A site manager, who is building new homes in Thurrock, has won a prestigious national award for his work at a local housing development.

Site manager at Bellway's Renovo development at West Thurrock, Stuart Taylor, has been named as the winner of a National House-Building Council (NHBC) Pride in the Job Quality Award for his 'excellence in site management'.

Stuart (45) who began working as an assistant site manager at Bellway 20 years ago, has now secured his newest of several NHBC awards.

The awards scheme, which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year, recognises site managers who demonstrate excellence and commitment to producing homes of outstanding quality.

Stuart said: "It's always great to be recognised for the hard work you have done when you win an award like this, but it's not just me on this site it's a whole team. I'm proud to have people around me who are willing to take on board new tasks and perform them at the highest standard.

"I think the key to being a good site manager is getting to know your staff and staying organised. You need to know where you're heading and what you want and set benchmarks. I've been at Bellway for 20 years but I'm still always looking to improve, and you've got to be willing to learn.

"Working on site since lockdown was eased has showed the strength of the team as you're not just thinking about the safety of yourself but also the safety of others. As a site manager it has also made me need to plan things more than I used to, to make sure we're working to the guidelines set out.

"We've also received loads of support from Bellway to help get us back on track so we're confident we're providing the best quality homes with a smaller team."

Over the course of nearly a year, site managers across the UK have been observed and judged by NHBC officials.

The judging process for the Pride in the Job awards takes in a multitude of criteria, including consistency, leadership skills, attention to detail, interpretation, technical skills and health and safety.

Stuart, along with other Quality Award winners, will now be put forward for a Seal of Excellence award, with winners being announced at NHBC's Regional Awards events in Autumn 2020.

Grant Bauckham, Construction Director for Bellway Essex, said: "Winning an NHBC Pride in the Job award is a huge accomplishment in this industry, and we are very proud of Stuart and his team, as we feel they are truly deserving of this honour.

"His dedication to the job is part of the reason that we've consistently retained our five-star status with the Home Builders Federation, based on the fact that more than nine out of ten of our customers say they would recommend Bellway to a friend.

"On behalf of myself and the rest of the team here, we would like to congratulate Stuart and wish him the best of luck in the next stage of judging."

For more information on the homes being built by Bellway, click here.