Lichfield based family business, Walton Homes celebrated its 40th Anniversary this November. With an event welcoming valued members of the teams, partners and friends for a celebration at Uttoxeter racecourse.
Here, Sarah and her daughter Amy Summerton, the second and third generations of the award-winning housebuilder reflect on their family’s legacy and share their plans for the future.
ABOUT WALTON HOMES
Walton Homes Director Sarah says: “I remember my father, Ray Wallington’s dedication and drive to build a business focused on making new homes for memories to be made and dreams can come true.
“Buying a house is one of the most significant financial commitments anybody will ever make, and my father was very focused on ensuring he exceeded his customers expectations. Those customers have now become ours, that is my husband Andi and my daughter Amy and I’s, as we continue my father’s legacy together. Welcoming repeat purchasers and new customers into our communities at Acresford Park, Alverton View, Augustus Fields and Woodwinds.
Sarah what are some of your favourite memories from the past 40 years?
- “Our rise from the conception at home, to moving into rented offices, then to our own converted offices, to finally building our own purpose-built offices in Lichfield over 20 years ago. It really is quite something to have seen Walton Homes from the very start to where we are today!
- “Being advised by the third generation of the family that they wished to join the business. Totally their choice but none the less, something that my father would have been immensely proud of.
- “Another is the pride we took in building our one off 5,500 sq ft luxury home ‘Paragon’. Whilst we have; over the years, built other one-off houses, this has been our biggest to date but who knows what the future may hold.
- “Whilst we have never set out to become a volume developer, we did set ourselves the target one year of 200 plots and we achieved it!
- “And finally, to be recognized over the years by winning some pretty major awards, makes us think that we are doing something right!!”
Walton Homes Director, Amy Summerton said: “Being the third generation of the family within Walton Homes is such an honour bringing with it a business that is rich in history, heritage and legacy. I am beyond proud of what my Grandfather set up and the company that it is today. Following strong leadership with both my parents I hope that he would be proud to know that the business is still going as strong today and remains family-owned and operated.
“Forty years in an industry that has seen difficult and turbulent times shows the endurance of the business. It reflects the values, traditions, and innovative spirit that has been passed down through the generations of family and former staff, contractors and suppliers.
“Continuity through the generations plays a vital role in maintaining the brand’s identity, preserving its core values, and ensuring that the foundational principles established by the first generation remain intact. Walton Homes still seeks to build traditionally built quality homes for homeowners to enjoy for years to come.”
THE FUTURE OF WALTON HOMES
Walton Homes Director Amy says: “Over the last 12 months we have taken big strides forward with our carbon footprint campaign. Notoriously, our industry provides a difficult environment when it comes to being eco-friendly, and so Walton Homes has worked hard to find areas within the business where we can make a real difference:
- Constructing a trial property at our Woodwinds development in Tamworth, creating a prototype cleaner and greener home to support the UK’s target of net zero by 2050. Our Plot 44 prototype property is fitted with an air source heat pump and six solar panels on the roof, thoughtfully designed to accommodate the extra space required for the heat pump, without compromising on living space. The trial property will be compared alongside its neighbour, Plot 43, which is built to the same specification aside from the green modifications. We will be keeping in close contact with the homeowners of these plots, asking them to share their energy bills so we can make an accurate comparison of their running costs and measure the effect of the new green modifications in terms of customer experience.
- Appointing sustainability experts to identify the best ways for us to meet or exceed the new government requirements to show improved energy and ecological ratings; these include properties with wider cavities allowing for better insulation and therefore reduced heating costs, as well as solar panels on roofs where possible.
- Investing in a state-of-the-art PS1300 pallet shredder, as a way of lowering our carbon footprint by reducing our waste and enabling the materials that would usually have gone to landfill or surplus, to be recycled and reused.”
What is your vision for the future of Walton Homes?
Amy continues: “The future of Walton Homes is bright, and we are excited to continue expanding our vision of building quality homes in our local area. With deep roots in our local community, we are excited to embrace the future of homebuilding by focusing on innovation, sustainability, and the unique needs of the families we serve.
“The way we live is constantly evolving, and at Walton Homes, we are keeping pace with these changes. We aim to create homes that grow with families and adapt to their ever-changing needs.
“We are also committed to exploring the construction of new homes that minimize environmental impact while maximizing energy efficiency. Our future projects and trials will continue the work that we have put in over the last 12 months, to continue to push the boundaries within the industry when it comes to the advances to achieve Net Zero.”
