Breaking News

Company Restructuring

Taylor Woodrow Developments Limited announces new Group Chief Executive (October 2006)

Mr Ian Smith has been appointed as the new Chief Executive for Taylor Woodrow Developments Limited.  He will take up this role in the New Year when Mr Ian Napier will step down, having held the position of Group Chief Executive since 2002.  Mr Ian Smith previously held the position of CEO for the General Healthcare Group.

 

Crest Nicholson PLC moves Head Office (September 2006)     

Crest Nicholson PLC has moved its Head Office from Crest House, 39 Thames Street, Wybridge to a new office at Crest House, Pyrecroft Road, Chertsey in Surrey.  All personnel transferred across in the move.

The Berkeley Group PLC pays £191 million to own St James Homes Limited outright (September 2006)

The Berkeley Group PLC is to pay £191 million to its joint venture partner RWE Thames Water for the 50% of the developer, St James Homes Limited that is does not already own.

 

Berkeley and Thames Water established St James Homes Limited in May 1996, selling over 5,000 units in the past decade.

Swan Hill Homes winds up (September 2006)

Swan Hill Homes, a subsidiary of Raven Mount PLC, will cease operations in September after the completion of its last site in Weybridge.

 

Dunhelm (Castle Homes) Limited announces new Managing Director (August 2006)

Dunhelm (Castle Homes) Limited, owned by the Esh Group, has appointed Mr Phil Brown as its new Managing Director.

 

Manor Kingdom replaces Furlong Homes in Gladedale structure (August 2006)

Furlong Homes has now been rebranded as Manor Kingdom (Southern), and it will report to Country & Metropolitan.  The Manor Kingdom house builder in Scotland (whilst owned by Gladedale partners Mr Remo Dipre and Mr David Gaffney) will continue to operate outside the Group.

 

Gladedale Group (July 2006)

Mr David Gaffney, former Group Managing Director, has been appointed Chief Executive of Gladedale, and Mr John Dipre has joined the board as Group Development Director.

 

The Berkeley Group announces new joint venture company (July 2006)

The Prudential Assurance Company Limited (“Prudential”) and The Berkeley Group PLC have established a new joint venture.  The new business will trade as St Edward Homes Limited and will develop major residential and mixed-use development schemes across the UK.  The two companies are understood to each be investing £12 million.

 

The new venture will initially concentrate on three major residential developments in the South-East.  It will have a potential land bank of around 2,500 dwellings.

 

The Berkeley Group PLC has historically carried out a number of joint ventures with a wide range of partners.  Current joint ventures include St James Homes Limited with Thames Water.

 

Gladedale Group’s Chief Executive appointment (July 2006)

Group Managing Director, Mr David Gaffney has been appointed Chief Executive of the Group.  Mr John Dipre has joined the board as Group Development Director.

 

Barratt Homes Limited moves Head Office (June 2006)

Barratt Homes Limited has announced that from the 30th May 2006, the Company changed its head office address from Wingrove House, Ponteland Road, Newcastle to its new offices at:

Rotterdam House

116 Quayside

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE1 3DA

 

Barratt Homes Limited’s Chief Executive to retire (June 2006)

Barratt Homes Chief Executive, David Pretty, will retire at the end of the year.  Mr Mark Clare who was the Managing Director of British Gas’ Centrica’s operation will replace him. Mr Clare will join Barratt Homes Limited in October to ensure a smooth handover.

 

Bovis Homes Group PLC creates new role (May 2006)

Bovis Homes Group PLC has appointed Mr David Ritchie, the Group Finance Director, to the newly created position of Group Managing Director.

 

Persimmon PLC’s management change (April 2006)

Mr Duncan Davidson stepped down as Chairman of Persimmon PLC, and Mr John White has take over the role.  Mr Mike Farley will become the new Chief Executive.

 

Nationwide restructure for Miller Homes Limited (March 2006)

Miller Homes Limited is undergoing a nationwide restructure following its £264 million acquisition of Fairclough Homes in September 2005.  Miller Homes Limited is retaining Fairclough Homes’ regional Managing Director, Mr Nick Smith to head the Company’s operation in the North-west, Mr Steve Birch, also of Fairclough, will lead the Yorkshire region.  Mr Richard Sarraff has also been retained as Managing Director of Northern Home Counties - a new region for Miller Homes following the Fairclough acquisition.  Internal promotions include Mr Rob Hepwood stepping up to Director and General Manager of the West Midlands region.  The only Fairclough Homes office to remain open is the one based in St Albans, and this has been rebranded as a Miller Homes office.

 

George Wimpey PLC (February 2006)

Mr. Peter Johnson is to retire from his role as Group Chief Executive.  Mr Peter Redfern, currently Chief Executive of UK business, will become Group Chief Executive from 1st July 2006.  He will be appointed the Deputy Chief Executive with effect from 21st February to work alongside Mr Peter Johnson until the end of June to ensure a smooth transition.

 

At the end of 2005, George Wimpey PLC introduced a new UK operating structure, which will manage all of its businesses within a simplified structure of three geographical divisions.  It has also strengthened a number of senior management roles within the operating companies.

 

Persimmon PLC to rebrand two of Westbury’s offices (February 2006)

Persimmon PLC closed most of the Westbury offices in February 2006.  The Westbury Homes’ name has gone.  Two existing Westbury offices will remain open - the Westbury Cardiff office, which will become the Charles Church (Wales) office, and the Westbury Gloucester office, which has been renamed Westbury Partnerships.  The partnerships office will focus on working with the Government in its efforts to increase the supply of affordable homes.

Space4 Manufacturing will be working closely with Westbury Partnerships and the Government’s agenda regarding Modern Methods of Construction.  Persimmon PLC believes that given the volume of homes produced by the enlarged Persimmon Group and by working closely with specialist Westbury Partnerships it can begin to make good progress with Space4.

 

New Central Division created by Persimmon PLC (January 2006)

Persimmon PLC has restructured its divisional management to create an additional “Central” region.  It has increased its divisions from two to three; namely Central, North and South.

Galliford Try PLC integrates Chartdale Homes Limited (January 2006)

Galliford Try PLC will integrate Chartdale Homes Limited into the existing regional structure of the house building division.  Galliford Try PLC currently has regional representation throughout the South and East of England through regional house building businesses.  These comprise of Midas Homes and Gerald Wood Homes in the South-west, Stamford Homes in the Eastern Counties and Try Homes in the South-east.  Chartdale Homes Limited operates to the north of, and adjacent to, Stamford Homes’ current area of operation and will become a new regional business within Stamford Homes.

 

Management buyout at Rydon Group Limited (January 2006)

Sussex based Rydon Group Limited has successfully completed a management buyout.  The Company, that includes Rydon Homes Limited, began the buyout process back in February 2005 after the principle shareholders decided to sell all of their shareholding.

 

George Wimpey to merge Laing Homes (December 2005)

George Wimpey has announced its intention to merge Laing Homes (acquired three years ago as a ‘premium brand’) into the main business.  The Company is planning to establish three new geographic divisions "to deliver both Laing Homes’ and Wimpey’s products".