Member Article

Ben Bailey Homes joins Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce

One of the best known names in the South Yorkshire property business is making a strong return as it becomes a member of Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce.

Launched in 1937 by Ben Bailey himself, Mexborough-based Ben Bailey Homes was Yorkshire’s largest independent house builder, developing more than 700 homes a year by the time it was acquired by Gladedale in 2007.

Following the takeover and a subsequent rebrand, the Ben Bailey name disappeared completely from the construction industry.

But it made an acclaimed return after it was acquired and revived by award-winning Yorkshire company Conroy Brook, with major new projects now going live in the Rotherham area.

Work is currently under way on Rockingham Fold, a development that, following recent approval by Rotherham Council, will bring a new era of family housing to the historic South Yorkshire village of Upper Haugh with the building of 23 homes on land acquired from the Wentworth Estate.

And taking the Ben Bailey story back to where it all started, Rotherham Council has also approved plans for the £8 million plus redevelopment of Swinton town centre include the building of 49 new Ben Bailey homes on a brownfield site which was formerly the town’s swimming pool.

As part of the project, Ben Bailey will also carry out a major refurbishment of Swinton Civic Centre and demolish and replace the community’s current library facility.

“This project takes Ben Bailey Homes back to its roots as the company was launched in the 1930s in neighbouring Mexborough,” said Conroy Brook Sales and Marketing Director Jon Bailey, who is the grandson of company founder Ben Bailey.

“We are really pleased to see the development now start to move ahead as it will not only bring much needed new homes to the town but will also see improvements to the important town centre.

“This is the sort of project that the Ben Bailey brand was revived for, bringing quality development to the heart of the region.

“And as we begin to make real progress in re-establishing our South Yorkshire presence, it make perfect sense for us to join Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber, giving us the connections that will help us reach out strongly across the region.”

At the same time, parent company Conroy Brook has recently completed work on Fountain Fold, a development of nine detached homes in the village of Ingbirchworth, near Barnsley.

The project has also seen the refurbishment and relaunch of Ingirchworth’s once popular Fountain Inn, restoring the pub and restaurant to its place at the heart of the village.

Barnsley & Rotherham Chamber of Commerce President Matt Stephens commented: “We are delighted to welcome one of the region’s oldest businesses on board at a time when they are starting to make a major impact on the landscape of South Yorkshire.

“The Swinton project will not only create a new generation of housing for the town but also breathe new life into the community as a whole, providing excellent and much-needed new facilities.

“We look forward too to seeing the ways in which we can work together with the Ben Bailey team and our local colleges to enhance apprenticeship opportunities and develop a new generation of skilled construction industry experts.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by John Highfield .