Win for new kid in town

Apr 26 2008 by Karen Overbury, The Journal

A COMPANY new to the North East was last night named winner of the 2008 Journal/Evening Gazette 21st Century Living Awards.

DARE (Northern) won the overall award for its “brave, bold and truly impressive” townhouses scheme at Axwell Gardens, Axwell Park, near Blaydon, Gateshead.

The 18 townhouses are set amid 35 acres of forgotten woodland near the Derwent Valley, a few miles from Gateshead and a mile from the MetroCentre.

The development also took the Best Townhouse Award and was a runner-up in the Best Interior Showhome category.

DARE’s managing director Tony Stubbs was presented with the overall award by the editor of The Journal, Brian Aitken, and Kevin Taylor, managing director of the award sponsors, Warmseal.

Mr Stubbs, said: “I’m astonished. It’s our first award ceremony and first project. And I’m speechless.

“We try to do things differently and come up with exciting and unusual developments. We also try to keep an open mind as to what people want.

“The next thing we will be working on is Axwell Hall itself in 12 months’ time and we will put the same level of quality and commitment into doing so.

“I have a fantastic team who are seriously dedicated to providing the best.

“It could not have come at a better time as it is the 250th anniversary of the hall.”

Almost 400 representatives of the construction industry attended last night’s black tie awards dinner at the Newcastle Marriott Hotel at Gosforth Park.

The judges had said the contemporary homes were built to a particularly high quality with great attention to detail.

Two other developers achieved double successes at the awards.

Dunelm Homes won the Best Apartment and Best Showhome Interior categories for Plot 13, a duplex apartment at their Elmfield Square development, in Gosforth, Newcastle. And Stone Homes won the Best Small Builder award for properties including The Mill House, at Adderstone Mains, Northumberland, which won the Best Luxury House category for the Northumberland-based builder.

Other winners were:

Best Family Home – Miller Homes for The Huxley, at The Hawthorns, Ingleby Barwick.

Best Starter Home – Holystone Homes, for The Admiral, Foxdene View, Greenside, Gateshead. Best Renovation/Conversion – Gentoo Ventures for Hawksley House, John Street, Sunderland. Best Partnership Project – Bellway Homes, South Tyneside Council and NomadE5 for Cleadon Vale, South Tyneside.

Full results – see homemaker Pages 94-95