Wates Construction today has opened its new head office for the South West in Newbury, as it relocates staff from the old site in Basingstoke.

The business, which is part of one of the UK's leading privately-owned construction, property services and development companies Wates Group, is supporting the move with a recruitment drive that will boost jobs within the local area.

This follows a restructure for growth last year, which saw Richard Shroll appointed Regional Managing Director for the South, as Wates Construction expands in the region to support customers in their local markets and contribute to an expected 30% growth across Wates Construction over the next five years.

It is currently hiring for roles across the business, including a number of site-based roles, and will this year welcome 11 trainees and apprentices to its South of England team, supporting the company's diversity and inclusion goals.


The new office is the first Wates has opened since the start of the pandemic and has been designed with new ways of working in mind, after it became one of the first construction companies to support flexible working across its entire business last year. The building features several breakout spaces for wellbeing, including a golf putting green.

Its innovative biophilic design - a concept aimed at increasing occupant connectivity to the natural environment by using natural conditions such as green and open spaces - is similar to the concept launched at Wates’ headquarters in Leatherhead last year. The design emphasises supporting employee mental health and creating a dynamic space where people will want to return to offices. In line with Wates’ target to achieve zero waste and carbon by 2025, all furniture from the old office has been recycled using Recycled Office Solutions.

The relocation will support Wates in the delivery of major projects in the South West, including Project Brunel, an office building in Bristol’s rapidly growing Temple Quarter, as well as a new data hall at Ajax Avenue in Slough, and the redevelopment of several schools in the Thames Valley area for the Department for Education.

Alec Jackman, Regional Director for Wates Construction in the South West, said: "Our new regional headquarters in Newbury is not only an innovative space built with sustainability and flexible working in mind, it is also a significant milestone that marks our growth ambition in the South West. We are working on some incredibly exciting projects in the region and this relocation will be pivotal in supporting their delivery, at the same time creating jobs for local people."