David Wilson, the chairman of Davidsons Group and property industry veteran, has picked up the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Midlands Residential Property Awards 2018 which recognised the key projects, people and businesses of the region's resurgent residential sector. Insider business editor and award-winning property journalist Ian Griffin told the packed audience that the Midlands was "the place to be in residential right now" with its expanding professional sector, devolution and HS2 meaning "billions of pounds are being invested in new homes". The event was sponsored by Court Collaboration, Duchy Homes, Gowling WLG, K Hayter Associates, Pegasus Group, Spitfire Properties, Rosconn and William Davis Homes, while Encore Estate Management sponsored the drinks reception and Hyperoptic sponsored the networking booklets.
Social Housing Provider of the Year
Sponsored by: Rosconn Strategic Land
Winner: Birmingham City Council
The council is now the city's biggest house builder, actively responding to the growing demand for homes. The judges were impressed by the sheer volume of quality affordable homes that the city had produced in a short time.
Shortlisted:
Connexus
EMH
Architectural Practice of the Year
Winner: K4 Architects
The judges said K4 showcased an impressive body of work, featuring high quality contemporary design which skilfully responded to the needs and sensitivities of the locations it worked on.
Shortlisted:
EKV
Justin Smith Architects
rg + p
Residential Property Sales & Lettings Agent of the Year
Sponsored by: Spitfire Bespoke Homes
Winner: Knight Frank
The judges said Knight Frank's submission was a compelling read, largely because of the hard data they'd provided on its achievements over the year. The group presented a really impressive set of figures.
Shortlisted:
SDL
Urban & City Living Developer of the Year
Sponsored by: William Davis Homes
Winner: Court Collaboration
The judges felt Court Collaboration's entry was very impressive, with a development that drew huge amounts of overseas investments into Birmingham, while showing a real commitment to contemporary quality architecture.
Shortlisted:
Long Harbour
PGC Capital
Birmingham City Council
Skills & Training Scheme of the Year
Winner: Dudley College
Dudley College put forward an excellent submission showing that it was not only developing the skills base for the resi sector, but was actively training people in the technologies and techniques that will be necessary for development in the future.
Highly Commended: Birmingham City Council
Shortlist:
William Davis Homes
St Modwen Homes
Coventry College
Residential Property Management Agent of the Year
Winner: Encore Estate Management
The judges were really impressed with the superb customer satisfaction ratings received by Encore from a really diverse group of developments and for some really high-profile clients.
Shortlisted:
Pennycuick Collins
Housebuilder of the Year
Sponsored by: Gowling WLG
Winner: Lioncourt Homes
This was a really impressive submission from a very customer-centric organisation. Lioncourt showed why it was Britain's fastest-growing house builder through strong ambition and good quality designs.
Highly Commended: Miller Homes
Shortlisted:
Cameron Homes
Avant Homes
Larkfleet Homes
William Davis Homes
Spitfire Bespoke Homes
Residential Property Consultancy of the Year
Sponsored by: Court Collaboration
Winner: Arcadis
This was one of the most difficult categories for the judges to decide. But Arcadis just edged it by showing it had mastered and delivered on a range of really complex and challenging regeneration projects.
Shortlisted:
GVA
Knight Frank
Residential Development of the Year
Sponsored by: Pegasus Group
Winner: Trent Basin, Nottingham (Blueprint, Nottingham City Council)
This is the sort of quality, distinctive and well thought-out project that the judges wanted to see. Trent Basin is turning a long derelict industrial site into a well-designed, sustainable and attractive development that puts people first.
Highly Commended: Lakeside Apartments, Barton Marina, Staffordshire (Cameron Homes)
Shortlisted:
Royal Sutton Place & The Sutton, Sutton Coldfield (Arcadis (Brooke Smith Planning), BPN Architects, Court Collaboration)
The Forum/former Silver Blades, Birmingham (Linkcity, Corstophine + Wright, Arcadis (Brooke Smith Planning)
The Franklin, Birmingham (Court Collaboration, Top Capital Group)
Bentham Green, Gloucestershire (Lioncourt Homes)
Highworth, Broadway, Worcestershire (Spitfire Bespoke Homes)
Trentham Manor, Stoke-on-Trent (St Modwen Homes)
Deal of the Year
Sponsored by: K Hayter Associates
Winner: Sale of the 907-acre Priors Hall Park, Corby (GVA, Urban and Civic)
GVA delivered a really challenging deal with style and professionalism. It took a huge partly-built site in Corby that was in administration and turned it into a £40m triumph.
Highly Commended: St Joseph Homes’ purchase of Snowhill Wharf, Gun Quarter Birmingham (Knight Frank, Birmingham City Council, Berkeley Group, Lavignac Securities, FGF)
Shortlisted:
£50m forward funding of 297-unit build-to-rent scheme in Leicester (Long Harbour, Sowden Group)
Sale of Bingham North urban extension, Nottinghamshire
(Savills, Crown Estate, Barratt David Wilson Homes, Wood, PBA)
£53m forward funding of 220-unit build-to-rent scheme and commercial space at Newhall Square, Birmingham (Spitfire Urbane, Legal & General)
Lifetime Achievement Award
Sponsored by: Duchy Homes
Winner: David Wilson, chairman of Davidsons Group
The judges said they wanted to recognise the individual who they felt had made the biggest contribution to the Midlands residential sector over a sustained period of time. David Wilson built Wilson Bowden into one of the region's biggest house building and commercial real estate groups ahead of its sale to Barratt Developments in 2007. But retirement was far from the mind of this industry veteran, who confesses he simply "loves the smell of building sites". Instead he launched another housebuilding venture, Davidsons, with his three sons, which he's built into a £100m-plus business active across the Midlands.