Builders get a reason to smile despite the gloom

Sep 26 2008 by Chris Knox, The Journal

BUILDERS from across the North East have been given a reason to celebrate despite the economic gloom when they won coveted construction industry ‘Oscars’ in the regional heat of NHBC’s annual Pride in the Job awards.

Now in its 28th year, NHBC’s Pride in the Job awards are only presented to site managers who have demonstrated outstanding levels of skill across 38 areas of site management, including technical expertise, quality control and health and safety.

The competition is rigorous with around 18,000 site managers across the UK entered into the awards. In addition, each site manger is assessed over 12 months to gauge an accurate view of how they manage their site and the overall quality and finish of the new homes.

Geoff Egginton, NHBC’s North East regional director, said: “The speed and severity of the current downturn has had a dramatic impact on the industry, not least the site managers who are responsible for managing and delivering quality new homes to buyers. This year, despite the considerable pressure on site managers, we are pleased to see that maintaining quality workmanship and service is still a key priority.” A total of 15 house building site managers from across the region have won Seal of Excellence awards for building the best quality new homes and managing their sites to an exceptional standard, placing them amongst the top 100 site managers in the UK.

And from the 15 winners, four regional award winners have been selected to go forward to compete in the national Pride in the Job grand final in London in January.

Two of the four regional winners are from the North East. They are Michael Black, 43, from Newcastle and a site manager for Dunelm Homes who won the regional award in the medium builder category for his site of new homes at Elmfield Square in Newcastle, and Bill Beckwith, 59, from Whickham and a site manager for Bellway Homes North East who won the award in the large builder category for his site of 150 detached homes at Wynyard Woods in Cleveland.

The other two from the North were David Carter, a site manager for Shepherd Construction Ltd won the regional award in the multi-storey builder category for his site of residential homes ‘the Gateway’ in East Street in Leeds and David Brinkley, 38, from South Yorkshire and a site manager for Brinkley Homes won the regional award in the small builder category for his site of 30 detached homes Millers Brook in Belton, South Yorkshire.

NHBC PRIDE IN THE JOB WINNERS

(Site Manager/ Site Name/ Organisation)

Bill Beckwith Wynyard Woods, Wynyard, Billingham, Bellway Homes (North East)

Michael Black Elmfield Square, Elmfield Road, Gosforth, Newcastle, Tyne and Wear Dunelm Homes

David Michael Brinkley Millers Brook, High Street, Belton, Doncaster, South Yorkshire Brinkley Homes

David Carter The Gateway, East Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, Shepherd Construction Ltd

Andrew Dawson Saxon Fields, Kirk Merrington, Spennymoor, County Durham Barratt Newcastle

Stuart Gray The Vision, Sycamore Avenue, Bingley, West Yorkshire Portford Homes Ltd

James Maidens Stoneleigh, Broomwood, Village 5, Ingleby Barwick, Stockton on Tees, Persimmon Homes

Paul McLachlan Devonshire Court, Merrybent Drive, Low Coniscliffe, Darlington, George Wimpey, North Yorkshire

Laurence McLaughlin Fairfield Manor, Aberford Road, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Miller Homes Ltd

Simon Reynolds Lakeside, Off Queensway, Scunthorpe, North Linclonshire Barratt York

Dean Salt The Gateway, off Quarry Road, Handsworth, Sheffield, South Yorkshire Barratt Sheffield

John Taylor Highcroft, Thornely, County Durham Persimmon Homes Teesside

Martyn Thorley The Croft, Heworth Green, York North Yorkshire Bellway Homes

James Thorpe The Potteries, West End Lane, Rossington, Doncaster

South Yorkshire Barratt Sheffield

Mike Whittaker The Limes, School Street, South Milford, West Yorkshire DWH Northern