Shropshire site manager hailed for work at housing development

Chris Bennett, 33, who works for Bellway, has received his first Pride in the Job Quality Award from the National House Building Council (NHBC) in recognition of the high standards of construction he has overseen at Jubilee Green, off Watery Lane, in Keresley, Coventry.

Chris, who is from Albrighton, was one of just 444 site managers chosen from a pool of more than 8,000 across the UK whose sites have been inspected by the NHBC over the past year, placing him among an elite group within the industry.

He said: “It was such a surprise when I found out I had received this award especially because of the competition and the stringent judging process.

"To have picked up an award for the way I lead my team and manage the site is a massive career highlight.”

Chris has worked for Bellway for the past four years, joining as an assistant site manager before rising through the ranks to become a site manager.

He said: “I feel my role as assistant site manager has prepared me well for the added responsibility of looking after the teams on the site and ensuring the houses are being built safely, on time, on budget and to the highest quality.”

After leaving school, Chris began working for the Royal Engineers as a tradesperson carrying out construction-based tasks at different regiments and war zones. After leaving the army, Chris enrolled on a construction-based apprenticeship course and gained a bricklaying qualification in 2017.

He said: “Even though my day-to-day job serving the Royal Engineers was very different to the responsibility of overseeing the construction of houses, there are transferrable skills which I could bring to the role when I joined Bellway.

“Working for the army gave me discipline and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations. So, whenever there are barriers and unpredictable circumstances, I always try and use logic and a step-by-step process to find a solution.

“It’s been just over 10 years since I completed my construction-based apprenticeship. It’s an achievement to work my way up in that time and work for one of the biggest housebuilders in the UK. Winning a Pride in the Job Quality Award as a site manager is a bonus.”

All 40 homes have now been built at Jubilee Green and Chris has overseen the transformation of a previously undeveloped and overgrown piece of land on the edge of Coventry into a high-quality and attractive residential neighbourhood.

He added: “The best part of the job for me is handing over the finished product to customers and celebrating achievements with my colleagues.

“I have a good team around me who have a strong work ethic and team spirit. We have regular meetings to set out objectives and targets to meet so there is transparency and accountability.

“Winning a leading industry award only motivates me further to continue consolidating my skills and motivating my team.”