WORK STARTS AT SELBOURNE'S FIRST DEVELOPMENT IN SANDWELL- 12th December 2005

The first Oldbury development from award-winning residential property developer Selbourne Homes is taking shape.Building work has started at Gravity, a contemporary development of 14 one-bedroom apartments, 2 two-bedroom apartments and 10 two-bedroom terraced houses on a 0.8 acre site in Bristnall Hall Road. Designed specifically to appeal to first time buyers, the trendy homes will feature hot interior design trends such as stainless steel kitchen appliances and ash veneer doors with chrome furniture.

"Gravity is our first development in Sandwell and we want it to really stand out," said Gavin Warr, managing director of Hagley-based Selbourne Homes."It combines contemporary urban style with a realistic price tag and we're confident the properties will be snapped up fast."

The company believes the site responds to a genuine market need. Despite the demand for small properties, very few developers are building one and two bedroom homes. The one-bed apartments will start at £78,000 and comprise a bathroom, bedroom and open plan kitchen and living area.

The two-bedroom terraces will start from around £125,000 and feature a living room, separate fitted kitchen, downstairs cloakroom, two bedrooms and a bathroom.

SHIRAZ OFFERS CHRISTMAS CHEER - 7th December 2005

Contemporary developer Selbourne Homes is helping get weekend home-seekers in the festive spirit, with seasonal refreshments on offer at its Shiraz development in Sutton Coldfield.

Each Saturday and Sunday leading up to Christmas, visitors to the development on Mere Green Road will be offered mulled wine, mince pies and other Christmas goodies while they view the stunning two-bedroom showhome.

The development of eight luxury one and two-bedroom apartments is situated above a retail unit in a prime location, and is ideally placed for anyone looking to combine convenience with cutting-edge 21st century design.

The ultra-modern apartments offer the latest in terms of city-living chic with block glass walls, large single pane double glazed windows, stainless steel kitchen appliances and video entry phones. Gated access and allocated parking for residents complete the stylish package.

The showhome is open from 11am - 6pm daily, except Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Prices for a one-bedroom apartment at the scheme start at £179,000, rising to £219,000 for a two-bedroom apartment.

FAMILIAR NAME 'COMES HOME' TO DUDLEY - 25th November 2005

Local residents and passers-by in Selborne Road, Dudley, may find themselves doing a double-take in the coming months as they go past the site of the old Selborne Inn public house.

The plot, which has been derelict for some time, has been acquired by a leading contemporary property developer whose name makes it almost tailor made for the job.

Hagley-based Selbourne Homes has detailed planning consent to build ten one and two-bedroom apartments and nine three-bedroom town houses on the 0.8 acre site.

Chris Warren, Selbourne Homes' head of acquisitions, couldn't believe his eyes when he first realised the coincidence. "But for a 'u' the names would be identical," he says. "It's almost as though it's meant to be!" There are other, more practical reasons for developing the site, as Chris explains.

"It's a good location and has a great outlook onto trees and green areas, We're confident the new development will appeal to first time buyers and young families, offering them the contemporary style and functionality that's often sorely lacking in this particular market," he said. Work is due to commence on site early in 2006.

SELBOURNE HOMES WINS APPEAL ON DIBDALE ROAD DEVELOPMENT - 17th November 2005

An award-winning contemporary developer is celebrating its successful appeal against Dudley Council's decision to refuse permission for a development in Dibdale Road, Dudley.

Hagley-based Selbourne Homes was refused planning permission in August for its proposed development of apartments and townhouses on the basis they would be out of character with the surrounding area both in form and in density.

However appeal inspectors have now backed the company's original plans - which were more extensive than those eventually submitted to and rejected by the council - and work is due to begin on the site early in the New Year.

Forty-nine new homes will now be built on the 3.3 acre brownfield site at Dibdale Road, 47 of which will be three-storey. The development is designed to mirror Selbourne's acclaimed SO.GO development at Merry Hill, and will include 19 two and three bedroom houses and 30 one and two bedroom apartments.

Selbourne Homes' managing director Gavin Warr welcomed the decision as a positive step forward.

