Hounslow, with the topping out of the first phase of 260 apartments. To mark this significant highlight in the ten-year project, senior representatives from Hill and joint venture partners, Notting Hill Genesis came together to celebrate reaching the highest point of construction at the development.
John Hughes, Group Director of Development and Sales and Deputy Chief Executive, said:
“This has already proven to be an incredibly popular development and I am confident the next phase will be no exception. We are committed to providing high quality, affordable apartments in attractive and thriving places that our residents are proud to call home – and we know Lampton Parkside will more than meet those expectations.”
Once complete, Lampton Parkside will provide 780 new homes, comprising 563 private sale and 217 affordable apartments. Many of the homes have far-reaching views across Green Flag awarded Lampton Park and the scheme has been beautifully designed around landscaped communal gardens and smart podium courtyards that sit conveniently above undercroft parking, with electric car charging points and secure bicycle storage.
Lampton Parkside is due to complete in 2030, with the first customers moving into their new homes in February 2023.
In 2022, we embarked on a substantial project in collaboration with leading housing association L&Q to regenerate the former Citroën garage site in Brentford, West London. The development is situated in a prime location at the heart of the Brentford regeneration area and is set to deliver 441 new homes, along with a residents’ gym and a new nursery.
The development plans include five buildings of up to 18 storeys, offering breathtaking southerly views of the River Thames and Kew Gardens, as well as a public square. Moreover, the project will comprise 50% affordable homes, featuring a mix of shared ownership and affordable rented homes. Additionally, significant investment in local infrastructure improvements will be made.
As a joint venture partnership we are committed to providing a range of social benefits to the local area during the construction phase. These include investing in significant employment, training, and community-focused opportunities.
Construction work has already commenced on the site, with the first affordable homes expected to be available for residents to move into by September 2024. The project is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2026.
Vicky Savage, Executive Group Director of Development and Sales at L&Q, said:
“The redevelopment of this strategic site in Brentford will bring forward a significant number of much needed affordable homes in a beautiful new neighbourhood. By joining forces with Hill, a like-minded partner who shares our vision for the area, we’ve been able to get spades in the ground whilst unlocking investment in jobs and opportunities for local people.”
Topping out at Lampton Parkside in Hounslow, West London, a joint venture with Notting Hill Genesis.The ambitious regeneration of the Douglas Bader Park Estate (DBP) in Colindale is set to transform the 1970s estate into a vibrant community, providing over 750 high-quality homes to the area. In collaboration with Home Group, a leading housing provider, the 10-year programme has been granted planning permission, with the first phase already underway, comprising 38 affordable homes.
Designed by the renowned architect Levitt Bernstein, the 3.9-hectare site will be converted into a green neighbourhood that centres around a new urban square, providing a play area, expansive lawns, and a central courtyard. The homes themselves will offer extensive outdoor space, including balconies, roof terraces, and courtyards, surpassing the requirements of the London Plan.
Additionally, the development includes several sustainable features, such as homes with solar panels and air source heat pumps. Furthermore, 20% of all parking spaces will be designated as electric vehicle charging stations.
The regeneration of DBP promises to create a modern and sustainable community, providing its residents with an exceptional quality of life.
Rayners Green is a joint venture between Hill and Scotsdales, a family-run collection of local garden centres in the Cambridge area. Named after David Rayner who founded Scotsdales in 1968, this development of homes in the village of Fordham is being constructed on former garden centre land 14 miles northeast of Cambridge.
Scotsdales realised an opportunity to develop unused land at their Fordham outlet, while benefiting from our vast experience and expertise in residential development. Investing their land asset into the resulting joint venture, we have worked closely with our partners, sharing both risk and reward to deliver what has become a hugely popular residential development.
Work at Rayners Green commenced in 2019 on phase one to build 95 homes, and in 2022 we began work on the third and final phase to deliver a further 39 homes, bringing the developments total to 150.
The homes at Rayners Green have been designed to complement the existing architecture in the village with bay windows, brick façades, and pitched rooftops. Once complete, Rayners Green will also be home to retail facilities and a variety of green, open spaces for residents to enjoy.
Homes at Rayners Green in Fordham, Cambridgeshire, a joint venture with Scotsdales Garden Centres.We partnered with Catalyst in 2020 to propose a mixed-use development adjacent to St Ann’s Hospital in South Tottenham. The proposal, submitted to Haringey Council, includes up to 995 high-quality homes, 60% of which will be affordable, in response to the pressing need for housing in the area.
We were delighted to receive approval for the plans in late 2022. In addition to the new homes, the site will feature community-led housing, enhanced green spaces, shops, and commercial units, including affordable workspaces. Several historic hospital buildings will also be preserved and restored.
Our focus for the development is on creating a sustainable and eco-friendly new neighbourhood. As such, we are tripling the size of the existing Peace Garden at the heart of the site to incorporate new public realm areas, play spaces, and additional green spaces.
Philip Jenkins, Executive Director of Development at the Peabody Group, of which Catalyst is a subsidiary, said:
“Haringey Council’s decision to approve the plans for St Ann’s New Neighbourhood is fantastic news for Catalyst, Hill, and local people.”
In addition to the successful approval of our joint venture with Catalyst for St Ann’s, we received the green light in 2022 for the first phase of Dagenham Green with our joint venture partners, Peabody. The first phase will provide 935 homes and act as a gateway to the wider masterplan, which received outline planning approval in March 2022.
The broader plan includes large public areas and landscaping, such as heritage trails, new pedestrian and cycle paths, green open spaces, a new urban park, children’s play areas, and a market square that will link Dagenham Green to the nearby Dagenham Dock railway station. Additionally, over 1,600 square metres of non-residential space will be available, offering activities and gathering spaces for people to socialise and spend time.
Andy Hill OBE, Group Chief Executive:
“This major new project will have a transformative impact on the Dagenham area and create an exciting new community for East London. We are also delighted to be further strengthening our partnership with Peabody, with whom we have an excellent track record of collaboratively delivering best-in-class urban developments.”
We believe well-established, long-term partnerships with local councils are essential to the delivery of affordable homes and we have successfully delivered many such projects, either on a project or programme basis.
We recognise that social housing is about much more than just constructing buildings. We understand that our projects must create sustainable and thriving communities, and we work closely with local councils to ensure their vision and objectives are fully integrated into the buildings we deliver.
Through our collaborative, flexible approach and successful partnerships with local authorities, we have earned a reputation as a trusted partner in the development of affordable housing. As we continue to grow and expand our work with councils, we remain committed to building long-lasting relationships that benefit the communities we serve.
Our plans for a dynamic housing-led regeneration project in Ham, South West London, with Londonbased housing association Richmond Housing Partnership were approved in December 2022. Richmond Council’s planning committee passed the proposals for 452 new homes, new community facilities, and a range of public green spaces.
The redevelopment of Ham Close is a landmark project for the area and will replace several outdated blocks of flats built in the 1960s with a range of high-quality, mixed-tenure new homes.
