Woodstock Homes is a family-owned developer building high-quality homes across Southwest England and Wales. As part of the Woodstock Group, with Woodstock Strategic and Woodstock Partnerships, the company strives to build energy-efficient, sustainable homes offering the best in contemporary living. Managing Director James Hutchinson discussed sustainability strategy, in conversation with Antonia Cole.
Constructing high-quality properties with thoughtful design, Woodstock Homes continues to grow year on year, Managing Director James Hutchinson said: “In 2021, our annual turnover was around £8 million. In just two years, we grew that number to £21 million, and we are forecasting to achieve our goal of £50 million turnover by the end of 2027, which will be an extraordinary achievement.”
Located in Bristol, Woodstock Homes was established in 1996. The company’s founder and owner, Martin Newman, created the business to build homes that people can feel proud to own. Focused on high-quality and functional designs, Woodstock has been transforming spaces for almost 30 years.
Over the past four years, the company has been dedicated to expanding its capabilities. Previously, Woodstock concentrated on small, private, open-market developments in the local market. With the development of Woodstock Partnerships and Woodstock Strategic, the company has diversified its offering to be able to take advantage
of new opportunities. Woodstock Partnerships delivers affordable housing schemes on behalf of housing associations while Woodstock Strategic focuses on promoting land through the planning system for residential development.
“These divisions complement Woodstock Homes’ growth,” added Mr Hutchinson. “It has been very busy and there has been a lot of change in the company, but we have a great group of staff who are able to adapt for success. The way each division works together has positioned us really well as a business. We just completed our first partnership project for 29 homes in Bristol and we have another three partnership projects in the pipeline, alongside three open market developments.”
Building green
As one of just a few SMEs in Southwest England providing strategic land management, as well as affordable and private housing, Woodstock stands out for its commitment to professional and tailored customer service. No matter the type of project, the company believes that everyone deserves to live in a beautiful and functional home.
“Our customers always come first,” explained Mr Hutchinson. “As a business, we prioritise doing what is right rather than purely being focused on the numbers. Our reputation is important to us, so we are always keen to resolve any issues. We want to leave a lasting positive impact, regarding both the communities we work in and the environment. By integrating sustainability into our practices, we can build a better future.”
Woodstock is working towards becoming net zero. The company partnered with a sustainability consultancy, Wanderlands, to measure and minimise its carbon impact. This involved transitioning to renewable energy sources and adopting work from home practices to limit commuting, along with electric company vehicles. Additionally, Woodstock has begun recycling 100% of waste on its most recent sites.
All new homes built by Woodstock are designed to be energy efficient. This includes implementing features such as air source heat pumps, solar panels and electric vehicle charging. These additions will help homeowners reduce their energy bills and their carbon footprint, creating more environmentally conscious communities. Going forward, Woodstock is targeting to build only EPC A-rated homes where possible. By building homes that set the standard in terms of energy efficiency, the company hopes to future-proof each project.
“We embrace nature in our sustainability efforts,” continued Mr Hutchinson. “We are
careful to prioritise biodiversity in our developments, protecting habitats and making sure not to disturb wildlife. We deliver the 10 per cent biodiversity net gain requirement on or near our development sites and have recently installed bird and bat boxes alongside hedgehog runs across our developments, protecting these habitats.”
Innovative design
Currently, Woodstock has a range of exciting upcoming projects. Working with Curo Homes under the Woodstock Partnership branding, the company is developing 50 affordable apartments in Bradley Stoke, Bristol. The site will cover 0.58 hectares and consist of two four-storey apartment blocks. With a high-quality design, the project will address the need for housing while fitting in with the existing landscape.
In Henbury, Bristol, Woodstock is working with LiveWest to redevelop a former social club site. The project includes the construction of eight semi-detached houses alongside
15 modern apartments. Offering a community -focused design, the development aims to enhance the lives of people in the area.
“There are so many projects we are working on right now,” commented Mr Hutchinson. “It is a really exciting time for Woodstock. We have recently received resolution to grant planning for a scheme in St George, which will be for 68 apartments. In addition, we have some open-market projects starting this
year including 68 homes in Winscombe, 27 homes in Churchill and 26 homes in Brentry.” Last year, the company won the Boutique Development of the Year award for its project in Paddock Rise, Nailsea. This 14-plot development featured two-, three- and four-bedroom houses, as well as three bungalows. Additionally, Woodstock was a finalist for Housebuilder of the Year, Small Residential Development of the Year and Affordable Housing Development of The Year. Other achievements include the work the company has done for charity. Over the past couple of years, Woodstock has been supporting The Brightwell, a multiple sclerosis therapy centre in Bradley Stoke. Additionally, the company has begun supporting a homeless charity called Caring in Bristol to help people in the local community.
Trusted quality
As a family business, it is important to Woodstock to support the local community. These values extend into the company’s
partner and supplier relationships. Woodstock treats all stakeholders with respect, engaging in open communication and always delivering on time.
“This way of working has allowed us to maintain relationships with many great suppliers and subcontractors,” said Mr Hutchinson. “We prioritise exceptional results for our customers, and we rely on our suppliers to make that happen. By establishing these strong partnerships, then we can guarantee a reliable supply chain.”
Woodstock is in the midst of an exciting period of growth. The company is looking to increase its strategic land pipeline through Woodstock Strategic, which will then enable further development in its other divisions. Currently, Woodstock has an immediate project pipeline of over 400 homes, as well as a strategic land bank of around 450 homes.
Last year, the company focused on restructuring the business preparing for future growth and the delivery of many more high-quality projects. The company has already planned multiple new projects for this year and is expecting sustained growth moving forward.
“I am really looking forward to the future of Woodstock,” continued Mr Hutchinson, in conclusion. “We have a highly-skilled team who are passionate and dedicated to the work we do. Everyone is proactive and it makes for a great working environment. We won’t achieve our growth strategy without our fantastic team and incredible
customers. They are what drives Woodstock forward. Every member of Woodstock takes pride in what we do, and I hope to continue that into the future.” n
