West Lancs development arm bolsters ranks

Tawd Valley Developments has hired Nik Puttnam as senior development manager from Maple Grove Developments.

Puttnam has spent the last eight years at Maple Grove and joins TVD to spearhead its £150m Skelmersdale masterplan. His departure from Maple Grove follows a leadership shakeup at the company, with the departure of managing director Karen Hirst and promotion of James Scott to the top role.

At TVD, Puttnam is hoping to bring the regeneration expertise he has amassed during stints at to the Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company and Liverpool City Council to bear in Skelmersdale, one of the original new towns.

Puttnam will work under TVD managing director Mark Kitts. The pair know each other from their time at the city council.

“Nik brings a seasoned view of how the public and private sectors can best marry their skills, assets and agendas to deliver genuine change,” Kitts said.

“The Skelmersdale masterplan is bold in its reach and ambition and will transform not just the look and feel of the town, but its appeal to visitors and residents.  I’m delighted to be working with Nik again to help us move forward at pace.”

Puttnam sees clearly the opportunity that Skelmersdale presents.

“Our soft market testing has already demonstrated the private sector’s appetite to explore how they can support our vision,” he said.

“We’re now pulling the different strands together so that we match this with the policy, land-holding, funding and partnership platform that is key to truly successful regeneration.”