The new neighbourhood will also include a community centre, a new building for the community workshop Richmond MakerLabs, and a park with play spaces.
This outcome is the result of several years of work between Richmond Council and RHP, the largest provider of affordable housing in the borough, to secure the regeneration of the estate. Working closely with the local community, the focus has been on creating a sustainable new development that meets current and future local housing needs. The raft of benefits generated by the regeneration of Ham Close also includes a £2m social impact fund, opportunities for apprenticeships, construction jobs for local residents, and a 23% biodiversity net gain for the site.
We were selected by Shearer Property Group (SPG) as development and funding partner for City Centre South (CCS), a £450m landmark, mixed-use regeneration to transform Coventry’s city centre.
The development will offer a wide range of retail space, hospitality outlets, leisure and healthcare facilities, and brand new homes.
Designed to aid health and wellbeing, plans for the development include communal gardens, private balconies, and all homes will incorporate the latest energy-efficient and sustainable technology.
Award-winning architect Allies & Morrison has been appointed to provide inspirational architecture and landscaping, which re-imagines this part of the city whilst carefully respecting the existing area and complementing the surrounding Grade II listed buildings and vernacular.
With outline planning permission granted in November 2022, we are now working with the Council on a series of detailed planning applications. In Spring 2023, we will consult with the city’s residents as we begin to develop our detailed designs for a greener and more appealing quarter of the city centre. Our emerging designs will celebrate Coventry’s history through high quality design and public art, and create a retail destination fit for the future with a vibrant residential community at its heart. We aim to start on site during the Autumn of 2023.
We were appointed to develop 143 energy-efficient and innovatively designed Passivhaus apartments for Ealing Council at Golf Links due to our experience and skills in delivering Camden’s Agar Grove in 2022. Golf Links will become the largest Passivhaus development in Europe when it eventually completes.
We were granted planning approval in 2022 and will start on site in March 2023, beginning with the temporary relocation of the existing community centre.
We signed a contract with housing provider A2Dominion to deliver a scheme of 125 homes for key workers at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. Due for completion in October 2025, the residential scheme replaces the existing Ivy Lane accommodation and includes seven new apartment buildings, ranging from three to five storeys.
Designed to meet the needs of hospital staff the site is made up of 68 apartments and 57 cluster units. Each shared unit comprises either four or five bedrooms and a communal kitchen. This contemporary scheme also includes facilities such as management offices, a meeting area, bike and car parking, and landscaped communal green open space for residents to enjoy.
Agar Grove in Camden, London, the largest Passivhaus scheme in the country, in partnership with Camden Council.
During 2022, we worked with a growing number of local authorities in the capital. We began work on Phase 1C at Agar Grove for Camden Council and broke ground on the latest phase of the Aylesbury Estate regeneration for Southwark Council.
We started on site at the Hartley Centre in Newham for Populo Housing and also began delivery of a café, a Families and Homes hub, and 67 homes at Wood Street for the London Borough of Waltham Forest, which is due for completion in April 2024.
We also celebrated topping out the third phase at Randall Close for Wandsworth Borough Council.
We welcomed Sir Keir Starmer, Leader of the Labour Party, to the Juniper House development in Walthamstow being built in partnership with Waltham Forest Council. Sir Keir was impressed with this exemplary mixed-tenure development of highly insulated new affordable homes.
Completing 92 homes for Ealing Council at Seasprite Close in West London.
COMPLETED IN
We handed over 92 homes to Ealing Council at a completion ceremony in Northolt in July 2022, at the same time marking the culmination of the 21 small sites programme for the local authority. The homes at Seasprite Close, which contributed to the council reaching its ambitious target of delivering 2,500 genuinely affordable homes in the last council term, will all be let to council tenants.
The land at Seasprite Close was previously occupied by sheltered housing and has now transformed the area to include a range of homes, including threebedroom apartments and townhouses for families, and one-bedroom apartments for elderly people. The homes are positioned around a central courtyard and the development also features on-site parking and bicycle storage.
In 2016, we formed a partnership with Ealing Council to transform 21 underused small sites across the borough, including major projects at Ruislip Road in Greenford and Trinity Way in East Acton. The completion of Seasprite Close and the culmination of the 21 small sites represents a shining example of how we can deliver quality urban regeneration as part of a programme of works for London Boroughs and other local authorities.
Copley Close, developed for Broadway Living, the development arm of Ealing Council, successfully provided 201 mixed-tenure homes.
The award-winning development included a shop, café, and management centre, as well as a Brompton bike hire dock to allow residents easy access to a healthy, green mode of transport.
We completed our first project for Enfield Council, a mixed-tenure development of 50 homes, two months earlier than expected. We worked with the council to deliver a highly sustainable, fabric first development with energy-efficient performance within their budget. We were selected to deliver this negotiated scheme due to our impressive experience in delivering Passivhaus accredited and Passivhaus equivalent homes.
The land at Bury Street West, previously used as a council depot, has now been regenerated into a development of much-needed new homes with beautifully landscaped surroundings.
We have collaborated with councils in Investment Partnerships for six years, helping them unlock the potential of their land assets to deliver impressive and varied regeneration projects in towns and cities in the South of England. This is evident through a series of thriving partnerships with a total pipeline of more than 2,500 new homes.
Hill Investment Partnerships was established to aid local government bodies in achieving their housing aims and objectives. With a model grounded in the true spirit of partnership, we work with local authorities, as a single entity, identifying housing opportunities, redeveloping unused land assets, regenerating run-down areas, and creating muchneeded new homes, commercial and community spaces. The innovative partnership model sees councils retain an interest in their land portfolio whilst generating additional revenues to be reinvested in a future pipeline of homes or other council services.
As a leading housebuilder, our local authority partners benefit from a full suite of professional development services, as well as shared risk, equal investment, and the efficient delivery of sustainable mixed-use developments.
Our current partnerships include the Cambridge Investment Partnership, which has delivered hundreds of council and private sale homes along with commercial and community facilities for the city of Cambridge. The Rushmoor Development Partnership is overseeing the revitalisation of two major town centres in Hampshire, and the South Cambridgeshire Investment Partnership acquires market land for the development of high quality, sustainable private and affordable housing and commercial spaces in South Cambridgeshire.
Established in 2017 with Cambridge City Council, the Cambridge Investment Partnership (CIP) has a primary aim of tackling the affordable housing shortage across the city. The equal partnership is committed to investing in the development of land, improving the use of council assets, and will deliver over 2,000 new mixed-tenure homes and 242,000 sq ft of commercial space by 2031.
Since the launch of the partnership, CIP has completed eight developments, with work underway on a further nine sites. So far, over 700 council homes have either been delivered or are underway.
The partnership is committed to providing highquality sustainable council homes for the community, including replacing ageing poor quality homes which are no longer fit for purpose. The homes have been designed to a fabric-first approach with increased insulation and air tightness, and heating and hot water is provided via Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP).
In 2022, with the impact of continued rising energy costs and a drive towards meeting the City Council’s carbon reduction targets by 2030, CIP started work to deliver its first Passivhaus council homes. Fen Road is the first of three sites that has been earmarked for Passivhaus council homes in the city, with 12 of the new low carbon council homes in development.
