Place Capital hires project director

Eleanor Binns has joined the Manchester-based regeneration specialist after 16 years of working with project managers Buro Four.

At Buro Four, Binns was known for her work on the Manchester Engineering Campus Development and Gorton Monastery.

Binns will lead on the implementation and delivery of all of Place Capital Group’s major projects, including the regeneration of the Shadsworth estate in Blackburn.

“PCG has a unique take on the country’s affordable housing challenge, seeing potential for new, lower-cost homes on our ageing, often unloved former council estates, whilst lifting those estates through expert placemaking,” Binns said.

“Not only does this innovation excite me, the culture and values that the business brings to the market were exactly aligned with where I wanted to be.”

PCG has also hired Ben Buron as development manager for City of York Council’s zero carbon homes programme. Former Royal Marine Jamie Pratt recently joined the team as a paid intern.

“We are lucky to have found three highly talented, and exceptional individuals, in what is a tight recruitment market,” said PCG chief executive David Smith-Milne.

“he new team members join our fast-growing business which is expanding through recent acquisitions and new and interesting project wins across the UK.”

PCG has offices in Manchester and in London. It was formed by Smith-Milne and Peter Martin last year. There are 29 employees in its Castlefield headquarters.