Housing constructor of the year

Site: Dalgety Bay, Firth of Forth
Project: Skyline development of 51 luxury homes

Calum Stewart is not only a building manager but also a dab hand at design and a shrewd businessman. It'll come as no surprise that he's now a director of the company. Judges were slightly in awe of Stewart's case, recognising it as a highly unusual achievement.

For instance, Stewart spotted the Dalgety Bay site, absorbed its potential, and convinced his company to buy it from another major housebuilder. He then led purchase negotiations.

The site came with plans and planning permission. These he more or less crumpled up and threw in the wastepaper basket, choosing instead to redesign the high-profile location, which overlooks the Forth Bridge, into a higher price bracket. That meant lower density but higher quality homes. It also meant new roads and sewers, the coastal footpath, foundation works and amenity land. Judges say he created the new design mainly without CAD.

The site is a skyline development of 51 villa-type homes, each with its own character. During construction, Stewart gained a reputation for being able to accommodate clients' requests for alterations, price the special client requirements and incorporate the revisions into his building programme.

It's no wonder Stewart threw himself into the project so fiercely. At the time the value of the site represented 50% of his company's annual turnover.

Judges were particularly impressed with Stewart's customer-orientation. "It was as if he built a one-off house for everybody who lived there, going to the planning department several times for every house," said adjudicator Barry Natton.

All this was against the background of the challenges posed by the adverse site conditions: namely, a steeply sloping site with a considerable amount of rock and exposure to full-force storm conditions.

The success of the project was helped by the fact that Stewart is a very experienced and competent manager, and prizes cooperativeness and flexibility in his dealing with clients and team members.

Alan Woodhead, David Wilson Homes

Site: Belvedere Court, Leeds
Project: construction of 39 houses and eight apartments

Wilson Homes, having purchased the site in Belvedere Avenue, Leeds, was granted planning permission after two years of discussions for the construction of 39 houses and eight apartments.

Unfortunately for the housebuilder, there were restrictions on how the site could be serviced, due to its proximity to a high-quality residential area with narrow roads. No deliveries to the site were allowed before 9.30am and none after 3.15pm, and the total number of lorry movements per day was limited to six, with at least half an hour between each. Woodhead was faced with these onerous restrictions and a tight programme. Sales were buoyant and completion dates for handover were firm.

Through careful planning and programming, Woodhead managed to meet his targets. Not only were targets satisfied, but the work was completed to very high quality and in compliance with all other statutory obligations, especially health and safety regulations. During construction, the site was inspected three times by the Health and Safety Executive and was found faultless on each occasion.

In the midst of construction it came to light that there was a boundary dispute concerning the site.

Woodhead, using his negotiating skills and charm, managed to reach a satisfactory compromise. This enabled the dispute to be settled with no legal costs and to the entire satisfaction of both his organisation and the adjoining landowner.

Despite having to work through one of the wettest winters on record and facing many restrictive covenants, Woodhead completed his project on time.

The project showed a larger financial return than expected for the housebuilder and provided well-constructed homes for Woodhead's clients.

Richard Goulden, Berkeley Homes

Site:East Preston
Project: Crown Place, a three-storey Edwardian-style apartment building

Richard Goulden spent almost a year with Taylor Woodrow Civil Engineering after graduating in 1992, which gave him hands- on experience in civil engineering works. He joined Berkeley Homes in 1994, and his expertise was soon appreciated. He became site manager for the Crown Place development at East Preston.

The brownfield site was previously occupied by a 1930s public house, and Goulden was charged with constructing a three-storey building that retained

the Edwardian style. Three corners of the building were designed to incorporate octagonal towers with domes.

Due to planning complications, Goulden needed to spend valuable time researching numerous design details. His relationship with the architects was excellent and Goulden assisted the design by producing over 20 detailed sketches re-evaluating the buildability of the project. He was responsible for developing the master programme and had direct control of the timing sequences of the various activities.

Crown Place had many complex, non-standard details such as the weatherproofing, stability and level tolerances, not to mention the programme requirements and the lead time for the specialist materials. The buildability and intersection of the domes with the hipped roof created complications with regard to weathering in such an exposed location.

Goulden met all these challenges, completing the project to a high standard, on time and to budget – and to the satisfaction of the purchasers of these luxury apartments.