A Cumbrian development, construction and aggregates company is making its presence felt across the north as it builds a solid reputation for housebuilding and civil engineering projects.  

Eddie Wannop grew up in a beef and sheep farming family in Castle Carrock, but moved into plant hire to local farms and carrying out groundworks about 15 years ago. 

The business bought Esk Quarry, in Faugh, near Brampton, about 12 years ago so it could also supply sand and aggregate to the construction sector.  

The company also has a batching plant at Haltwhistle that supplies concrete and mortar.  

It still hires machinery as well, with 60 heavy plant and vehicles in its fleet. 

These include around nine grab wagons and tippers, two suction excavators, traditional excavators, bulldozers, telehandlers and much more. 

It has 20 wagons on the road at any one time making deliveries of concrete and aggregates to construction projects across the north, as well as multiple contracting projects running from earthworks and civil engineers to commercial fitout and housebuilding.  

“I’m not someone to just sit on my hands, I need to be getting on with the job,” says Eddie. 

“You just need to continue to do a good job and do it right.  

“We’ve got a really good team in the office who keep track of everything because it’s seven days a week 24 hours a day.” 

As well as working as a subcontractor for various other operators in construction, utilities and housebuilding, Wannop works as the main contractor for its own developments.  

“We’re now focusing on our own sites and we’re looking at building 40 units a year,” says Eddie. 

In Cumbria:

It has already built around 50 houses over the last few years, including in Carlisle, Castle Carrock, Longtown and Allendale and Riding Mill, in Northumberland.  

Eddie says the company is moving into building passive housing, with its last development of 25 houses built in Longtown all coming equipped with solar panels, battery storage and an A-plus EPC rating. 

Wannop worked with C&D Rural, based in Carlisle, to market their Scaurbank Development, on Netherby Road, with show homes opening to the public in January. 

“That’s where we see things going, people want a quality economic house rather than something mass produced. We have big builder resources with boutique builder care. That’s the Wannop difference,” says Eddie. 

Head of construction Jake Cooper, who joined the business two years ago, is responsible for overseeing all of its work in the North East, which includes a range of civil engineering, groundworks, housebuilding and industrial projects.  

These have included the construction of heavy goods vehicle bridges for the Woodland Trust in remote North Yorkshire, as part of a project to create the largest native woodlands in England.  

This is in addition to industrial civil engineering projects, bespoke house builds and commercial fitout projects.  

In addition to the company’s own staff of 40, it also has 20 subcontractors who work alongside them.  

Eddie says the business has grown organically over the years, with he and the team taking on the necessary staff and learning the required skills along the way. 

“You have to work hard at it and it’s not easy,” he says.  

“I didn’t grow up with much and that teaches you to work hard. You need hard work and stubbornness, just keep smiling and the job will be right. 

“I just want to grow the business and see where I can get it to. We don’t want to be the biggest, but we will be the best.”