Homes England appoints North West executive director

Danielle Gillespie will lead the regional team for the government’s housing and regeneration agency, working alongside council leaders, mayors, and delivery partners to build thousands of homes.

Gillespie will take on the executive regional director for the North West title at Homes England starting in March as part of the agency’s recent restructure. Her team will be hands-on in working with local partners, pulling in expertise as required from a nationally managed technical hub.

Currently the director of regeneration, partners, and major projects at the agency, Gillespie has more than 20 years of experience in the industry. She advised the New Towns Taskforce and has also overseen the deployment of the £1bn Brownfield Infrastructure Land Fund.

She currently represents Homes England on Stockport Town Centre Mayoral Development Corporation and is a director with the ECF, Homes England’s joint regeneration venture with Muse and Legal & General.

Gillespie said: “I am hugely excited to return to the North West to help support and unlock housing delivery and quality place-making, working hand in hand with local partners.

“The agency’s commitment to empowered, local multi-disciplinary delivery teams is a practical step to accelerate delivery and will only help to further embed strong collaboration and more effective ways of working across the region, to create thriving communities and help ensure everyone has a great, safe place to call home.”

Gillespie continued: “Together we will aim to resolve complex delivery challenges, tailoring Agency support to the local pipeline and overseeing site‐specific and place‐based operational delivery activities spanning land, placemaking, capacity and enabling activities alongside local grant‐funded support.

“I am extremely proud of my North West roots and equally passionate about driving end-to-end delivery on the ground, bringing partners together to create affordable, well-designed homes at pace within sustainable places that are tailored to what local people want and need.”

Homes England chief executive Amy Rees spoke about how Gillespie’s appointment will foster greater relationships with key figures in the region.

“Local leaders and people know their regions best, and collaboration is vital to creating the new homes and thriving places that communities want and need,” she said.

“This is not a hollow statement; I stand by these words with absolute conviction and commitment. I want Homes England to be in full step with North West leaders and partners to deliver a shared endeavour of more homes, regenerated communities and local economic growth.”

In addition to Gillespie, other newly appointed regional directors include Tom Bridges, who will head up Homes England’s North East, Yorkshire, and Humber team, and Jo Nugent, who will lead the Midlands team. Vicky Savage is the executive director London and the East, while Kate McBride is charged with the South.