Peel hire signals residential play

Peel Land & Property has appointed Neil Baumber to a newly created role of residential development director, working within Peel's development team.

Baumber has more than 25 years' experience in the housing sector, specialising in development and regeneration, innovation and new product delivery. Most recently, he was managing director of Warrington-based Steel Green, a private development company, and director of Concept Regeneration, a development and regeneration consultancy practice.

At Peel, Baumber will "lead on shaping a new residential delivery strategy, as well as nurturing and creating partnerships with public, private and institutional sector partners to deliver new residential initiatives across Peel Land & Property," the company said.

Baumber said: "I am thrilled to have joined Peel as the new residential development director. I am passionate about creating residential partnerships to deliver fantastic development and regeneration projects, which become real destinations of choice for new residents. This is a great opportunity for me to use my skills and experience to foster and deliver an exciting range of new multi-tenure residential partnerships, to help realise Peel's ambitions to be a major regional and national housing delivery partner. I look forward to working with and meeting, both existing and new partners to deliver the company's residential growth plans."

Peel is better known for retail, logistics and office development than housing. In July 2011 Peel announced a partnership with national housebuilder Barratt to build housing on Peel land.

James Whittaker, development director of Peel Land & Property Group, said: "We are delighted that someone of Neil's calibre has agreed to join us as our new residential development director. This is a critical part of our business both in the short and long-term, and having Neil's expertise on board will support our growth aspirations for the residential sector."