Over the course of four decades, Suffolk-based Hartog Hutton has built an impressive name within East Anglia’s housebuilding market. That reputation was further enhanced recently when the company secured a Regional LABC Award for its work on The Paddocks in the historic village of Lavenham, which was named Best Medium Volume New Housing Development.
For George Wells, Director and joint-owner of Hartog Hutton, the accolade carries particular significance, as he explains: “The most important aspect of the award is that it’s industry recognition from a body like the LABC, which we have a huge amount of respect for. There are many award schemes around, but the LABC awards are held in particularly high regard.
“The other pleasing factor is the fact that we were up against some really strong competition. East Anglia is a large region after all, so there were some excellent projects in contention.”
While The Paddocks has been recognised for its quality, with each of its 25 bungalows and houses being individual in design, delivering the development was far from straightforward.
“The planning process was a labour of love,” says George. “It’s a well-located site and the landowners wanted a partner that would be transparent and communicative, which is how we’ve always worked. That relationship became a huge factor in the success of the project.
“We were fortunate that the landowners wanted to leave a legacy they could be proud of and that would contribute positively to the community. Part of the site was within a conservation area, so it was vital that we got that aspect right as well.”
In terms of technical challenges, there was a 14-metre difference between the highest and lowest points of the site, which required 3D modelling by specialist engineers to design the build for such a steep slope. There was also a high-voltage mains line crossing the development, requiring extensive diversion work and coordination with the utility companies.
Alongside overcoming these various challenges, Hartog Hutton was determined to create homes that reflected the character of Lavenham while meeting modern expectations around sustainability and performance.
“The aim was to create traditional-looking homes with all the modern features and high sustainability standards buyers expect today,” outlines George. “Solar panels and electric vehicle charging points have become increasingly commonplace through evolving building regulations, but our customers were requesting them anyway.
“It’s a very attractive scheme. It very much replicates the feel of a small high street and sits parallel to Lavenham’s historic main street. We wanted it to fit naturally within its surroundings without becoming a pastiche, which is always a difficult balance to achieve.”
Successfully achieving that balance has resulted in a development that has not only succeeded commercially but has also delivered the quality and character demanded by the LABC judges. For Hartog Hutton’s close-knit team, the award represented a proud moment.
“We’re quite a small business in terms of numbers, so awards of this nature give everyone a boost. We’ve won some local and heritage awards before, which were enjoyable, but the LABC Award is on a different level.”
Regardless of the award success, like all SME housebuilders, Hartog Hutton is not immune to the whims of the market and rising costs and wider economic uncertainty have put pressure on developers across the sector. However, the company remains resilient, particularly as it is able to draw upon a wealth of experience and knowledge.
“The market is a bit stodgy and it’s certainly a tricky time for SMEs” says George. “We’ve unfortunately seen a few businesses stumble. We’ve experienced recessions before, however, and have learned how to roll with the punches.
“Thankfully from our perspective, there’s still a demand for new-build homes and our sites are continuing to see plenty of positive interest. We’re starting to see some momentum returning. It’s all cyclical.”
Another of Hartog Hutton’s strengths is the flexibility it has maintained within its operating model, allowing it to adapt to changing market conditions, while staying focused on creating sustainable communities.
“We’re keen to play our part in building lasting communities that add to the vitality of a village,” adds George. “You tend to achieve more of that with owner-occupiers in comparison to renters, and this aligns with the type of development we enjoy delivering.”
As costs continue to rise, one factor helping Hartog Hutton maintain its standards is a supply chain built over four decades, complemented by a significant amount of direct labour.
“We directly employ labourers, decorators and groundworkers, so we’re very hands-on and are able to exert a high level of control. In addition, we’ve developed fantastic relationships with local sub-contractors and as we’ve grown, they’ve grown with us, which is exactly what you want to see.”
Looking ahead, Hartog Hutton sees opportunities for measured expansion, as it continues to practise the strong business model that has served it so well.
“We’re currently active across four sites, with around 60 homes either being built, sold or handed over. Ideally, I’d like us to be working on five or six sites at any one time and delivering around 50 homes a year. That depends on sales performance of course, but there is an opportunity to gain market share in the regional housebuilding sector if we can make it work.”
Operating primarily within an hour of Bury St Edmunds, Hartog Hutton’s reach already extends across all of Suffolk and significant parts of Norfolk, north Essex and Cambridgeshire, providing access to a substantial regional market and plenty of scope for future expansion.
While Hartog Hutton is already looking at the future developments it will be tackling in 2027 and beyond, in the meantime, The Paddocks scheme will also be in contention at the National LABC Awards when the winners are announced in January. Given the quality of the development, it would be no surprise if the company has more award success to celebrate in the new year too.
Article kindly supported by Welham Surfacing:
