ANNUAL REVIEW 2020
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Building homes of distinction throughout Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex
AN INTRODUCTION FROM OUR FOUNDER & CEO James Hopkins If our financial year mirrored the calendar year, this annual review would have been distributed in January and my introduction would have been noticeably different. The General Election in December returned a decisive majority, the uncertainty that had been felt over the country’s future direction, particularly in relation to Brexit, appeared more settled, the economy was experiencing a bounce and the forecast was optimistic. Some months later and the UK has begun to emerge from the lockdown that was imposed when the Covid-19 pandemic reached our shores. Our immediate priority was to ensure that, across all areas of our business, every precaution and measure was in place to protect the health and welfare of our staff, contractors and customers. I have been extremely pleased that the Hopkins Charitable Fund has been able to quickly provide direct help to numerous charities and community groups and am very proud of the magnificent response there has been to support some of the most vulnerable people within our region. Looking to the future, I am wholeheartedly committed to the continued growth of the Group; creating desirable new communities where our renowned design credentials complement the location and our quality of build stands the test of time; crafting exceptional new homes that meet the demands of modern living. Exciting recent changes to the management structure of the Hopkins Group will, I am confident, strengthen and enhance our position even further. Lee Barnard has been promoted to Group Managing Director and, having been a key contributor to our success since joining the business in 2000, I have no doubt that Lee will embrace his new role with his trademark energy and enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Michael Cox has taken on the role of Group Executive Director & Chief Financial Officer.
FOREWORD FROM OUR MD Lee Barnard I am delighted to have been appointed Group Managing Director and feel privileged to lead such a highly experienced team. I would also like to welcome Monika Hanlon to the Board, who has joined us as Group Sales & Marketing Director and brings a wealth of experience with her. Aside from the uncertainty of the longer-term effects of the pandemic, the past financial year was not without its challenges. The housing market in particular suffered from periods of indecision and stilted growth and yet, we never faltered in our belief in providing high-quality homes that the East Anglian region so badly needs and so many people want to live in. As a result, we continued to enjoy both commercial success and industry recognition, adding a further nine awards to our impressive collection since our last annual review – not least yet another WhatHouse? Gold Award and the coveted NHBC Seal of Excellence Award. Therefore, even in these extraordinary times, we start our new financial year in a strong position and remain positive for the year ahead.
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The Hopkins Group
Living with Beauty
The Hopkins Group, which includes sister company Hopkins & Moore, is now the largest housebuilder in East Anglia with over 30 current developments. The Group is also one of the region’s largest providers of affordable homes and is part of the NHBC’s Quality Award Scheme, the industry’s benchmark for build standard and quality of site management.
Early in 2020 we welcomed the findings and recommendations of the Living with Beauty report. The expectation that “beauty should be an essential condition for the grant of planning permission” is something that we have long held true. We strive to deliver developments which not only meet needs but that are also beautiful and, as a result, complement the landscape and communities surrounding them. The report additionally calls for improvements in environmental stewardship and renewal rather than abandonment of unwanted buildings. We pride ourselves on, and have been frequently rewarded for, our ability to see the potential in challenging sites and successfully deliver schemes at them. We were praised in the House of Lords for our development in Framlingham which saw us breathe new life into a derelict area. This year our skill and commitment was further recognised when our St George’s Park development in Needham Market was awarded Gold for the Best Regeneration Scheme at the prestigious WhatHouse? Awards. The judges recognised the high number of different styles and sizes which had been designed to create a flourishing new community. Care has been taken to incorporate additional references to this unique location within the architecture and
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St George’s Park, Needham Market
landscaping providing a link to the history of the site and reflecting not only the architectural style of Needham Market but also its welcoming and vibrant feel.
Hopkins Charitable Fund The Hopkins Charitable Fund was launched in 2017 and saw us pledge to donate in excess of £500,000 over five years to charities, groups and causes across Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.
Supporting Employees
their training, making it particularly attractive to those looking for a change in career or returning to work after a break. We worked closely with the Home Builders Federation to design the programme so that it meets the needs of participants and creates assistant site managers with the correct skill set for us and the industry. Two of the first participants selected for the scheme are former servicemen and we’ve further cemented our commitment to supporting the armed forces by signing up to the military covenant. 2019 also saw us launch a new scheme for training sales consultants and a sales apprenticeship programme.