"We're delighted our appeal has been upheld, particularly given the council's own housing strategy reveals a desperate need for affordable housing for the rising numbers of residents living alone or in smaller households.

"It means the last remaining brownfield site in the Milking Bank area can be transformed into sought-after and affordable city-living style homes.

"Following our original application in early 2004 we built up a substantial waiting list of interested potential buyers, most of whom were already local residents. We then revised the application to reduce the height and density of the development, and this revised plan was also rejected.

"It is quite ironic that our original proposal is the one which now gets the go ahead."

Selbourne's Black Country developments have proved hugely popular, with its 'Storm' development at Merry Hill winning a coveted urban regeneration award.

"Our developments have an important, beneficial knock-on effect. We're not only providing good quality new housing, but also transforming existing vacant and derelict sites," added Mr Warr.

"We continue to work in partnership with the local authority to build quality schemes for local people that enhance the environment."

Work on the Dibdale Road site will start in January with the first completions due in the summer of 2006.

STORMING SUCCESS FOR SELBOURNE - 21st October 2005

A cutting-edge Black Country development has beaten off its Birmingham rivals to win a top regeneration award.

Based at Merry Hill, 'Storm', completed by Hagley-based property developer Selbourne Homes, is a state-of-the-art apartment scheme which incorporates a multi-deck car park. This unique design is an important part of the vision for a fully integrated Brierley Hill incorporating the traditional town centre, Merry Hill and the Waterfront.

Against tough competition, Storm won the Urban Regeneration/Brownfield Development category in the 2005 House Design Awards, hosted by The Birmingham Post & Mail.

Gavin Warr accepts the award for Selbourne Homes watched by (LtoR) Sarah Matthews, DBK Back Group, Kate Brown, Knight Frank and Tony Lennox (right) acting Editor of Birmingham Post

As well as proving popular with homebuyers - the scheme was 85 per cent sold within two weeks of launching - it has also attracted considerable interest from local authorities keen to replicate the idea.

"It's great to see Storm getting the recognition it deserves and we're absolutely delighted our hard work has paid off," said Gavin Warr, managing director of Selbourne Homes.

"We wanted to transform an uninspiring brownfield site into a stylish development that would appeal to first time buyers and investors and this award proves we've achieved that. We're extremely proud of the scheme and it's great to know others feel the same way."

Tim Sunter, chief executive of the Brierley Hill Regeneration Partnership (BHRP) was equally proud of the scheme's success.

"On behalf of the BHRP I'd like to congratulate Gavin Warr and Selbourne Homes on their deserved award. The partnership is about creating a real, sustainable urban community in Brierley Hill and there is no doubt, Selbourne Homes is playing a part in the renaissance of the area through developments such as Storm and SO GO, Selbourne's flagship scheme at Merry Hill.

"Brierley Hill, and the Black Country as a whole, needs a diverse local housing market to meet the needs of local communities. Storm brings true top quality urban 'city style' living to this area opening up new opportunities for homeowners here."

SHIRAZ SHOW HOME IS A CORKER - 11th October 2005

Glasses will be raised next week when Selbourne Homes' first mixed-use development, called Shiraz in Sutton Coldfield, opens its doors to the public.

From Saturday 15 October, potential buyers and investors will be able to view Shiraz's aspirational show home.

Open from 11am - 6pm daily, except Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the show home, which was designed by Birmingham-based Connections in Design, is one of eight, luxury one and two-bedroom apartments available at the contemporary scheme.

Situated above a retail unit in a prime location on Mere Green Road, Shiraz is ideally placed for anyone looking to combine convenience with cutting-edge 21st century design.

Within easy walking distance of amenities such as local restaurants, bars, boutiques and a train station, the ultra-modern development will have gated access and allocated parking for residents. It will also offer the latest in terms of city-living chic with block glass walls, large single pane double glazed windows, stainless steel kitchen appliances and video entry phones.

