Bargate Homes has achieved a coveted 2023 Gold Award for its customer satisfaction performance from specialist market research company, In-house Research.

The annual results are revealed to the national housebuilding community every March, based purely on customer feedback received through an independent telephone survey. In the survey year covering new home handovers from 1^st January 2022 to 31^st December 2022, 64% of Bargate Homes’ customers responded to the survey. Of those, 94% said they would recommend the premium housebuilder to their friends, colleagues, and family members.

Mark White, Managing Director for Bargate Homes, said: “Over the past 12 months, the housebuilding industry has continued to experience challenges with supply chain logistics and unforeseen delays to build programmes. During this time, it has been essential to have open and honest communication with all our customers. Every department within this business is focused on making sure our customers are delighted with their new Bargate Home, which is reflected within our ESG strategy.

“We have been using In-house to monitor our customer satisfaction rating for the past five years, and retaining our Gold Award status means the world to us. This accolade is the ultimate seal of approval from our customers. It reflects what they think of Bargate Homes across the whole experience – before, during and after their purchase. To achieve a 94% approval rating has taken hard work, skill and solid commitment from the entire team and I am immensely proud of the dedication shown.”

Established in 2006, Bargate Homes builds select developments in prime locations across Hampshire, Dorset, and West Sussex. The company is currently delivering 900 homes across six live developments and has a pipeline of future sites expected to deliver in excess of 2,500 new homes. The firm is a finalist in the 2023 Property Week RESI Awards for Small Developer of the Year (fewer than 1,000 homes per annum).

Tom Weston, Chief Executive at In-house Research comments, “It has been an extremely challenging few years for the house building industry.  Despite this, Bargate Homes has continued to put customers at the heart of its business, providing a personalised journey and supporting new homebuyers.

“It’s only through delivering an exceptional service throughout the buying process – combined with a high level of finish and build quality – that recommendation scores reach this level.  We are delighted to recognise all the staff at Bargate Homes that have contributed to the achievement of this award.”

Bargate Homes has recently opened the doors at its 34-acre Rivercross scheme in the Hampshire village of Warsash, unveiling two show homes in the process. The £128m development will create a total of 352 eco-focused homes, situated at the mouth of the River Hamble, less than a mile from the world-famous Warsash Maritime Academy.

The housebuilder has also recently opened the doors to its £18.2m St Thomas’ Mead development, located in the scenic suburb of Old Bedhampton, Hampshire, which is close to Langstone Harbour. Over 50% of the 50 homes have already sold off-plan. 

Earlier this year, two show homes were also unveiled at Heritage Place, which is positioned within the 120-acre (48.6 Ha) North Stoneham Park neighbourhood. Heritage Place is the final phase of the wider development which will feature 1,000 homes. Built on a former deer park on the outskirts of Eastleigh, Southampton, Bargate Homes’ £97m scheme will deliver 322 energy-efficient family homes.

In late 2022, the first tranche of homes was released for sale at the £32m Hamblewood development, located in the well-connected Hampshire town of Hedge End. A collection of Bargate’s 123 family houses and apartments are now ready to move into. 

Bargate Homes is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vivid – Hampshire’s largest provider of affordable homes.

Mark White, Managing Director for Hampshire-based premium housebuilder Bargate Homes, said: “If welcome announcements are not made during tomorrow’s Spring Budget address, the Chancellor risks stifling growth at a fragile time for the UK’s economy.

“If corporation tax is to rise from 19% to 25%, businesses need the opportunity to make more profit to fund it. If housebuilders could build more homes, we could make more profit and tax revenue. However, the planning and environmental policy changes are achieving the total opposite. For this government to stay in power beyond the next election, it needs to promote housebuilding. It is such a huge and vital industry that supports the wider economy, and the lack of appropriate, sustainable, and affordable housing may become an increasingly divisive political issue.

“We took a look at our own numbers for January and February and found it alarming that only 8% of Bargate’s homes have been sold to first time buyers over those two months. This is a 50% reduction in first time buyer sales, compared to those same two months in 2022. Meanwhile, rents are going up disproportionately to inflation, which is making it harder for people to save for a deposit, and yet, with the end of Help to Buy, mortgage deposit requirements are higher than they have been for well over a decade. It is very unhealthy for thousands of would be first time buyers to drop out of the market. Help to Buy worked well. Why wouldn’t you reintroduce it?     

