• Swindon & Wiltshire News
• Monday November 28 2022
• Author Name: Peter Davison

Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes in the West reveal contribution to the UK’s economic output

Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes South West built more than 2,400 new homes in the West in the last financial year – of which 604 were affordable – contributing almost £400 million to the UK’s economic output.

That’s according to a new report measuring the housebuilder’s social and economic footprint in the region during 2022, which includes:

• Supporting 1,934 sub-contractor or supplier companies to create local employment: a total of 5,637 direct and indirect jobs with a total spend regionally of over £86 million
• Donating £184,600 to local charitable causes
• Reducing CO2 emissions and construction waste against targets and adopting 99% of sustainably certified timber
• Creation of 40 hectares of green space – equivalent to nearly 58 football pitches
• Hiring 56 graduates, apprentices and trainees on various employment programmes
• Investing £93 million on physical works to benefit local communities, such as highway and environmental improvements and community facilities

The company also retains its strong commitment to biodiversity with hedgehog highways, bat boxes and swift nesting boxes amongst some of the features built into all its developments as a matter of course and 24 sites with identified Biodiversity Net Gain requirements ahead of legislation.

Louise Ware, sales director for Barratt David Wilson Homes South West, said: “In 2013 Barratt produced the first economic footprint report by a housebuilder. Nine years on and we remain committed to continuing to make major contributions to society, the UK economy and the local communities in which we build, as well as protecting the local environment.”

Andrea Pilgrim, sales director for Barratt Homes Bristol, added: “Transparency around our social and economic impact is very important. As we join existing and build new local communities, we have always seen ourselves as more than just a housebuilder and these statistics bear this out.”

The report on Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ socio-economic footprint in 2022 was carried out by planning consultant Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners (NLP).

Barratt and David Wilson Homes South West are currently building a range of properties throughout the region, including Birds Marsh View in Chippenham (pictured), Parish Brook in Nailsea and Wichel Fields at Wichelstowe, Swindon.