Avant Homes Scotland appoints land and special projects director – Scottish Business News

Edinburgh-based Avant Homes Scotland has appointed a land and special projects director as the housebuilder prepares for further expansion across the country.

Iain Allison has 35 years’ housebuilding experience and has held senior roles at Bellway and Taylor Wimpey.

He is tasked with building upon Avant Homes Scotland’s established land acquisition programme which has had notable successes this year.

These include a £44m, 170 new home development called Stewart’s Quarter in Rosyth and Thistle Meadows, a 92-home, £31m development in Tranent. Both sites are well underway with homes released for sale.

Another recently acquired site, Craignethan Gate in Glenboig, which will deliver 31 homes with a gross development value of £9m, will go on sales release in October.

Avant Homes Scotland currently has nine live developments. These range from Craigowl Law in Dundee to Draffen Park in Stewarton.

Commenting on his appointment, Iain Allison said: “We are very active in the residential development land market across Scotland and, although we have strong pipeline of sites, we are keen to secure more.

“Scotland is a strategically important market for Avant Homes with a huge amount of opportunity, and we believe we have the ideal range of practically designed, energy efficient homes for buyers here.

“I’m leading an ambitious land team eager to find more development sites so we can continue deliver upon our vision of providing quality homes, for everyone.”

Avant Homes Scotland is part of the Avant Homes Group, which operates across Scotland, the north of England and Midlands from eight regional operating businesses. 

Headquartered in Barlborough, near Chesterfield, the housebuilder employs more than 600 people and, for the year ended 30 June 2024, delivered 1,715 completions.

Avant Homes Group’s ambition is to develop its multi-tenure business further across its existing regions and beyond, creating communities as well as providing employment opportunities.

This approach better serves customers and communities, particularly where the cost of living has increased and affordability is stretched.

Jim Wilkinson, Avant Homes Scotland managing director, said: “Iain is ideally suited to this role due to his experience, knowledge and contacts throughout the country.

“Under Iain’s direction, our land team is involved in a number of exciting deals. They are combining moving at pace with commercial acumen to secure positive outcomes which will underpin our continued expansion.”