“Feed-in tariffs should be reintroduced for homeowners with solar panels, to reward people for supplying renewable energy back to the grid. Tax breaks for investing in renewable energy generation and smart home technology would also deliver a clear and very welcome message.

“There would be absolutely no benefit at all in going through with April’s proposed change to the energy bill support scheme. Jeremy Hunt must also keep to the status quo regarding fuel duty tax and not increase it, as it would have a catastrophic impact on food, and raw material costs at a time when supplies are already limited, and inflation needs to be curtailed.

“The government wants to lure early retirees back to work, but we see far more benefit in incentivising businesses to train and employ young people. We passionately believe in the future generation and want to overcome the perception that housebuilding isn’t as fashionable or as lucrative as other professions. New tax credits to train and transition students to work across various skilled site and office-based roles would encourage housebuilders to make a significant investment and allocate the right resources. Now is the time for the government to think about the next decade, not just the next political event.”

Bargate Homes is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vivid – Hampshire’s largest provider of affordable homes. Established in 2006, the company builds select developments in prime locations across Hampshire, Dorset, and West Sussex. The company is currently delivering 900 homes across six live developments and has a pipeline of future sites expected to deliver in excess of 2,500 new homes.

Hampshire-based Bargate Homes has hired Luke Vallins as Head of Planning to strengthen the internal team. Luke will be responsible for the premium housebuilder’s planning strategy for land interests across Hampshire and beyond, which includes both immediate and longer-term sites.

Bargate Homes is currently delivering 900 homes across six live developments and has a pipeline of future sites expected to deliver in excess of 2,500 new homes. In his new role, Luke will oversee the consultant teams and take sites through the planning process, with the aim of achieving allocations and planning permissions to enable delivery of high quality developments. He will also work closely with Bargate’s land team and assist with identifying and reviewing new opportunities, to ensure visibility of a strong pipeline of new sites, to continue to fulfil the need for new homes in the region.

Previously working as a Senior Planning Manager at Foreman Homes near Fareham, Luke has been involved in a range of residential and mixed-use schemes, and has extensive experience of complex sites with multiple planning issues. Having also worked at planning consultancies Terence O’Rourke Barton Willmore, and Pro Vision, he has an excellent understanding of high-level vision and concept work, alongside detailed planning and design matters. Luke holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Geography from the University of Southampton, as well as a Master of Science (MSc) in Development Planning from University of Reading.

Luke Vallins, Head of Planning for Bargate Homes, said: “I’m delighted to join Bargate Homes, as they have a fantastic reputation across this region for delivering genuinely excellent developments. Having visited a number of Bargate schemes prior to and since joining, it’s easy to see why. The brand is synonymous with quality and attention to detail, and it’s great to be a part of the company’s journey moving forward.”

Bargate Homes has recently launched its 34-acre Rivercross development in the Hampshire village of Warsash. The £128m project will create a new community of 352 eco-focused family homes at the mouth of the River Hamble, less than a mile from the world-famous Warsash Maritime Academy.

The £32 million Hamblewood scheme, near the village of Hedge End, has also recently launched, which is a mixture of 123 apartments and houses. All the properties will be EPC-B rated with the development overlooking ancient woodland.

At the £97m Heritage Place scheme in North Stoneham Park, close to the Hampshire town of Eastleigh, two show homes have recently been unveiled to the public. The 322 eco-focused homes qualify for Green Mortgage rates.

Mark White, Managing Director of Bargate Homes, said: “It’s great to have Luke on board, especially heading up our planning team which is the lifeblood of this business. We are always on the lookout for development opportunities that inspire us, and Luke and the team are totally aligned with this strategy. Luke’s skillset and experience within the regional planning and new homes industry will be an invaluable addition to Bargate Homes.”

Established in 2006, Bargate Homes builds select developments in prime locations within the Hampshire region. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Vivid – Hampshire’s largest provider of affordable homes.