NHBC Awards Premier Construction Scotland

A gold medal for Barratt Home’s Martin Rait

Premier Construction Hospitality Rail- No Photo
Written by Roma Publications

Martin Rait, Site Manager from housing developers Barratt Homes, has been recognised by the NHBC for his outstanding work at the Castlewell development, in Ellon, Aberdeenshire.

Works began on the housing development in June 2013 and when complete will comprise 114 units ranging from two bedroom apartments up to three and four bedroom houses.

Works are due to complete next year offering buyers a peaceful, picturesque location to live whilst being a stone’s throw away from the centre of Ellon and its amenities. The development is set in leafy woodland and is surrounded by independent and branded shops close by, as well as the local primary and secondary schools.

Martin has been awarded a Pride in the Job Award and is overjoyed to be rewarded for his hard work on the project. He commented:

“This is the first time I have won this award and it is absolutely brilliant as it illustrates my hard work. The site has a good reputation, has received great customer feedback and all of the units are being built bespokely, to a high standard.”

In 2014 Castlewell won Housing Development of the Year at the Scottish Home Awards for its approach to design, illustrating its respected status in the construction industry.

The houses have been constructed using a mixture of traditional building techniques and timber kit. Each structure comprises UPVC windows, GRP doors, tiled roofs and front and back gardens.

The team had to work around a number of trees and woodland due to the large amount of tree protection orders in the area. In a bid to not disturb any of the wildlife the half of the units are separated from the rest by a handful of endangered greenery.

The new units boast an efficient, modern design in order to allow them to build a development that blended in with existing homes in the area and make use of the natural woodland and landscape.

Castlewell looks out over the remains of an historic castle which is managed by a local Trust who are in the process of restoration project. Barratt Homes recently transferred ownership of six apartments to the Trust which will go towards managing the upkeep of the grounds including restoring a sundial, fountain and planting of trees and shrubs.

The onsite team is due to complete Phase One of the scheme shortly and will then undertake Phase Two.

Aside from difficult ground conditions which have affected the speed of the build the project has run smoothly.

The area surrounding the Castlewell site is rich in wildlife and local walks and is near the local community and sports centre facilities, as well as being less than 20 miles from Aberdeen. The site has all of the essentials needed including a number of shops in the centre of Ellon such as Aldi and Tesco.

For sport there’s the Meadows where residents can do Pilates or Kettlercise classes or swim at the Community Centre. There’s also Victoria Hall which hosts local events and a regular cinema night showing the latest releases.

About the author

Roma Publications