3 minute read
Geoff Potton, Chief Executive of Horsham-headquartered Sigma Homes, said:
“The issue with Gove’s recent announcement, which many smaller developers are finding, is that this plan is a one size fits all approach, which is simply not viable. In the home counties and Hampshire, we do not have large cities with acres of brownfield development available, so therefore if we want to provide family housing, we have to find greenfield land to build on.
“We cannot provide sufficient family housing in former takeaway outlets and betting shops. The demand for apartment living is not what it was pre-pandemic, and our buyers want family homes which are spacious, with access to parking, green space and gardens, which you cannot provide on town centre high streets. If we want to provide energy efficient, affordable family housing, something has to give, and a few eggs will have to be broken.
“The cost of developing on greenfield is far less than brownfield, and therefore the provision of affordable housing is more viable. It means we can provide family homes quicker and make more of them affordable. However, the demand for ‘First Homes’ is unbelievable. On average, we are experiencing 50 enquiries for every ‘First Home’ we are building. More support is needed for SMEs to deliver quality family housing.”
Sigma Homes specialises in using the sustainable construction method of timber framing. The SME housebuilder has a 10-year track record in delivering thoughtfully designed residences which fuse local architectural vernacular with contemporary design and eco specification features.
The company currently has five live developments in premium locations across the south of England and is on track to deliver 200 homes per annum by 2026. Sigma Homes became one of the first SMEs to be accepted onto the New Homes Quality Board, providing buyers with further peace of mind during the buying process, through the backing of this stringent new Code.
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