Northumberland Housebuilder clocks up 100th new home sale
THE AWARD-WINNING NORTHUMBERLAND HOUSEBUILDER, ASCENT HOMES, WHICH HAS ESTABLISHED A REPUTATION FOR BUILDING UNIQUE HOMES IN STUNNING LOCATIONS, HAS COMPLETED ITS 100TH SALE SINCE THE ORGANISATION BEGAN TRADING LESS THAN THREE YEARS AGO.
A further 150 homes are under construction throughout the county. Ascent Homes is passionate about utilising local labour and craftsmen for more than 70% of its work and ensuring that all its developments have a positive impact upon those who live in and around them.
The first and second developments, Windsor View in Newbiggin-by-the-Sea and Plessey Green on the outskirts of Blyth, are both completed and sold out, while at its third development, The Maltings in Alnwick, only six apartments remain from an original 37. This scheme recently beat off strong competition to scoop the coveted ‘residential property’ award at the prestigious RICS Renaissance Awards because of Ascent Homes’ impressive and sensitive conversion of derelict buildings on the site of the former Alnwick Brewery. The development will compete in the national awards in London later this year.
Currently developing further much needed, high-quality housing at Wayside Point in Ellington, Meadow View at Bebside, Hemingway Court in Ponteland and at Allerburn Gate, adjacent to Alnwick Gardens, there are several further new developments either planned or already submitted for planning approval.
So, what is the secret of the firm’s success? Led by a team of industry experts, what sets Ascent Homes’ apart, is its dedication to specifying quality fixtures and fittings as well as its ability to build on sites that other developers have been reluctant to do so.
Ascent Homes’ satisfied customers bear testament to this as all are asked on completion of their purchase about their reasons for choosing Ascent Homes and over 95% mention quality, style, price and location as their reasons for purchase.
Commenting on the firm’s success since it launched in 2015, Duncan Bowman, Ascent Homes’ development director, said: “It gives me great pleasure to see that we have sold 100 homes since we started. The Government’s ‘Help to Buy Scheme’ has undoubtedly been a big incentive for many of our buyers but our success cannot really be attributed to just one factor. We go to town on our show homes and have received tremendous feedback on these especially at Wayside Point, Ellington where we have fitted out three house types, each one appealing to a different kind of buyer. We have totally nailed down the specification in our homes too – we don’t take any shortcuts in the quality of our offer. In particular, our bathrooms, kitchens, fixtures and fittings are superior to those in many comparable new housing developments locally and the feedback we get from purchasers hugely supports this. We also have a great sales and marketing team who are passionate about the company and its ability to change the landscape in this part of the world. We are still continuing to take on many sites that other housebuilders will not touch because they are in challenging locations, but these are the sites where there is high demand, so we will continue to pursue this strategy.
Mr and Mrs Park, who recently bought a three-bedroom detached home with a garage at Meadow View, Bebside were the 100th house buyers to move in. Looking to downsize, they have not moved far, having lived in the centre of Blyth in the same house for the last 41 years. Mr Banks, said: “We looked at many nearby developments from other housebuilders and decided on this one because of the build quality, finish and cost. We wanted a three-bedroom house with a garage and they are quite difficult to find at this price these days. This is really good value for money and a lovely little development which is well located and close to all amenities. We’re very happy.”
Claire Scott, Head of sales and marketing, said: “Meadow View is a stunning development of 21 stunning house types offering three, four and five-bedroom accommodation. The development is perfect for those looking for a rural setting but with all the benefits of modern suburban living. The fresh, innovative design styles are unlike any others in Northumberland and offer a great standard of specification throughout. We have already sold 50 per cent of the 21 units off-plan in just 7 months since the site cabin went up and we are currently releasing four more plots offering three, four and five-bedroom homes – we can hardly build them quickly enough.”
Looking to the future, Ascent Homes will continue to support its local supply chain, invest in training, particularly of apprentices, and has plans to launch a big recruitment drive to build on its success to date. Over 50 people are currently employed with the company and it looks forward to continuing to grow its market share.
