Allison Homes apprentices inspire Stamford pupils at school activity day

Helping to inspire the next generation of housebuilders, two Allison Homes apprentices took part in St Gilbert’s Primary School’s activity day, giving a hands-on demonstration of how new homes are built.

Organised by Stamford College, which is part of the Inspire Education Group, the activity day provided children with a range of fun and educational activities, hosted in collaboration with local organisations and businesses.

Brandon Goring and Sam Longworth are part of the team working on Mays Place, the Allison Partnerships and Longhurst Group development in Bourne. Both are in their second year of study at Stamford College and happily volunteered their time to be part of the activity day, passing on their knowledge and enthusiasm for construction.

Brandon and Sam showed the children how bricks are laid, explained the steps of building a brand-new home, and gave the children the opportunity to lay their own bricks and build their own mini wall.

As part of the day’s activities, pupils of St Gilbert’s Primary School were also able to sit inside a police car, lorry and mini digger, make model rockets with the RAF, and learn about solar power by using the sun to power a pump to fill balloons.

Andy Richards, Construction Director at Allison Homes East, said: “We pride ourselves at Allison Homes in going the extra mile to support the communities we build it, so we were thrilled to see Brandon and Sam attend the activity day at St Gilbert’s Primary School and share their skills with the pupils”.

“It was a real delight to see the children so curious and excited about construction, and we look forward to future opportunities where we can share our passion for housebuilding and inspire the next generation.”

The Mays Place development is being built by Allison Partnerships for Longhurst Group. The development will consist of a total of 121 homes, available via Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy. To find out more, visit https://allison-homes.co.uk/partnerships/ or https://www.longhurst-group.org.uk/mays-place.

Mortgage Rates Available Below 4% with New Nationwide Deal: What This Means for Homebuyers

In a significant shift for the mortgage market, Nationwide Building Society has just unveiled a new five-year fixed rate mortgage deal at 3.99%. Marking the first time rates have dipped below 4% since mid-February.

Over the past fortnight, we’ve seen a flurry of activity from big names in the banking sector, including Barclays, Halifax, HSBC, NatWest, Santander, and Virgin Money. These lenders have all made cuts to their mortgage rates, driven by a combination of a quiet market and optimistic expectations of future interest rate reductions.

A recent adjustment sees a reduction of up to 0.25 percentage points across its fixed-rate deals. This substantial decrease has pushed the best five-year fixed rate down from 4.64% to 3.99%, which could mean a saving of £73 a month on a £200,000 mortgage over 25 years.

Banks have been steadily reducing their rates for some time, and as a result of these ongoing adjustments, rates are now providing much better value for money. This drop in rates is particularly timely for homeowners transitioning from historically low rates of around 1% over the past 14 years, offering some relief from the repayment shocks associated with more expensive deals.

For those remortgaging, rates have also been cut, though these are somewhat higher, with the cheapest option now standing at 4.27%. Lenders continue to encourage activity in the property market by offering lower purchase rates, which helps ease the financial strain for many homeowners dealing with increased repayments.

In addition to lowering fixed rates, some variable rate tracker deals have seen a margin increase of up to 0.15 percentage points. This adjustment indicates an expectation of a potential cut in the Bank of England base rate, currently at 5.25%. The Bank’s next decision on this rate, due on August 1st, could potentially reduce it from its 15-year high.

The landscape for mortgages has been dynamic over the past few months. January saw a drop in rates driven by positive inflation data and expectations of an imminent Bank rate cut. However, persistent high services inflation led to a resurgence in mortgage rates, approaching 5%. With CPI inflation now at the Bank’s target of 2%, but services inflation still high at 5.7%, the outlook remains uncertain.

The higher rates have led to a slowdown in the property market, with mortgage approvals dropping from 61,086 in March to 59,991 in May, according to the Bank of England. This trend underscores the impact of mortgage rate fluctuations on housing demand.

The recent drop in fixed mortgage rates to below 4% is a welcome development for homebuyers and those considering remortgaging. As the market continues to evolve, keeping an eye on these changes and understanding their implications can help you make informed decisions about your property investments.

Allison Homes secures land for over 50 homes in Shepshed to establish new East Midlands region

We are incredibly proud that our brand-new East Midlands region has secured its first parcel of land – a site in the Leicestershire town of Shepshed, where over 50 homes will be built.

