27th February 2003
Building a new team

The Leicester Regeneration Company (LRC) is expanding its team of regeneration experts to take the company into its new phase: implementing its masterplan.

The LRC was established in April 2001. Since then the company has helped bring forward several development projects, and has worked with consultants Roger Tym & Partners on developing the regeneration masterplan for the next ten to fifteen years.

The masterplan was launched in November 2002, and sets a framework for major change in central Leicester. The LRC team has now been expanded to prepare for this important and demanding task. Currently the team consists of:

Chief Executive, John Nicholls, Development Director, Chris White, Development Manager, Caroline Simpson-Watkins and Office Manager Hazel Bevins.

However from mid February, they will be joined by:

Jim Johnston, Finance Director. Jim is a property banker and finance expert with over twenty years experience. He has previously worked with Lloyds TSB and other property funders and will be working on financial structuring of projects and on liaison with LRC’s public sector partners on business planning. He will work on a part time basis while continuing to run his own consultancy business.

Technical Director, Stanislav Andryszewski. ‘Andy’ joins the company from Yorkshire Forward where he was a Senior Regeneration Office. He has previously worked on a number of complex reclamation and development projects and will be dealing with programme and contract management as well as highways and infrastructure.

Two Development Managers:

Jeannette Franklin, who has been working as a Principal Surveyor at Leicester City Council. Jeannette brings over twenty years of experience to the team and will specialise in land acquisition and development, particularly in the central retail core.

Peter Conboy, who joins the team from Shannon, Eire where he has been working on public/private partnership structures for regeneration projects and brings sixteen years of experience.

This new structure will enable LRC to deliver the five major projects envisaged in the master plan: the prime office core, the new city centre community, the science and technology park, the new retail circuit, and reuniting the city with its waterfront. Five LRC-led Project Groups have been set up to deliver these. Each group will draw in key people from all the organisations involved to make each project happen.

In addition LRC Board has structured itself into steering groups, based around the different masterplan projects, to advise and support this work. As well as LRC Board members, these groups will invite others who can bring specific knowledge and expertise. A sixth group will focus on ensuring that the benefits flowing from LRC’s physical projects, like new jobs and prosperity, will spread as widely as possible throughout Leicester communities.

Chairman Peter Wheeler said ‘We are delighted to welcome these new members to our team. It’s a clear indication that work on implementing the masterplan is now well underway and the Board are confident that we have the team in place to really take things forward. ’

Chief Executive, John Nicholls said ‘This new structure will help us in carrying out each of the major masterplan projects It’s a huge task, and this is the best way of tackling it. The combination of the commitment and knowledge from our Board, the welcome additions to our staff team, and our other partners will ensure that we have the best possible people working on each of the projects.’

For more information on the work of the Leicester Regeneration Company, visit leicesterregeneration.co.uk, or for a copy of the masterplan please call .

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