Bob Lane named on HCA board
Bob Lane, former chief executive of the much-lauded Speke Garston Development Company in South Liverpool, was today appointed to the board of the new Homes & Communities Agency.
Lane left SGDC at the start of the decade to run Catalyst Corby, the urban regeneration company in Northamptonshire.
He is now a part-time senior adviser to the international consultancy group EDAW/AECOM, a board member of the National Housing & Planning Advice Unit and a trustee of the Corby City Academy.
During his tenure in Liverpool, the districts of Speke and Garston underwent major investment and transformation, securing the Jaguar production at Boulevard Industry Park, launching Estuary Commerce Park and bringing former hangars and factories back in to use at the old airport terminal. Developers including Urban Splash, Neptune, UK Land & Property and Peel Holdings were attracted to build new space by infrastructure works, road improvements and financial support delivered through SGDC.
Before SGDC, he was assistant chief executive of the Merseyside Development Corporation and also spent time running urban programmes in Oldham.
The HCA will be headed by Sir Bob Kerslake, former chief executive of Sheffield City Council, whose senior management team includes Eamonn Boylan, previously deputy chief executive of Manchester City Council, and Deborah McLaughlin, currently director of housing at Manchester.
The HCA will have a budget of £5bn and 900 staff when it comes into force in December. It is being created by the merger of English Partnership and the Housing Corporation.
