Potter Raper-advised Hart Road scheme highly commended at Essex Housing Awards

Multi-discipline consultancy Potter Raper has reported that Hart Road, a 44-home Legal & General Affordable Homes development in Thundersley on which it advised, was Highly Commended in the Medium Housing Schemes (25-100 homes) category at the Essex Housing Awards 2026.

Potter Raper said the scheme was also a finalist in three further categories: Climate Action and Net Zero Housing, Excellence in Design & Placemaking, and Inclusive Growth and Social Value.

The results were announced at a ceremony at Hylands House, Chelmsford, on 5 November 2026, which members of the Potter Raper team attended, the firm said.

The consultancy role

Potter Raper acted as quantity surveyor, employer's agent and clerk of works on the project. The firm said it managed costs and administered the contract on behalf of the client, while monitoring the quality of the work on site through to completion.

Rose Builders Ltd delivered the scheme as main contractor under a JCT Design and Build Contract, according to Potter Raper.

The consultancy said Hart Road was built using a closed-panel timber-frame system, with air source heat pumps and solar panels enabling the scheme to achieve net zero carbon status. Legal & General, in an April 2024 release, had said 90% of the homes would achieve net zero regulated carbon, with air source heat pumps, solar panels and EV charging.

The awards

The organiser's results page for the Essex Housing Awards 2026 lists Hart Road, credited to Potter Raper and Rose Builders, as Highly Commended in the Medium Housing Schemes (25-100 homes) category. The category winner was Myleswood, Kelvedon Hatch, by Stonebond.

In the Climate Action and Net Zero Housing category the winner was Carpenters Yard by Delta Housing with Octopus Energy and NewArch Homes, while Manningtree Park by City & Country took the Excellence in Design & Placemaking award.

The organiser said the 2026 awards, held in association with Birketts and Delta Housing, were in their sixth year, with winners revealed on Thursday 5 November at Hylands House.

Potter Raper had announced on 30 July 2026 that Hart Road was shortlisted in four categories at the awards.

Background

Legal & General Affordable Homes announced on 12 April 2024 that it was partnering with Essex construction firm ROSE Builders to deliver 44 affordable homes on Hart Road, Thundersley, describing the scheme as its first net zero homes.

The homes comprise 19 two-bedroom and 25 three-bedroom houses with private gardens, Legal & General said. The tenure mix set out in the 2024 release was as follows:

Tenure	Homes
Shared Ownership	35
Affordable rent	9

Ben Denton, Chief Executive of Legal & General Affordable Homes, said in April 2024: "The gap between supply and demand of affordable housing has never been greater".

Sam Brown, Development Director at Rose Builders, said at the same time: "This project aligns with our core values of community service and sustainable quality development."

At that point Legal & General said construction was due to start shortly, with the first home anticipated to complete by April 2025.

The site had earlier been the subject of a planning appeal by Legal & General Affordable Homes against Castle Point Borough Council, reference APP/M1520/W/22/3310483, for land to the rear of 248 Hart Road, Thundersley. According to the council, the appeal was to be determined following an informal hearing held on 29 March 2023.