Home Group chief executive Mark Henderson among new appointees

Homes England has announced four new appointments to its expanded board as it focuses more on regeneration as part of the government’s levelling up agenda.

Mark at GIV 2

Mark Henderson, chief executive of Home Group

The agency, which oversees the administration of the £12bn affordable housing programme, has recruited Mark Henderson, chief executive of 41,000-home housing association Home Group, to its board. Henderson is also the former chief executive of Northumberland County Council.

It has also appointed Pat Ritchie, who for eight years served as chief executive of Newcastle City Council and led Homes England’s predecessor body the Homes & Communities Agency.

Lord Ian Austin, a former Labour housing minister has also been appointed as has Lesley-Ann Nash who has two decades of banking experience including serving as managing director of Morgan Stanley.

Homes England last year announced it wished to expand its board ahead of a ‘reset’ to focus more on regeneration in line with the government’s levelling up agenda, which places an emphasis on brownfield development in town centres. It will be responsible for administering the £1.8bn brownfield fund and the £1.5bn levelling up fund. 

See also>> Homes England details new levelling up housing funds

See also>> Not settling for a quiet life- an interview with Mark Henderson

A new strategy for Homes England has been delayed until spring, as it looks at different ways of measuring social value in developments.

Michael Gove, housing secretary said: “Our Levelling Up White Paper sets out our plan to spread opportunity throughout the country and regenerating our towns and cities is an essential part of this.

“Homes England have been given a hugely important role in this work - spearheading the transformation of towns and cities across the country to create vibrant and thriving communities on previously derelict sites.

“Strengthening the leadership at Homes England is an important step on our mission to deliver these ambitious projects and I warmly welcome these new appointments.”

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