Palmer on board at Elan

Housebuilder Elan Homes has appointed Philip Palmer as its land director for the Northern region.

The business, which has its regional operation at Cheshire Oaks, said it is looking to build further its reputation for delivery built up across Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Flintshire, working in the open market segment of the market.

Palmer, who was previously a senior land manager at Stewart Milne Homes’ regional division, 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, although the group said that its new strategic arm is working on much larger parcels of land across the country.

Before working with Stewart Milne, Palmer spent time with Macbryde, Mulbury, Countryside and David McLean in a career dating back to 2002.

He said: “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.

“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.”