The partnership also received unanimous planning approval to build over 80 low carbon affordable homes on three new developments in the city. Aylesborough Close in the Ward of Arbury will see 36 ageing homes replaced with 70 low carbon council homes designed to Passivhaus standards, creating highly sustainable homes which will reduce
running costs for residents. At Aragon Close and Sackville Close, both in the King’s Hedges ward of the city, each development will provide seven low carbon highly sustainable homes.
Earlier in the year, 67 brand new sustainable council homes were handed over to local residents at Colville Road Phase 2 in Cherry Hinton. The development forms part of a two-phase masterplan to bring muchneeded council homes to the area and help tackle the acute housing crisis in the city. Originally two housing blocks containing 24 post-war ageing council homes, the development has been designed to revitalise and integrate with the community and improve on existing local connections.
Prior to the handover we invited Year 6 pupils from nearby Colville Primary School to gather content and materials to be included in a time capsule which was to be buried at the site. The students were asked to include writing or drawings of themselves and what they would like to be when they grow up, a message to the future, something that reminds them of the Covid-19 pandemic, an interview with a family member, or photos of the local area and newspaper clippings. The children spent time in class coming up with a wonderful selection which has now been buried at the development for communities of the future to unearth and enjoy.
Soon after this, we held the official ground-breaking of the third phase of development at Colville Road which marked the start on site of over 700 new council homes in the city being delivered by the partnership.
As part of the redevelopment of the Mill Road depot in central Cambridge, the partnership commissioned several pieces of public art to enrich the area and create exciting public open spaces within the new development. One of the artists, Jo Chapman, used her contribution to acknowledge the former site’s Robert Headly’s 18th century Eagle Foundry with the creation of a seven-metre cast bronze sculpture entitled Timekeeper. The work celebrates this important site’s history with a piece of public art that residents and the community can enjoy for years to come.
Ironworks is a successful development with the Cambridge Investment Partnership.In 2022, we entered into a strategic Investment Partnership with Gravesham Borough Council to create new homes for the local community. By combining our expertise in regeneration and residential development with Gravesham Borough Council’s ambition to unlock the land potential in the local area, the partnership will deliver affordable homes and amenities leaving a positive impact on the community.
The Gravesham Community Investment Partnership will support the council in achieving its home building programme to deliver hundreds of affordable homes across the borough. The partnership will look to unlock the great potential that Gravesham holds as a desirable destination to live and developments will be created through the regeneration of brownfield land and estate revitalisation projects. The homes will be available through a range of tenures, including much-needed council housing.
The new partnership underlines our reputation as a partner of choice for local authorities seeking to deliver high-quality, sustainable new homes and placemaking as part of wider programmes, and we look forward to working with Gravesham Borough Council to achieve their housing goals.
The South Cambridgeshire Investment Partnership (SCIP), our equal partnership with South Cambridgeshire District Council aims to bring forward carefully planned and environmentally-friendly homes and communities in the right places, without drawing on any existing land banks or Council assets.
Formed in 2020, SCIP is committed to prioritising local supply chains, employing local apprentices on site where possible, conserving water and waste, and ensuring designs meet with both partner’s sustainability aspirations.
SCIP has now submitted the masterplan of its first development in Cambourne, which includes measures to ensure the new community is well connected to surrounding areas, including Lower Cambourne and emerging Cambourne West via new paths and cycleways.
Through the partnership, we are fostering a collaborative framework and a flexible approach that is helping shape future developments and create thriving, environmentally friendly places where people want to live and work.
A community consultation event for South Cambridgeshire Investment Partnership.The Rushmoor Development Partnership (RDP) is our joint venture with Rushmoor Borough Council. Current projects include two major town centre regeneration projects in Hampshire, including the redevelopment of Union Street in Aldershot and the regeneration of the Civic Quarter in Farnborough.
Works on Union Street have begun to deliver 100 much needed homes, 128 student units, and flexible retail / commercial space centred around an attractive public square, and ‘Union Yard’, a creative space for local artisans and independent businesses.
For the partnership’s second major development, which received outline planning early in 2023, the RDP will revitalise Farnborough town centre with over 960 energy-efficient homes, a civic centre,
a leisure centre, a hotel, retail space, two mobility hubs, and more than 1.93 hectares of green open space. The development will also focus on sustainability, including green roofs, photovoltaic panels and increased biodiversity. For the Civic Quarter, the RDP aims to create a vibrant and sustainable community with a focus on health and wellbeing. Additionally, the plans include infrastructure improvements and the creation of a new high-quality central park and play area for residents.
RDP is a clear demonstration of the flexibility of our Investment Partnership model, and our skilled team, to support wider regeneration and large-scale development opportunities. We’re delighted to be working with Rushmoor Borough Council to bring our expertise to these exciting regeneration projects.
We take pride in being a trusted partner to many of the UK’s leading housing associations and registered providers. Our excellent track record of delivering successful high-quality, transformative projects in partnership has established Hill as a partner of choice to the industry.
Over the years, we have delivered a strong portfolio of projects across our operating regions, meeting our clients’ specifications and drawing on our sophisticated supply chain and network of suppliers. Our expertise allows us to provide innovative solutions tailored to our clients’ needs, offering a wide range of construction solutions to create beautiful homes and sustainable communities.
Our long history of successful partnerships has earned us a market-leading reputation in the industry, reflecting our commitment to deliver exceptional customer service. Our dedication to fulfilling our promises has enabled us to develop lasting relationships with our partners over the years, collaborating closely at each stage of development to create trust and deliver exceptional results.
Delivered in partnership with Sanctuary, Bullwood Gardens is a stunning 72-home development, built on the site of Bullwood Hall Prison. The exquisitely designed development of two, three, four and fivebedroom homes surrounded by mature woodland is a flagship development for Beech Grove.
Our experience in housebuilding was crucial to being awarded the contract for Bullwood Gardens,
We delivered Grand Union Housing Group’s largestever development, Sorrell Way.
Delivered to schedule despite the challenges caused by the COVID pandemic, the thoughtfully designed independent living development comprises 93 assisted living apartments with a combination of shared ownership and rented accommodation.
Sorrel Way represents the continuation of a successful relationship with Grand Union Housing following the earlier delivery of 49 homes at Britannia Gate, Bedford.
with our expertise in sales and design specification instrumental in the process.
In 2022, we embarked on a community benefit project at Sweyne Park School with Sanctuary, completing the delivery of a dedicated mental health room for the school to use for student wellbeing consultations.
Modern 1 and 2 bedroom apartments at Sorrell Way.
We celebrated the completion of the Westhorpe Gardens Phase 1A and Mills Grove Estate regeneration in Hendon, London with our partners Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH) and Barnet Council.
This ambitious five-year project, which received support from the Mayor of London’s Affordable Homes programme, replaced the outdated 1960s estate with 251 new affordable homes.
