<p>Redrow has launched a new Southern division, as demand for homes in London’s commuter belt “continues to grow”.</p><p>The division, set to be in operation by the housebuilder’s financial year ending June 2022, will cover Surrey and East and West Sussex, sitting separately to the company’s Southern Counties and South East regions. It will be led by Rod Martin, recently appointed md. Martin was previously Taylor Wimpey’s divisional md for the area.</p><p>Redrow said that at maturity, the new Southern region would deliver 600 new homes a year, creating almost 2,000 local jobs.</p><p>The firm also said that pandemic-induced trends were driving buyers towards London’s commuter belt “to areas with excellent connectivity and greater availability of private outdoor space”. It pointed to its recent research which revealed that, for 44% of its survey respondents, outdoor space would be their “biggest priority” in a house move. Meanwhile, 32% would prioritise the amount of floor space they have.</p><p>Redrow also referred to the latest government figures, showing that in Surrey and Sussex sales transactions have increased by 26% and 14% respectively year-on-year.</p><p>Matthew Pratt, Redrow’s group ceo, said: “London’s commuter belt has been a key growth area for us in recent years, evidenced by the launch of …