HAB Housing, the innovative housing developer set up by Kevin McCloud, is to move its headquarters to Bristol as the first stage of what it believes will be a long-term partnership with the city.
HAB, which now has its head office in Radstock, is acknowledged as one of the UK’s most progressive and ambitious alternative housebuilders. 
From next month its headquarters will be at Temple Studios, part of the city’s Enterprise Zone and close to Bristol Temple Meads station.
HAB originally planned to base itself in Bristol in 2013, when close to £2m was raised towards its growth plans via a record-breaking crowdfund campaign.
Established in 2007 by West-Country resident and presenter of Channel 4’s Grand Designs Kevin McCloud, pictured, HAB was conceived as an alternative to highly-commoditised, bland and homogenous suburban housing.
It is now looking to offer custom-built homes which let people buy a home designed by them, for them and tailored to their needs.
Kevin McCloud said: “We couldn’t have found a better home for our business than Bristol. Temple Studios is built for progressive, innovative businesses like HAB and is ideally attuned to our company’s values.
“To be part of a creative hub with lots of energetic, exciting companies alongside us can only help us grow and develop.
“We hope that it’ll be the springboard towards more schemes in the wider area as we’re really keen to develop in Bristol and are hoping to have at least one project in the city that we can get up and running to tie in to European Green Capital 2015. Oh, and we’re looking forward to welcoming friends, partners and HAB enthusiasts for a cup of tea in our new studio.”
Mayor of Bristol George Ferguson welcomed HAB’s decision to move to the city. He said: “It’s brilliant for Bristol that Kevin McCloud’s mould-breaking development company HAB has chosen the Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone as the location for its first HAB Studio.
“As a leader in the development of sustainable new homes, HAB is particularly welcome as we move towards our year as European Green Capital in 2015. The enterprise zone is developing a growing reputation as home to many of the region’s most creative and innovative businesses so it is little surprise that companies like HAB are choosing to be a part of this vibrant cluster.”
HAB delivered its first award-winning scheme of 42 homes in Swindon in 2011 and has recently sold all 78 homes on its Applewood scheme in Stroud.
It has several other schemes in planning and on the drawing board, many of which will be in the South West. Kevin McCloud is an ambassador for Bristol 2015.
