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Ground breaking marks start of housing construction in Redhills, Exeter

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Former Royal Marine Commando Runs London Marathon for Military Charity

Melvyn Gilmour, a Site Manager at Hopkins Homes is set to run the 2025 TCS London Marathon on April 27th 2025, raising funds for a cause close to his heart - the Royal British Legion. With just under two weeks to go, Melvyn has already raised an impressive £2,356 towards his goal.  

Melvyn's journey with Hopkins Homes shows the company's commitment to nurturing talent, particularly from the Armed Forces community.  

Joining the company in 2019 through their Armed Forces programme, Melvyn has progressed from a trainee Assistant Site Manager to managing his own £50 million project, demonstrating how military training can translate into valuable skills in construction management. 

Melvyn explained: "The marathon training has been tough, no doubt about it. But it's nothing compared to what many in our Armed Forces community face daily. The Royal British Legion was there for me when I left the Marines, and now it's my turn to do my bit. Every mile I run is for those who have served. It's not about me - it's about supporting a cause that's essential to so many veterans and their families."  

The Royal British Legion provides crucial support to the Armed Forces community, addressing issues such as homelessness, financial difficulties, and isolation. Melvyn will join 50,000 other runners taking to the streets of London for this prestigious event. 

Duncan Jackson, Regional Managing Director of untypical's East Anglia region, said: "As proud signatories to the Armed Forces Covenant, we fully support Melvyn in this challenge.   We encourage everyone to support this crucial organisation that provides essential assistance to members of our Armed Forces community." 

To support Melvyn's fundraising efforts for the Royal British Legion, donations can be made through his fundraising page: Royal British Legion: TCS London Marathon 2025 

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Partnership with Pulse Fibre to bring high-speed connectivity to new homeowners

Hopkins Homes, part of the untypical group, has partnered with Pulse Fibre to give homeowners access to lightning-fast broadband from the moment they move in.

All new homeowners* will now enjoy 12-months free broadband, ensuring a hassle-free digital experience from day one. Additionally, Figure Telecoms will provide early site office connectivity and diversionary consultancy services alongside Pulse Fibre’s offering of full-fibre connectivity.  This will ensure that Hopkins Homes and its residents have access to the very best in next-generation digital infrastructure. 

David Newell, Group Commercial Director at untypical commented, “We are pleased to have partnered with Pulse Fibre to provide our new homeowners with state-of-the-art connectivity from day one.  This is just one of a number of new customer focused initiatives that we are exploring to put the customer at the forefront of everything we do.”     

Nathan Davis, Head of Development at Pulse Fibre, also commented on the partnership: “We are excited to partner with untypical to ensure their new homeowners have instant access to reliable, lightning-fast internet. Connectivity is no longer a luxury; it’s an essential part of modern living. This partnership reinforces our commitment to bridging the digital divide and enhancing the homeownership experience.” 

Together, Pulse Fibre and untypical are setting a new standard for digital-first housing developments, making seamless connectivity a fundamental feature of modern home life. 

* The first development to benefit from Pulse Fibre is likely to be Great Horkesley in Colchester.  It is not available on current developments. 

 

 

 

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Dream Home Becomes ‘Gateway to Nature’ for Longridge Couple

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New land deal secured in Essex

Hopkins Homes has completed a land deal that will bring new homes to a village north of Colchester.

The 23-acre site in Great Horkesley benefits from outline planning permission for 100 homes and a reserved matters application is due to be submitted in April.  Subject to planning approval, work is expected to begin on site in January 2026, with the first legal completions in December 2026.

Duncan Jackson, Managing Director of Hopkins Homes, part of the untypical group said: “Our track record of creating distinctive new homes, reinforced by our five-star customer satisfaction rating, has established Hopkins Homes as a trusted choice for landowners throughout East Anglia.”

Duncan added: “With sustainability at the core of our developments, we’re committed to building communities that thrive for generations.   Our most recent acquisition in Great Horkesley will be no exception, with placemaking at its heart and a range of distinctive new homes that give a nod to our heritage whilst providing energy efficient modern living.”

Great Horkesley has been identified for housing development within the adopted Local Plan and the proposed scheme will include 30 affordable homes, contributing to the local community’s housing diversity and accessibility.  Furthermore, the development will incorporate a generous 5.1 hectares of public open space, including a new community allotment and a Scouts and Girl Guide hut.

Hopkins Homes has considerable experience in developing homes in Essex, with properties currently for sale at River Reach, Mistley and Beaulieu, Chelmsford.

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Celebrating Women in Construction Week

To mark ‘Women in Construction Week’ and ‘International Women’s Day’, we spoke to Laura Townes, Strategic Land Manager at Hopkins Homes about her role and thoughts on working in the industry. 

Laura, tell us about your role at Hopkins Homes. 

I’m the Strategic Land Manager at Hopkins Homes and have been with the company for nearly four years. This is the first role within Hopkins Homes that is dedicated purely to strategic land.  

