Development director swaps Scarborough for Moda

Lee Savage, formerly at Scarborough Group International, has joined PRS developer and operator Moda Living to oversee an “aggressive” expansion of its assets and project pipeline.

Savage has more than 27 years’ experience as a chartered surveyor. At Scarborough Group he was responsible for projects such as the £700m Middlewood Locks in Salford being delivered in partnership with Hualing Group, based in Urumqui, Xinjiang, China and Singaporean investor Metro Holdings.

He also previously worked at regeneration company Urban Splash.

Moda Living bills itself as the developer and operator of one of the UK’s largest private rented sector portfolios. In partnership with Apache Capital, the joint venture is planning the £128m 466-unit Angel Gardens in NOMA, Manchester, and the £80m residential tower at Princes Dock, Liverpool.

The JV partnership has to date secured a PRS development pipeline made up of 5,000 units located in city centre sites across the UK, with an end GDV of £1bn.

Tony Brooks, director at Moda Living, said: “The Moda team has a very fixed vision and that is to bring to market a best-in-class UK wide rental platform that offers a lifestyle choice not currently available outside of London. To do this we need a highly experienced team and Lee, whose experience in residential development including PRS as well as being a respected figurehead in the industry, will be a key part of team Moda.

Savage continued: “I’m joining Moda at a pivotal point where the company is about to make that transition between its vision and reality.

“Angel Gardens in Manchester will prove to be a dynamic game-changer in terms of regional city centre renting and we have the same aspirations at Liverpool Waters, but these schemes are just the beginning. Our development pipeline is both ambitions and confident and I’m hugely excited to be onboard.”