We’ve an excellent track record in selecting and developing our site managers, having received 29 NHBC Pride in the Job awards over the years – these awards recognise the quality of the site manager. In November 2019 one of our Pride in the Job winners went on to be awarded the Seal of Excellence and be recognised as the best site manager in the Southern region. To ensure we continue to raise the bar in site management, in 2019 we launched our trainee assistant site managers scheme. The scheme has been specially designed to combine rigorous academic assessment with practical skills. Open to all, it allows participants to earn a competitive salary whilst completing
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CASE STUDY Kingsfleet, Thetford, Norfolk This unique location provides easy access to the vibrant cities of Norwich and Cambridge, while maintaining the peace of the countryside. Access into Kingsfleet is via a major new junction alongside the A11 dual carriageway built for the development. There is a tremendous amount of interest in Kingsfleet which initially centred around the launch of the stunning show home, The Cedar, a spacious three-bedroom contemporary town house. With the first families now settled into their homes, we continue to see reservations off-plan as the development progresses.
On the Norfolk border, Kingsfleet is a flagship 5,000 home development situated on the edge of the market town of Thetford. We were delighted to be selected as the first residential building partners, tasked with creating a 343-new home gateway for the community. This is the first phase of the Thetford Sustainable Urban Expansion which is being led by Pigeon Investment Management.
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Kingsfleet boasts an outstanding collection of one and twobedroom apartments and two, three, four and five-bedroom homes in a range of styles. We carefully designed the homes at the development to reflect the heritage and architectural nuance of the local area. This new neighbourhood will encompass a variety of amenities. We have provided a small retail and food store offer for the community together with the infrastructure to serve a new primary school. Not far from the market town is Thetford Forest, which offers the ultimate outdoor playground for family days out as well as long, relaxing walks across acres of forest and woodland.
CASE STUDY The Willows, Kentford, Suffolk
The Hopkins & Moore development, The Willows, enjoys an enviable idyllic rural location on the edge of the picturesque village of Kentford which is close to the Suffolk/Cambridgeshire border. This exclusive development offers a range of property styles and sizes from two-bedroom apartments and coach houses up to three- and four-bedroom traditional homes that perfectly complement the local surroundings.
We were delighted to showcase The Willows to visitors by opening a fully furnished show home. Known as The Hornbeam, this is a traditional three-bedroom detached family home featuring a bespoke flint faรงade. Considerable care and attention went into the overall development layout plan and the specific design detail of the 30 new homes. Diligent attention has been taken to incorporate references to the location within the architecture and landscaping and we worked closely with the local authority to maintain and protect the abundance of greenery in the area. Furthermore, we also created strong, accessible linkages to the broader footpath network.
The Willows has proved very popular, certainly due to the look and feel of the development but, also, the extremely convenient location. Kentford is situated just off the A14 which provides easy access to the cities of Cambridge and Ely to the West, the market town of Bury St Edmunds just 10 miles to the East and the M11 junction connects straight into London. A rail station is less than a mile away in the village of Kennett bringing Cambridge within 34mins and Kings Cross in under 2 hours.
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OUR EMPLOYEES
218
96
22
26
100
15+ years
Total number of employees
Members of staff at Head Office
Sales Staff
Construction Staff
Number of long service
OUR DEVELOPMENTS Suffolk
Norfolk
Cambridgeshire
Essex
16
10
3
3
1000
Almost homes built over the past year Number of plots received planning permission
Number of affordable homes transferred in the last year Hopkins Homes
Hopkins & Moore
215
27 Total
2,097 68
Total awards won
1,758
242 Total affordable homes transferred to date
Starting price of homes
£140,000
(2 bed apartment at North Walsham)
THE VALUE OF CONSTRUCTION
£
£117 billion
2.4 billion
236,000
(6% of GDP)*
(7% of total UK employment)
(7.2% of total jobs) Number of UK construction jobs in East of England
Construction industry contribution to UK economy
Number of UK construction jobs
*Output (2018 data): Gross Value Added, ON. Jobs: ONS, Workforce Jobs via official labour market statistics database.
