Bellway appoints new West Midlands managing director as Ben Wright retires
Bellway has appointed land and planning specialist Martin Wright as managing director of its West Midlands division following the retirement of former managing director Ben Wright.
The appointment sees Martin Wright take charge of the housebuilder’s Tamworth-based operation after joining Bellway in May 2025 from David Wilson Homes, where he spent 13 years as development director.
Wright brings more than 25 years of experience in the housebuilding sector, having held land and planning roles with both national and regional developers before joining Bellway.
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The leadership change comes as housebuilders continue to navigate challenging market conditions while maintaining housing delivery targets and securing future land pipelines.
Focus on growth amid challenging housing market
Wright said his ambition had always been to lead a fully operational housebuilding business and that his previous role within Bellway had helped establish relationships across the West Midlands division.
He said: “I am excited about the opportunity to lead Bellway West Midlands, a long-standing and well-regarded division within the Bellway group. Becoming the MD of a fully operational housebuilding business was always my goal and this move has allowed me to realise that ambition. Having worked closely with the West Midlands division in my previous role in the business, I have already built strong relationships within the business so the move feels organic.”
Wright said Bellway’s reputation for quality homes and customer service had been a key factor in joining the business.
He added: “I was attracted to Bellway by its strong reputation for building good quality homes, delivering outstanding levels of customer service and for being an employer of choice. The culture here is very engaging, with an inclusive feel and support from colleagues at all levels across the business.”
Setting out his priorities for the division, Wright highlighted the need to maintain performance in a challenging market while supporting sustainable growth.
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He said: “I’m very much looking forward to using the skills and experience I have built up throughout my career to help grow the business in a measured and sustainable way. Our priorities are to maintain our performance through what is currently a challenging market, however with a focus on growth over the next three years, whilst maintaining high standards of build quality and a customer first approach. I also want us to continue to develop our staff and their careers and to ensure the division remains a great place to work.”
Skills shortage remains a key challenge
Wright also highlighted the importance of attracting more young people into construction and housebuilding careers as the sector continues to face skills shortages.
Having followed his father into the construction industry, he said increasing awareness of career opportunities among younger generations would be a priority.
He said: “There is a skills shortage in the industry and it’s so important that young people realise the opportunities that it offers when they come to think about they want to do as a career. It’s such a diverse industry with a wide range of job types and disciplines, many of which are highly skilled and well rewarded, and we need to make young people more aware of that.”
The appointment comes at a time when the housebuilding sector is facing ongoing recruitment challenges while seeking to increase housing delivery across the UK.
