New Year Honours hail housing gurus

Homes England board member Sadie Morgan, Pocket Living co-founder Paul Harbard and a cluster of housing association chiefs are among the 1,000-plus recipients of 2020 New Year Honours.

They are joined by a Willmott Dixon operations manager who works as a special constable, the co-founder of developer Argent, the past chair of the Construction Industry Council and the architect of the Stirling Prize-shortlisted Tate St Ives gallery.

Sadie Morgan, who co-founded the dRMM architecture practice in 1995, has been awarded an OBE for “services to the advocacy of design in the built environment” following a range of high-profile appointments.

In addition to being a commissioner with the National Infrastructure Commission and serving as design-panel chair for HS2, Morgan is also a board member of Homes England, a non-executive director of U+I, a design advocate for the mayor of London, and professor of architecture and cities at the University of Westminster.

She said she was “beyond honoured” with her OBE.

“Having dedicated my career to promoting design integration within UK projects at every scale, this recognition validates and gives tangible credence to the value I believe great design can bring to a country,” she said.

Carol Matthews, who is chief executive of housing association Riverside Group, was awarded a CBE for services to social housing; Ali Akbor, chief executive officer of Unity Housing Association, was awarded an OBE for services to the community in Leeds; and Patrick Gray, chair of Connswater Homes, was awarded an OBE for services to housing in Northern Ireland.

Paul Harbard, co-founder of developer Pocket Living was awarded an MBE for services to “innovative housing delivery” and charity.

Peter Freeman, who co-founded King’s Cross developer Argent with brother Michael in 1981, was awarded a CBE for services to housing and communities.

In addition to Argent, Freeman is a director and investor in Mayfields Market Towns, which is promoting a 7,000-home new town in Sussex.

John Nolan, who is a former chair of the Construction Industry Council and past president of the Institution of Structural Engineers, was awarded a CBE for services to structural engineering and the construction industry.

Architect of the Stirling Prize-shortlisted Tate St Ives gallery Jamie Fobert also received a CBE for services to architecture.

Oldham-based Willmott Dixon operations manager Mike Walmsley has served as a special constable with Greater Manchester Police since 2003 and is now a chief officer. He received an MBE for services to policing.

Willmott Dixon managing director for the north Anthony Dillon said Walmsley was an “inspiration to all his colleagues” because of his ability to combine delivering large projects for the firm’s customers with his work as a special. 

Elsewhere, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s director general for housing, planning and building safety Jeremy Pocklington was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath for public service.

National Planning Policy Framework policy lead Michael Bingham received an OBE for services to planning.

The Cabinet Office said a total of 1,097 people received an award in the latest list, more than half of them female. It added that 9.1% of the successful candidates come from a BAME background; 11% describe themselves as having a disability; and 3.3% identified as being LGBT+.