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CURRENT & FORTHCOMING DEVELOPMENTS
1. Butterfield Meadow, Hunstanton 2. Oaklands, South Wootton 3. Hazel Grove, Watton 4. Birch Gate, Wymondham 5. King’s Meadow & The Birches, Holt 6. St George’s Place, Sprowston 7. Heronsgate, Blofield 8. Kingsfleet, Thetford
Cromer
9. St. James’ Park, Ely
A148
Stamford
10. Mill Grove, Stowmarket
King’s Lynn
Wisbech A47
A47
A47
A1
A149
Norwich Great Yarmouth
A134
A10
11. Alconbury Weald, Cambridgeshire
A140
A140
A14
Cambridge Bedford
1
A11
A143
Thetford
Aldeburgh A12
Ipswich
17. Woodland Rise, Barrow 18. The Sandpipers, Aldringham
21. St George’s Park, Needham Market 22. Willowbrook, Bramford 23. Blyth Vale, Halesworth 24. Saxon Meadow, Capel St Mary 25. River Reach, Mistley
A12
Stansted
Felixstowe
A120
Colchester
Harwich Clacton-on-Sea
A12 M25
15. Gillingham
20. Priors’ Grange, Saxmundham
Newmarket Bury St Edmunds
M11
Bishop’s Stortford
14. Lavenham
19. Nightingale Meadow, Leiston
A10
Luton
Lowestoft
A14 A14
A1(M)
13. Kingley Grove, Melbourn
16. Thurston Park, Thurston
Ely A10
12. Beccles
Chelmsford
26. Weaver’s Tye, Long Melford 27. Barley Vale, Framlingham 28. The Willows, Kentford 29. Colne Meadow, Brightlingsea 30. Colchester 31. Stutton
A127
Southend-on-Sea
Current Hopkins Homes developments Forthcoming Hopkins Homes developments Current Hopkins & Moore developments Forthcoming Hopkins & Moore developments
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CASE STUDY Kingley Grove, Melbourn, Cambridgeshire
The diversity of homes at our Kingley Grove development in Cambridgeshire appeals to all stages of life, from first-time buyers to those looking to downsize.
Our collection of 199 new homes range from charming twobedroom cottages and stylish apartments to lavish five-bedroom family homes.
Offering a quintessentially English village lifestyle with excellent transport links to major roads, Melbourn, where the development is situated, provides an ideal location without compromise.
We have constructed the development on land sold by Peterhouse College – the oldest of the Cambridge colleges – and worked closely with the college to ensure all requirements were met including incorporating a care home provision. Kingley Grove is located just a ten-minute walk from the centre of Melbourn which boasts a range of day-to-day amenities including a GP, Co-operative store and post office alongside several popular inns and restaurants. Alongside the village amenities, Melbourn is well served for education with two nurseries, a primary school, and the village college. Just four miles away is the popular town of Royston, which has a superb range of independent retailers including boutiques, art galleries, antique and local traders. With such a varied mix, Kingley Grove is becoming a thriving new community. Our visitors are at all stages of life, from first time buyers, families needing more space, busy professionals or those seeking their forever home and, they tell us, that at Kingley Grove they have found the ideal place to make their home.
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CASE STUDY Butterfield Meadow, Hunstanton, Norfolk With Hunstanton’s rich maritime past and a vibrant present, our Butterfield Meadow development provides quality living coupled with coastal beauty. At the outset, a major feature of the land was a very prominent incline and meticulous thought and sensitivity was undertaken to ensure the layout embraced the varied changes to the levels. This understanding of the land, together with our engineering expertise, enabled us to create a sympathetic and attractive arrangement for all 166 homes. The initial construction works for Butterfield Meadow consisted of a new roundabout on the A149 together with associated road realignments to provide a safe and attractive entrance into the development. Beautifully decorated to reflect this distinctive coastal location, our show home is a substantial fourbedroom detached family home. Known as The Wagtail, its spacious and flexible living areas, multiple wet rooms, plenty of storage and double garage has generated a lot of praise from visitors and perfectly demonstrates our build craftsmanship.
Beside the Wagtail, there are an incredible 22 further house types across a wide range of styles and sizes from one- and two-bedroom apartments and coach houses, two- and threebedroom bungalows and two-, three- and four-bedroom exceptional homes. Each of the housetypes in Butterfield Meadow are carefully designed to create a thriving new community which blends effortlessly with and complements the existing Hunstanton landscape. Closely associated with this area of Norfolk, carstone external façades prominently feature on properties, a detail appreciated by home buyers and the community. Hunstanton sits facing west over a wide stretch of shallow and sheltered water known as The Wash, which offers vast stretches of sandy beaches, rock pools to explore and incredible sunsets. The coastal town is a cornerstone of Norfolk tourism with attractions that include restaurants, a theatre, a striking lighthouse, a fairground and an aquarium to name but a few.
