With the 2025 WhatHouse? Awards just around the corner, Rory Wilkinson, digital editor of Show House, spoke to Jenna Bate, managing director of English Estates, to find out more about the company and what drew them to sponsor the Awards.
Tell us a little about English Estates and your role at the company
English Estates was formed to introduce a trustworthy offering that provides housebuilders with a premium managing agent brand they can be proud to associate with and, furthermore, entrust to preserve and protect the long-lasting legacy of their newly created communities. As managing director of English Estates, I have drawn on my background as a chartered accountant to revolutionise the green space ownership and management market. My role is to establish how a managing agent can evolve into a brand that enhances a development’s reputation, directly strengthening both sales performance and plot values. We offer more than just landscaping, providing exclusive, lifestyle-enhancing benefits that create a value-added selling feature and help sustain a developer’s legacy.
What role does English Estates play in the housebuilding industry and how does it support developers?
English Estates plays a vital role in the housebuilding industry, as we have created a brand that has helped the industry recognise a managing agent can add value to both developers and homeowners.
English Estates has established itself as the National Trust of the housebuilding industry through an uncompromising commitment to legacy, environmental stewardship and sustainability in the built environment.
English Estates specialises in the ownership and management of strategic open spaces and sites of special conservational interest, supporting planned developments such as SANG, country parks, garden villages and wider communities.
What was it that attracted you to sponsoring the WhatHouse? Awards?
We were attracted to sponsoring the WhatHouse? Awards because they represent the highest standards in UK housebuilding and celebrate the very best in design, innovation and community creation. That aligns perfectly with English Estates’ mission to enhance the reputation of developments by preserving green spaces and creating a lasting legacy for communities.
We see ourselves as partners to developers, helping them protect and elevate the long-term value of their sites. By sponsoring the WhatHouse? Awards, we’re proud to celebrate excellence across the industry and demonstrate how effective open space ownership and management can enhance outcomes for both developers and homeowners.
How important are the WhatHouse? Awards to the housebuilding industry?
The WhatHouse? Awards provide national recognition and credibility to housebuilders, offering a strong sense of reward for delivering quality developments. Beyond celebrating individual company achievements, the Awards highlight the importance of the housebuilding sector, shining a spotlight on the companies and people who are driving innovation, quality, and sustainability in new homes.
What is your favourite part of attending the WhatHouse? Awards?
My favourite part of attending the WhatHouse? Awards is the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the housebuilding industry. It’s a chance to recognise the hard work and innovation that goes into delivering quality homes. It’s always inspiring to see the efforts and dedication of our development partners, especially on the projects we’re proud to be appointed on. The Awards create a real sense of pride and inspiration, reminding us of the importance of the sector and the positive impact it has on communities. It also creates an opportunity for the industry to collaborate in driving the future growth and improvement of the housebuilding sector.
What does the future hold for English Estates and how does sponsoring the Awards support that?
English Estates believes the role of a managing agent has remained stagnant for far too long. Too often, managing agents have operated as little more than administrators, simply collecting service charges and appointing contractors to mow grass during the summer months. The industry needs to demand more, and managing agents should be held to higher expectations, delivering real value to developers, residents and communities. By sponsoring the Awards, we can highlight to housebuilders our ambition to revolutionise the role of a managing agent, whilst continuing to educate the industry and acquire strategic sites.
