Public Vote Backs Aberdeen's First Custom Build Community

Julie Nairn, founder of Strawberry Grange, winner of the Female Founder Scotland Real Estate Award for Real Estate, recognising Aberdeen's first custom-build community.

There are some awards that are judged by industry experts, and there are others decided by the people who matter most.

I'm delighted that Strawberry Grange has been named the winner of the Female Founder Scotland Real Estate Award, following public voting from people across Scotland who supported our vision for a different way of creating homes.

While receiving the award is a wonderful honour, what means the most is what it represents. It tells me there is a growing appetite for housing that offers more choice, more individuality and a more personal approach than the traditional volume-built housing estate.

Strawberry Grange was never intended to be just another housing development.

From the very beginning, the vision has been to create Aberdeen's first custom-build community, where homeowners work alongside an architect to design a home that reflects the way they actually want to live. Rather than choosing from a limited range of standard house types, buyers have the opportunity to create a home around their lifestyle, their family and their future.

For some, that might mean designing flexible spaces for hybrid working. For others, it could be creating a home that can adapt as children grow up, elderly parents need support or retirement approaches. Every family is different, so why should every home be the same?

The award is also recognition of a different approach to development itself.

Strawberry Grange is being created on land that was once a soft fruit farm, and wherever possible we want the project to celebrate local expertise. Through our Little Black Book - Love Local, Build Beautifully initiative, future homeowners will be introduced to trusted independent businesses across the North East of Sotland, from kitchens and interiors to landscaping, furniture, lighting and home styling. We hope this will not only help buyers create beautiful homes but also support local businesses and craftsmanship.

As the project progresses, we will continue sharing practical advice and insights into custom building, including topics such as designing for wellbeing, planning a future-proof home, understanding the differences between custom build and self-build, and making informed decisions throughout the homebuilding journey.

Winning the Female Founder Scotland Real Estate Award is an important milestone, but it is only one chapter in a much bigger story.

The greatest success for Strawberry Grange will not be measured by the number of homes built. It will be measured by the lives lived within them, the memories created, and the community that grows around them for generations to come.

Finally, I would like to offer my sincere thanks to everyone who took the time to vote. Your support, encouragement and belief in this vision mean more than you know. I look forward to sharing the next chapter of the Strawberry Grange story with you as we continue to bring this unique community to life.

Inspired by a different approach to homebuilding?

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Julie Nairn

Founder, Strawberry Grange