Before he started studying architecture in his early 20s, Tim Wells concedes that he knew little about the housing sector. A visit to Gun Wharf in Plymouth, which is surrounded by the Ministry of Defence naval base that Devon & Cornwall Housing redeveloped in the mid-2000s with housebuilder Midas Homes, is where his interest in development began.

“I was blown away,” he says, noting that the development was among the first places in the UK to install ”home zones” streets that prioritise pedestrians. “The paving and street furniture on the ground makes you feel out of place if you’re in a car. It encourages walking.”

Wells, now a development officer at 7,500-home Hastoe Housing Association, says that, after that initial visit, he spent lots of time at Gun Wharf. He was impressed by the way it felt uniquely designed for its location.

During his studies, he even knocked on residents’ doors to find out about their experiences of living there. “It was interesting speaking to people, finding out how they got their homes, how important it [the development] was to them, and how it changed their lives,” he reflects. 

For personal reasons, Wells left university before finishing his architecture degree, but Gun Wharf left a lasting impression, cementing his ambition to pursue a career in housing.