Allison Homes East Midlands is a newly established region, based in Castle Donington and operating across the East Midlands Region.

The upcoming, seven-acre development in Shepshed will consist of 53 two, three and four bedroom mixed tenure properties, including 11 affordable homes.

As part of our commitment to building high-quality and sustainable places to call home, our East Midlands team will be implementing a range of biodiversity initiatives on the site, planting new trees and retaining existing landscaping where possible.

Construction work is expected to commence on the site in early 2025. This will be Allison Homes East Midlands’ first development in the region, forming an integral part of our ambitious expansion plans.

Karl Edwards, Operations Director for Allison Homes East Midlands, said: “We are incredibly proud to have acquired our first site in the East Midlands. Allison Homes East Midlands officially launched in 2023 and we have been working hard behind the scenes to build new relationships and establish ourselves in the region, and to see all that work pay off with the acquisition of land in Shepshed is fantastic.

“It has been a pleasure to work collaboratively with the teams at Fisher German and Rainier Developments on this project and we are now excited to commence construction work and provide the people of Leicestershire with 53 brand-new, high-quality homes.”  

Our private equity owners fully support an ambitious expansion plan in the East Midlands Region, therefore we are keen to acquire further Land opportunities across the patch. Please contact a member of the East Midlands team for further information on eastmidsland@allison-homes.com

Learn more about our current developments and available homes in our East and South West regions

 

Indicative Plan- Images are depicted for illustrative purposes only

Allison Homes acquires land to bring 480 new homes to Grantham village

In our East region, we have proudly acquired land in the village of Manthorpe in Grantham, that is set to make way for 480 new homes, along with land for a new primary school, a Neighbourhood Centre and extensive areas of new public open space.

The mixed tenure development, called Manthorpe Chase, will be located on land north of Longcliffe Road and spans over 93 acres.

Construction work on the £95m development is set to begin this summer. The first open market homes will be available for property seekers next year, with the doors to the show home due to open in May 2025.

As part of our commitment to Manthorpe, we will be providing £5.3m worth of S106 contributions, which will go towards supporting the area’s NHS, education services, cycleways and off-site highways improvement works.

Sophie Kendal, Land and Partnerships Director at Allison Homes East, said: “We are very proud to have secured this land in Manthorpe and I’d like to thank the whole team at Allison Homes, who worked exceptionally hard to get this acquisition over the line.

“Manthorpe Chase will be our fifth active site in Lincolnshire and forms an important part of our growth plans. As some of our existing Lincolnshire developments come to the end of their construction, Manthorpe Chase will become our flagship development in the region, and we are very excited to get started on building the first of the 480 homes.”

News and sales updates on Manthorpe Chase will be shared on our website and social media pages in the coming months.

In Lincolnshire, we are currently providing new homes at three developments – The Orchards in Corby Glen, Frampton Gate in Frampton and Tudor Reach in Kirton in Lindsey. Explore our developments to find out more and view our available homes

Mayor of Needham Market tours Allison Homes East’s brand new development

The Mayor of Needham Market, Councillor Terry Lawrence, has visited our East region’s brand-new development in the town, Venus Fields.

Nestled in the Suffolk countryside, Venus Fields is our first development in the county, consisting of a high-quality collection of one, two, three and four bedroom houses and two and three bedroom bungalows on Stowmarket Road.

The Mayor, accompanied by Deputy Mayor Councillor John Reardon, recently received an exclusive tour of the site and met with our Sales Manager Charlotte Barber, Construction Manager Darren Broughton and Assistant Site Manager Darren Lindley.

During the visit, the Mayor viewed the newly launched, three bedroom The Hawthorn show home and learnt about the progress Venus Fields has made since construction work commenced in June 2023.

Councillor Terry Lawrence said: “Venus Fields is a well laid out, landscaped site with great designs and housing to address housing requirements across all budget spectrums and needs. We look forward to welcoming new residents to Needham Market, sustaining a vibrant business environment and participating in our many and varied interest groups.”

Property seekers are now able to visit Venus Fields and meet with the sales team to tour the development and The Hawthorn show home for themselves, enquire about the available properties and learn about the homebuying schemes on offer.

Kelly Toms, Sales and Marketing Director at Allison Homes East, said: “Venus Fields is a development we are very excited about at Allison Homes, and it was a pleasure to have the Mayor of Needham Market visit and see first-hand the fantastic progress our team has made in the last year.

