Waving goodbye to newcomer status

A month has already passed since 350 industry professionals gathered at Southampton’s Hilton at the Ageas Bowl for the South Coast Property Awards ceremony. AJC Group was the youngest company to ever be crowned Housebuilder of the Year. In what was a very special evening for the Poole-based firm, AJC Group also scooped Fast Rising Property Business of the Year.

In this guest piece from David Cracklen, Director of AJC Group, we asked him to tell us all about the secrets to the company’s ongoing success.

David Cracklen said: “Our affordable housing division commenced trading  four years ago, and AJC Group was  very much in its infancy at the last in-person South Coast Property Awards ceremony. But while many well-established companies suffered a downturn – as a result of the challenges of Covid-19 – we were able to use the agility of the business to our advantage

In collecting two awards trophies, it felt as if we were waving goodbye to our newcomer status on that evening of 29th September. We are very grateful to The Business Magazine’s judging panel for selecting us from two very competitive shortlists! Awareness of AJC Group has grown across our target audiences, and we are really thankful to all our industry peers who have congratulated us. It was certainly a memorable week for AJC Group, because the team was also undertaking an epic fitness challenge, to raise £10,000 for local homelessness charity Routes to Roots.

“We are currently delivering 230 homes across seven sites, and are incredibly proud of our year-on-year growth. This has come about from delivering a steady stream of quality developments in prime locations across Wessex, focused on our mission to become a leading affordable housing contractor. We have built our reputation on the consistency of our development portfolio. Our architecture, design detailing, landscaping, and eco features, convey a premium narrative, irrespective of whether the homes we are delivering are designated for affordable, or open market housing.”

Recent projects

AJC Group operates across the Wessex region. Recent projects that contributed to the two award wins include 14 character-built apartments with sea views at West Cliff Gardens in Bournemouth, and a high-quality new build scheme of 57 homes which is part of the Dorchester Brewery redevelopment.

At Clarendon Road in Bournemouth, AJC Group has recently completed 19 apartments in a scheme inspired by the grand traditional architecture found locally. The development has been delivered to Stonewater Housing Association, with 100% of the plots designated for affordable housing to meet local needs. This scheme received a coveted NHBC Seal of Excellence Award.

Elsewhere in Dorset, in the historic village of Hazelbury Bryan, AJC Group is delivering 21 mixed tenure affordable homes for Abri Housing Association. Also being delivered for Abri is a design-led contemporary scheme, located on Lindsay Road in the Branksome Park area of Poole. The 28 apartments there are all designated for shared ownership.

The company has also recently secured planning permission for 86 Build to Rent apartments on a brownfield site in Poole town centre, together with 27 affordable homes in the North Dorset village of Okeford Fitzpaine, which are being delivered on behalf of Aster Communities.

Future plans and current focus

David Cracklen added: “From the outset, our business was founded on a clear set of values and by putting integrity at the heart of everything we do. A key focus is working in partnership with Registered Providers, Local Authorities, and charities to deliver much-needed quality affordable housing. Despite the challenges encountered across the industry over the past few years, we have succeeded in trebling our turnover, and are firmly on target to deliver 500 mixed-tenure homes a year.

“We have a clear vision to become the leading developer of affordable homes across the Wessex region, delivering homes of exceptional quality, on time and to budget, on behalf of – and in collaboration with – our partners and customers. Our aim is to deliver lasting change, transforming lives and landscapes through partnerships that build eco-focused homes of the highest quality in communities that are vibrant, sustainable, and aspirational. We work closely with our clients to ensure their needs are met to the highest of standards, and we pride ourselves on our excellent customer service and build quality.

“The founding Directors have worked very hard to bring together a great team of people, who we count as friends, as well as colleagues. We are thrilled to now be expanding from our base in Poole into south Hampshire, south Wiltshire, and West Sussex.

“Our commitment to our people runs through everything we do, and earlier this year, we received an accreditation from Investors in People, followed by a shortlisting for UK Employer of the Year (up to 49 employees). The Investor in People Awards will take place in London on 15th November, and we are thrilled to be in the running for a national prize!

“In August, we also introduced a £200 per month cost of living bonus, which is being paid to all staff for six months to help meet the rising cost burden every household is currently facing.

“Our current focus is securing land, viable planning permissions, and communicating to Registered Providers, Councils and Institutions, the strength of working in partnership with AJC Group to deliver housing needs. We are also working proactively to enhance the eco-credentials, energy performance, and biodiversity gains across all our upcoming developments. Energy usage and cost is firmly in the spotlight, and we are passionate about demonstrating how our energy-efficient, quality new homes can help residents to lower their carbon footprint and help the UK to reach its carbon reduction targets.”

For information on AJC Group’s development portfolio, visit: ajcgroup.uk