Homes for Scotland chief executive Nicola Barclay and members of her team visited Cruden Homes West’s latest developments in Glasgow last week to see first-hand how the firm is creating sustainable new mixed tenure communities across the city.

The trade body named Cruden Group ‘Home Builder of the Year 2016’ at its annual awards in May, based on Cruden’s innovative approach to partnership working and its strong focus on customer service.

The Group also picked up the Home of the Year for First Time Buyers award for its Berberis two-bedroom apartment at King’s View in Glasgow and scooped Development of the Year for its Woodcroft development in Edinburgh.

The Homes for Scotland team visited King’s View in North Toryglen and Baron’s Vale in Helenvale where Cruden has regenerated former brownfield sites and delivered an economic boost to these local areas by creating essential new homes, new jobs and community facilities.

Many first time buyers qualified for the Help to Buy (Scotland) scheme at the first phase of the King’s View development in Glasgow’s south side, allowing them to take that important first step on to the housing ladder.

Mrs Barclay addressed the recent Homes for Scotland Annual Conference, advocating an ‘ABC’ approach to house building – highlighting the requirement for greater Ambition, Barrier removal and more Collaboration to allow the creation of homes of all tenures that Scotland desperately needs.

Liz Mallon, sales and marketing director of Cruden Homes West, said: “It was great to welcome Nicola to our King’s View and Baron’s Vale developments, especially as we share her views on the importance of delivering high-quality housing and creating real communities. Cruden has played a key role in the regeneration of many of Scotland’s most challenging areas by building affordable, multi-tenure housing developments that have the facilities, amenities and transport links to ensure that they become thriving and sustainable communities. We’re also committed to boosting the economy by creating and sustaining jobs, training opportunities, work experience and apprenticeships, leaving a legacy for the employment of future generations.”

She added: “Our innovative, forward thinking and bespoke approach to development, design construction and sales, together with our focus on energy efficiency, regeneration and affordability, has helped us win many awards, including Homes for Scotland’s ‘Home Builder of the Year 2016’ which we are particularly proud of.”

Nicola Barclay added: “There is absolutely no substitute to getting out and about and seeing what our members are doing on the ground so we were delighted to be invited to visit these developments by our current Home Builder of the Year, Cruden Homes.

“Not only were we able to speak directly with staff and learn more about site-specific challenges, we also got the chance to try a virtual reality tour of a show home which demonstrates the innovation taking place in our industry to further improve customer experience.”