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/.

Allison Homes South West announces five new team members

We are delighted to announce the appointment of five new team members to our South West region over the past few months.

These strategic additions to the team reinforce our commitment to delivering quality developments that meet the diverse needs of local communities across the region. Each new team member brings valuable expertise and insights, enhancing the company’s capabilities in crafting innovative and sustainable residential projects.

  • Marcel Kozaczyk, Quantity Surveyor
  • Caroline Lunness, Sales Manager
  • Michelle Mitchell, Senior Development Estimator
  • Will Kennedy, Design Coordinator
  • Tracey Taylor, Technical Administrator

In addition we’re delighted to welcome back Mike Symonds, who has rejoined the team as a Site Manager at our Primrose Meadows development.

Steve Fowler, Managing Director of Allison Homes South West, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome these talented individuals to our team. Their expertise and dedication will play a crucial role in our ongoing commitment to building quality communities across the South West.

“It’s an exciting time for the region as we continue to build and strengthen our team in line with our planned growth.”

For more information on starting a career with us, go to https://allison-homes.co.uk/careers/.

 

Allison Homes East gets into the team spirit by volunteering at Mini Olympics in Grantham

Over in our East region, 10 members of staff volunteered their time last week to support the running of the inspire+ Mini Olympics, which was held in Grantham near our The Orchards development.

inspire+ is a sports education charity that aims to positively impact young people’s lives by ensuring that the next generation is ‘healthy, happy and active’, through innovative educational and community initiatives. They are also one of the country’s largest PE and school sport apprenticeship providers and support young people through community provisions, mainly delivered during school holidays.

Each year, the charity holds the Mini Olympics as an end of year celebration that brings all the schools the charity works with together. The event begins with an opening ceremony, with each school representing a different country, where the children perform a dance and display the banners they created for the event. Over the three days, over 2,500 young people take part in a variety of sports and activities, before the final day wraps up with an impressive closing ceremony.

This year, the event took place at Grantham Meres Leisure Centre on Tuesday 11th, Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th June, and 10 members of our East team attended across the three days to offer their support, including meeting the students from the buses, marshalling them through the opening and closing ceremony, and supporting them throughout the activities.

The volunteers included Chloe Goodwin, Laura Newton and Jo Morton on the first day, CEO of Allison Group John Anderson, Courtney Goodwin, Paula Merrill and Zoe Evans on the second day and Steph Dunbar, Arya Craig and Tareena Page on the final day.

John Anderson, who was also the judge for the banner competition, said: “At Allison Homes, giving back to the communities we build in is at the core of what we do. I was delighted to see that so many members of our team volunteered to assist with this excellent event and we all look forward to taking part in more opportunities like this in the future.

“A huge well done to all of the students, who were fantastic, and a big thank you to inspire+ for arranging such a wonderful event.”

 

To find out more about inspire+, visit https://www.inspireplus.org.uk/. For more information on the Mini Olympics, head to https://www.inspireplus.org.uk/mini-olympics/.

The Orchards is now over 70 percent sold, with a selection of three and four bedroom homes still available to purchase. To find out more, visit https://allison-homes.co.uk/development/the-orchards/.

Allison Homes offers sizzling savings of up to £25,000 this summer

To kick start the summer season, we are offering property seekers sizzling savings & new build offers worth up to £25,000*, to help them move into a brand-new home this summer.

Those who reserve selected Allison homes by Friday 20th September can receive an exclusive bundle, allowing them to step onto or up the property ladder more easily. As part of the bundle, homebuyers will have extras and upgrades included or benefit from financial incentives, such a contribution towards their mortgage or deposit or 100% Part Exchange.

Across both our East and South West regions, we are also hosting Sizzling Summer Savings Events on the below dates throughout June and July, where property seekers can discover the exclusive packages on offer and start their new home journey.

South West

  1. Saturday 22nd June at High Moor View or Buttercross Meadow
  2. Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th June at Primrose Meadows
  3. Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July at Weavers Place
  4. Saturday 13th July at Foxglove View

East

  1. Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th July at Tudor Reach, Harriers Rest, Kings Meadow or Venus Fields
  2. Saturday 13th and Sunday 14th July at Frampton Gate or The Orchards
  3. Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th July at Abbey Park or The Oaks

Michele Jones, Head of Sales at Allison Homes South West, said: “We wanted to celebrate the start of the summer season and help property seekers enjoy the warmer months in a fantastic new home, so are thrilled to be offering buyers with savings worth up to £25,000.

“Our goal at Allison Homes is to connect buyers with home of their dreams and we hope that our exclusive offers make the homebuying journey that much easier, allowing new homeowners to focus on the excitement of starting life in a thriving new community.”

For more information on the savings and packages on offer, visit https://allison-homes.co.uk/summer-offer/.