Strategic land is undeveloped sites that may have the potential for planning permission.  The success of a strategic site is driven by planning policy and the requirements of the local area.  The process can take several years to come to fruition, if at all. 

Hopkins Homes is renowned for building distinctive homes and environments that retain the heritage of the past, whilst offering energy efficient living.  We are committed to outstanding design and building quality and for this reason, we are often seen as the developer of choice by landowners seeking to realise the potential value of their land. 

How did you get to this point in your career? 

My career background is in Planning – I am a Chartered Town Planner. I read Psychology at University, but I always had an interest in the built environment, so upon graduating I did some voluntary work experience which solidified my interest in town planning.  

After completing my MSc in Spatial Planning, I spent a short time in local authority as a Planning Officer before joining Bidwells as a Planning Consultant, where I completed my professional qualifications in Planning and an MA in Urban Design. 

After 8 years at Bidwells, I joined Persimmon Homes as their Planning Manager. I was fortunate to be mentored in the Land role there, which eventually led to being promoted to Head of Land and Planning.  

After 8 years at Persimmon Homes, I was ready for a change and joined Hopkins Homes to specialise in Strategic Land, which bridges both Land and Planning disciplines. 

What’s great about working in Land? 

Working in Land is incredibly varied because it requires a wide range of skills and activities. Skills include written and verbal communication, relationship building, numeracy for viability work, and analysis for assessing the planning prospects of a site.  

The role is partly desk based for research and report writing, but there is also a lot of time out of the office visiting prospective sites and attending meetings. As someone who enjoys information gathering and relationship building, the role is particularly enjoyable due to the amount of continuing professional development (CPD) and networking opportunities it provides. 

What are the challenges of your role? 

There is a finite amount of suitable development land, so there is a lot of competition. Reviewing new opportunities, preparing and submitting bids can involve a lot of work that ultimately is abortive if not successful.  However, that means the successes are even more rewarding.  

Relationships with landowners, agents, consultants, planning officers and politicians are an important part of achieving success in this role. 

What is it like to work for Hopkins Homes? 

Everyone at Hopkins Homes has a great team-work ethic – it’s like one big family. We all have diverse skills and make different contributions to the team, so we are more successful together than as individuals. Whilst we are held accountable to a very high standard with pressure to deliver, there is a great camaraderie across the business, with a lot of fun along the way. 

What’s the future like for women in construction?  

The industry has been consciously making efforts to change for some time through various initiatives, and I know many driven and inspirational women who have achieved senior positions. There now seems to be a more even proportion of women entering the profession, who are climbing the ranks alongside their male peers.  

Whilst there may still be some disparity across the sector as a whole, I am confident it will continue to improve exponentially, particularly as women are starting to become better represented in upper management roles. I think the industry has changed significantly in a relatively short period of time, so I would definitely encourage women to consider Land and Planning as an enjoyable and rewarding career with plenty of opportunities to succeed.  

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Building Gender Balance

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Site Management Experience for Women

Hopkins Homes is encouraging women to apply for site management experience as part of the Women into Home Building (WiHB) programme. 

The funded three-week programme includes an initial week of online training and insight sessions, followed by a two-week work experience placement.  The programme also offers contributions towards travel and childcare costs. 

Developed by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) in collaboration with leading regional and national home builders, the initiative seeks to expand the talent pipeline and foster gender diversity within site management.  Women currently account for 16 per cent of the construction workforce, with only four per cent working as site managers. 

Hopkins Homes, along with Tilia Homes, both part of housebuilding group untypical, are among 11 housebuilders to have signed up to the programme, which will provide 38 placements in total offering training, support and work placements.  

Hopkins Homes will be offering its placement at Chediston Place in Halesworth. 

Duncan Jackson, Managing Director of Hopkins Homes, said: “We are delighted to be offering a placement at Chediston Place in Halesworth, as part of the Women into Home Building programme.  The HBF’s programme has a strong track record of actively promoting women into construction, helping to not just address the skills shortage and widen the talent pool, but also to build more diverse and inclusive teams across the industry.” 
Last year, Kirsty Newman joined the untypical group as part of the WiHB programme. She said: “The placement was a brilliant opportunity to ‘get my foot in the door’ of the construction industry. It has allowed me to explore different areas within construction and see where my interests and skills suit.” 

“The most rewarding aspect has been the continuous learning experience. I was able to absorb a wealth of knowledge from my colleagues, both through training and discussions.  I’ve been amazed by the number of technical terms I’ve added to my vocabulary! Everyone was incredibly welcoming and supportive.” 

Kirsty continued, “During my time at untypical, I gained a wide range of experiences across various departments within the organisation.  I enjoyed taking part in a Women’s Networking Launch, representing a huge stride forward in promoting diversity and empowering women within the company. I was inspired by the Sales Director’s leadership journey and the valuable lessons she shared.”   

The application window closes on Sunday 23 March 2025 at 5.00 pm. Those interested are encouraged to apply at HBF.co.uk/WIHB. 

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Tilia Homes is encouraging women to apply for site management experience

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