The countdown is on to the Essex Housing Awards 2026. This year’s evening of recognition, reflection and networking will take place on Thursday 5 November at Hylands House. 

The awards are held in partnership with Essex Developers Group (EDG), South Essex Housing Group (SEHG) and Essex Housing Officers Group (EHOG), in association with headline partners Birketts and Delta Housing, and sponsored by Kind & Company, DevComms and Re-Gen (UK) Construction. This also marks White Label Creative’s fifth year of delivering the awards. 

We are delighted to continue supporting the Awards and their purpose of celebrating the builders, housing associations, local authorities, contractors, agents and voluntary sector organisations helping to shape housing across the county. 

This year’s awards feature 12 categories, including two new additions: Partnership of the Year, which received the highest number of entries this year, and Inclusive Growth and Social Value, the third most-entered category. White Label Creative was proud to suggest these categories, reflecting the conversations and priorities emerging across the industry.

There is a huge amount of work that goes into keeping the awards on track each year, including:

• Launching the awards and attracting entries through a multi-channel marketing campaign
• Monitoring entries and working with organisations to ensure all information is complete
• Organising and managing an in-person judging day
• Coordinating the awards evening, from appointing the chair and organising catering to arranging the physical awards, scheduling presenters and preparing speaker briefings

It’s always a delight to hear what the awards means to the Essex Housing community.

Laura Slade at JTP LLP, winner of the 2025 Large Housing Schemes award, told us: “Having our work recognised at these awards is always an inspiring and fantastic achievement. The recognition reinforces our belief in creating well-designed, healthy and happy communities that are created with a story and legacy.”

Martin Berry at Southend-on-Sea Borough Council described the awards as “reinforcement that our approach is making a real difference” for his team. He added that the evening itself was “professionally delivered, well attended, and offered a strong opportunity to connect with partners and peers from across the sector.”

This year’s judging panel spent a full day reviewing entries at Delta Housing’s Chelmsford offices. The standard of entries has continued to impress, with judges highlighting the strength and diversity of submissions from across Greater Essex.

A few anonymous comments from this year’s judging panel (pictured in the featured image) include: “The quality of the entries continues to rise, with really good submissions coming from across Greater Essex…There are some real gems among this year’s entries and some fantastic stories that deserve to be told well beyond the awards ceremony…The panel followed a thorough scoring and moderation process and reached a strong consensus on an impressive and diverse group of winners.”

With the big night now approaching, wider organisations, beyond those directly shortlisted, are encouraged to secure their place at what is expected to be one of the best-attended evenings in the Essex housing calendar.

Book your tickets now: https://bookings.wlcreative.org.uk/event/essex-housing-awards-2026-ceremony/ 

For more information, visit: https://www.housingessex.org/essex-housing-awards-2026/