 

*T&Cs apply. This offer is open to UK residents, aged 18+ and is only available when purchasing selected homes from Allison Homes. The offer is subject to lender’s approval and the purchaser must enter into a reservation agreement with Allison Homes in relation to a qualifying home and must complete by 20th September 2024. Individual incentive offers and full T&Cs can be found at https://allison-homes.co.uk/summer-offer/.

Allison Homes given the green light to build 175 new homes in Barrowby

We have received resolution to grant full planning permission, following unanimous support from South Kesteven District Council planning committee, to build 175 new homes in the Lincolnshire village of Barrowby, just two miles west of Grantham.

Situated on Low Road, the 7.9-hectare site will consist of 122 three, four and five bedroom open market homes and 53 affordable homes that will be available through Affordable Rent, Shared Ownership and the First Homes scheme. Future residents will also enjoy a network of new public open spaces, including a new on-site playground and walking routes.

As well as building new homes, we are providing land for a community facility for Barrowby and over £669,000 in S106 contributions, which will go towards improving existing sports facilities, expanding healthcare capacity and delivering a dedicated footway and cycleway linking the site to Grantham.

The development will also deliver a net gain in biodiversity, meaning that the scheme will improve the amount of natural habitats for wildlife, compared to the current use.

Georgina McCrae, Planning Director at Allison Homes East, said: “We are extremely proud to have received unanimous support to build 175 new homes in Barrowby. This development will bring a host of benefits to the local community, both economically and environmentally, and provide much needed, high-quality housing. A big thank you to Barrowby Parish Council and Officers at South Kesteven District Council for working collaboratively with us to design this exciting new development.

“At Allison Homes, we have been investing in Lincolnshire for many years and are very excited to be continuing our commitment to the county with this development in Barrowby.”

Our East region is currently providing new homes at three developments in Lincolnshire – The Orchards in Corby Glen, Frampton Gate in Frampton and Tudor Reach in Kirton in Lindsey. Find out more.

Apprenticeship success: Poppy and Leland’s remarkable achievement

We are celebrating the achievements of two of our apprentices, Poppy Ludgate and Leland Moore, who have completed their apprenticeship programmes months ahead of schedule. The impressive achievement is a testament to their commitment to learning and the quality of training that we offer. 

Poppy Ludgate, who has been attending Peterborough College, joined us in 2022 as a carpentry apprentice. She has been honing her skills under the guidance of the group’s central region, working on our developments in Cambridgeshire, including the Manning Road development in Bourne.  

Poppy is currently shadowing some senior roles to gain additional perspectives and insights before concluding her apprenticeship. Sharing her positive experience of the programme, Poppy said: “I have really enjoyed my time here. It has been great to learn whilst also being ‘hands-on’ and putting into practice what I’ve been shown, as well as mixing with all the people on site and understanding how the different trades rely on each other.” 

Leland Moore, another carpentry apprentice, has been based at our ‘Harriers Rest’ development in Wittering, Cambridgeshire. Leland, who was shortlisted as ‘Construction Apprentice of the Year’ at the 2023 Peterborough Telegraph Apprenticeship Awards, has also completed his course months ahead of schedule. 

Reflecting on his achievement, Leland said: “Finishing my apprenticeship early feels amazing and I’d like to extend my thanks to Allison Homes for the support and guidance they’ve given me. I’m very grateful for the chances I’ve had here and I’d love to come back one day, after I’ve gained more experience and skills.” 

John Anderson, CEO of Allison Homes, expressed his pride and optimism for their futures, saying: “We are immensely proud of Poppy and Leland’s accomplishment. With such promising starts to their careers, we look forward to the possibility of them returning to Allison Homes one day, in site manager positions or similar.” 

We have a history of nurturing talent, enjoying a long-standing partnership with Stamford and Peterborough Colleges (both part of the Inspire Education Group). This year, we have 13 apprentices, including three first-year apprentices specialising in bricklaying, carpentry and joinery, and customer care, as well as ten second-year apprentices who are focusing on bricklaying and carpentry and joinery. 

“Our apprenticeship programme is a significant investment in the future and one that we are wholly committed to. We believe in empowering our apprentices to become skilled tradespeople who will benefit not only Allison Homes, but the entire construction sector in the future” John added.  

“It’s been a delight to see our apprentices flourish during their time with us, developing the skills necessary to succeed as highly capable and dedicated tradespeople.” he concluded. 

The success highlights the vital role of apprenticeship programmes in shaping a skilled and prosperous future for the construction industry and the future certainly looks bright for Poppy and Leland. 

Allison Homes East secures land for over 130 new homes in Somersham

We are thrilled to announce that our East team has acquired a site in the Cambridgeshire village of Somersham, where over 130 new homes will be built.

