Elan Homes has appointed Philip Palmer as its new land director for the Northern region in support of its growth plans.
The company focus is on traditionally built open market developments providing family housing in sustainable, yet desirable locations.
Elan’s Northern business, based at Cheshire Oaks, is keen to build on its success and reputation across Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Flintshire.
Palmer said: “The challenge of heading up the land department for the Northern Region is to maintain the quality, yet extend the land portfolio to ensure the delivery of the enhanced business growth strategy. The delivery of more land opportunities, with and without planning permissions, will allow a more flexible approach to the delivery of our business plan, allowing for time adjustments in the process both in and out of our control. Wider economic conditions of low unemployment and interest rates allows for a positive outlook in land acquisition, coupled with the national housing shortage, there is a fundamental need for the delivery of more quality homes.”
Elan’s Northern business will consider development sites, with or without planning up to 10 hectares in size, although the new strategic arm is working on much larger parcels of land, across the country.
“When assessing the development potential of land, my initial thought is ‘would I want to live here. The location and the physical outlook of a plot of land is key to the success of the eventual plot sales, and this evaluation begins with the initial Land assessment. At Elan, over the next three to five years we would like to expand our sales output, and this process begins with land acquisition in those key locations discerning purchasers wish to call home,” Palmer added.
Palmer returns to work with members of Elan’s senior management team after a 13 year absence, stating that the move was a “good fit” at this stage of his career.
Originally from Formby but now living in Chester with his young family, he was inspired to work in the housing industry by his uncle who was a local housebuilder.
He graduated from University of Manchester with a Masters in Town and Country Planning in 2000 and has worked in the residential land sector in the North West for the past 16 years including roles with several privately owned large residential developers.
He said: “I want to utilise my experience to assist in the delivery of the enhanced growth plan of the business, harnessing the recently secured heightened private investment, and build upon the solid foundations that Elan has established in the North West, in the creation of quality family developments that people aspire to live within.”