Property development expert Richard Clarke has been appointed as head of land and planning at Bristol-based independent housebuilder Autograph Homes as it looks to increase its presence as a niche player in the local market.
Richard, pictured, is an experienced chairman, director, trustee and non-executive director with consultancy and developer experience. 
At Autograph Homes he will be responsible for sourcing and acquiring new parcels of land in and around Bristol, using his wealth of experience and considerable network of industry contacts.
Last year the firm received a £2.8m investment from social impact investor the Housing Growth Partnership to enable it to start building two developments in Bristol – a five-unit family housing scheme in Hambrook, North Bristol, and a 36-unit apartment project on Cheltenham Road, Montpelier.
The Hambrook scheme is now completed while the Cheltenham Road development is under construction along with a site in Bath.
Autograph Homes chairman Paul Abson said: “The fact that Richard has chosen to join us is testament to the relevance of our business model and our ambitions for growth.
“We occupy a niche position in the marketplace and believe that we can play a crucial role in helping provide much-needed desirable homes to families in the Bristol area.”
Richard added: “There is plenty of opportunity, plenty of land available and agents are queuing up to hold discussions and attract our interest. The diary’s getting filled up pretty quickly.
“It was a conscious decision not to go back to the big volume corporate sector and it’s a great opportunity to be really involved in a hands-on situation.
“Autograph Homes has already demonstrated that it is a developer with an appreciation of design and specification. They’re not going to be churning out boxes – it’s a modern housebuilder creating quality homes that you yourself would want to live in.
“The homes are sustainable too, which is something I’m a firm believer in and which I like to champion – using local labour, local materials and energy efficiency wherever possible.”
In his previous roles, Richard has delivered results in property development, planning, business strategy and business turnaround, including as a housing development manager at Taunton Deane Borough Council and a director at property consultancy GVA.
He has also been South West regional chairman of the Home Builders Federation, land director at housing developer Bovis Homes and is a former chairman of Bristol Zoo,
The Housing Growth Partnership is backed by Lloyds Bank and the Homes & Communities Agency. It aims to help address housing affordability by providing support to regional residential developers, so increasing the number of homes built in the UK.
