John Bloor鈥檚 fortune put at just under 拢3.4bn in latest annual ranking

The annual ranking of the UK鈥檚 wealthiest 350 people sees Bloor Homes founder John Bloor remain construction鈥檚 richest man with others joining him on the list including Wates chairman Tim Wates and Renaker Build founder Daren Whitaker.

A former plasterer, Bloor, who has owned Triumph motorcycles since 1983, has an estimated fortune of 拢3.396bn, keeping him at 54th on the list 鈥 although his estimated wealth is down 拢92m on last year.

Bloor is some way behind Sir Anthony Bamford, who is in charge of the JCB construction equipment business, who has an estimated fortune of 拢7.65bn, up 拢1.75bn, which moves him up 13 places to number 19 on the list.

Others on this year鈥檚 Sunday Times Rich List are the Murphy family, which owns the north London-based civils and building business J Murphy founded by the late John Murphy in 1951, with an estimated fortune of 拢950m, up 拢19m on last time, while the Kirkland family behind Bowmer & Kirkland saw its estimated fortune tick up 拢10m to 拢821m.

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Redrow founder Steve Morgan saw his fortune jump 拢130m to more than 拢900m

Steve Morgan, the man who founded Redrow which is set to be bought by Barratt after shareholders at both firms voted to approve the deal this week, saw his fortune rise 拢130m to 拢915m.

Other housebuilders on the list include David Wilson, the man behind housebuilder Wilson Bowden, which was bought by Barratt in 2007, with a fortune of 拢638m, up 拢28m, while Shanly Homes founder Michael Shanly is worth 拢545m, a rise of 拢43m.

Also on the list is Charles Gallagher who owns a majority stake in private housebuilder Abbey whose fortune is put at 拢885m, up 拢109m. And John McCarthy, who helped co-found McCarthy & Stone before setting up Churchill Retirement Living, and sons Clinton and Spencer are estimated to be worth 拢687m, up 拢11m.

There is a re-entry for Andy Hill, the founder of South-east housebuilder Hill Group, with an estimated fortune of 拢520m while Daren Whitaker, the founder of Renaker, the developer and builder behind some of Manchester鈥檚 tallest towers, has an estimated fortune of 拢646m, a rise of 拢46m.

But another Manchester-based developer, Chris Oglesby and family, who own Bruntwood, saw their fortune drop 拢216m to 拢572m.

Other re-entries include Paul and Johnny Caddick, the father and son behind the West Yorkshire-based developer and builder Caddick Group, with a fortune of 拢530m and Eric Gadsden, who co-founded brickmaker Michelmersh, which yesterday said it expected to sell more bricks this year, is also a re-entry with a fortune of 拢375m.

Tim Wates, who took over from cousin James Wates as Wates chairman last spring, and family saw their wealth tick up 拢11m to 拢426m. And Deep Valecha and family, the prospective new owner of M&E contractor T Clarke, with the 拢90m deal expected to be rubber-stamped this summer, saw their fortune jump 拢80m to 拢444m.

One name missing from the list was Ray O鈥橰ourke and family whose estimated fortune last year was put at 拢350m. But Laing O鈥橰ourke, which is owned by O鈥橰ourke and brother Des, racked up the biggest loss in its history with a 拢288m pre-tax loss for the year to March 2023.

The UK鈥檚 richest men are brothers Siri and Gopi Hinduja, who have made their 拢37.2bn fortune from industry and finance. The figure, up 拢2.2bn on last time, is the biggest in the Rich List鈥檚 36 years of running.

The pair are behind the transformation of the Old War Office in Whitehall into a 120-bed Raffles hotel.