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We’re incredibly grateful to Hopkins Homes for their continued generosity to charities across Suffolk. The expansion of the Hopkins Charitable Fund meant many more groups could benefit from donations. Stephen Singleton, Chief Executive of the Suffolk Community Foundation
CHARITY FUND Launched in 2017 with a pledge to donate in excess of £500,000 over five years, the Hopkins Charitable Fund continues to support groups, charities and causes across East Anglia. To facilitate this, we work closely with the Community Foundations of Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire and War Memorials Trust. In addition, we support other concerns and charities that particularly resonate with us and our employees. Updates on our charitable activity are available on our website www.hopkinshomescharity.co.uk
Norfolk November 2019 £7,000 to DIAL £2,000 to Matthew Project £1,000 to St Martins Housing Trust £250 each to About with Friends, Daisy Programme and Sunbeams Play
Suffolk March 2020
Charity Votes We regularly invite the public to take part in charity votes, asking them to select their favourite from the shortlist. The three charities who receive the most votes share a £10,000 donation.
Cambridge January 2019 £7000 to Blue Smile £2,000 to Wintercomfort £1,000 to Red Balloon Learner Centre £250 each to Centre33, Home-start Royston and South Cambridgeshire, Red2Green 10
£7,000 to Rural Coffee Caravan £2,000 to FIND (Families in Need) Ipswich £1,000 to Just42 £250 each to Gatehouse and EPIC Dad
We give our utmost thanks to Hopkins Homes for supporting community groups in Norfolk. The donations significantly help charities to continue their excellent, essential hard work. Claire Cullens, Chief Executive of the Norfolk Community Foundation
The generous donations given by the Hopkins Charitable Fund make a huge difference to the work charities and community groups are able to do in supporting our Cambridgeshire communities. Michael O’Toole, Chief Executive of the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation
Small Grants
War Memorials
The Hopkins family attends regular panels to decide small grant allocation. Community foundations from Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire attend to provide guidance and information about local charities applying for support. The family also makes regular visits to both current and prospective grant recipients to better understand their work.
The Hopkins Charitable Fund gives £10,000 a year to support the conservation of war memorials in East Anglia. Over the last year, funding has been given to Foulden in Norfolk and Great Barton in Suffolk.
Over the past year, the fund has distributed almost £60,000 in small grants:
This fund is part of a suite of initiatives Hopkins Homes supports to recognise the area’s historical and present-day links to the armed forces.
Total: 2019 – 26 charities £57,102
Volunteer Days
Including:
In addition to financial support, the company also holds regular volunteer days where staff are invited to provide practical support to a local charity. This year the team helped paint FIND (Families in Need) Ipswich’s new foodbank.
£3,500 to Suffolk Young People’s Health Project £2,500 to Felixstowe Area Community Transport Ltd £3,000 to Charles Burrell Centre £2,805 to Green Light Trust £2,500 to Cottenham Mobile Warden Scheme £3,240 to Halesworth Volunteer Centre
Winter Crisis Fund We launched our £120,000 Winter Crisis Fund to help vulnerable members of society as they struggle to pay their heating bills as the temperatures drop.
£3,000 to Meadows Children and Family Wing
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HO PKI N S G RO U P DI R E C TORS
James Hopkins Founder & CEO
Michael Cox Executive Director & CFO
Lee Barnard Managing Director
Monika Hanlon Sales and Marketing Director
Marcus Armitage Production Director
Iain Jamie Land Director
Simon Bryan Development Director
Martin Bailey Non Executive Director
Jonathan Agar Non Executive Director
SIXTY EIGHT PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS including...
BUILD Design Awards New Home Builder of the Year - East Anglia
BUILD Excellence Awards Building New Homes - East Anglia
32 National Housebuilding Council Awards including Pride in the Job and Seal of Excellence categories
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16 WhatHouse? Awards including Best Housebuilder, Best Development, Best Regeneration Scheme, Best House Design and Best Brownfield Development
Sunday Times British Homes Awards Best Development
Telephone: 01394 446800  Email: info@hopkinshomes.co.uk
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