William Leech plc

Last updated
William Leech plc
Industry Housebuilding
Founded1934
Defunct1985
FateAcquired
Successor Beazer
Headquarters Tyneside
Key people
William Leech (Chairman and founder)

William Leech plc was a major Tyneside housebuilder.

Contents

History

The company was established by William Leech, a former window cleaner in 1934 [1] as William Leech (Builders) Ltd. [2] It bought very large landholdings in the Cramlington area [3] and was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1976 when its name was changed to William Leech plc. [2] It achieved an output of 2,500 units in 1979. [4] It announced a merger with Bellway in 1981 but this was called off within days: "the lifestyle of the two firms looked pretty incompatible". [5]

The company was then acquired by Beazer in 1985. [2] The company retained its brand and Newcastle head office until Beazer itself was acquired by Persimmon in 2001, following which both brands were phased out. [6] The Leech Homes name was revived by Persimmon in 2005 as a brand aimed at housing for the over-55s. [7] As of 2025, it remains registered with Companies House as a dormant company, still in the ownership of Persimmon plc. [8]

References

  1. "William Leech - Builder". BBC . Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 "The William Leech Foundation Limited - The Foundation Trust" . Retrieved 7 October 2012.
  3. Cullingworth, p. 240
  4. Ball, p. 60
  5. Building, June 1981
  6. "Persimmon's profits take off after Beazer takeover". The Northern Echo. 2001-08-29. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
  7. Chronicle, Evening (2005-09-30). "William Leech brand to target over-55s". Chronicle Live. Retrieved 2025-03-14.
  8. "LEECH HOMES LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2025-03-14.

Sources