The development was the first of its kind to be approved by a resident ballot under guidelines set out by the Mayor of London. With a successful
We completed the delivery of 156 new high-quality shared ownership and affordable rent apartments in the heart of Wembley at the South West Lands development for our client, Network Homes.
We worked closely with Network Homes to ensure that the development met the needs of the local community, providing homes that are both affordable and sustainable. By working in partnership, we were able to bring this development to fruition and make a meaningful difference to the lives of residents. We are committed to providing affordable housing options and creating thriving communities, and we are pleased to have made a positive impact in Wembley.
75% approval from residents following a public consultation, the Westhorpe Gardens and Mills Grove Estate regeneration was a testament to our commitment to working closely with the community to achieve shared goals.
The project not only delivered an increased number of affordable homes in the area but also offered existing residents a significant upgrade in accommodation, resulting in a better quality of life. Construction was completed to schedule, allowing the first residents to move in at the beginning of 2023.
Regeneration scheme Westhorpe Gardens replaced an outdated 1960s estate with new affordable homes, and was approved by a residents’ ballot.
New Union Wharf is the culmination of an ambitious eight-year regeneration project in Docklands, East London, which saw the completion of 399 energy-efficient new homes delivered in partnership with L&Q. The development comprises a mix of social rent and shared ownership homes, along with a new energy centre, enhanced public realm areas, and improvements to the Thames River Wall.
The completion of this impressive regeneration project is a demonstration of the power of collaboration. Community engagement has been at the heart of the project, with residents providing valuable input through regular consultation opportunities, enabling the community to be part of the decision-making process. We worked closely with L&Q and the local community to set out a new vision for this historic part of London.
In the summer, we hosted a party for residents and our partners L&Q on the banks of the River Thames to celebrate the successful completion of the project. Residents were treated to an evening of live entertainment, delicious food, and speeches from key delivery partners.
New Union Wharf in the Docklands, East London, delivered 399 energy-efficient new homes in partnership with L&Q.
Providing more truly affordable homes for Oxford, we completed phase one of a flagship development of new homes in Littlemore Park, Oxford, delivering 102 shared ownership and social rent homes for Catalyst.
We were delighted to celebrate this fantastic milestone with our partner Catalyst, with whom we share a strong collaborative working relationship. We are proud to have played a role in delivering muchneeded new homes to the community, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Peabody to provide more affordable housing in the future.
In May 2022, we topped out the second phase of homes at Newman Place, where we are delivering 171 new homes, including three blocks of apartments and 78 houses. Work began on the phase in February 2021 and is due for completion in the autumn of 2023. Due to the success of our work at Newman Place, we have been awarded further work in continuation of our strong partnership with Peabody.
Our approach to land is based on speed, innovation, and sustainability. We understand that our partners require us to act swiftly and deliver results that exceed their expectations.
We work quickly and efficiently to promote, purchase, plan, and subsequently deliver homes and developments that all stakeholders can be proud of.
We are committed to creating sustainable, future proofed developments that carry a positive legacy for generations now and in the future. Our approach is tailored to the unique needs and objectives of each of our clients, ensuring we provide personalised solutions that meet their specific goals.
Our strong partnerships with local authorities are conducive to the determinations that allow us to create inspiring developments and flourishing communities. As we continue to expand our operations, we remain committed to delivering exceptional results for our clients, whether we are developing, working in joint venture, or promoting land through the planning system.
In 2022, Hill’s Strategic Land division expanded its portfolio by acquiring 1,650 potential plots and investing in two new settlement schemes that will provide an additional 7,000 plots. These new additions, combined with the existing Westley Green settlement in Cambridgeshire, offer significant opportunities for the Group to develop large-scale, sustainable residential communities with a variety of amenities and green open spaces.
At Hill, we prioritise creating thriving new communities with beautiful homes that incorporate sustainable development practices. Our commitment to delivering high-quality, low-carbon developments throughout our operational region is reflected in the expansion of our portfolio, which now includes over 9,500 plots.
The portfolio encompasses a diverse range of schemes, such as those designated in neighbourhood plans and those contributing to the growth of villages and towns. We are also actively involved in promoting large-scale new communities, all with a focus on delivering high-quality, beautiful architectural designs borrowed from the surrounding areas while creating plentiful new habitats for wildlife.
Our comprehensive Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategies are incorporated into all our projects and we collaborate closely with local communities to ensure that appropriate social and physical infrastructure is provided to support the growth of these developments.
We understand that landowners have their own legacy matters to address, and Hill offers a trusted partnership to ensure that such legacies are delivered and realised.
In the summer of 2022, we commenced construction of a 349-home residential development in Attleborough in joint venture with Latimer, a subsidiary of Clarion Housing Group. The first phase of the development, which was approved in January 2022, will deliver 153 new homes, 56 of which will be affordable.
The development will span over 38.8 acres and will feature a mix of one to four-bedroom homes that reflect the varied aesthetic and character of regional architecture. Our focus on sustainability is reflected in the design of the homes, which will be gas-free and feature modern heat pumps to reduce their carbon footprint. The development will also boast ample green spaces, walking routes, trees, a habitat pond, and play areas that will support resident health and wellbeing.
In July 2022, we commenced construction of 160 sustainable homes in Croxley Green, located at Killingdown Farm. The development will provide a neighbourhood extension to the village of Croxley Green, offering a range of homes from apartments to five-bedroom houses that blend seamlessly with the local vernacular.
The development will feature ample green open spaces, a play area, and footpaths, all of which are designed to encourage outdoor activity and support resident wellbeing. In line with our focus on sustainability, the development will incorporate sustainable drainage solutions such as swales, and ecological enhancements including the planting of trees and the creation of bat and bird boxes, resulting in a biodiversity net gain.
The plans for Croxley Green reflect our commitment to providing high-quality, sustainable homes that meet the needs of local communities while also promoting environmental sustainability. The aim of the project is to increase the supply of both market and affordable homes, while also creating an attractive new place to live with its own unique identity.
In 2022, we embarked on a new development partnership with Pinnacle Investments, acquiring two sites in North West London’s Brent from United Colleges Group. These sites, located in Dollis Hill and Wembley, are set to deliver over 1,800 new homes, marking the first deal for the partnership, and reflecting Pinnacle Investments’ focus on sustainable and integrated residential projects.
The sites are strategically located in popular residential areas and offer excellent connectivity, with one site earmarked for 1,550 homes and the other for over 300 homes. Our focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility will be reflected in the design of these new homes and their integration with the wider community.
This acquisition will also enable United Colleges Group to build a state-of-the-art campus in Olympic Way, close to Wembley Park station. The campus will have a focus on green skills such as engineering and the built environment, reflecting the increasing demand for sustainable solutions in these sectors. By partnering with Pinnacle Investments, we are able to facilitate this mutually beneficial development while also expanding our portfolio of high-quality residential projects.
We commenced construction of 50 homes in the picturesque village of Finchingfield, North Essex. Designed to complement the beauty of the surrounding natural landscape and built around a private village green, the development is dotted with large parkland-style trees and rows of wildflowers, exceeding standards for green space. The development incorporates sustainable technology such as air-source heat pumps and electric car charging points as part of our commitment to environmental sustainability.
