| Industry | Housebuilding |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1934 |
| Defunct | 1985 |
| Fate | Acquired |
| Successor | Beazer |
| Headquarters | Tyneside |
Key people | Sir William Leech ( Chairman and founder) |
William Leech PLC was a major Tyneside housebuilder.
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]
References
- ^ "William Leech - Builder". BBC. Retrieved 7 October 2012.
- ^ a b c "The William Leech Foundation Limited - The Foundation Trust". Retrieved 7 October 2012.
- ^ Cullingworth, p. 240
- ^ Ball, p. 60
- ^ Building, June 1981
Sources
- Ball, Michael (1983). Housing Policy and Economic Power: The Political Economy of Owner Occupation. Routledge. ISBN 978-0416352801.
- Cullingworth, Barry (1970). British Planning: 50 Years of Urban and Regional Policy. Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd. ISBN 978-0485006049.
