UK residential and commercial property developer Godwin Developments has announced the appointment of experienced commercial property lead Robert Birch to the position of senior development director.
Robert, whose vast experience and track record in property spans 32 years, will lead the company’s expansion plans primarily in the commercial sector – including retail, leisure, roadside and logistics – whilst also supporting the delivery of mixed-use and residential projects nationwide.
Robert has a comprehensive skillset covering the entire property development process – from site identification, evaluation and acquisition, through to design, planning, procurement and construction, as well as an in-depth knowledge of end-user requirements. Well-connected across a range of related disciplines, he also has an established reputation for working collaboratively with all stakeholders to achieve the best possible outcomes throughout the project’s lifecycle.
During his career, Robert has led a number of large-scale projects – including the £85 million Parkgate mixed-use scheme in Shirley town centre, near Solihull, with Asda as the anchor tenant, and the £12m Sinclair Retail Park at Four Pools in Evesham with Aldi, TK Maxx and Home Bargains as tenants. His track record also includes the 260-apartment extra-care retirement village in Solihull alongside other housing and mixed-use residential schemes as well as strategic land projects.
Robert said: “I am thrilled to be joining the Godwin Developments’ team at this exciting time of expansion. The business has a growing pipeline of development across the commercial and residential sectors with ambitious plans which align well with the current opportunities in the market. I look forward to working with the board and colleagues in the development team to deliver more and better growth opportunities for both our customers and investors.”
Prior to joining Godwin Developments, Robert was lead director at Ashfield Land in Birmingham and had his own development consultancy where he oversaw projects for a number of clients, including Coltham Developments and Calthorpe Estates. He was also part of the Helical Retail development team.
Stuart Pratt, group development director at Godwin Developments, said: “We are delighted to welcome Robert to the team. He has an exceptional reputation and significant experience in delivering schemes of high quality, as well as established relationships across many of our customers, industry partners and wider stakeholder groups. I look forward to working very closely with Robert in the future to meet and exceed the expectations of our end-users and investors.”
