52 award-winning schemes show what a valuable environmental contribution good housing landscape can make The 2003 greenleaf housing awards have been presented to house building companies at a ceremony held at the Daily Mail offices in Kensington. The prestigious Hanson Award for the finest greenleaf example of the year went to Beechcroft Developments for Allcourt, a retirement scheme in a picturesque Gloucestershire market town. In fact, the judges said that they would love to live there. The greenleaf awards recognise the importance house builders place on the creation of whole living environments - and not just the building of new homes. The judges consider the use of green space, retention of natural features including trees, hedges, ponds and streams and efforts to create a new landscape. Schemes do not become eligible for an award until three years after they have been sold to ensure that the developers initial efforts are not simply cosmetic. The awards are organised by the New Homes Marketing Board in partnership with the Daily Mail and the main sponsor, Hanson. 116 developments were originally submitted by house builders for an award. Of these, 77 progressed through the initial paper-judging phase, and following a personal visit by a greenleaf judge 52 of these developments received an award at the ceremony. The 2003 best in class scheme is at Lechlade on Thames. Allcourts location in a picturesque Cotswold market town brings advantages, of course, but it also poses the enormous challenge of creating a housing environment that complements the sensitive surroundings, says Chris Baines, environmental writer and broadcaster, who chairs the greenleaf judging panel. There can be little doubt that this scheme makes a positive contribution to Lechlade. It provides modern homes for older members of the community, within walking distance of the high street, and the centrepiece of the scheme is an open space that must bring delight to residents and neighbours alike. In addition to the Hanson Award, a further six special category awards were presented by respected organisations, and there were 10 geographical award winners. Langley Park in Beckenham, Kent, by Laing Homes South East Thames picked up two of the special awards from Design for Homes and English Partnerships. Another double winner was Hilton Grange, near Leeds, by Redrow Homes, which won the National Urban Forestry Unit award and was voted best scheme in the Yorkshire region. As well as winning the overall Hanson award, Allcourt was awarded the Help the Aged prize for best retirement housing scheme. Full details of the special awards and geographical awards winners are contained in the editors notes below. Housing landscapes play a vital role in the delivery of sustainable development and at last this is being recognised, Chris Baines added. After almost 20 years, the core values of the greenleaf awards are being acknowledged in the Governments liveability agenda. The New Homes Marketing Board showed great vision in establishing greenleaf so many years before sustainable development was fashionable and the long established partnership with leading environmental organisations makes these awards absolutely unique. This years winners show, yet again, just what a valuable environmental contribution good housing landscape can make and how it can improve the quality of life for every one of us. With increasing interest in sustainability from the Government and the house-buying public, there has never been a better time for greenleaf to provide real inspiration for the wider industry, Chris Baines concludes. Ends Notes for editors: Launched in 1987 by the New Homes Marketing Board, the greenleaf housing awards celebrate the very best new housing landscapes each year, and have helped improve standards in the housebuilding industry. Further information about the greenleaf awards: Zoe Barnes, the New Homes Marketing Board. Tel: 0207 960 1612 Email zoe.barnes@hbf.co.uk. The 2003 greenleaf award winners: The Special Award Winners: The Hanson Award (best overall scheme) & Help the Aged Award Allcourt Lechlade-on-Thames Gloucestershire Beechcroft Developments English Partnerships Award & Design for Homes Award Langley Park Beckenham Kent Laing Homes South East Thames National Urban Forestry Unit Award Hilton Grange Bramhope Leeds Redrow Homes Yorkshire Tree Council Award Holly Royde Manchester David Wilson Homes Wildfowl and Wetland Trust Award Park Farm Frampton Cotterell Bristol Barratt Bristol The geographical award winners:- EASTERN Summerfields, Stanway, Colchester by Barratt Eastern Counties LONDON Elder Gardens, Spitalfields, London by St George North London MIDLANDS Dickens Heath, Solihull, Birmingham by Redrow Homes Midlands NORTH EAST The Woodlands Estate, Darlington by Bussey & Armstrong NORTH WEST Manor Park, Great Sutton, Cheshire by Redrow Homes North West SCOTLAND Lambs Nursery, Eskbank, Dalkeith, Midlothian by Redrow Homes Scotland SOUTHERN Longwater Green, Finchampstead, Berkshire by Charles Church SOUTH WEST St Lukes Court, Marlborough, Wiltshire by English Courtyard WALES Trem-y-Coed, Sketty, Swansea by Bovis Homes YORKSHIRE Hilton Grange, Bramhope, Leeds by Redrow Homes Yorkshire Other schemes receiving an award in 2003: Arundell Place, Truro, Cornwall by Rosemullion Homes Britannia Quay, Chatham, Kent by Redrow Homes Eastern Bywaters, Croxley Green, Hertfordshire by Barratt Southern Counties Church Gate Gardens, Swindon , Wiltshire by Bellwinch Homes Cwrt Bryn Coed, Colwyn Bay, North Wales by McCarthy & Stone Dale View, Addingham, West Yorkshire by Redrow Homes Yorkshire Eastfield Park, West Derby, Liverpool by Redrow Homes North West Fairview Manor, Rochdale, Lancashire by Redrow Homes Lancashire Fairways, Wakefield, Yorkshire by Barratt Leeds Grange Park, Bushey, Hertfordshire by Barratt North London Glan Rhiw, Oakdale, Gwent by Redrow Homes South Wales Hawthorne Rise, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire by David Wilson Homes Hudson Court, Hessle, East Riding by McCarthy & Stone Kensington Park, Kensington High Street, London by Barratt East London Kings Mansions, Beckenham, Kent by Barratt South London Leigh Park, Westbury, Wiltshire by Persimmon Homes Wessex Lockes Wharf, Isle of Dogs, London by St George North London Locksley Grange, Torquay, Devon by Midas Homes Manor Fields, Rawcliffe, York by Barratt York Manor Grange, Burton upon Trent by William Davis Homes Millers Croft, Sutton in Craven, West Yorkshire by Barratt Leeds Montpellier Park, Killermont, Glasgow by Barratt West Scotland Mount Pleasant, Framlingham, Suffolk by Persimmon Homes Essex Mulberry Close, Watford , Hertfordshire by City & Country Residential Park Gates, Haywards Heath, West Sussex by Barratt Southern Counties Prince Regents Gate, London NW1 by Barratt West London Princes Gate, Southend by Barratt Eastern Counties Regent Court, Pinner by Barratt North London Regent Court, Basingstoke, Hampshire by Barratt Southern Counties Riverside, Stone, Staffordshire by David Wilson Homes Rogersmead, Tenterden, Kent by Bovis Homes Sonora Fields, Sittingbourne, Kent by Redrow Homes Eastern Summerfields, Chester-le-Street, County Durham by Barratt Newcastle The Beeches, Kemnay, Aberdeenshire by Stewart Milne Homes (North) The Birches, Meols, Wirral by Redrow Homes North West Whitbarrow Grove, Levens, nr Kendal by Russell Armer Whittle Hall Farm, Chorley, Lancashire by Redrow Homes Lancashire Woodcot Manor, Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire by Barratt Construction Photos: Photographs of the special awards winning schemes are available from Nick Rawlings, nrawlings@stennik.com or 01379 650112 Marketing CD: A CD containing an electronic version of this press release and various graphics/photographs is also available from Nick Rawlings
