Barratt Redrow

Barratt Redrow plc is one of the largest residential property development companies in the United Kingdom operating across England, Wales and Scotland.

[4] Sales more than halved during the mid-1980s, a trend that was partly attributed to public criticism of Barratt's practices in two successive ITV World in Action programmes.

In response, Barratt was heavily restructured, abandoned timber-framed construction in favour of a new product range, and de-emphasised its starter homes activities.

During 2007, Barratt made its first acquisition in almost 30 years, purchasing Wilson Bowden for £2.7 billion, which enabled Barrett to become the biggest homebuilder in Britain once again.

In 1953, Lawrie Barratt, an accountant who was frustrated at the high purchase prices of houses for first-time buyers, bought five acres of land at Darras Hall, near Newcastle upon Tyne and built his own home on the site.

[8] Throughout the 1970s, Barratt completed a series of acquisitions, transforming the company from a local housebuilder to a national firm building around 10,000 houses per year, and rivalling George Wimpey in size.

Lawrie Barratt led a total restructuring of the company, abandoning timber-framed construction, launching a new product range, and concentrating on the more profitable trade-up market.

[29][30] In August 2008, amid the economic effects of the Great Recession and reports that Barrett was in jeopardy of breaking its banking covenants, the firm successfully restructured its arrangements.

[40][41] In late 2017, Barratt withdrew from a development deal with Enfield Council valued at £6 billion after the local authority had dismissed its terms.

[44] Examples of sustainable developments include the Green House[45] at the BRE Innovation Park, Hanham Hall near Bristol,[46] Derwenthorpe, near York[47] and Kingsbrook, near Aylesbury.

Barratt and Redrow could make submissions to address the CMA's concerns about that area, to avoid the deal being subject to an in-depth phase two review.

[58] On 22 August 2024, Barratt officially took ownership of Redrow shares, but both firms would continue to operate independently until granting of final CMA approval.

Derbyshire County Council removed wrecked vehicles from the roundabout at Mickleover which drivers said was poorly lit and badly signed.

"[71] In 2020, during remedial work to replace flammable cladding at the Citiscape high-rise in Croydon, defects were found in the reinforced concrete frame of the building.

[75] On 27 July 2021, an article by The Times Environment Correspondent, Ben Webster, highlighted issues over the approach to biodiversity reporting taken by Barratt subsidiary, David Wilson Homes.

[76] In September 2023, Barratt submitted plans to demolish 83 new homes on its Darwin Green estate in Cambridge which had been built with faulty foundations.

[77] In October 2023, The Comet newspaper carried a report of David Wilson Homes representative Martin Wright being "told off for making threats" at a planning meeting related to the Highover Farm development in Hitchin.

1970s Barratt housing in Wetherby , West Yorkshire .
A Barratt development near Reading
A David Wilson Homes branded house of Barratt Developments near Longford, Gloucestershire
Logo of Barratt Developments, prior to 2024 merger with Redrow.
The Citiscape building in Croydon clad in scaffolding due to the removal of flammable cladding and defects found in the reinforced concrete frame