Jon Bray, Planning Manager
Hot on the heels of our announcement last week of Martin Hawthorne’s appointment as Planning Director, we have made further moves to leverage the strength of our Planning department with the recruitment of Jon Bray, formerly a Director at WYG Group, as Planning Manager. A respected name in landmark planning projects, Jon has already worked closely with Highwood on many large-scale schemes, including our iconic North Stoneham Park development and the forthcoming Eastleigh Strategic Growth Option (SGO).
‘This is an exciting move,’ Jon says. ‘I’ve spent many years managing a number of Highwood’s high-profile planning applications, helping to deliver new communities and supporting infrastructure and I’m now looking forward to advancing these projects as well as leading other new planning applications and site promotions that are already fast approaching.’
Melanie Richards, Associate Sales & Marketing Director
Highwood has also promoted Melanie Richards to the post of Associate Sales and Marketing Director following a highly successful tenure as Sales and Marketing Manager at North Stoneham Park.
Melanie brings a long-established career spanning more than twenty years in the residential sales and new homes industry, notably with leading developers, Southcott Homes and Lovell Homes before joining Highwood in March when her work to advance the flourishing sales at North Stoneham Park began in earnest. Her impact on the Park’s new homes sales and success story was evident from the start, so much so that her future with Highwood and a wider remit to strengthen sales on other developments was duly sealed just six months into her appointment.
‘I’m thrilled to be moving to a more central role within Highwood,’ Melanie says. ‘The brand and its award-winning projects have captured the imagination of new home owners across the south and, having seen how their masterplans have helped to transform communities and life for so many homebuyers, it’s exciting to be in a position to extend the Group’s successes even further.’
Garfield Coombs, Construction Manager
Highwood’s new Construction Manager, Garfield Coombs, brings 18 years’ experience as a senior manager and director in the construction industry, which ranges from specialist housing and contracting experience, low and high-rise residential and affordable housing, open market and extra care development.
‘I’ve been fortunate to have worked with some of the construction industry’s most recognised firms, including Mansell, Kier, and Morgan Sindall,’ Garfield reveals. ‘I will be overseeing the delivery of Highwood’s extra care home portfolio and I am very pleased to join Highwood at this key stage of its expansion. It’s also good to be joining some former colleagues and working with delivery teams that I am familiar with to support Highwood’s continued progress in this growing sector.’
This summer, Highwood’s pioneering approach to residential property construction saw the organisation crowned the South Coast Property Awards’ Housebuilder of the Year and our prestigious North Stoneham Park development is in contention with other ‘Best Partnership Schemes’ at this year’s What House? Awards.