“This is our first venture into Suffolk and we are looking forward to bringing our Allison Homes legacy to the county, providing people with homes that they can be proud to call theirs. We took a lot of care when designing these homes to make sure they’d suit a variety of residents, from first-time buyers and working professionals, to growing families and downsizers.”

Find out more about Venus Fields and the available homes or call 01473 372775.

Top five hidden gems to discover in Norwich from Allison Homes

Norwich is home to our popular The Oaks development, where we have a range of brand new houses for sale.

To help people settle on Norwich as the perfect place to call home, we are sharing some of the best hidden gems that residents can enjoy.

 

  1. The Plantation Garden

Plantation Garden is a stunning three-acre garden that was established over 100 years ago. Sometimes referred to as Norwich’s Secret Garden, the Grade II English heritage site contains stunning flower beds and heavy woods, a huge gothic fountain, a Victorian-style green house, a charming rustic bridge, Italianate terrace and a ‘Medieval’ terrace wall.

In addition to the stunning scenery the garden also hosts live music, family shows and outdoor cinemas.

To find out more, visit https://www.plantationgarden.co.uk/.

 

  1. Pub and Paddle

The perfect mix of activity and relaxation can be found in the centre of Norwich. Pub and Paddle offers canoeing experiences that begin in the city and pass through stunning countryside, where paddlers can take a break at one of the many charming riverside pubs.

The experience is perfect for beginners and offers a flexible selection of routes and renting options.

To book your experience, visit https://www.pubandpaddle.com/locations/.

 

  1. The Bear Shop

This charming store is home to a vast array of adorable stuffed creations. The shop offers everything from traditional Paddington bears to cuddly loch ness monsters and phoenixes, and is home to one of the largest collections of artist bears in the country, with stock constantly changing.

The Bear Shop is a must see both for the incredible range of options and the charming location and storefront.

To find out more, visit https://www.bearshops.co.uk/.

 

  1. Elm Hill

Elm Hill is the most famous street in Norwich, as it is the most complete medieval street in the entire city. Its cobbled streets, merchant houses and thatched homes have made it an ideal location for both amateur photographers and professional filmmakers, and shots of the street can be spotted in both the 2007 film ‘Stardust’ and Netflix’s 2020 film ‘Jingle Jangle’.

Visitors can tour around craft shops, view antiques and galleries, and have a break in tea shops and coffee houses, as well as visit The Bear Shop.

For more information, visit https://www.visitnorwich.co.uk/service/elm-hill/.

 

  1. Outdoor art murals

Norwich has a bustling art scene, and visitors and residents can experience some of the best of it in the form of the many outdoor murals. There are nine large murals across the city and 12 smaller pieces that can be found in Norwich Market.

With a wide range of subjects and styles on display, there is sure to be something for everyone.

Plan a tour of these murals by visiting https://www.visitnorwich.co.uk/article/discover-urban-art-in-norwich/.

 

We have three, four and five bedroom new houses for sale in Norwich. To find out more about the homes available at our The Oaks development, visit https://allison-homes.co.uk/development/the-oaks/.

Allison Homes offers first-time buyers the ultimate gift with launch of deposit match scheme

We are giving first-time buyers across the South West, East of England and East Midlands the ultimate gift, by launching a brand-new scheme which will see us double homebuyers’ deposits*.

The scheme, called Friends and Family Deposit Match, will allow first-time buyers to increase their deposit after choosing their selected Allison home. If a family member or friend gifts up to five per cent of the property value, Allison Homes will double the deposit to up to 10 per cent.

By taking advantage of this new offer, homebuyers will be able to reserve their dream home with double the deposit, access a more affordable mortgage and spend less time saving up funds.

Kelly Toms, Sales and Marketing Director at Allison Homes East, said: “Everything we do at Allison Homes is with the homebuyer in mind. We strive to make the homebuying journey as easy as possible and offer our support from start to finish, so we’re delighted to be launching this Friends and Family Deposit Match scheme and providing our buyers with the ultimate gift.

“With this scheme, our aim is that homeownership will become more achievable for many first-time buyers. By unwrapping our gift, buyers will be able to move into their chosen Allison home sooner rather than later, and kickstart life amongst a wonderful new community.