The development will also feature scenic landscaping and ample green space, promoting resident health and wellbeing. The development has been designed to blend in with the natural landscape of North Essex, resulting in a 26% biodiversity net gain.
Our new development in Finchingfield, Essex has been designed to complement the beautiful surroundings.
Our Reserved Matters Application (RMA) for 317 new homes at Oxford North’s Canalside was approved by Oxford City Council’s planning committee, with a mix of private sale and affordable homes ranging from one to five bedrooms. The development has been thoughtfully designed around a central park with various recreational and green spaces to promote the health and wellbeing of the community.
A net gain in biodiversity will be achieved through the use of green and brown roofs, and extensive orchard planting will see over 200 new trees added to the landscape. These measures are aimed at preserving and enhancing the natural environment, creating a sustainable development that benefits both current and future residents of the area. Oxford North will set a leading example of how high-quality housing can be delivered whilst promoting the wellbeing of the community and protecting the natural environment.
As part of our expansion plans in the South West, we acquired two sites covering 110 acres in South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. We signed a promotion agreement for a 45-acre site located on the northern edge of Thornbury, around 12 miles from Bristol city centre. This site has the potential to deliver 350 sustainable new homes, which will be promoted as part of the South Gloucestershire Local Plan over the next few years. Delivery of the residential scheme is expected to begin in 2025.
Andy Hill OBE, Group Chief Executive, said:
“Our latest acquisitions are paving the way for Hill to provide a new diverse strategic land offering as land promoters. We are looking forward to working with local authorities and other stakeholders to bring forward our plans to develop much-needed new homes in the South West.’’
In 2022, we secured a total of 18 planning approvals for 4,578 homes, including 2,740 market homes and 1,838 affordable homes, accounting for 40% of affordable housing across all our developments. These approvals were granted for various projects of varying sizes and scopes within our portfolio.
Through our design-led approach, we have been able to secure planning approvals in sensitive locations such as the High Weald and Suffolk Coast and Heaths areas of outstanding natural beauty and Croxley Green Conservation Area.
We are proud of our 100% success rate in 2022 of winning planning appeals including the approval of 576 homes in central Stevenage.
As we move into 2023, we have over 5,000 homes programmed for submission. Our commitment to a design-led approach and strategic planning has enabled us to achieve remarkable success in delivering quality homes in our land portfolio.
At the heart of our endeavours is a deep commitment to enhancing the local area, fostering communities, and optimisation of stakeholder landholdings. Our design philosophy places people at the centre of everything we do, creating developments that prioritise people over vehicles. We incorporate flexible external open spaces that encourage play and social interaction and design unique homes that are full of natural light.
We are also deeply committed to preserving biodiversity and thriving ecosystems. This is a key consideration in the design of our developments, and we work tirelessly to preserve mature trees, verdant hedgerows, and the surrounding natural landscapes.
Our goal is to create a feeling of home for everyone who lives in our developments. This journey begins in the preliminary stages of a project, where our architects are challenged to push the boundaries of conventional design and experiment with innovative and forward-thinking solutions. The result is a coherent design language that explores new ways of using materials, embodies aesthetic appeal and creates more sustainable dwellings.
Design aesthetics are often dictated by local and historic building codes, which we carefully interpret to create buildings that blend seamlessly with the surroundings. We understand that analysing the context is key and that finding the right balance between respecting local traditions and creating contemporary buildings is critical. We design our buildings with their relationship to the surrounding environment in mind. This includes considerations such as the building’s orientation, screening measures to protect adjoining neighbours, and maximising daylight and sunlight to create bright and airy dwellings.
We are deeply committed to preserving biodiversity and thriving ecosystemsAndrew Day, Sustainability Director Canalside at Oxford North will achieve a biodiversity net gain.
Hill has a long-standing reputation as an innovator in Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and as a leading housebuilder, we endeavour to remain at the forefront of innovative and sustainable construction methods.
The ongoing housing shortage is a growing concern, and we are committed to providing pioneering solutions to help address the shortage of housing in the UK.
In 2020 we invested in Volumetric Modular Ltd an expert offsite manufacturer of modular homes to design and build SoloHaus. Last year, we acquired Light Gauge Steel Frame manufacturer, Fusion Steel Framing, bolstering our capabilities in the MMC space.
Embracing offsite construction dovetails with our commitment to sustainability and reaching net carbon zero by 2030. MMC offers a quality and speed of build that traditional methods of construction cannot compete with, reducing our carbon footprint by decreasing road traffic to site and decreasing construction times. The reduction in lorry movements also contributes to improved local air quality and safer streets.
In 2020, as part of our five-year growth strategy, we acquired a 50% stake in Volumetric Modular Ltd (VML), a leading offsite manufacturer. With two well-positioned factories located in Shrewsbury, the company enjoys easy logistics accessibility to all regions of the country. The dual factory setup also enables us to scale production in tandem with the rising demand, particularly in response to the acute shortage of housing in areas of the UK and the increasing need for key worker accommodation in hospitals, infrastructure, and universities.
The acquisition has allowed us to continue making significant progress towards the culmination of our Foundation 200 pledge, which launched in late 2019, to construct and donate 200 purpose-built, modular homes to charities and local authorities in our operational areas, providing homes for people experiencing homelessness.
In Autumn 2022, in response to the shifting demands of the UK housing market, Volumetric Modular unveiled an expanded range of modular accommodation technology, including the DuoHaus and the FamilyHaus. These larger models build on the
cutting-edge design of SoloHaus, our modular home designed for single occupancy, which has proven to be an effective low-cost, easy-to-install solution for local authorities providing housing for people in need.
Bathroom and Mechanical and Engineering (M&E) pods are two of the new volumetric assemblies that have become widely considered as a modern method of delivering bathrooms and service cupboards to multistorey buildings. Our pods are built to the specific design requirements of our developments ensuring greater longevity due to the materials used, a quicker build time, and reduced wastage. It also allows us to directly manage critical components and reduce risks.
The benefits include:
• Improved quality / reduced snagging
• Reduced risk of supply chain delays
• Improved health and safety
• Greater consistency of product finish
• Less ongoing maintenance.
In 2022, Volumetric Modular won the Product Innovation Award at the Offsite Awards for the DuoHaus modular home.
In 2022, we delivered a total of 103 SoloHaus homes to local authorities in the UK.
In August, we delivered eight homes and two plant rooms in Hemel Hempstead for Dacorum Borough Council.
We also started on site in Elmbridge, Surrey to deliver eight homes and two plant rooms for Elmbridge Borough Council. Continuing on from the success of our award-winning site with the London Borough of Haringey, we have started work to deliver a further five SoloHaus homes and a plant room at their second site. Both Elmbridge and Haringey sites are due to complete in Spring 2023.
Additionally in 2022, we delivered 18 homes as part of Foundation 200, in Cornwall, Southend-on-Sea, and Stevenage.
