Churchill Retirement Living, a retirement property developer, has opened a new regional office in Bristol as part of expansion plans into South West England and South Wales.
The company has appointed Chris Birakos, regional head of land, to drive the acquisition of land in the city and surrounding areas from a new office location in Clifton.
According to Churchill, the Bristol office will support the company's growth plans, including its 'Growth Drive '25' strategy to deliver more than 1,000 unit sales in a single year by 2025; to create new jobs across all regions; and have a countrywide presence in the next three years.
Churchill said it would invest £800m in new sites in the next few years, with Bristol and South Wales playing an "important part" in its plans.
Mr Birakos will work with regional land and development director Duncan Scholes; regional managing director James Barnes; chief operating officer Martin Young; and chair and chief executive Spencer J McCarthy to develop the group’s presence across the region.
“I’m very excited to be joining Churchill as it emerges from the pandemic with a strong reputation and ambitious plans to buy more land and deliver more high-quality retirement developments in the region," said Mr Birakos.
"We have clear criteria for the type of brownfield, town centre sites we need to deliver on these plans, and I’m looking forward to getting our new Bristol office up and running to help build on the company’s success to date.”
The announcement of the new Bristol office follows the recent appointment of Matthias Daly as land director for the West Country, based in Exeter, and the "strengthening" of the land buying team at its head office in Ringwood, Hampshire, Churchill said.
Mr McCarthy added: "Given the huge benefits retirement housing can generate for individuals and their families, building more of this type of housing will play a key part in our country’s future.
"We are investing heavily to achieve our growth plans and in turn realise these benefits, enabling many older people to live happier, healthier, more independent lives. By doing this we can also create new jobs, regenerate local high streets, and deliver new communities that give an economic boost to towns and cities across the South West and nationally.”
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