Hampshire: Highwood recruits as projects exceed targets

Highwood, the Romsey-based developer and 2019 SCPA Housebuilder of the Year, has announced another wave of appointments that will augment its talent pool while revealing its North Stoneham Park project has dramatically exceeded its employment creation targets.

The organisation’s recruitment strategy has been driven by Highwood’s continued rise in commercial fortunes and progress on large-scale developments such as the landmark North Stoneham Park project, the Sherecroft Farm residential scheme in Botley and two prestigious care facilities at the Botleigh Grange site in Hedge End and Westergate in West Sussex.

Highwood, which won the 2019 South Coast Property Awards' Housebuilder category, recently announced key additions to its planning department with Martin Hawthorne appointed as planning director and Jon Bray as planning manager while Melanie Richard’s promotion to associate sales and marketing director is reflective of the transformative power of Highwood’s masterplanning in complex infrastructure schemes.

Continuing to invest in raft of in-house services

Thirty three new personnel have joined Highwood in the past year and, this quarter alone, the company has welcomed five new personnel to the head office team with eight more on site at North Stoneham Park, Botley, Hedge End in Westergate. North Stoneham Park alone has surpassed its aim of 25 new positions with 35 appointments during its initial development phases. This is in addition to a number of work placements and careers events that have been held and continue to target students keen to join the on-site teams.

"It gives us great pleasure to welcome our new recruits," said Guy Hayward, managing director of Highwood. "In recent years we’ve expanded steadily in line with a strategic land acquisition and development programme that has seen us receive considerable recognition from the property industry. A gratifying by-product of these achievements is that we can continue to grow and invest in our raft of in-house resources and employ the most talented professionals in this dynamic sector who never fail to help us thrive."

Highwood is also committed to supporting and funding graduate training schemes and testament to that are two employees who have made great strides on their further education whilst working for the organisation. David Morris is a trainee surveyor and is now in his second year of an HNC at Solent University whilst working on various projects, including care home schemes at New Milton, Egham and Faygate. Meanwhile, Bradley Scott, assistant surveyor, has now completed his HNC and proving to be an invaluable team member at the North Stoneham Park project.

"I joined Highwood in 2017 and the experience I’ve gained has been very rewarding," commented Scott. "I’ve learnt so much during my time at North Stoneham Park and the progression it has allowed me to make as a surveyor has been invaluable. I’m now looking forward to starting my Quantity Surveying BSc in September 2020 and putting more of my new skills into my work at Highwood along the way."

For more on Highwood’s team and career opportunities: https://highwoodgroup.co.uk/company/team/