Company News

Tilia Homes and Hopkins Homes merged last year under a new group company called untypical.  Both housebuilders are building a new community on the edge of Woolpit, near Bury St Edmunds – Kiln Grove for Tilia Homes and The Elms for Hopkins Homes - with a range of 2 to 5-bedroom homes.

Tilia Homes and Hopkins Homes chose Woolpit Cricket Club because of its strong local ties, its inclusive approach to all ages, and the opportunity to improve the playing experience for its members.

Rob Gibson, Commercial Manager and Player at Woolpit Cricket Club expressed his gratitude: "We are incredibly grateful to Tilia Homes and Hopkins Homes for their generous sponsorship of our cricket club. Their support is instrumental in helping us continue to develop and improve our practice and playing facilities, with the overall goal of providing a positive and enriching environment for our players and visitors.

“Woolpit Cricket Club is a real community club with a beautiful ground, an inclusive approach to the sport, and a commitment to providing opportunities for all age groups to play and participate in cricket. Thank you, Tilia Homes and Hopkins Homes, for your commitment to the club and the future of cricket in our community."

The sponsorship will go directly towards enhancing and upgrading the club's playing facilities and the purchase of new equipment, especially the practice net facilities.  The latter will be given priority, to ensure the safety and quality of the five artificial grass practice nets used regularly by junior, men's, and women's teams, so people of all ages and abilities in the local community can enjoy cricket.

To learn more about Woolpit Cricket Club, visit https://woolpit.play-cricket.com/home

Hopkins Homes, part of the untypical group, has been granted reserved matters approval for nearly 200 new homes on a 13-hectare site in Halstead, Essex.  The new development, to be known as Bournewood Park, will feature a diverse range of 1 to 4-bedroom properties with 30% designated for affordable housing and shared ownership schemes. 

Environmental responsibility stands at the core of this development, with a range of new house types designed in timber frame.  This provides homeowners with superior thermal performance, leading to lower energy bills and a more comfortable living environment.   

All homes will be net zero ready featuring air source heat pumps and electric vehicle charging as standard.  This means that the homes will be capable of achieving net-zero emissions when powered by a renewable energy source.  In addition, select homes will host PV panels, helping to further lower the cost of energy bills for the homeowner.  

The community’s green infrastructure will deliver an impressive 17% habitat unit gain and 11% hedgerow unit gain – significantly exceeding standard biodiversity requirements – with 550 native trees to be thoughtfully positioned in areas of public open space.   

As signatories to the Homes for Nature initiative*, bird-nesting bricks and hedgehog highways will also be incorporated throughout the development.    

Duncan Jackson, Managing Director of Hopkins Homes, added: “We believe in creating developments that add genuine value to their localities and our new Bournewood Park development in Halstead perfectly aligns with this philosophy. Through our approach to responsible development, we plan to deliver a place where nature and community can flourish together – one that is responsible, sustainable and community-focused.” 

Hopkins Homes has marked a major milestone with the start of construction on its first dual-branded housing development in Wixams, Bedfordshire. The project unites the untypical group’s trusted brands, Tilia Homes and Hopkins Homes, in a single development within the Wixams Sustainable Urban Extension (SUE).

To celebrate this landmark occasion, Gareth Jacob, Regional Managing Director of untypical’s Eastern region, joined Ben Briggs, Head of Construction; Dan Brealey, Site Manager; and Gary Cranfield, Senior Sales Manager to break ground on site.

The development, known as Greenway View, will deliver 168 new homes, featuring a mix of two, three, four, and five-bedroom properties. This first dual-branded site for untypical showcases the combined strengths of both Tilia Homes and Hopkins Homes, offering a diverse range of homes to meet the needs of first-time buyers, families, young professionals, and downsizers alike.

Gareth Jacob said: "Breaking ground on our first dual-branded development is a proud moment for untypical. Bringing together Tilia Homes and Hopkins Homes allows us to provide a wide choice of sustainable new homes that cater for a broader range of buyers. Whether you choose the timeless elegance of Hopkins Homes or the modern practicality of Tilia Homes, you’ll be joining a new community built on quality, care, and sustainability."

Homes will include modern energy-efficient features, such as air-source heat pumps and electric vehicle charging points to most properties. The development will also feature a community garden, providing shared green space for wellbeing and a strong sense of community.

Greenway View sits within the wider Wixams Sustainable Urban Extension, a carefully master planned new town expected to provide approximately 4,500 homes, alongside shops, education facilities (including Wixams Tree Primary Academy and Wixams Academy), parks, transport connections, and other community infrastructure.

The development benefits from excellent local road links with the nearby A6, and good rail access is available from Bedford Train Station and the upcoming Wixams railway station, due to open in 2026.

Sales at Greenway View are set to launch in early autumn 2025, with further information to be provided ahead of the launch. The show home and marketing suite are scheduled to open in early 2026, offering buyers an opportunity to explore this exciting new community first-hand.

To register your interest for the new homes by Tilia Homes click here and for Hopkins Homes email sales@hopkinshomes.co.uk.