Tag: Barratt and David Wilson Homes

Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland mark New Homes Week with enhanced Part Exchange incentive

Research reveals new build homeowners save as much as £420 per year, while household carbon emissions are cut by up to 74%.

To mark New Homes Week 2026, Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland, part of the UK’s leading housebuilder Barratt Redrow, have increased their Part Exchange incentive from £500 to £1,000 for people who are still living in their existing property when it is sold*.

With Part Exchange, when prospective homeowners purchase a new home with Barratt Homes or David Wilson Homes, the housebuilder becomes the guaranteed buyer for their existing property, taking the stress out of selling and helping them to move quicker and more easily.

Now in its 21st year, the annual New Homes Week campaign launched by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) aims to highlight the benefits of new build homes and provide a platform for the home building industry, homeowners and potential buyers to recognise the value of modern developments.

Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland’s enhanced Part Exchange incentive comes as new research from the Home Builders Federation demonstrates new build homes are far more cost and energy efficient than second hand homes, with homeowners typically saving over £420 a year**.

Based on data from Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest energy supplier, the Watt a Save report shows that energy bills for new build homes are 21% less than typical older properties.

Thanks to increasingly sustainable building practices and technology, the majority of new homes achieve an A or B Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). As a result, new build homeowners spend around £1,574 a year on energy, compared with £1,995 on older homes that typically have a D rating. Meanwhile people living in F and G rated homes – such as some Victorian properties – typically spent 39% more on their overall energy bills last year, compared to the average new build homeowner.

The Watt a Save report has been released today (Friday 6 February) to support national New Homes Week’s ‘Power to Save’ day, providing key evidence for people looking at the long-term running costs of their next home, before they buy.

In addition to cutting running costs, the findings show new build homes are helping to cut household carbon emissions by up to 74% every year, compared to older properties, meaning today’s new build buyers can significantly lower their carbon footprint without changing their habits.

Andrew Morrison, Managing Director at Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes East Scotland, said: “At Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland, we’re committed to helping people move up or onto the property ladder.

“This New Homes Week, we’re highlighting our enhanced Part Exchange scheme, which removes the need for an onward chain and guarantees the sale of an existing home, taking the stress out of moving and helping buyers secure their ideal home.

“Our new homes across East Scotland are designed with energy efficiency and long-term performance at the forefront. Features such as solar panels, air source heat pumps, and modern insulation reduce running costs and environmental impact. Independent data shows how new-build homes outperform older properties, underlining the clear benefits of choosing a modern, future-proof home.”

Neil Jefferson, Chief Executive at the Home Builders Federation, said: “Buying a home marks a major milestone in our lives, yet for many, achieving that dream has become increasingly challenging.

“This New Homes Week we’re spotlighting the much-needed support home builders provide to make buying a new home more accessible – removing barriers and reducing uncertainty to make the goal of homeownership more achievable.

“By ensuring people understand their options and the benefits of buying a new build, we hope to empower more would-be buyers to take those steps to moving and beginning the next chapter of their lives.”

Barratt and David Wilson Homes are creating a range of new communities across East Scotland, including David Wilson Homes @ St Andrews in Fife, just a stone’s throw from world-renowned golf courses and beaches.

For more information about Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes, visit:

www.barratthomes.co.uk/ and https://www.dwh.co.uk/

*Terms and Conditions apply

**Watt a Save, 2026, Home Builders Federation (HBF) and Octopus Energy.

Edinburgh primary pupils build creativity with festive hard hat designs

Maybury Primary School pupils in Edinburgh have swapped their textbooks for tinsel in a unique festive challenge launched by leading housebuilders Barratt and David Wilson Homes.

The creative design initiative invited children to showcase their imagination by transforming construction hard hats into Christmas themed creations, with nearly 200 primary school pupils across Scotland getting involved.

Pupils from P4 in the Edinburgh school took part in the competition, which aimed to lay the foundations for creativity while introducing young people to the world of construction. Using materials ranging from tinsel and baubles to paint and craft suppliers, each child designed their own festive hard hat as part of the initiative, blending seasonal cheer with a nod to the building trade.

To bring the industry to life, Adriano Molfino from Barratt’s West Craigs development and Michael Palmer from David Wilson Homes @ West Craigs Quarter visited Maybury Primary School to judge the entries and share insights into careers in construction.

The winning design earned its creator, Ruby Ray, age 8, a £50 Smyths voucher, while all participants were rewarded with a chocolate selection box as a festive treat.

Lorraine Paterson, Sales and Marketing Director for Barratt and David Wilson Homes East Scotland, said: “This year’s hard hat challenge has been a fantastic way to combine creativity with an introduction to the construction sector.

“We want young people to see the exciting opportunities this industry offers, from design and engineering to building communities. The standard of entries at Maybury Primary School in Edinburgh has been exceptional, and it’s inspiring to see the pupils engage with the concept in such imaginative ways.

