Housebuilder Dandara has launched a new partnerships division as part of its strategy to deliver more than 3,000 homes per year.
The client-facing team will focus on building strong relationships with housing associations, local authorities and government bodies to help meet rising demand for affordable and mixed-tenure housing across the UK.
Richard Matthews (pictured), formerly managing director for the southern region at Dandara, has been appointed managing director of partnerships for the Dandara Group.
Dandara has also appointed Russell Turner, who has more than 25 years of affordable housing experience, as partnerships director. Turner most recently served as head of affordable housing at Redrow and prior to that he held senior roles at at Clarion Housing and Airey Miller.
Matthews said: “The demand for high quality, affordable housing isn’t going anywhere – and if we’re serious about delivering at scale, collaboration with public sector partners is key. This division gives us the structure to be more proactive and more visible to housing associations, local authorities and government across the country. It’s an exciting step for the business and I’m proud to spearhead it.”
Turner added: “What drew me to Dandara was the clarity of ambition and the real appetite to do things differently. There’s a strong focus on getting things right – from the way we engage with partners to the quality of the homes we deliver. I’m excited to build on that and help create a platform that’s trusted, effective, and forward-looking.”
Chris Harris, chief operating officer at Dandara, said: “As we grow, it’s vital we remain responsive to the way housing demand is changing – and that means strengthening our ability to work alongside the public sector. The creation of a dedicated partnerships team is a natural evolution of our model and a key part of building a resilient, balanced pipeline. Richard and Russell bring complementary strengths, deep sector knowledge and a delivery-focused mindset that will serve our partners and our business well.”
