10th Feb 2004
Leicester Regeneration Company Appoints a New Chairman

The Leicester Regeneration Company has appointed a new Chairman following the resignation of Peter Wheeler.

Neil Morris becomes Chairman, and John Plumridge becomes Vice-Chairman following a board meeting of the Leicester Regeneration Company held last night.

Previous Chairman Peter Wheeler, Chief Executive of Leicester Tigers Football Club, has held the position since the formation of the LRC in 2001. Mr Wheeler has been instrumental in establishing the company and appointing Chief Executive John Nicholls and Roger Tym and Partners who produced the masterplan to Leicester’s regeneration.

On standing down from the position Mr Wheeler commented ‘It is with great sadness that I have to relinquish this role through pressure of work commitments. From initial discussions with colleagues just three years ago, this company has made immense progress and I am proud to have been involved in formulating plans that will have a significant impact on Leicester’s future. I believe that with Neil Morris as Chairman and John Nicholls as Chief Executive the company will go from strength to strength and continue to lead Leicester’s regeneration.’

Chief Executive John Nicholls said ‘Peter Wheeler has played a significant role in the development of the Leicester Regeneration Company including raising the profile of the company throughout the business community. He has also led the company through the production of the masterplan, the framework which will lead development in the city over the next ten years. LRC, and the city as whole, are greatly indebted to him. We are now entering the next phase, which includes the implementation of framework and I am certain that as chairman Neil Morris will lead the company through a successful time.’

Neil Morris is a well known and well respected businessman in the city, having recently taken early retirement from the role of KPMG’s Senior Partner. He came to Leicester from Birmingham 5 years ago and in that time has been very active in stimulating private sector participation in the economic and physical regeneration agenda. He was the founding chairman of Leicester Shire Business Voice and a founding board member of both Leicester Shire Economic Partnership and Leicester Regeneration Company.

On taking up his new role Mr Morris said “LRC is indebted to Peter Wheeler and the sterling work he has done over the last three years, and I am delighted he is remaining on the Board. LRC is at a very exciting and challenging stage on its path towards the comprehensive regeneration of the city. The Masterplan is complete, the Development Frameworks that will link the Masterplan to implementation phases are nearly complete, and our funding partners have embarked upon the relevant initial land acquisitions. Now is the time for LRC and its partners to turn the words and plans into actions for all to see. This has never been a short term game and that remains the case – but having captured the imagination of Leicester’s stakeholders with our bold regeneration plans it is absolutely essential that we maintain strong momentum in delivering on our promises. Regeneration is as much about developing great confidence in the future of the city and its leadership, as it is about bricks and mortar and delivering fulfillment of LRC’s Masterplan is pivotal to that agenda”.

For more information on the work of the Leicester Regeneration Company please visit leicesterregeneration.co.uk or call .

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