“Homebuyers can speak with our independent financial advisors for free mortgage advice, and our expert sales team will be on hand to answer any questions.”

Across our East region, the scheme is on offer at our three Lincolnshire developments, Frampton Gate, The Orchards and Tudor Reach, three Cambridgeshire developments, Abbey Park, Harriers Rest and Whittlesey Green, and two Norfolk developments, The Oaks and Wootton Grange, as well as at Farriers Reach in Rutland, Kings Meadow in Newark, Nottinghamshire, and Venus Fields in Suffolk.

In the South West, homebuyers can benefit from scheme at our four Devon developments, Weavers Place, High Moor View, Foxglove View and Primrose Meadows, and at Buttercross Meadow in Somerset.

For more information on the Friends and Family Deposit match scheme, visit https://allison-homes.co.uk/options/friends-and-family-deposit-match/.

*T&CS apply. The offer is only available to first-time buyers and is only available on Allison Homes’ selected plots and developments and are subject to availability. Allison Homes’ contribution will be deducted from your completion statement on legal completion of your property. There is no cash alternative to the value of the offer. To see the full terms, visit https://allison-homes.co.uk/options/friends-and-family-deposit-match/.

Allison Partnerships senior site manager wins prestigious award for quality housebuilding in Bourne

Our Senior Site Manager Michael Ramsay, who is delivering 121 new homes in Bourne for our Partnerships branch, has won a NHBC (National House Building Council) Pride in the Job Quality Award for the second time.

Michael is one of 449 site managers to win a Quality Award from a field of more than 8,000, putting him in the top five percent of UK site managers.

The Pride in the Job Awards are widely considered as the ‘Oscars’ of the housebuilding industry and have become the benchmark for site managers across the country, celebrating those who deliver new homes to the highest standards.

This year is the 44th Pride in the Job Awards and since July 2023 thousands of site inspections have taken place, for the NHBC to score site managers in six key areas – consistency, attention to detail, leadership, interpretation of drawings and specifications, technical expertise, and health and safety.

Michael is working as the Senior Site Manager on the Mays Place development on Manning Road, which is being built by Allison Partnerships for Longhurst Group. The development will consist of a total of 121 homes, available via Shared Ownership and Rent to Buy.

Michael said: “I’m extremely proud of my whole team that has helped me achieve this accolade, because without them it isn’t possible.”

Andy Richards, Construction Director at Allison Homes East, said: “The Pride in the Job Quality Award is for the best of the best and is very hard to win. Michael displays a set of skills that set him apart and he deserves to win this accolade second time running.

“The development on Manning Road is very fast paced and needs a constant focus and passion to always deliver quality. There is indeed a whole ‘orchestra’ behind this Partnership scheme, from the Allison Homes project team to the site team and the suppliers on the ground, all of whom should take some pride in this award. Many congratulations to Michael and the whole of the team involved.”

Commenting on the awards, Steve Wood, CEO at NHBC said: “For more than four decades, Pride in the Job has underpinned NHBC’s purpose of raising standards in house building. The competition recognises the UK’s top site managers, showcasing best practice and rewarding excellence.

“Winning site managers demonstrate dedication, passion and leadership to ensure new homes are delivered to exacting construction quality standards. While house building is a team effort, we believe the greatest influence on the quality of a finished home is the calibre of the site manager and the way they inspire their team. Congratulations to all the winners.”

Michael, along with all the other Quality Award winners, will now automatically be entered into the Seal of Excellence and Regional Awards, which will be announced in autumn. Winners of those awards will then go on compete for the national Supreme Awards in January 2025.

Learn more information about the Pride in the Job Awards here.

To find out more about Allison Partnerships and Longhurst Group’s Mays Place development, visit Allison Partnerships or Longhurst Group – Mays Place

Allison Homes donates £1,500 to LGBTQ+ charities to celebrate Pride Month

This Pride Month (June), we have proudly donated a total of £1,500 to three LGBTQ+ charities, one for each of our regions, and put Pride flags up at all our developments.

Lincoln Pride in our East region, Sunrise Diversity in the South West and Leicester LGBT Centre within our East Midlands region each received a donation of £500, with our contribution to Sunrise Diversity going towards the running of Bideford Pride.

This is the third year in a row we have got involved with Pride Month by supporting LGBTQ+ charities, taking our total donation amount to £5,000.

