West Suffolk-based Bennett Homes has retained its title as the National Federation of Builders’ House Builder of the Year.

The company, which has its headquarters at Nowton, near Bury St Edmunds, and carries out developments across East Anglia, picked up the honour for the second year running at the federation’s awards, which celebrate high-quality work and the commitment of members to improve the built environment.

Bennett Homes was recognised for its innovative strategies to maintain sales levels and its approach to meeting customer needs in the current economic climate, including rent-free accommodation for customers waiting for their new home to be built and its first age-restricted retirement scheme, about to be launched in Eye.

Edward Parker, managing director, said: “I am extremely proud to be collecting this award on behalf of our entire company for the second year running.

“We were delighted to be named House Builder of the Year last year and to retain this title against stiff competition is a huge achievement.

“Our success is down to a number of factors but in my view it’s mainly the result of our company culture of putting customers first and the hard work of the Bennett Homes team who really do go the extra mile.

“Winning this award is very important – it validates all the work we do and to have national industry recognition is a great accolade.”

Julia Evans, NFB chief executive, added: “Bennett Homes has been awarded House Builder of the Year for the second year running for its response to the challenging economic times.

“This has included adapting its product offering to meet customers’ contemporary lifestyles and addressing current concerns, from raising a deposit to maintaining an energy-efficient home.

“These initiatives are in addition to the company’s core strategy of putting the customer first and going the extra mile in terms of the personal service provided.”