Key Appointments Drive Regional Growth Across North West Property and Housing Sectors

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A series of senior appointments across leading organisations in the North West property and housing sectors highlight ongoing investment and strategic expansion, with a clear focus on regeneration, commercial growth, and social value.

Muse, a national placemaking and regeneration company, has appointed Laura Percy as Development Director to support its expanding operations across the North West. With over 15 years of experience in urban regeneration and mixed-use developments, Percy previously led major projects at Landsec U&I, including the £1.4 billion Mayfield regeneration scheme in Manchester and the MediaCity development in Salford Quays. She also served as Head of Development at Bruntwood SciTech. Percy is a board member of the Greater Manchester Business Board (Local Enterprise Partnership). Steven Knowles, Director of Development Management at Muse – North West, praised her “wealth of placemaking experience,” adding that her appointment strengthens the company’s ability to deliver on its growing pipeline in the region.

Sancus Lending UK has launched a dedicated social housing division, appointing Alex Bodie as Social Housing Director. Bodie brings over 25 years of experience in financial services and has previously led similar initiatives to fund housing for vulnerable individuals. Operating from Sancus’s Manchester office, Bodie will lead efforts to develop flexible funding solutions for smaller housing providers across England. He remarked that the UK continues to underdeliver on affordable housing and highlighted Sancus’s role in addressing the gap left by traditional high street banks. Commercial Director Alex Garland welcomed the appointment, citing Bodie’s “genuine passion for the social housing sector.” Sancus is backed by its principal shareholder, The Somerston Group.

Wigan-based construction and maintenance firm Connolly has appointed Scott Swaby as Head of Commercial Strategy and Estimating. Swaby brings a wealth of experience from roles at the Guinness Partnership and Three Sixty, and will play a key role in driving Connolly’s growth strategy across Greater Manchester, Merseyside, North Wales, Cumbria, and Yorkshire. The company has recently undergone a senior leadership restructure, with Liam Norbury now serving as Managing Director of Delivery. Chief Executive Chris Connolly stated that Swaby’s appointment would help reinforce the firm’s commitment to delivering value-for-money services while enhancing operational performance.

Household appliance manufacturer Glen Dimplex Home Appliances (GDHA), headquartered in Warrington, has appointed Luke Harding as Commercial Director. Harding joins from GN Group and has held senior roles at Electrolux, including UK & Ireland Managing Director. He also brings commercial experience from fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) firms such as Clorox and Jeyes. Harding expressed enthusiasm about building the Stoves and Belling brands and driving innovation and commercial success through stronger customer relationships.

Housebuilder Anwyl Homes Lancashire, based in Buckshaw Village, Chorley, has promoted Paul Harrison to Engineering Manager and Zach Trenchard to Assistant Development Engineer. Harrison, who joined in 2019, has a background in civil and structural design, while Trenchard entered the company in 2023 after completing a T-level in construction. The team also welcomed Daniel Cunliffe earlier this year, bringing further engineering expertise. Managing Director John Grime noted that the promotions reflect the company’s commitment to internal development and talent recognition.

Strategic property consultancy Rapleys has further expanded its Manchester planning team with the appointment of three new associate partners: Bal Tiwana-Thompson, Alastair Skelton, and Tim Coleby. These appointments follow the recent arrival of Bernard Greep as Equity Partner and Head of Manchester Planning, and Michael Gilbert as Partner. Tiwana-Thompson joins from Stantec, Skelton brings over four decades of planning experience, including 32 years at Stephen Abbott Associates, while Coleby also holds over 40 years of experience in both public and private planning sectors. Greep stated that the expansion enhances the firm’s expertise and reach across traditional and emerging sectors in the North West.These appointments underline a broader trend of strategic hiring and regional focus in the North West’s property, construction, and housing finance industries.