Handing over SoloHaus homes in Cornwall
This new chapter will see us delivering on a range of exciting projects in Hill’s pipeline
In 2022, we acquired a 50% interest in Fusion Steel Framing, further strengthening our capabilities in Modern Methods of Construction and offsite fabrication. This strategic investment enables us to reduce the time and costs associated with traditional building methods and deliver homes faster, more economically, and more sustainably. It also enhances our ability to develop creative new housebuilding options with improved cost control, surety of supply, and quality of finished product.
Fusion now supports us in expanding our work in the MMC space, ensuring a high degree of future proofing in modern methods of construction through developing and prototyping the latest offsite manufacturing technology to maximise PreManufactured Value (PMV) and optimise Design for Manufacture Assembly (DfMA) potential. Fusion’s 80,000 sq ft manufacturing facility is capable of providing structural kits for volumetric modules, bathroom / shower pods, and Prefabricated Utility Cupboards (PUCs), offering the opportunity for fully integrated structures.
Mike Fairey, Managing Director at Fusion Steel Framing commented:
“We look forward to continuing our market-leading innovations in advanced structural light steel framing and delivery of high-quality manufacturing. This new chapter will see us delivering on a range of exciting projects in Hill’s pipeline while also enjoying the scope to service existing contracts and pursue new ones within the sector.”
Fusion’s 80,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Northampton.
Mike Fairey, Managing Director at Fusion Steel Framing
At Hill, we understand that our exceptional homes and the flourishing communities we help create are not the result of chance. Rather, it is the dedication and passion of our team that drives us forward, allowing us to continuously deliver successful projects to our customers, communities, and partners.
Last year, our team once again expanded, with over 800 employees now based across our operating regions and offices. We take immense pride in our highly talented and diverse workforce, who consistently impress and inspire us with their achievements, conscientiousness, and unwavering passion, both inside and outside of the workplace.
In 2022, we received many outstanding applications for our Management Trainee Programme, demonstrating the outstanding relationships we have established with schools and colleges and the reputation of our award-winning programme. As a result, we welcomed 20 highly talented management trainees to join our team, bringing the total number to in excess of 120.
We were delighted to witness the graduation of another cohort of trainees who successfully completed their Management Trainee BSc (Hons) degrees in 2022. It was yet another fantastic year for our young professionals, as they continue to flourish and make meaningful contributions to our organisation.
Simon Hawkins, Group Talent Development Manager, said:
“It is always an absolute pleasure to welcome new talent onto our Management Trainee Programme. Hill trainees have a fantastic opportunity to develop successful careers whilst working with some of the best people in the industry.”
To recognise the outstanding achievements of our trainees, we once again celebrated their exceptional successes at our annual Trainee of the Year Awards dinner.
The evening recognises four outstanding trainees for their contributions from the past academic year from over 120 individuals across the programme. The programme offers an exceptional opportunity for trainees to earn a competitive salary whilst working towards a fully funded BSc (Hons) degree, with a guaranteed job after graduation. Creating exceptional professionals in the housebuilding industry will continue to be a main focus area for us.
Cameron Prentice, Assistant Site Manager, was named Hill Trainee of the Year and received the Trainee Site Manager of the Year award. Cameron commented: “I am both humbled and delighted to receive these accolades. Joining the Hill team three years ago was the first step on my path to becoming an Assistant Site Manager.”
The other winners were:
• Zoe Martin, Trainee Contract Surveyor of the Year
• Phoebe Evans-Khan, Trainee Technical Coordinator of the Year
• Olivia Judd, First Year Trainee of the Year
Our overall winner, Cameron joined the Management Trainee Programme in September 2019, aspiring to work for an ambitious fast-growing company and was attracted to a site-based role that would offer him a wide variety of day-to-day activities. Working for Hill as a Trainee Site Manager presented a unique opportunity for Cameron to gain a broader experience of the industry and a range of key skills which position him for a long and successful career in construction.
Cameron said “The Hill Trainee Management Scheme is a great alternative to a full-time degree at university; it provides academic education as well as the opportunity to apply that knowledge in the real world. At Hill, there is a culture of growth and I have had the opportunity to develop a combination of practical and commercial construction skills, as well as leadership and interpersonal skills. My two awards, Trainee of the Year and Trainee Site Manager of the Year, attest to the fact that the working environment and support I have received have pushed me to be successful. I am incredibly proud of my achievements and honoured to be recognised for my work.”
Cameron has become a valuable member of Team Hill both inside and outside work, where he has invested time raising funds for charities, including one particularly close to his heart. In 2021, Cameron participated in a rally for Diabetes UK, raising £2,000, and in June 2022, he participated in a Wacky Rally across Europe, raising £3,000 for Mind, a charity that Hill also supports.
We are dedicated to leading on the acquisition and development of talent entering the construction industry and have set about expanding our educational programmes to ensure we maximise opportunities for people from all different backgrounds to work for Hill, in both our offices and sites.
We launched several additional programmes targeting talented individuals at different stages of their careers and educational stages, which we have titled LEARN, an abbreviation which stands for Launch, Explore, Advance, Reach, and Nurture.
Our new two-week paid summer work experience programme for secondary school students, Launch, provides valuable insight into the sector and demonstrates the possibilities for a rewarding career.
(Industrial placement / Hill Academy)
Explore features two brand new routes to kickstart a career in construction and gain industry experience. Candidates can elect for a year long placement whilst studying a degree, helping them apply the knowledge and learnings they have gained at university and apply it in practice. The second option sees candidates joining Hill as a Site Assistant whilst obtaining NVQ qualifications.
Advance, is a 12-month rotational graduate programme that sees candidates progress both personally and professionally as they immerse themselves in practical experience in core professional disciplines, including Technical, Commercial, Production, Land, Development and other central head office functions. Advance sees candidates rotate across the business into relevant departments on an annual basis and includes possible external secondments, with potential for permanent roles at the end of the programme.
Our degree-level apprenticeship programme provides students the opportunity to obtain a degree whilst working in one of our core disciplines.
Reach is a degree-Level apprenticeship that replaces our existing management trainee programme, with greater emphasis on expanding our geographical reach to support the business’ continued geographical expansion.
Reach is an earn and learn programme helping us create extraordinary construction leaders of the future. It blends on the job training with a university degree in the built environment, offering graduates of the programme a guaranteed career at Hill and an unparalleled trajectory for future success in the industry.
We believe in encouraging and supporting our talent to achieve their potential and build their legacy. We encourage all our employees to grow their skills and expertise through ongoing learning and development opportunities. All Hill staff are encouraged to complete three sponsored training courses per year, including relevant external professional education, or by utilising our own range of HSE and management toolkit training courses.
I am both humbled and delighted to receive these accolades
Cameron PrenticeINTRODUCED IN
• A further improved focus on being a ‘Disability Confident’ employer, attaining the DWP Disability Confidence Level 2 accreditation.
• An increase in the number of Mental Health First Aiders with a further commitment to add more in 2023.
• Improvements and standardisation implemented to our Site Welfare Facilities across all sites, ensuring employees have use of great facilities wherever they work.
