On Thursday 7th November, MJ Gleeson plc’s CEO Graham Prothero, CFO Stefan Allanson and Group HR Director Sam Knight welcomed members of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to its Petersmiths Park development in Ollerton.
This marks the Ministry’s second visit to a Gleeson Homes development, with the first visit taking place in March 2022 at Springfield Meadows.
MHCLG is a ministerial department supported by 16 agencies and public bodies. Following the 2024 General Election, Angela Rayner was appointed as the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. The MHCLG is central to the mission-driven Government, from delivering the biggest increase to affordable housebuilding in a generation to handing power back to communities and fixing the foundations of local government.
During the day, the Gleeson team shared an overview of MJ Gleeson, its business model and mission of providing high-quality affordable housing, before taking the Ministry on a tour of the show homes and the wider development.
Over lunch, there were discussions around key topics that are affecting the industry currently including the need for reforms in the planning system, the anticipated skilled trades shortages as housebuilding increases, the potential supply chain issues as construction volumes recover and support for first-time buyers.
The Ministry also met a Petersmiths Park homeowner, Annie Lindo, who lives in a 4-bedroom, detached Longford on Phase 1 of the development.
Graham Prothero, CEO of MJ Gleeson plc, commented:
“This was a great opportunity to engage with policy advisers to discuss our views on the sector and the prospects for potential reform around the planning system and addressing the industry’s skills shortage.”