Gavin Warr, Selbourne's managing director said: "Shiraz is all about easy living and it's designed to appeal to people looking for a stylish, sexy home without a Birmingham city centre price tag

DOORS OPEN AT THE EDGE - 31st August 2005

Champagne corks will be popping in Wordsley, near Stourbridge this Saturday (3rd September 2005) as doors open at The Edge, the latest contemporary development from property developer Selbourne Homes.

Potential purchasers and investors are being invited to view its glamorous new show home, which will be open to the public from 11am - 6pm daily.

The duplex show home is one of 16 two-bedroom apartments and duplexes remaining of the 52-property scheme on Brierley Hill Road, which is due for completion in January 2006.

The Edge in Wordsley

The Edge offers the latest in contemporary urban design with an allocated parking space for each property and some with garages.

Properties there also enjoy extensively landscaped communal gardens designed around a series of water features.

Managing director Gavin Warr says interest in the scheme is high and expects the remaining units to be snapped up quickly.

He said: "All of the one-bedroom apartments are fully sold and we expect the first properties to be occupied from late September.

"The scheme has proved hugely popular with first time buyers, investors and people looking for a potential retirement home, and we're delighted with its success.

"They've been attracted by the location, which offers something for everyone. It has easy access to great shopping and leisure facilities, as well as open countryside being just five minutes away.

"We pride ourselves on delivering quality homes at affordable prices and we're confident The Edge will continue to sell well. We believe it will be a catalyst for the wider regeneration of the surrounding area."

Prices start from £114,000 for a two-bedroom apartment to £130,000 for a two-bedroom duplex.

The contemporary style show home, designed by Birmingham based Connections in Design, is open from 11am on Saturday 3 September 2005. For information, contact Selbourne Homes on 01384 483696

SELBOURNE SUCCESS SOARS TO £17 MILLION - 15th August 2005

The house-builder which brought modern urban living to the Black Country has seen its confidence rewarded in spectacular fashion.

Just four years after it was established, Hagley-based Selbourne Homes has seen annual turnover soar.

The firm's financial year just ended shows turnover of £16.9 million, up a whopping 43 per cent on the previous year's figures.

Projected forward sales are running at £5.4 million, and Selbourne also has a land-bank of over 200 plots worth £5.1 million.

Additionally, the company has options on brownfield sites in Cradley Heath, Wombourne, Dudley and Kidderminster which typifies its strategy.

Managing director Gavin Warr (pictured above), who founded Selbourne after leaving quoted housebuilder Allen Homes, has long been convinced of the Black Country's development potential.

"Every one of our schemes has been on brownfield land, as our future ones will be," he says.

"I like to think we saw the opportunities for residential-led regeneration well before it was widely realised, and certainly before the government intervened to set new-build targets for the housing sector."

Selbourne's most innovative project has been to build luxury apartments around a multi-storey car park at Brierley Hill.

Mr Warr says almost two-thirds of the Storm scheme was snapped up by investors who identified the potential for solid returns.

"Eighty-five per cent of the apartments went in the first fortnight, even before the show-home had opened. By the time it did, we only had five units left to sell," he recalls.

Selbourne has since started developing another of the Black Country's many rundown industrial sites, at Wordsley.

"We're building 52 apartments and duplexes in a scheme called The Edge, and have already sold 36, which I believe in the current housing market is a remarkable achievement," says Mr Warr.

Other sites set to get a Selbourne makeover in the coming financial year include 21 apartments on Amblecote High Street, 28 houses and apartments in Oldbury, two developments in Dudley totalling 72 units, five luxury homes in Gornal and Selbourne's first mixed-use scheme in Sutton Coldfield.

Work will also be continuing on York House, the firm's first commercial development involving the refurbishment of offices and warehousing on Amblecote's High Street.

As well as helping to regenerate the surrounding landscape, Selbourne is also a major contributor to the local economy through its use of electricians, plasterers, bricklayers, plumbers and other skilled people.

"We only employ a dozen staff directly, but in the last year we have spent around £10 million employing tradesmen and suppliers from Dudley, Walsall, Wolverhampton and Sandwell," says Mr Warr. "This is a policy we're strongly committed to and over the coming year we plan to invest at least another £10 million in this area."