• Improved Diversity and Inclusion messaging by promoting this in supply chain documentation and site inductions. We also focused on Diversity and Inclusion Supply Chain Toolbox Talks.
• Becoming members of Building Equality UK and plan to actively participate in future initiatives to support LGBTQ+ inclusion in the construction, engineering and built environment industry.
• Better wellbeing support and awareness. Financial Wellbeing sessions were offered to all employees, and the Wellbeing information on our intranet improved.
In celebration of International Women’s Day on the 8th March, some of our female employees shared their thoughts and experiences on working for Hill in what has traditionally been a maledominated industry:
Lauren was introduced to Women into Construction when she left school and was considering a career in the industry. Lauren secured 10 days’ work experience with The Hill Group and gained her CSCS card to allow access to a building site. Further assistance included help with her CV and application to Hill’s Management Trainee Programme, which she started in September 2021. Lauren is now a Trainee Site Manager gaining on-the-job experience whilst undertaking a part-time university course.
Lauren’s week includes one day at Anglia Ruskin University where she has embarked on a five-year degree, sponsored by Hill, which will enable her to manage sites in the future.
Asli joined Hill in February 2021 as a Senior Design Manager responsible for managing the preparation of feasibility schemes and detailed designs for planning applications.
She was attracted to work for the company due to its excellent reputation in the industry, award success and belief in providing leading, high-quality residential developments that positively impact the local community.
Since joining Hill, she now works with more women in her team than ever before. She is inspired by the females in senior roles across the business who positively demonstrate the career progression available. Asli is very positive about the culture, whereby everyone is treated equally regardless of gender.
According to our Employee Engagement Survey
92% are committed to delivering quality work
84.2% believe their work adds value to Hill
85.7% agree their line manager is committed to Hill
In 2022, as part of our ongoing efforts to become an employer of choice, we made significant improvements to our Health and Wellbeing offering. We recognised that access to leading healthcare professionals in a timely manner can reduce much of the anxiety associated with being unwell. Hence, we have decided to provide 100% funding for private medical insurance for all our employees, across multiple schemes moving forward.
We also introduced Medicash, a health cash plan for every member of the workforce, which makes it simpler to tackle everyday ailments, and provides access to online consultations, alternative and complementary therapies, and dental care. Our plans also feature an enhancement to our sick pay arrangements, as we strive to create a positive and supportive work environment that prioritises employee wellbeing.
In 2021, we introduced the EPICS, our new staff ethos, which aligns with our updated overarching business strategy that places a strong emphasis on sustainability and community. All members of Team Hill, from top to bottom, are encouraged to work within this framework, which stands for Extraordinary People Inspiring Communities Sustainably.
We take great pride in recognising our employees’ efforts to uphold our new core values and our EPICS Awards were established to celebrate those who display specific behaviours that align with these values. In 2022, we awarded a special EPICS award to Simon Hawkins, Group Talent Development Manager, in recognition of his energy, enthusiasm, attitude, and approach to the new responsibilities he took on during the year.
The awards highlight our commitment to our employees and their contributions towards building a better and more sustainable future. Our EPICS framework and awards play a crucial role in ensuring we continue to prioritise our values and recognise those who embody them in their day-to-day work.
“Receiving this Special Award was completely unexpected and one of my highlights of over 12 years at Hill.” – Simon Hawkins, Group Talent Development Manager.
As of July, we are now a Disability Confident Employer, showing that we recognise the value disabled people can bring to the business, further diversifying our talent pool.
86.7% get on well with team colleagues
Over 80% would recommend Hill as a place to work to family and friends
88.4% try to contribute more than is expected
The EPICS Awards are an opportunity to celebrate our values.
In November, seven Hill employees volunteered their services to our head office neighbours, the Royal Gunpowder Mills. Together, we helped clear out two rooms at the historic visitor attraction, which will now be converted into working education rooms.
Rory Lowings and Rebecca Law represented Hill at the 2022 Sleepout at Abbey Stadium, the home of Cambridge United. 80 people gathered to sleep outside to raise awareness of the uncomfortable challenges people who are homeless face every day.
The funds raised in support of the Sleepout went towards two vital local charities, Wintercomfort and Cambridge United Community Trust. Team Hill raised over £2,000 in support of Rory and Rebecca’s admirable efforts.
In 2021, we partnered with Notting Hill Genesis to launch the Lampton Parkside development. As part of our commitment to the area, our site team organised a massive litter-picking event and participated enthusiastically. This year, Team Hill returned to the 40-acre green space surrounding the development after bonfire night celebrations to collect discarded fireworks, empty food packets, cigarette butts, and empty cans and bottles. The team gathered a total of 15 bags of rubbish, significantly improving the space’s cleanliness and pleasantness for residents to enjoy.
Team Hill organised a litter pick at Lampton Parkside to clean up the park after bonfire night celebrations.
In 2022, following the pandemic, our Social Committee reunited in full force, providing our employees with fantastic opportunities to connect and build stronger relationships beyond the office environment. These social activities are essential to our workplace culture and contribute to our commitment to promoting a positive work-life balance. We strive to cultivate a supportive and inclusive community within our company, and we are thrilled to see our employees taking advantage of these opportunities to connect and enjoy time with their colleagues.
“Now restrictions have been lifted and life is returning to normal, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to re-launch our committee and also to allow new members to join in too.”
Greg Hill, Deputy Chief Executive.Our annual social calendar began with an Easter Egg Hunt at our head office and the feedback from all attendees was overwhelmingly positive. From there, our social committee presided over a fun and exciting range of social occasions including an evening at Electric Shuffle, a theatre visit to see Get Up Stand Up The Bob Marley Musical, a night celebrating Oktoberfest in Cambridge, and a trip to Thorpe Park for their Fright Night Halloween special. Many employees also participated in our inaugural company Sports Day, gathering for competitive races followed by a barbeque and drinks.
We ended the year with a bang by hosting a Christmas Family Fun Day, which gave our employees the opportunity to bring their children along for an afternoon of festive crafts, treats, and a visit from Father Christmas and his reindeer. The Social Committee’s commitment to engaging with and giving back to our teams was truly commendable, and we are grateful for each member’s hard work and dedication in making 2022 a year to remember.
These social events have been instrumental in fostering a strong sense of community and camaraderie among our employees. They have provided opportunities for everyone to get to know each other outside of the workplace, thereby strengthening relationships and building a more cohesive team. We look forward to more exciting social events in the future as we continue to prioritise the wellbeing and happiness of our employees.
The Hill Football Team raised money at a Charity tournament.
Hill’s supply chain is an integral part of our business, contributing significantly to our ongoing operations and success.
We have invested considerable effort in building a robust and resilient supply chain, ensuring we deliver our projects effectively, efficiently and to the highest possible standards.
We take a collaborative approach to the management of our supply chain and believe in developing long held relationships with our partners based on transparency, trust, and fairness. We recognise that engaging regularly with our suppliers at all levels and stages is critical to laying the foundation for more efficient work practices that align with our own values.