“Barratt and David Wilson Homes are committed to creating vibrant new communities across Scotland, and initiatives like this help bring communities together to inspire the next generation of engineers, designers and builders who will shape the future of construction.”

Barratt at West Craigs is an exciting new community of high-quality family homes in north-west Edinburgh, offering a range of thoughtfully designed 3- and 4-bedroom properties. Designed with modern living in mind, the development benefits from a wide range of on-site and nearby amenities, including a newly opened school, health centre and nursery. Ideally located close to the City Bypass, West Craigs offers excellent connectivity to key road networks across the central belt, while frequent bus, tram and rail services provide convenient links to Edinburgh city centre and beyond. Homes are available from £366,995 to £599,995. £614,995.

West Craigs Quarter is a development of luxury houses designed with flexible living in mind, with a range of 3- and 4- bedroom homes currently for sale. Homes are available from £421,995 o £687,995.

For further information about Barratt Homes West Craigs development, visit Barratt @ West Craigs, and for more information on David Wilson Homes at West Craigs Quarter, visit David Wilson Homes @ West Craigs Quarter.

Local children with disabilities excluded from play due to inaccessible playgrounds

  • Across the UK, half of parents of children with physical disabilities surveyed say their child is excluded from play due to inaccessible playgrounds
  • As well as reducing friendships and confidence, parents are turning to screentime to fill the gap
  • To support parents and children, Scottish housebuilder Barratt and David Wilson Homes is committing to ensure every play area they create is inclusive and accessible

New research reveals children with disabilities are excluded from playgrounds in Scotland. Across the UK, half (50%) of parents of children with physical disabilities surveyed say their child is excluded from play due to playgrounds being inaccessible to them.

In Scotland, parents of children who visit playgrounds are travelling an average of 3.77 miles from their homes to reach a suitable play area. As a result, 32% say they are relying more on screens because there are not enough suitable outdoor play areas nearby.

The research of over 2,000 parents from across the UK, showed that exclusion from play is an issue for disabled and non-disabled children alike. Almost two thirds (65%) of UK parents surveyed say their children are playing out less than they did at the same age, with similar findings reported in Scotland (64%). 

Almost a quarter of parents in Scotland have struggled to find a playground that accommodates their child’s needs (23%), while others reported that their local playground is currently closed or out of order (36%).

Parents say the lack of play is negatively affecting their child’s ability to make friendships, build confidence and develop a sense of adventure, and shockingly over a third (37%) of children in Scotland now prefer to spend time playing indoors or on screens, creating barriers for children accessing outdoor play.

To get the nation playing out again, Barratt Redrow, of which Barratt and David Wilson Homes Scotland is a part, is making a landmark commitment to prioritise inclusive play spaces across its developments.

This new commitment will see the housebuilder incorporate inclusive and accessible play areas across their new developments in Scotland, working with children and young people to design play spaces that meet the needs of the local community where possible. As the UK’s largest housebuilder this could deliver up to 100 new accessible and inclusive play spaces for parents and children to enjoy each year.

David Thomas, CEO of Barratt Redrow, said: “This isn’t just about playgrounds, it’s about building places where families can truly thrive, and that starts by ensuring every child can safely and confidently enjoy the freedom, fun and benefits that outdoor play delivers.

“We want local authorities and other homebuilders to work together to make inclusive and accessible play the standard, not the exception. When we build with all children in mind, we can create places that work better for everyone.”

Alison Condie, Regional Managing Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes Scotland, said: “Play isn’t a luxury, it’s something that inspires connection, confidence and childhood itself.

“This commitment will make a huge difference to parents and children in Scotland. We want parents and homebuyers to know that when they buy one of our homes, they can be confident that we’re prioritising the right things from day one.”

The New Commitments to Play

As the UK’s biggest housebuilder, Barratt Redrow is ensuring play for everybody is the standard, not the exception. In practice, its new Inclusive Play Guidance will mean communities in Scotland can expect:

1.     Every play space being designed by Barratt Redrow will include inclusive equipment, accessible surfaces and be located in safe and easy to access locations for the whole community to enjoy.

2.     Designs will allow for active, challenging, imaginative, sensory and quiet play for children and young people, while encouraging social interaction between neighbours and friends.

3.     Play spaces will be integrated into high quality landscapes at the heart of our developments, bringing people closer to nature.    

4.     Wherever possible, Barratt Redrow will work with children and young people to ensure they are continually responding to the needs of the local community.

*Our teams work on planning applications for a period of six months before submission, therefore the new commitment will apply to all new planning applications from January 2026 onwards.

As well as children’s charity Whizz Kidz, the Barratt Redrow Commitments and New Design Guidelines were created with support from industry bodies, including Play Wales, Play England, play expert Tim Gill and children’s psychologist Prof. Helen Dodd. 

For more information, visit www.barrattredrow.co.uk/playmaking