Ringley Group’s outsourced land platform, VirginLand, has made three senior hires to lead its planning and operations teams.
Steve Norman has been appointed planning director. Norman previously ran his regional development consultancy, BSN, for more than 14 years. He will oversee the search and acquisition function at VirginLand and advise across all pre-planning application issues.
Planning specialist Charlie Youngs has been named land director. Youngs will specialise in identifying scheme viability and maximising developer and investor response rates. Previously, he founded his own firm, CMY Developments, which is backed by the family office of the founder of Norwich developer Dencora.
Bellway Homes sales advisor Oliver Wahlgren has joined VirginLand as head of operations.
Dan Robinson, chief executive at VirginLand, said the hires will be “instrumental in our mission to democratise the land market, and in doing so play our part in addressing the chronic undersupply of housing”.
“The largely opaque land market is stuck in its old ways and is ripe for transformation,” said Robinson.
Mary-Anne Bowring, group managing director at Ringley Group, said: “Living sector developers and investors are increasingly turning towards specialist partners that can execute their strategy at every stage of the asset lifecycle, from site-finding to stabilisation and exit.
“The appointments come at an opportune time for VirginLand, which is perfectly poised to capitalise upon this fast-growing trend, as well as a growing frustration around the way in which land is currently identified.”
VirginLand was created in March earlier this year. It aims to work closely with SME and major developers and investors to identify and acquire off-market land opportunities, using in-house technology and geospatial data solutions. Its team consists of land specialists, planning consultants, surveyors and tech experts.
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