Hemel Hempstead housing development scoops top award at National Building Excellence Awards

A housing development in Apsley has won a top award at the prestigious National Building Excellence Awards 2021.

Dacorum Borough Council is delighted to announce that its Magenta Court development has been named overall winner in the Best Small Social Housing Development category at the awards.

The LABC (Local Authority Building Control) Excellence Awards are a celebration of exceptional accomplishment in the construction industry, and exist to reward outstanding craftsmanship, technical innovation, sustainability and high performance.

Magenta Court is a flagship new build social housing development scheme, delivering 29 flats, all for social rent, in the Apsley canal area of Hemel Hempstead.

The project was handed over to its new tenants in September 2020 and since then, it has received praise from local residents, councillors and professionals alike.

In November 2021, the project was successful with its application to the LABC (Local Authority Building Control) Building Excellence Awards 2021, winning Regional Winner (Central Region) for Best Small Social Housing Development.

This success meant that it was submitted to the Grand Finals, where, on Friday, January 28, it pipped the 6 other finalists to win the overall award for Best Small Social Housing Development.

Councillor Margaret Griffiths, deputy leader of Dacorum Borough Council and portfolio holder for housing, said: “I am thrilled that Magenta Court has won this important award, and that the work of our team has been recognised on a national scale.

"Magenta Court has delivered both in terms of its quality and safety for local residents, and also that it has provided much needed social housing to those most in need within our community.

"The council has an ambitious development plan which will see us strive to build more social housing across Dacorum in the coming years."

Mark Doyle, Jarvis Contracting CEO, said: “Anyone associated with the Magenta Court project can only feel an enormous sense of pride.

"The scheme was deceptively challenging because of multiple and significant issues below ground.

"I am full of admiration for Dacorum Borough Council for remaining committed to this development and for not compromising on the design, which complements and completes a very charming wider estate, whilst using land that has been an eyesore for many years.

"The quality of this new development is exceptional and will provide much-needed new homes to very happy local families.”

Magenta Court was constructed by Jarvis Contracting Limited and rg+p Ltd, who have both worked with the council to deliver several new social housing schemes.