A partnership for regeneration in Huddersfield between Southdale Homes and Kirklees Metropolitan Council scooped the prize in this category, sponsored by English Partnerships.

Winner: Southdale Homes and Kirklees

In an area with pockets of low demand for housing, the local authority and private and affordable housing provider Southdale Homes are working together to regenerate brownfield sites. One example is the Deighton and Brackenhall initiative to regenerate an area of 2350 homes, some 1800 of which are in local authority hands. Land has been transferred to Southdale for a payment of some £4m into a community dividend which is re-invested in the local community. Redevelopment activity, the dividend and further investment attracted into the area are producing new homes for sale and rent, a village centre, a sports arena, an arts centre and other facilities.

Second: St George

The company is developing mixed-use, mixed-tenure communities on brownfield sites across the capital, but none exemplifies its strategy better than Imperial Wharf in Fulham, west London. Here 50% of homes being developed are affordable, and the company is offering a nominated essential workers scheme, that enables key workers to purchase an equity stake in their homes, without public subsidy. The scheme will also have a 10 acre park, hotel, health and leisure facility, bars, cafes and shops, and should generate more than 1000 jobs.

Third: Laing Homes

Some 90% of Laing’s developments are on brownfield land, and its more complex sites include East Dulwich Road in the capital and Queen Elizabeth Park, Guildford. The former, which had been occupied by leaking petrol storage tanks, had to be decontaminated, and the housebuilder engaged in public consultation to tackle local fears about development. The larger Queen Elizabeth Park site has 35% affordable housing, community facilities and a green travel plan.

Fourth: Crest Nicholson

Stakeholder consultation has long been a key element of the business of Crest Nicholson, which develops more than 80% of its short-term land bank on brownfield urban sites. At Canons Marsh, Bristol, the company was involved in one of the most extensive public consultations in the region, incorporating such features as a citizens’ forum and an interactive website.

Fifth: Berkeley Homes

At Royal Arsenal in Woolwich, east London, Berkeley is not only developing a mixed-use, mixed-tenure scheme, it is also providing the catalyst for development and economic activity in an area at the head of the Thames Gateway. The scheme will have more than 1200 mixed-tenure homes.

Building Homes Quality Awards 2003