In terms of the general housing market, he wasn't unhappy that base rate was recently trimmed by only 0.25 per cent, believing that a larger cut could have been counter-productive.

"It's easy to be seduced into thinking that slashing 0.5 per cent off the rate would have boosted the housing market, but I would much rather see a stable market than a volatile one."

Mr Warr also explained that like many UK developers, he has experienced problems in his core area as a result of planning delays and he stressed the need for more open dialogue with local authorities.

"Selbourne's aim is to transform eyesore sites into stylish, contemporary properties for local people at realistic prices," said Mr Warr. "Interestingly, analysis has shown that the majority of our customers have a DY, WV or a B post-code.

"We are trying to build the kind of quality accommodation that hasn't been available in the Black Country for years. We feel we have an important role to play in the creation of a sustainable community and we're looking forward to a bright future."

TRENDY OLDBURY DEVELOPMENT BOOST FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS - 21th July 2005

Black Country developer Selbourne Homes is helping first time buyers get a foot on the property ladder with plans for its first contemporary residential development in Oldbury, West Midlands.

Hagley-based Selbourne Homes has purchased a 0.8-acre site on Bristnall Hall Road where it plans to transform a former parade of run down shops into 18 one-bedroom apartments and 10 two-bedroom terraced houses.

Designed specifically to appeal to first time buyers, the trendy development will showcase some of the latest interior design trends such as stainless steel kitchen appliances and ash veneer doors.

“This is our first development in Sandwell and we want it to really stand out," said Gavin Warr, managing director of Selbourne Homes.

“We’ve worked hard to come up with a scheme that combines contemporary urban style with a realistic price tag and we’re confident the properties will be snapped up fast.

“Despite the demand for small properties, very few developers are building one and two bedroom homes so we’re meeting a genuine need in the marketplace. We’re looking forward to getting started and to helping people get a foot on the property ladder."

Starting from £75,000, the one-bedroom apartments will comprise a bathroom, bedroom and open plan kitchen and living area.

The two-bedroom terraces will start from £110,000 and comprise a living room, separate fitted kitchen, downstairs cloakroom, two bedrooms and a bathroom.

Detailed planning consent has already been obtained and work is due to start on site in the autumn, with the first completions expected in summer 2006.

For further information about the development, contact Selbourne Homes on 01562 888161.

SELBOURNE’S GOT A LOT OF BOTTLE! - 1st Julyl 2005

Beer drinking home owners with a passion for history are in for a treat at Selbourne Homes’ latest development in Wordsley.

Construction workers have unearthed dozens of ancient beer bottles whilst digging foundations for The Edge, Selbourne’s luxury apartment and duplex development, which is being built on the site of the former Wordsley Brewery on Brierley Hill Road.

Dating back to the 19th century, the bottles are made of either coloured glass or clay and each one is stamped with the name of the brewery it originated from.

"We’ve found over 100 bottles in every size and shape imaginable,” said Rob Whitehouse, site manager for The Edge.

"As you’d expect, many have come from the Midlands, but we’ve also discovered some from as far afield as Barrow-in-Furness. They appear to be in great condition and it’s exciting to be unearthing a genuine piece of history.”

Selbourne’s managing director, Gavin Warr, is intending to give a bottle to every homebuyer as a memento of the site’s heritage.

"Our research has shown that Brierley Hill Road used to be called Brewery Road and there was a major brewery on the site until the 1930s, when it was demolished to make way for a cinema,” said Gavin Warr.

"During the 60s, the cinema gave way to a foundry, but the decline in manufacturing caused it to go bust eventually, with the buildings remaining derelict until we bought them in 2004.

FAMILY HOMES PLANNED FOR WALL HEATH - 20th April 2005

Plans are in the pipeline to transform a brownfield site in Wall Heath into a maximum of six top quality family homes.

Contemporary property developer Selbourne Homes has purchased a 0.45 acre site on Kidderminster Road which is currently home to two 1950s detached properties with building plots on either side.

Both properties have extensive structural problems. As a result, a team of specialist contractors will be tasked with demolishing them and undertaking remedial groundworks to ensure the site is safe and ready to house Selbourne 's proposed three and four bedroom homes.