The development will provide a total of 131 properties, 40 per cent of which will be affordable. Our East team will also contribute around £1.2m towards local infrastructure improvements through the Community Infrastructure Levy and deliver 10 per cent net gain in biodiversity through on and off-site habitat improvements.

The site will include a range of open market sale homes, including two, three and four bedroom properties, and affordable homes available through rent and shared ownership for local homebuyers.

Construction work on the development is due to commence in summer 2024 and be completed in spring 2027. The doors to the development’s show homes will be opening early next year for property seekers to tour.

This new development will be our East region’s fifth site in the local area, following the success of Cromwell Fields in Bury, which is now sold out, Whittlesey Green in Whittlesey, Abbey Park in Thorney and Harriers Rest in Wittering.

Sophie Kendal, Head of Land and Partnerships at Allison Homes East, said: “We are very proud to have acquired this land in Somersham, and to be continuing our commitment to providing Cambridgeshire with much needed, high-quality housing.

“This new development forms a huge part of our growth plans, and will provide a total of 131 new homes, new jobs and training opportunities for local people, and bring benefits to the local economy. We are looking forward to commencing construction work and introducing ourselves to the Somersham community.”  

Updates on our new development in Somersham will be shared on our website in the coming months. Keep an eye out on there and social media!  Find out more about our East region and our current Cambridgeshire developments.

Newark school gets new sports kit thanks to Allison Homes East sponsorship

We have sponsored a school based near our Kings Meadow development in Fernwood, allowing them to purchase a brand new sports kit.

Our East team donated £1,000 to Claypole CofE Primary School, which is just a five minute drive away from the development, to allow them to purchase a new sports kits for their students. We also previously sponsored the school’s 2023 Summer Fayre and made a donation to be used as a prize in the raffle.

The school ran a competition amongst its pupils to design the kit and the winning entry was submitted as the final design. The kits will be used for a range of different sports such as netball, hockey and tag rugby, including on competition days.

Mr Wells at Claypole CofE Primary School said: “We are very grateful to Allison Homes for this generous sponsorship. It was great to have the children get involved with the design process and we are very happy with how the kits have turned out.

“Sports and exercise are great ways to build confidence, encourage teamwork and promote wellbeing, so having the right kit and equipment to play in is a huge benefit for our school.”

Kelly Toms, Sales and Marketing Director at Allison Homes East, said: “We are very proud to have sponsored Claypole CofE Primary School and are delighted with how well the kits have turned out. 

“Giving back to the communities we build in is incredibly important to us at Allison Homes and we will continue to find opportunities to do so going forward. We wish Claypole the best of luck in all their future matches.”

Located off Great North Road, Kings Meadow consists of a stunning range of three, four and five bedroom homes.

To find out more about the properties available, visit Kings Meadow, or contact the sales team on kings.meadow@allison-homes.com or 07920 725146.

Allison Homes East donates £750 to three Lincolnshire primary schools’ book fundraisers

We have proudly donated a total of £750 to three primary schools in Lincolnshire, to allow the schools to purchase brand new books for their pupils to enjoy.

St Augustine’s Catholic Voluntary Academy and Uffington CofE Primary School, both in Stamford, and Market Deeping Community Primary School in Marketing Deeping each received £250.

The donations were facilitated via Usborne through the schools’ local, independent Usborne partner, Sarah Freeman from The Little Book Snug, as part of the Usborne Community Book Pledge. Usborne is a leading children’s book publisher which works frequently with local schools and nurseries.

Market Deeping Community Primary School said: “We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Allison Homes for their generous donation of £250 towards the purchase of new books from The Little Book Snug. Their contribution will help to enhance the learning experiences of all our age groups.”

Jo Oliver, Year 6 Teacher and Curriculum Lead at St Augustine’s Catholic Voluntary Academy, said: “We are absolutely delighted with the kind donation we have received. We have chosen to spend the money on books for our struggling readers to help foster a love of reading.”

Emma Clayton, Teacher at Uffington CofE Primary School, said: “We encourage all our pupils to read widely and often, as we are aiming for them all to become confident and independent readers who choose to read for pleasure. Thanks to this donation, each class has received eight new books (comprising of fiction and non-fiction titles) to enjoy both in school and at home. We really appreciate this act of kindness.”

Kelly Toms, Sales and Marketing Director at Allison Homes East, said: “We understand the importance of encouraging a love of reading and storytelling from a young age, so we are delighted we have been able to contribute to that cause with these donations.

“Sarah at The Little Book Snug does excellent work in the Lincolnshire community, and we are proud of both this and past collaborations we have completed with them.”

Our East region has a range of homes available at three developments in Lincolnshire –To find out more, visit The Orchards, Frampton Gate and Tudor Reach.

To find out more about Usborne and The Little Book Snug, visit their website.