Contractor says new operation will contribute ‘significant’ revenue to the group

McLaren has launched a housebuilding division, McLaren Living, which will aim to work with the public and private sectors to build homes across England.

Matthew Biddle, McLaren Living

The contractor, better known for commercial, office and leisure developments and currently developing Leicester City FC’s new training ground, said the new operation will be led by Matthew Biddle (pictured), former managing director of Berkeley Group’s Berkeley First operation.

A McLaren spokesman said McLaren Living would focus on mixed-use, residential development and placemaking in the UK and seek to develop partnerships and joint ventures with the private sector, local councils and housing associations.

“Over the coming months we will be setting ourselves ambitious targets and we would see this as [delivering] a significant proportion of McLaren Group’s revenue,” he added.

McLaren, which posted turnover of £650m last year, declined to predict how big a revenue contributor the new operation might be, nor did it spell out how many homes it hoped to build. “In a few weeks, as the business comes out of its infancy, there may be opportunity for us to clarify this,” the spokesman said.

The group said it was currently working with a number of potential customers and partners, “discussing a range of schemes in different sectors”, and will act as either developer or main contractor.

The division will also seek to buy land in what it called “strategic locations”, the spokesman added.

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