RESI Awards 2020: The Land Trust shortlisted in two categories

The Land Trust’s work in managing public open space for the benefits of homeowners, communities and the environment has been recognised with two nominations at the 2020 RESI Awards.

The RESI Awards, organised by Property Week, celebrate the residential property sector and its successes of the past year. The Land Trust is nominated for Eco Initiative of the Year for the management of the charity’s service charge portfolio for the benefits of its customers while enabling the environment, wildlife and biodiversity to thrive.

Beaulieu Estate Management (BEM), the Trust’s subsidiary company with responsibility for managing the public open spaces at Beaulieu, has been nominated in the Newcomer of the Year category for its work at Beaulieu, a flagship Countryside Properties development, in Chelmsford.

The Land Trust has responsibility for nine service charge sites across the country, managing public open space on behalf of over 3,000 homeowners and the outcomes the Trust is delivering on its sites is now creating an impressive £4 million of economic and social impact.

Land Trust Chief Executive, Euan Hall, said:

“We are really pleased to be nominated for two awards at the 2020 RESI Awards, which is recognition of the work we are doing across our portfolio of sites to benefit the people and communities who live or work around our sites.

“At the Land Trust we recognise that the UK needs more homes to meet the ever growing demand but it is very important to us that this is not to the detriment of the environment, wildlife and biodiversity of an area.

“With an expanding population the need for new housing has never been more acute. However what often gets forgotten or neglected is how we turn these new properties into a community and turn houses into homes.  Our philosophy is that the success of a place should be judged on how the green space within a development looks in five, 10 or 20 years’ time and the impact it is had had on the people who call it home.

“Quite simply our work – and our green spaces – change lives. Whether it’s through improving people’s physical and mental wellbeing, providing people with educational opportunities and training, or reducing social isolation by bring the communities we work with together, all of our work is making a positive impact and we are delighted that it has been recognised with a nomination for Eco Initiative of the Year.”

BEM has been responsible for managing the public open spaces at Beaulieu since 2017. The subsidiary has a dedicated Community Engagement Officer based on site three days a week who is responsible for liaising with the residents, organising seasonal events such as Easter, Summer and Christmas fayres and working with Countryside to ensure the smooth transition of further land to BEM’s management.

Hall continued:

“At Beaulieu Estate Management our dedicated team deliver significant added value for our customers that goes beyond cutting the grass and picking up litter and we are justifiably proud of the work that we have accomplished there over the last three years.

“The success of this site is founded on an excellent working relationship between the Land Trust and Countryside Properties. Our excellent work there helps them sell more homes, protects the investment that current homeowners have already made, and helps local businesses and industry to thrive.”