Vistry Group has completed its merger with Countryside Partnerships following shareholder approval. The deal that sees Countryside Partnerships joining Vistry Group creates one of the country’s leading homebuilders – and a business that will deliver thousands of homes annually for both the open market and the affordable housing sector.
"This is a historic day for our business,” said Vistry Group chief executive Greg Fitzgerald. “By combining Countryside with our already flourishing Partnerships division we create a leading capability across all housing tenures at a time when the need for affordable housing has never been keener. Meanwhile, our Housebuilding division continues to deliver outstanding performance building Bovis and Linden Homes for the private market, with an absolute focus on delivery and service which has seen us once again ranked as a top-rated five-star builder by our customers. With our resilient business model of sustainable private and affordable delivery, we stand ready to build thousands of new homes, which is obviously great news for home hunters but also for our clients, contractors and local communities, where we will be bringing a much-needed economic boost. In developing this unique, enlarged group we are bringing together the very best of both businesses. We will integrate the two groups quickly, and in line with our values of integrity, caring and quality, bringing together our talented people to power us to further success.”
The expanded partnerships business will be called Countryside Partnerships and will be headed up by Stephen Teagle, who has been chief executive of Vistry Partnerships since it was formed in 2020, having previously been in charge when it was Galliford Try Partnerships.
Stephen said: “This combination of the two Partnerships businesses is a unique opportunity to work at scale with our clients and partners to increase the supply and quality of new homes across a range of tenures. Countryside has a fantastic legacy of delivering high-quality regeneration schemes which perfectly aligns with Vistry’s long-term partnering with clients and commitment to sustainable new communities. The quality of our people and our shared commitment and values will enable us to achieve even more and working with partners, demonstrate how vital housing is to the success of our economy and the prosperity of our communities.”