In line with our business growth strategy and aspirations, we have scaled up our supply chain this year by introducing new systems and practices. We have brought on new suppliers and strengthened existing relationships. As a result, we have increased the amount of companies we raised orders with by 25%, with a 44% rise in the number of consultants, and an impressive 357% increase in the number of suppliers, year on year, compared to 2021.
Our commitment to building and maintaining strong relationships with our suppliers is a fundamental part of our strategy to achieve excellence in all aspects of our operations. We are proud to announce that our new partnerships include FireAngel for smoke detectors, Tio for underfloor heating controls,
and Titon, Greenwood Airvac, and Vent Axia for ventilation specification. We are confident that these new additions to our supply chain will contribute to our ongoing success and ensure that we can continue to deliver high-quality projects to our clients.
Our supply chain plays a vital role in our business success, and we remain committed to investing in its development and growth. By working collaboratively with our partners and engaging with them regularly, we can continue to improve our work practices and deliver consistent and efficient outcomes that align with our values. By investing in an enhanced supply chain, we are laying the foundations for continued success and a sustainable future.
Our Supply Chain Awards provided an excellent networking opportunity as well as recognition for our subcontractors and consultants.We held our inaugural Supply Chain Awards in the summer of 2022 to mark the incredible contribution our subcontractors and consultants have made to Hill in recent years.
Hosted by comedian Rob Beckett, and attended by 600 colleagues, employees, and friends, 15 prestigious awards were presented in an event that celebrated the very best of our supply chain.
The event was a wonderful way to recognise their contribution to our success, paying particular attention to their dedication and tenacity throughout the period where we were all affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic.
BPTW
Winner of the Best Architectural Design Service Award:
“It was a great achievement to be presented with the Best Architectural Design Service Award at the Hill Supply Chain Awards. Having worked with Hill on a range of exciting projects over the years, we were delighted to be recognised for our continued commitment to designing and delivering quality homes for such an important client and would like to thank Hill for an excellent and entertaining evening.”
Justin Kelly, Partner, Architecture at BPTW.
Sunset Building Company Ltd
Winner of the Andy Hill Special Recognition Award:
“It was a momentous occasion for Sunset Building Company to personally receive the prestigious Special Recognition Award from Andy Hill OBE. This award recognises our ongoing commitment to Hill and celebrates our continued collaborative working relationship.”
Kieran Doherty, Commercial Manager at Sunset Building Company Ltd.
David Smith, St Ives Ltd
Winner of the Best Material Supplier Award:
“2022 was a year of unusual circumstances which we managed to overcome through diligent teamwork. We are very proud to be the recipient of the Best Material Supplier Award – a huge thank you to everyone involved. We look forward to 2023 and continuing our successful relationship with The Hill Group.”
Les Church, Business Development Manager at David Smith, St Ives Ltd.
Winner of the Best Commitment to Social Value Award:
“We were really impressed by the magnitude of the evening and it was great to network with everyone from Hill and their supply chain. The award was unexpected and we were very happy to have our work recognised. The event was informative, useful, and one of the best supply chain events we have attended – thank you to everyone at Hill that made this evening as successful as it was!”
Luke Tunstall, Director at Extreme Scaffolding Services Ltd.
Group Chief Executive Andy Hill OBE at the inaugural Supply Chain Awards, held in London.We believe in actively supporting and investing in our supply chain, promoting efficient ways of working and encouraging innovation. We continuously review how we engage and communicate with our supply chain and in particular, this year, we’ve made important investments to ensure our supply chain supports us in maintaining a golden thread of information throughout all stages of development. These improvements are designed to enhance collaboration, streamline processes and ensure that all stakeholders are aligned with the project’s goals and objectives.
Since the formation of our South West region, we have been working hard to ensure we have a strong and secure supply chain in this region to successfully deliver our many exciting upcoming developments.
Hosting our supplier engagement days and attending third-party Meet the Buyer events has enabled us to make a significant impact in the region. By engaging with our suppliers and gaining a deeper
understanding of their capabilities and values, we have been able to identify the right suppliers for our projects. This approach has helped us to create a robust supply chain and establish positive working relationships with companies now working on our developments, including the harbourside site, McArthur’s Yard.
Through these events, we have been able to strengthen our partnerships and identify opportunities for collaboration. These strong relationships will enable us to deliver high-quality projects on time and to budget. Our commitment to engaging with our suppliers is part of our strategy to build long-term relationships and ensure our ongoing success in the region and beyond.
As part of our strategy for the future delivery of the significant redevelopment of Coventry City Centre South, we have begun engaging with subcontractors and consultants located in the Midlands. This forward-thinking approach allows us to create partnerships and establish strong relationships with the right companies, well in advance of development.
We believe that these early collaborations will help us to ensure that the supply chain we develop is capable of meeting the high standards that our developments demand.
Our supply chain is made up of reputable and reliable partners.By identifying the right subcontractors and consultants now, we can begin working collaboratively with them to develop the innovative and sustainable solutions we need for future success.
One of the tools we use to help manage our vetting processes and ensure compliance across our supply chain is the Constructionline platform. Through Constructionline, we are able to pre-qualify and monitor companies based on a range of criteria, including their financial stability, health and safety records, and environmental policies. This online pre-qualification tool has been instrumental in our efforts to identify and evaluate potential suppliers and contractors.
By using Constructionline, we are able to ensure that our supply chain is made up of reputable and reliable partners who share our values and our commitment to excellence. This platform is just one of the many ways we are working to build a robust and sustainable supply chain that will help us achieve our long-term goals.
Constructionline has introduced several new tools that make it easier for us to engage with our supply chain and potential new members. These tools include a Marketplace, which allows buyers to advertise a full project or package and send out the information to relevant trades in the geographical area of a project, and a Social Value Question Set that has already been completed by just over half of our supply chain. This enables us to review a company’s approach to social value and ensure their values align with ours.
Our unwavering commitment to supporting, empowering, and investing in our workforce has led us to become a partner of the Supply Chain Sustainability School. This partnership provides us with access to a learning environment that aims to upskill individuals working within the construction industry. The School’s vision and values align with ours and we share a joint ambition to innovate, share knowledge and learn, to drive positive change across our supply chain.
As a Supply Chain Sustainability School partner, we have access to high-quality training and can actively shape the future of the school’s initiatives on behalf of our supply chain. By engaging in valuable workshops, working groups, API’s Carbon Reporting Tools, and analytics, we are driving and influencing our supply chain to become a member of the school to take advantage of their training.
Through this, we aim to reduce the carbon footprint of our overall operations while promoting sustainable business practices throughout our industry.
We renewed our agreement with Causeway who provide systems to help us manage our supply chain. Their Supplier Management module provides us with access to the necessary tools to manage compliance, track time-barred data, and monitor performance, with the flexibility to adapt and update parameters according to market changes and industry regulations. Additionally, the database is linked to the Constructionline portal, which provides accurate and up-to-date information that can easily be integrated with other data providers for a rounded view of supply chain data.
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