"As soon as we saw this site we recognised its potential," said Gavin Warr, managing director of Selbourne Homes.

"Situated in a popular location on the principal route through Wall Heath, the plots are close to a range of amenities including shops, restaurants and a library.

"We're looking forward to starting work on the scheme and we're confident it will be a big hit with family buyers looking for a top of the range property at a realistic price."

Selbourne Homes will shortly be submitting a detailed planning application for the site and the aim will be to start work on the scheme later this year.

For more information on this, or other Selbourne schemes, contact Selbourne Homes on 01562 888161.

WORK STARTS AT SELBOURNE HOMES FIRST MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT -24th Febraury 2005

Construction work is now underway in Four Oaks at Shiraz - leading Black Country property developer Selbourne Homes' first mixed use development. In partnership with Wolverhampton-based commercial developer, Peter Maddox & Associates, Selbourne is transforming a former petrol station in Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield, into eight luxury apartments and a Choices Video store. Situated in a prime location on Mere Green Road, the ultra-modern one and two bedroom apartments will have gated access and allocated parking for residents.

The development is also within easy walking distance of amenities such as a supermarket and train station.

Gavin Warr, Selbourne's managing director said: "Shiraz takes us into new territory and gives us the opportunity to prove we're more than just residential developers.

"We see it as our chance to show we can work effectively with other developers to create exciting schemes that impact positively on their surroundings. We're looking forward to working in partnership with Peter Maddox and we hope it will be the first of many joint ventures."

The development is scheduled for completion later this year. For more information on this, or other schemes currently being developed by Selbourne Homes, call 01562 888161.

SELBOURNE'S OFFICES BOOST FOR AMBLECOTE - 22nd February 2005

Amblecote's business scene is set to benefit from a major new office scheme, thanks to contemporary developer Selbourne Homes.

The acclaimed Black Country developer has purchased York House, a 21,000 sq ft retail office and warehouse complex on Amblecote's High Street.

Selbourne plans to transform the site into high quality business premises offering 16,500 sq ft of office accommodation and a further 4,500 sq ft of workshop space on a leasehold basis.

The deal follows hot on the heels of the recent announcement that Selbourne Homes is to build 21 contemporary apartments on a 0.5-acre plot adjacent to this site.

"This is our latest acquisition in Amblecote and it's our second commercial property venture," said Gavin Warr, managing director of Hagley-based Selbourne Homes.

"The site has huge potential, with ample parking and easy access to Stourbridge town centre and Merry Hill. We've designed the space to be flexible and we think York House will appeal mostly to small businesses looking for a single, serviced office or to rent an entire floor."

The site already produces a rental income of £62,000 per annum and Selbourne is confident that its makeover' will increase its value.

"Our plans will see a tired building transformed into state-of-the-art offices," concluded Gavin. "We expect to start work in the summer and anticipate the building will be fully operational by the end of the year"

BLACK COUNTRY ART TAKES SELBOURNE BY STORM- 25th January 2005

Art loving homebuyers are in for a treat at Storm Selbourne Homes latest trendy development at Merry Hill.

Managing director, Gavin Warr, has commissioned seven paintings - one to hang on each stairwell by Black Country artist Sandra Andrews.

A mix of landscapes and abstract images, the series includes two stormy scenes and a painting of Netherton tunnel.

"We wanted to do something different at Storm and Sandras work fitted the bill exactly,"said Gavin Warr.

"Ive always been fascinated by her work and her paintings are extremely powerful. We were confident theyd enhance the overall look and feel of the development and shes created some stunning pieces. Were delighted with the result."

Based in Cradley Heath, Sandra is Black Country born and bred. An art graduate of Wolverhampton University and part-time tutor, she specialises in dramatic images and enjoys working with different textures and media.

"This was a really exciting commission for me as it gave me the opportunity to experiment with new techniques and has given me a new direction,"said Sandra.

"Im proud that my work will be associated with such a cutting-edge development and I hope it will give the residents a great deal of pleasure."