Awards double for housing developer

Chasetown-based Keon Homes, which is working on 10 live projects across the West and East Midlands, was named as the social housing award champion at the Midlands Residential Property Awards in Birmingham.

Ben Sharp, aged 26, also won emerging property person of the year.

Keon was recognised by the judges for its ability to unlock complex parcels of land to create the communities of the future in Great Barr, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Blackberry Court, an ambitious Extra Care scheme in Lichfield.

Senior technical co-ordinator Mr Sharp has successfully taken on and secured one of the most complex planning applications in the history of Keon Homes.

He has navigated a myriad of issues and planning concerns to successfully bring Holyhead Road in Coventry to life, an affordable house scheme in the city centre that will create 73 sustainable properties.

“This is a milestone moment for the company and is the best possible way to close our fifth year in business,” said Richard Williams, managing director of Keon Homes.

“We have a mantra that everyone subscribes to and that’s all about ‘Doing the Right Thing’, which is what we try to do when we bring brownfield schemes back into the ownership of local people, giving them a place they call home.”

He continued: “Over the last 12 months, we’ve successfully completed Stanton Close in Newcastle-under-Lyme after a developer went into administration and, in Booths Lane, took on a project that had so many difficulties many of our rivals chose not to get involved.

“Importantly, we also continued our strong working relationship with Sanctuary by making a foray into the Extra Care housing market. This is directly addressing the need for over 55s housing and will see us build 138 plots in total, comprising 60 bungalows and a 78-bed supporting living development in Lichfield.”

Warren Bolton, director of Keon Homes, added: “We’re a relatively young business operating in the demanding Midlands property sector, so these two awards will elevate our platform to attract the best possible talent and to secure new projects that help bring affordable housing to market.

“Ben richly deserves his award and is exactly the talented professional we want to build Keon Homes on.”