In today’s housing landscape, developers have a greater responsibility than ever before. While addressing the national housing shortage remains a key part of our role, we need to go beyond numbers on a spreadsheet and take the time and care to create places where people of all ages can not only live, but thrive. That means building real communities.

At Cruden Homes, we believe that truly successful developments are those that promote multi-generational living; where young and old and everything in between can live harmoniously, side by side. Our award-winning Longniddry Village in East Lothian does exactly that - a development carefully conceived to cater for all life stages, from first-time buyers and young families to empty nesters and retirees.

With the season of goodwill in full swing, it’s a poignant time to reflect on how important it is for businesses to embed social value at the heart of everything they do. This has certainly become a strong part of Cruden’s culture over our 80-year heritage as one of Scotland’s leading housebuilders and developers.

Award-winning developer Cruden Homes and leading social enterprise, Places for People, scooped the top ‘Development of the Year’ title at the Herald Property Awards 2023. The annual awards bring together leading property experts from across Scotland to shine a light on the most impressive projects over the past year.

When it comes to finding the perfect home, everyone has their own list of essentials, whether that’s a home office, proximity to transport links, space for family get-togethers or a garage for bikes and other sports equipment. The dynamic of how we use our homes and how much time we spend in them has changed in recent years and developers are continually refining their house styles in order to keep pace with how we live today.

In just 20 years from now, a quarter of the UK population will be aged 65 or over. That’s a sharp rise from where we are now, at around 20%, and it is a figure that will affect how society organises everything, from holidays and healthcare to transport and technology.

Just last month Cruden Homes was amongst the winners at the annual Homes for Scotland Awards. Awards are always welcome, but they mean even more during times of upheaval and uncertainty, so to receive the top accolade of ‘Home Builder of the Year - Large’ along with ‘Development of the Year - Small’ was an aptly timed honour.