Essex-based restoration experts are crowned UK’s best small housebuilder at property oscars

With this week’s announcement of the Government’s new Housing Strategy, all thoughts have turned to the housebuilding industry, and how important agile and specialist developers are to improving the economic fortunes of the country in these austere times. STANSTED-MOUNTFITCHET based City & Country Group is one developer being recognised for doing just that, having won two of the property industry’s biggest accolades, at this year’s hotly contested, What House? Awards. The company, who specialise in the restoration and conversion of historic and listed buildings into luxurious, new homes, won Gold Awards for Best Small Housebuilder  and Best Starter Home for 12 Kendall Court at The Galleries development in Brentwood.

The awards presented by comedian Hugh Dennis and held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on 18th November saw City & Country recognised as the “deserved winner” of the Best Small Housebuilder accolade, after having won Silver for two consecutive years. City & Country specialise in transforming historic civic properties that otherwise would be demolished, damaged irrevocably or left to go to ruin, into unique and sought-after homes; a skill which will become even more important when the public sector is encouraged to make their unused land and buildings available for private development, under the Government’s new proposals.

Alongside the new Housing Strategy’s commitment to release as much public sector land as possible for private development, developable land with planning permission is also to be improved. City & Country already concentrate on the most sustainable form of development; restoring and conserving the country’s irreplaceable heritage assets so that they can secure their long term future and provide much needed new housing without the need to build homes on other greenfield sites.

Having previously operated in an Essex and Hertfordshire heartland, the last year has seen City & Country acquire historic projects, as far afield as Bentley Priory in Stanmore, MOD Caversfield in Oxfordshire, King Edward VII in West Sussex and Bristol General Hospital, “a challenge, that [the judges] suspect the company will rise to”.

Judges commented: “City & Country may be approaching its 50th Birthday, but it is used to working with buildings much older than that.  Its portfolio of restorative work in sensitive conservation areas or around listed buildings is deeply impressive and its thirst for knowledge of the architectural history around which it might be working is insatiable, meaning it offers creative, new designs in keeping with their surroundings, whatever the weight of heritage around them.”   

The judges continued: “You only have to [see] stunning projects such as The Galleries in Brentwood, Balls Park in Hertford and Old Saint Michaels in Braintree to realise the scope and scale of its restorations. Architectural conviction and enthusiasm clearly resonates throughout the business.”

With TV’s Restoration Man George Clarke on board, their joint campaign – Save Our Architectural Legacy (SOAL), which is designed to promote the plight of the neglected civic listed buildings in this country, was specifically recognised by the award. The judges also admired City & Country’s community support, including the part funding of Essex County Council’s Traditional Skills Building courses, which teach builders and homeowners how to restore some of the country’s most treasured and iconic historic properties.

The company’s second Gold award win was for Best Starter Home for 12 Kendall Court, a charming property at City & Country’s striking Grade II Brentwood development, The Galleries. Released for sale in March 2011 and reserved in less than two weeks, 12 Kendall Court is a 484 sq ft, one-bedroom apartment with its own private terrace and views across the landscaped courtyard gardens. The property boasts distinctive architectural features’ including four brick vault arches and an original feature bay window. The unusual space and range of unique features was acknowledged by the judges as genuinely set apart from other starter homes currently on the market.

The judges commented: “City & Country has fashioned a great collection of conversions at The Galleries, exemplified by this one bedroom apartment.  The restored brickwork, roofing, windows and ornamental features make a first property here unlike any other new build scheme in the area – or indeed almost anywhere – of a comparable price.”

Helen Moore, Managing Director for City & Country Residential, comments: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this ultimate recognition for our whole team, for whom it is a labour of love and a privilege to rescue and revitalise some of England’s dilapidated historic assets by turning them into unusual and sought-after properties. City & Country Group is a very special business and it is always very rewarding when external industry experts concur with that view. In each of our beautiful developments we have worked tirelessly in our pursuit of excellence and through our renowned specialisation in the restoration of heritage buildings, the team has sought out challenging and exciting new opportunities to create innovative and desirable developments of real value.”

Helen continues: “The current economic climate is making it difficult for many developers and self-builders to secure the investment needed to breathe new life into neglected buildings so this week’s announcement from the Government is fantastic news. Improving access to prime development sites is a key component to achieving this and our work is a highly successful example of how some of the country’s unused historic assets can be made available for new housing, and the results speak for themselves.”

All of City & Country’s developments fuse the architecture of the past, with the best of contemporary design. City & Country Group’s developments include Bentley Priory in Stanmore, the historically significant 17th century mansion house, The Galleries in Brentwood, an early Victorian Hospital and Balls Park, a landmark 17th century mansion, on the outskirts of Hertford built circa 1648. City & Country is also creating exclusive homes and ensuring the delivery of a museum for the Battle of Britain Trust in the historically significant 17th century mansion house at RAF Bentley Priory, one of the most important buildings of the Battle of Britain and the Second World War.