Since its establishment in 2006, Bargate Homes has developed an enviable reputation for the quality of its properties. In addition to an ever-lengthening list of happy customers, the Hampshire-based company has also attracted significant industry recognition for its housing developments, including a recent clutch of awards that have further bolstered its standing within the south of England.
This year Bargate Homes received both Premier Guarantee’s highly coveted Developer of the Year award and its National Excellence Award for Development of the Year. The latter success was for its flagship £128m Rivercross scheme in Warsash, Hampshire, which will see the creation of over 300 energy efficient homes in the coming years.
“The awards are a huge achievement and highlight the input of everyone within the company and the exceptional standards we’ve all been working towards, which really reflects our strong family ethos,” outlines Mike Sneddon, Commercial Director. “What’s particularly pleasing is that Rivercross is a typical ‘Bargate Homes project’ in terms of the design of the properties and the high-spec materials that we used in their construction.”
Other notable housing developments that Bargate Homes has been working on in recent years include Heritage Place. Built on a former deer park on the outskirts of Eastleigh, Southampton, the £97m scheme is delivering 322 energy-efficient family homes.
In late 2022, the first homes were also released for sale at the £32m Hamblewood development, a collection of 123 family houses and apartments located in the well-connected Hampshire town of Hedge End.
In a highly competitive marketplace, Bargate Homes’ ability to rise above the rest and win awards has really underlined the strength of its offering. “It’s all about standing out from the national housebuilders, as we look to plough our own furrow,” adds Andrew French, Sales and Marketing Director. “Another of our developments, St Thomas Mead, was one of the runners-up for Development of the Year, which was similar in design and quality. Again, this shows the strength of the formula we’ve developed. Anyone can build boxes, but we look to deliver much, much more, and we’re fortunate that we have the people and the supply chain to do so.
“Each and every one of our departments has bought into the Bargate Homes way, from the design and construction guys through to the commercial and sales teams. What’s more, we’re all hungry for more and are striving to build even better housing schemes in the future. It’s great to receive awards but, even more importantly, our customer experience scores are constantly improving, so it’s clear we’re on the right track.”
As Mick Hanson, Production Director, points out, Bargate Homes’ holistic approach is another factor that helps to provide the company with a real point of difference: “The quality of the properties is obviously extremely important, but we’re also just as committed to ensuring that the public spaces are well designed too. The Rivercross development is a prime example of this approach in action with plenty of superb outside areas next to the river Hamble.”
In addition to the double Premier Guarantee award success, more recently the Rivercross development received further kudos after it was named Residential Development of the Year at the 2023 Insider Media South-East Property Awards. The company is now striving to capitalise on its latest industry recognition by continuing to build select developments in prime locations across Hampshire, Dorset and West Sussex. As a wholly owned subsidiary of VIVID – Hampshire’s largest provider of affordable homes – it has substantial backing and is currently delivering 900 homes across six live developments, with a pipeline of future sites expected to deliver in excess of 2,500 new homes.
“Rivercross still has plenty of work for us moving forward, with phase one yet to be completed and phase two due to start next year,” adds Mr Hanson. “We have a substantial land bank under our control, and we’re fully committed to developing further high-quality homes across the south. We certainly have no intention of watering down our offering.”
With a growing collection of awards and a housing portfolio that continues to increase in demand, it’s clear that Bargate Homes has hit upon a winning formula that is sure to serve it well in the future, with further accolades likely to also be on the cards.
Images: Adrienne Photography