Elan Homes has made new senior appointments to support its growth and expansion plans. John Beardsell has been appointed to the new role of strategic land director for the Elan group; while Shaun McCarthy has been promoted from technical director for the Northern region to the new position of group technical director.
Beardsell said: “Elan is a strong brand, known for delivering a quality housing product and has exciting expansion plans. I’ve taken on a new role within the business and it’s a great opportunity to help shape the future of the company through the sites we acquire.
“By pooling the wealth of experience and expertise within the organisation, with an extensive network of contacts and consultants across the country, we are identifying lots of sites and opportunities to ensure a steady stream of developments over the medium to long term.”
Beardsell is based at Elan’s Northern headquarters in Cheshire, with the business currently focusing on sites in the North West, North Wales and the Midlands, plus areas where the need and shortfall in supply is greatest.
Elan will consider development sites up to 10 hectares in size, although the new strategic division is also working on sites much larger than this nationwide.
In line with Elan’s business plan, the focus is on traditionally built open market developments providing family housing with a minimum GDV of circa £5m. Key to this will be ensuring that sites are located where local infrastructure, transport links, employment and demand support development.
“Location is everything and has an impact on the desirability of the homes as places to live. From proximity to local services and sustainability credentials to technical constraints and timescales for delivery, we need to consider all the challenges and opportunities on a site-by-site basis,” Beardsell added.
A Liverpool John Moores University graduate, Beardsell worked briefly as a local authority planning officer before embarking on a career in land acquisition and development with a number of housebuilders.
He said: “Fundamentally, we work in an industry that provides a basic human need – shelter and a roof over our heads, so that is something to be proud of.”
For Elan’s Northern business, the focus is on those previously successful sales locations across Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Flintshire. In the Midlands, the main focus is on sites within an hour’s drive of the regional office in Coleshill.
