Publication Date: 22-07-2025 09:00
Former construction recruitment consultant wins coveted building award as a site manager
A former construction recruitment consultant who switched to a role in site management has won a prestigious building award for her work on the first site she has managed from the start.
Justine Hope has been given a Pride in the Job Quality Award from the National House Building Council (NHBC) in recognition of the high quality of construction at Bellway’s Perceval Grange development in Midhurst.
Justine was among only 450 winners selected from a pool of more than 8,000 site managers whose developments have been inspected by the NHBC over the past year, placing her among an elite group within the industry.
Justine, who joined Bellway in 2019, three years after emigrating to the UK from Australia, said: “I am ecstatic about winning this award. When I read the email from the NHBC telling me I had won I gasped and my assistant site manager Amy Somerville, who knew I had been waiting on notification that morning, instantly knew. She looked at me, stood up and said: ’We’ve won.’
“We immediately went about telling everyone on the site the good news. This really is a success for the entire team. My name is on the award, but we all played our part in achieving this and I am lucky to be leading such a great bunch of people, which includes the sales team, the trades people, the project team and the technical and commercial department.”
Justine said she is especially proud that she has claimed a Quality Award at Perceval Grange, because this is the first time that she has been in charge from the beginning of a site.
“Perceval Grange is my baby,” she said. “I was here at the beginning and aim to be here at the end. Blood, sweat and tears, and yes, lots of love, have gone into the work on this site.
“My style of leadership is to work hard, to listen, to solve problems, to ensure that everyone knows exactly what they are doing and to help them reach their potential on the job. That way we are always striving for excellence, to do the best we can every day.
“This award is recognition that we are doing a good job here at Perceval Grange and comes after our Ashfield showhome won Showhome of the Year at the Showhome Awards. This is affirmation for us as professionals in our field but also inspires confidence in our customers who know they are buying a property of real style and quality.
“I am passionate about this project, and I make sure that no-one ever forgets what we are doing and that is building people’s dream home. I was there when the sales team handed the keys over to the first residents to move in at Perceval Grange and it was wonderful to see the joy on their faces when they walked through the front door of their new home. It’s the best part of the job – it’s what it’s all about.”
The Pride in the Job awards involve a rigorous process including spot checks on the day-to-day running of a site. Each site manager is assessed across six key areas which are consistency, attention to detail, leadership, interpretation of drawings and specifications, technical expertise and health and safety.
Leon Taylor, Head of Construction at Bellway South London, said: “As you can see from the number of sites that are judged nationally, winning this award is no mean feat. The NHBC Quality Award is recognition of a job very well done and is universally respected throughout the construction industry as a mark of distinction.
“Justine and her site team should be incredibly proud of this achievement. It is a real testament to their hard work, commitment and attention to detail not to mention the extremely high standards that we set for ourselves throughout the business.”
To find out more about the homes at Perceval Grange, see https://www.bellway.co.uk/new-homes/south-london/perceval-grange.
