Category Descriptions

1. Best Development for First-time Buyers

Judges will be considering one- and two-bedroom homes and apartments that offer quality designs that are set within the budget constraints that face today's first-time buyers.

2. Best Development for Family Living

The judges will be looking for the developments that best cater for the needs of the modern family and should include thoughtful and flexible use of living space within the confines of affordable three and four-bedroom homes. Overall quality and a family friendly location will also be important factors in the final decision.

3. Best Retirement 55 Plus Development

In this category, the judges will be considering the practicality, ease of maintenance and quality of design features available, combined with the overall package that is on offer to mature buyers.

4. Best Assisted Living Development

In addition to the quality of environment offered, under particular consideration here are the support services made available so that residents can retain their independence.

5. Best Development for Landscape Design

The outside space of a home is as important as the architecture and internal layout of a property. This category judges the attention to detail and design of family homes' gardens through to apartments within landscaped grounds.

6. Best Conversion Project

This is the category for developers to show off their ability to turn disused and aged properties into spectacular homes and apartments. Judges will be considering inventive design inside and out, as well as incorporation and modification of original features.

7. Best Luxury Development

With luxury as their watchword judges will be looking at top of the range executive homes situated in luxurious locations. No expense has been spared on the developments in this category and judges will expect these homes to be worth every penny of their premium price tag in terms of design and specification.

8. Best Development for Exterior Design

Entries for this category could focus on the exterior design of the houses on the development. In essence the judges are looking for the “wow” factor for external style and appeal to the eye.

9. Best City Development

The judges will be looking for developments within a city living environment that provide the best mix of style, interior design, overall quality and relative value for the market at which the development is aimed. Apartments as well as relevant terraced and townhouse developments will be considered.

10. Best New Build Village

The big site category, phased across several years, entries are welcome from individual developers or partnership projects with other developers and/or local authorities. The winner will need to demonstrate how it appeals to different ages and types of buyers, whilst providing a good infrastructure and support services which meet the needs of a growing community.

11. Best Development for Design & Innovation

Is your development a vision for the future? This award honours the properties that are moving the new-build industry forward with cutting-edge design and/or state-of-the-art technology.

12. Best Urban Regeneration Development

Judges will be awarding the developer tackling inner-city regeneration head-on, with outstanding success. Under consideration will be new build on brown-field sites and renovation of existing housing.

13. Best Waterside Development

Developments within a Marina, by the sea, river or canal side will be considered for this category. Judges will be looking for developments that best relate to the waterside environment in which they are built with consideration of both their external and internal design.

14. Best Internet Site

House buyers today require fast access to information about new homes. This category assesses the ease of navigation, available content, functionality and aesthetic appeal of developer's websites as well as monitoring response to information/brochure requests.

15. Best Development for Form and Function

This category awards the internal specification of a new property. From hi-tech, hi-spec loft living apartments through to traditional homes with classical interiors that will offer timeless living for years to come. A detailed look at the appliances offered as standard.

16. Housebuilder of the Year 2006

This award category celebrates the developer that in the judge's eyes made the greatest overall contribution to the UK's homebuilding industry in 2006.