Builders recognised for successful battle to rein-in debts

Ms Minchin said the board “helped one of Yorkshire’s best known companies emerge from the downturn stronger than many of its peers”.

She said: “It’s not been pain-free experience though. In the depths of the recession, the board had to take difficult decisions and cut thousands of jobs and close sites.But it remains the only UK housebuilder not to go cap-in-hand to investors with a share issue during the downturn. This business might be trading in a subdued housing market, but it’s increasingly profitable with improving margins and a healthy land bank.

“It’s also a vocal supporter of moves to get more first time buyers onto the housing ladder.”

Mike Farley, group chief executive, said: “I think one of the things we do as a board is we get on together. You have to have a board who are like-minded and I think we are very fortunate to have a like-minded board who are obviously all looking in the same direction.

“We’ve had to make some very tough decisions over the last couple of years in the marketplace, it’s good to have that position behind us.”

He said the board also has “strength in depth”.

He said: “We’ve seen this year for our business, our sales rates in the North of the country have been far higher than those in the South, so we’ve seen a bounce back in this business.”

He added there is “a lot of hidden wealth” and “hidden talent” in Yorkshire.