Property people: Scarborough Group International and Town Centre Securities

Property regeneration and placemaking specialist, Scarborough Group International (SGI) has appointed South Yorkshire-based real estate consultant Ian Sanderson.

He has been taken on to accelerate the next phase of development at Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.

With 32 years of commercial development and specialist asset management experience, he is a leisure and retail property expert.

As Sheffield City Council’s development partner for the project, SGI has a crucial role to play in helping to cement Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park as a world-leading life sciences and innovation hub focused on sport, health and wellbeing.

To date, the group has delivered the Community Stadium, which houses Landing Pad, a dedicated incubation centre for spin-outs, start-ups and scale-ups, providing a fertile environment for innovation and entrepreneurship.

Additionally, SGI  also secured planning consent for the National Centre for Child Health Technology, laying the foundation for future advancements in paediatric healthcare on the Park.

Sanderson’s remit will see him build on these successes by promoting collaboration and engagement among partners and key stakeholders, ensuring alignment and progress against the Park’s mission of delivering an Olympic legacy through the four themes of sport, community, environment and economy.

Additionally, he will work with SGI’s appointed design team to accelerate the delivery of its one million sq ft masterplan for the next phase of Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park.

Sanderson is the founder and CEO of SLR, which asset manages various schemes across the UK, including Springfields, a 45-acre retail and leisure scheme in Spalding for UBS Triton Fund.

He has delivered several town centre regeneration schemes and managed major distribution development projects and is currently acting as a development consultant and operator for the 300,000 sq ft Scotch Corner Designer Village in Richmond.

He is also the chairman of a large regional sports club, works on several sports-related developments, and is the project lead for the main hub building on the £24m Stocksbridge Towns Fund.

Additionally, he is a partner at BYTEWORKS, a specialist tech scale-up and repurposing vehicle aimed at addressing the tech sector’s need for grow-on space within a supportive environment.

His appointment follows the news that Dr Sherry Khotari has recently been appointed as the new chair of Legacy Park Ltd, succeeding the Rt Hon Richard Caborn, who led the Park’s vision and development for nearly a decade until he stepped down in February this year.

Kevin McCabe, chairman of SGI, said: “We’re thrilled to welcome Ian to the team. Having someone with his extensive experience and innovative approach based on-site will really help to establish and cement relationships with partners and key stakeholders that will prove invaluable as we enter this next phase of the project.

“Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park’s development will not only enhance South Yorkshire’s reputation as a centre of expertise for innovation and life sciences, but also contribute significantly to the local economy, creating jobs and opportunities for innovation and collaboration so it is essential that we drive forward our plans with enthusiasm and determination.”

Sanderson added: “I’m happy to be supporting Scarborough Group on this exciting and transformative project.

“The vision for Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park is truly inspiring and I look forward to working with the team to help bring it to life.”

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Leeds Merrion Centre, the mixed-use scheme owned by property investment and car parking operator, Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS), has made a key appointment.

Katrina Townsend is set to join the Merrion Centre as area operations manager from August.

In her new role, she will oversee the Merrion Estate facilities and security team, ensuring the smooth running of the shopping centre.

With over 15 years of experience managing a diverse portfolio of buildings, she will manage the one million sq ft scheme comprising retail and leisure units, offices and a multi-storey CitiPark car park.

She said: “I am thrilled to be joining TCS and taking on the role of area operations manager for the Merrion Centre.

“This is an exciting time, and I look forward to contributing to its ongoing success, working with such a dedicated team and being part of its ongoing growth and innovation.”

Charles Newman, associate director at TCS, said: “Katrina’s extensive experience, dedication to excellence and proven track record align perfectly with our commitment to delivering outstanding results.

“Katrina’s expertise will be invaluable as we continue to drive the success of our projects and further enhance our reputation as a leader within the property industry.”