Urban Splash to represent the UK in the European Business Awards

It has been awarded the accolade in recognition, not only of its 21 years of solid regeneration work but because of its sheer determination over the past seven years to survive and now, grow in what has been an extremely challenging market. Whilst many other regional developers have sadly gone out of business, Urban Splash has this year returned to profit and recorded a £100 million plus turnover, having successfully restructured its debt and reinvented the business model.

The Manchester-based business, which has received over 350 awards to date for its commitment to architecture, design, regeneration and business has been selected as a National Champion representing the United Kingdom. Urban Splash will now go on to compete in the second phase of the competition, which will see successful organisations being short-listed as 1 of 10 Ruban d’Honneur recipients in The RSM Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Urban Splash’s Chairman and co-founder, Tom Bloxham said: “This is fantastic news which really celebrates our position once again as a pioneering and successful UK business. We have worked hard against the continued backdrop of a challenging market, particularly over the last 18 months where we have completed a complex restructure and successfully refinanced £250m of debt

"This award highlights that we are now able to look forward in joint ventures with multi-billion pound partners and actively develop new opportunities like hoUSe the modular family housing concept which will be launched in New Islington, Manchester in November this year.

"We are delighted that recognition has been paid to the fact that we have remained focussed and creative during some particularly tough times. The team has acted fast to adapt the Urban Splash business model, developing a large private, rented portfolio of over 800 homes and we are proud that our tenacity has helped to keep the business alive.”

In the past 18 months, Tom and his team have been able to stabilise the business and preserve its role as a UK-wide developer. The past year has been the most pivotal with significant deals including new Joint Ventures with the Pears Group, which has this week been shortlisted in the MIPIM UK Awards for Regional Deal of the Year and Places for People which have helped the business reposition itself and get back to doing what it does best – turning disused, unloved brownfield sites into places people can live, work and play.

He added: "We know that the European Business Awards are widely recognised as the showcase for Europe’s most dynamic companies and we can’t wait to commence the next round of the judging process where we can explain in more depth how we have achieved business success through good design and innovation. We look forward to using our creative expertise for this second phase of the competition which will see the team deliver a video entry for further assessment by the panel.”

The European Business Awards programme runs over 18 months making it the largest awards programme in Europe. This year it engaged with over 24,000 business from 33 European countries. As an independent awards programme, sponsored by RSM International, it is designed to recognise and promote excellence and best practice in the European business community.

Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards said: “Congratulations to Urban Splash, it is a great achievement to be named National Champion and we wish them luck in the next stage. The European Business Awards is going from strength to strength, inspiring businesses to greater success and helping to improve the competitive edge of companies across Europe.”

For more information on the European Business Awards and its winners, please visit www.businessawardseurope.com and follow us on twitter at @rsmEBA

For more information on the MIPIM UK Awards, please visit www.mipimuk-awards.co.uk