Housebuilder announces plans for new £4.5m head office

Richard Beal and Dominic Gibbons

Fast-growing Beal Homes has revealed plans for a new head office at Wykeland Group’s Bridgehead business park that will feature industry-leading customer experience facilities.

The family-owned housebuilder plans to move just 100 yards across the road from its existing home to a new £4.5m building next to the Porsche Centre at Bridgehead.

CGI of Beal Homes proposed new head office

A planning application has been submitted to East Riding of Yorkshire Council for the 19,000 sq ft, two-storey building, with the business working with Wykeland, owner and developer of Bridgehead, on the scheme. This move reinforces the strong relationship between the two local businesses, who are also joint venture partners in the regeneration of Hull’s Fruit Market urban village.

The planned head office investment comes after Beal in 2014 relocated to occupy a purpose-designed head office – a move that is credited with accelerating the growth of the regional housebuilder.

Since the move the firm has grown its sales from just over 100 completions a year to around 300, with turnover trebling in that time.

As a result of this growth and having outgrown its existing home, the firm plans to invest in the development which is more than twice the size of its existing building. Almost half of the new floorspace will be devoted to an expanded Design Lounge and areas dedicated to customer service, including to host launch events for new developments. With its own entrance, this will be a seven-day sales outlet, open during the day and evening to suit customers’ busy lifestyles.

The 1.1-acre site will also feature a show garden, reflecting the further development of a recently-launched Beal service helping buyers to make the most of their outdoor space with advice from a landscape design expert.

Chief executive Richard Beal said: “We’re very excited to put forward these plans and delighted to be working with Wykeland to deliver them. This is a major statement of our confidence in the future of the business and the housing market in Hull, East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire where we operate.

“This building will be both the headquarters of our business and a highly-visible shop window and showroom for the quality of our homes and the outstanding customer experience we’re known for.

Beal added: “We have been considering the need for a bigger Design Lounge to support our continuing growth for some time, but the events of recent months have accelerated our thinking.

“It’s clear to us the process of buying a new home is continuing to change. Since March all visits to our marketing suites and show homes, as well as our development launches, have been by appointment-only. Our customers have completely embraced this, as well as welcoming the extensive Covid-secure safety measures we have put in place.

“This tells us homebuyers are receptive to pre-booked appointments in first-class surroundings where they can truly experience the quality of our homes and the exceptional range of fixtures, fittings and finishes we offer as part of our design service.

“The pandemic has also changed people’s thinking about what they want from their home and private outdoor space, especially the desire for increased flexibility, including to provide for working from home.

“Our new head office will have the space and purpose-designed facilities to showcase fully the opportunity we offer to buyers to make their new home exactly as they want it to be, including altering internal layouts. It will also accommodate a new, greater range of customer options, such as furniture and soft furnishings.”

Pending planning approval, construction is expected to begin in early 2021 with the new head office due to open in the first quarter of 2022.
Beal plans to make its current head office on the opposite side of Boothferry Road available for sale or to let.

Wykeland Managing Director Dominic Gibbons said: “These plans will bring another landmark building to Bridgehead, in keeping with the high quality of design seen across the business park.

“Beal was the first company to make its home at Bridgehead and that move has been instrumental in the growth of the business. Now Beal plans to invest again, to literally build on that success.

“Pending planning approval, this development will also create an excellent opportunity for another company to join one of the region’s leading locations for business investment, by occupying the offices Beal will vacate.”

Beal and Wykeland are working with The Harris Partnership on the design of the new building and intend to re-engage Hull-based Chameleon Business Interiors to deliver the interior design and fit-out. Chameleon carried out the same work at Beal’s existing head office.

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