George Wimpey City
Encyclopedia
George Wimpey City Limited is the specialist urban major projects development arm formed by George Wimpey plc in 2001. The formation of a business dedicated to urban projects was prompted by the acquisition of Alfred McAlpine Homes. Alfred McAlpine Homes had a number of part completed urban projects and had contracted on several sites specifically for further such projects.
While some of the George Wimpey regions would have been capable of managing these projects themselves, the Group Board decided that expertise in acting as a specialist developer for urban projects should be concentrated in a dedicated team whose normal mode of operation would be as a property developer rather than a housebuilder. The key difference being the outsourcing of most functions, eg design, construction and sales, rather than these being carried out by directly employed staff according to normal UK housebuilding practice.
The use of a property developer model was considered more flexible than the normal housebuilding model as it would involve a small staff team who would then be able to commission external resources on a scheme specific basis, minimising overheads and freeing staff of regional constraints.
George Wimpey City originally comprised two separate business units;
The Yarm office scored the highest levels of employee satisfaction in the George Wimpey plc employee survey of 2004. However, despite this, the office was closed in the Summer of 2005 and the activities of the Yarm office merged with those of the London office. This merger followed a review of the parent group's strategy for urban projects which had concluded that large projects in city centres, heavily exposed to the emerging buy to let market, were too high risk and capital intensive for the Group, and that these activities should be gradually reduced, with the exception of some remaining activity within Greater London.
Key sites acquired, implemented or completed by the Yarm office included:
Quebec Quay, Liverpool (originally an Alfred McAlpine project)
Staiths South Bank
, Gateshead (originally a Wimpey Homes North East project)
Ropeworks, Manchester (originally an Alfred McAlpine project)
New Crane Street, Chester (originally an Alfred McAlpine project)
Great Northern Tower
, Manchester (site acquired from Nicholson Estates)
Waterquarter, Cardiff (originally an Alfred McAlpine project)
Skyliner
, Edinburgh (site acquired from Cala Group)
Quayside Tower
, Newcastle upon Tyne (originally a Wimpey Homes North East project)
Immediately following the merger of the two offices in 2005, a proposal for 800 dwellings on land in central Leeds, known as the 'Green Bank' development, was pursued by the remaining London based staff. This was mothballed in early 2008, after 2 years of pre sales marketing aimed predominantly at SE based investors, requiring deposits to be returned to purchasers.
While some of the George Wimpey regions would have been capable of managing these projects themselves, the Group Board decided that expertise in acting as a specialist developer for urban projects should be concentrated in a dedicated team whose normal mode of operation would be as a property developer rather than a housebuilder. The key difference being the outsourcing of most functions, eg design, construction and sales, rather than these being carried out by directly employed staff according to normal UK housebuilding practice.
The use of a property developer model was considered more flexible than the normal housebuilding model as it would involve a small staff team who would then be able to commission external resources on a scheme specific basis, minimising overheads and freeing staff of regional constraints.
George Wimpey City originally comprised two separate business units;
- A Canary WharfCanary WharfCanary Wharf is a major business district located in London, United Kingdom. It is one of London's two main financial centres, alongside the traditional City of London, and contains many of the UK's tallest buildings, including the second-tallest , One Canada Square...
office, responsible for developments within the M25M25 motorwayThe M25 motorway, or London Orbital, is a orbital motorway that almost encircles Greater London, England, in the United Kingdom. The motorway was first mooted early in the 20th century. A few sections, based on the now abandoned London Ringways plan, were constructed in the early 1970s and it ...
. - A YarmYarmYarm is a small town and civil parish in the borough of Stockton-on-Tees in North East England. It is on the south bank of the River Tees and for ceremonial purposes is in North Yorkshire...
, (Teeside) office, responsible for developments in the remainder of Great Britain.
The Yarm office scored the highest levels of employee satisfaction in the George Wimpey plc employee survey of 2004. However, despite this, the office was closed in the Summer of 2005 and the activities of the Yarm office merged with those of the London office. This merger followed a review of the parent group's strategy for urban projects which had concluded that large projects in city centres, heavily exposed to the emerging buy to let market, were too high risk and capital intensive for the Group, and that these activities should be gradually reduced, with the exception of some remaining activity within Greater London.
Key sites acquired, implemented or completed by the Yarm office included:
Quebec Quay, Liverpool (originally an Alfred McAlpine project)
Staiths South Bank
Staiths South Bank
Staiths South Bank is a part completed housing development in Gateshead, England, designed in collaboration with fashion designers Wayne & Gerardine Hemingway, .-Location:...
, Gateshead (originally a Wimpey Homes North East project)
Ropeworks, Manchester (originally an Alfred McAlpine project)
New Crane Street, Chester (originally an Alfred McAlpine project)
Great Northern Tower
Great Northern Tower
The Great Northern Tower designed by Assael Architecture is a sloped highrise apartment building located in the Manchester, England. The building was proposed in 2001 and construction began in 2004 with completion in 2007...
, Manchester (site acquired from Nicholson Estates)
Waterquarter, Cardiff (originally an Alfred McAlpine project)
Skyliner
Skyliner
is a limited-express airport train service between Tokyo and Narita Airport. It is operated by Keisei Electric Railway and runs on the Narita Sky Access route.-Service:...
, Edinburgh (site acquired from Cala Group)
Quayside Tower
Quayside Tower
Quayside Tower is a modern commercial building in Birmingham, England. It is situated on Broad Street, one of Birmingham's busiest streets. It forms a prominent part of the Broad Street skyline which consists of many other highrise buildings....
, Newcastle upon Tyne (originally a Wimpey Homes North East project)
Immediately following the merger of the two offices in 2005, a proposal for 800 dwellings on land in central Leeds, known as the 'Green Bank' development, was pursued by the remaining London based staff. This was mothballed in early 2008, after 2 years of pre sales marketing aimed predominantly at SE based investors, requiring deposits to be returned to purchasers.