John Anderson, CEO of Allison Group, said: “We are extremely proud to be honouring Pride Month by donating £500 each to Lincoln Pride, Sunrise Diversity and Leicester LGBT Centre. 

“At Allison Homes, we are passionate about fostering a supportive workplace where our employees can thrive and feel free to express themselves, and are delighted to have extended this passion to the communities we operate in.”

Lincoln Pride - Allison Homes Donation

Lincoln Pride is a community-run charity event, operated by a small team of volunteers and providing the people of Lincoln and the surrounding areas with a fun and safe space. This year is the 10th anniversary of Lincoln Pride, and the event will be taking place on Saturday 17th August at Tentercroft Street Car Park in the city centre.

David Brown, Director of Accessibility and Inclusion at Lincoln Pride, said: “We at Lincoln Pride are filled with immense gratitude as we extend our thanks to Allison Homes for their support and sponsorship. Their contribution has been pivotal in ensuring Pride can remain a free to attend event. Their dedication to fostering inclusivity and celebrating diversity is truly commendable, and it is sponsors like them who empower us to create a vibrant and memorable experience for all.”

Sunrise Diversity - Allison Homes Donation

Sunrise Diversity is a grassroots charity promoting equality, diversity and social inclusion in rural communities in North Devon. This year, Sunrise Diversity is hosting both Bideford Pride on Saturday 18th August at Victoria Park and the Diversity Festival and LGBTQ+ Pride March on Saturday 27th July in Barnstaple.

Toni Rance, LGBTQ+ Groups and Activities Coordinator (Torridge) at Sunrise Diversity, said: “I am very excited that Allison Homes are helping support LGBT+ people, we will use their kind donation to make Bideford Pride 24 the best event it can possibly be!”

Leicester Pride - Allison Homes Donation

Leicester LGBT Centre is a voluntary organisation established over 46 years ago, providing direct support to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Leicestershire and Rutland. The charity works closely with a range of local organisations to work towards eradicating homophobia.

Wayne Dawson, Centre Manager at Leicester LGBT Centre, said: “We are very grateful to Allison Homes for their support. At our centre we provide support services to LGBT individuals, and this £500 donation will go a long way in helping us reach and assist more people across the county.”

 

To find out more about Lincoln Pride, visit https://lincolnpride.co.uk/home.

For more information on Sunrise Diversity, visit https://sunrisediversity.org.uk/services/lgbtq/. For Bideford Pride, head to https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558650606972.

To find out more about Leicester LGBT Centre, visit https://www.leicesterlgbtcentre.org/.

Lenders begin cutting fixed rate mortgages costs

This week has seen several lenders make reductions to its fixed rate mortgages, meaning that those looking to purchase a new home in the coming months may benefit from a lower cost of borrowing.

 

The first of the major lenders to make the cuts was NatWest, who cut its fixed rate deals by up to 0.17 percent. The largest cut was made to remortgaging rates with a five-year fix, which can now be secured for as low as 4.41 percent. Barclays soon followed suit, leading to speculation that more cuts were on the horizon.

 

The most recent additions to the trend are HSBC and Skipton Building Society. HSBC has recently announced reductions in the cost of a range of two, three and five-year rates for both residential and buy-to-let loans. The two-year fixed rate for a residential mortgage is now down to 4.88 percent, and the five-year rate has been reduced down to 4.44 percent. For Skipton Building Society, the two-year fixed rates for home purchasing start from 5.18 percent and its five-year rates start at 4.64 percent.

 

The reductions come amidst speculation that the Bank of England will reduce interest rates when they next meet on 1st August. The organisation chose to maintain interest rates at 5.25 percent at its recent meeting, however the vote was contested and the tone of the organisation has shifted since.

 

Jason Blunden, Managing Director at Evolve Financial Solutions, said: “With the SWAP rates reducing now quicker than they have for a while, we expect fixed rates to follow and the trend has started this week. We have also found that Natwest have also increased their loan to value to 90% on new build houses and 85% on new build flats, so between the rate reduction and more lenders coming into the 90% lending space on new build it’s been a very positive week”.

 

For free mortgage advice, call Evolve on 01473 603 211 or visit https://www.evolvefs.com/.

 

To find out more about our available homes, visit https://allison-homes.co.uk/developments/.