Established in 2016, the Essex Housing team has a wealth of public sector and private sector experience in residential and commercial development.
From conception to completion, we have expertise in project managing complex construction projects in a political environment on an end-to-end basis.
Our team is nationally recognised as a thought leader and exemplar and was selected as the winner of both the prestigious ‘Development Team of the Year – Rural/Suburban’ at the Inside Housing Development Awards 2022 and ‘Homebuilder of the Year’ at the UK Housing Awards 2022.
We have also been shortlisted for various other awards since our inception, most recently:
- Winner of the Essex Housing Awards 'Medium Housing Schemes (25 – 100 homes)' Award 2024
- Housing Heroes Awards 2024 for 'Team of the Year'.
"Having worked with Essex Housing for several years, we have always found them to be a very forward thinking and dynamic team who strive for excellence in every aspect of project delivery. The experience and enthusiasm within the team is evident through the ongoing delivery of exemplar developments." Oxbury Chartered Surveyors, Chelmsford.
Board Directors
Cllr Ray Gooding
Chairman
Cllr Gooding is by profession a Mechanical Engineer and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers. He was, for almost thirty years, the senior partner of a firm of Consulting Engineers working on the design and project management of a wide range of construction projects. Ray has been the County Council Member for Stansted since 2005 and apart from the work he has carried for the local communities within his division he has held a number of jobs within the council, including Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and for eight years was Cabinet Member for Education. In February 2021, Ray was appointed Chairman of the Essex Housing Development LLP Board.
Alan Lewin
Vice Chair / Independent Board Member
Alan is an experienced chief executive and non-executive director with over 35 years’ experience in housing. During his career, Alan led and directed organisations ranging from 30,000 homes to smaller traditional housing associations undertaking a diverse range of housing, support and care activities. In February 2021, Alan was appointed as an Independent Board Member of Essex Housing Development LLP.
Chris Martin
Director, Strategic Commissioning and Policy (Children & Families)
Chris is the Director for Strategic Commissioning in Children & Families at Essex County Council and joined Essex Housing Development LLP as a Board Member in February 2021. Chris has extensive experience in social care commissioning and offers a valuable insight to the Board in terms of specialist housing that adds social value and meets the needs of our most vulnerable residents.
Development Team
David Cohen
Head of Development Surveying
David joined Essex Housing in 2017, previous to this he had spent 35 years in the development and house building industry, building new homes and converting Listed buildings in Essex, London and East Anglia. His wide experience has covered, design, planning, technical, construction and project management, managing development projects from inception to completion. David’s role within Essex Housing includes taking projects from initial feasibility through to handover to purchaser or end user, always to a high design and quality standard.
Martin Collins
Development Surveyor
Martin joined Essex Housing in Sept 2019 having previously spent 13 years at Harlow District Council and more recently 19 years at London & Quadrant, Home Group and Clarion Housing Group. As a Development Surveyor, Martin works on a variety of projects from feasibility stage through to construction. This entails financial appraisal analysis and working with a wide variety of stakeholders including Essex County Council colleagues and project design teams.
Louise Douglass
Development Operations Officer
Louise joined Essex Housing in 2018 and previously has worked at the Council for nearly 15 years, 7 of those within the Cabinet Office. Louise performs a variety of tasks and activities across her role, specialising in communications and marketing and liaison with Essex Legal Services.
Jim Duffy
Head of Development Surveying
As a chartered surveyor Jim has specialised in the residential sector throughout his career. He has significant experience in several areas including development for outright sale and investment, residential portfolio management, leasehold reform, new homes sales and marketing. Jim has worked on a wide variety of development projects ranging from large mixed tenure residential schemes in numerous city centres across the country to individual plots in Central London. He joined Essex Housing in 2018 and has a portfolio of projects at various stages of the development cycle.
Nicoli Fleming
Essex Housing Partnership Manager
Nicoli joined Essex Housing in 2018. Previously Nicoli worked for ten years providing strategic and policy advice to the Leader and Cabinet of Essex County Council. Nicoli now focusses on working with public sector partners across Greater Essex to make better use of surplus or underutilised public assets to support more efficient, joined up and improved public services whilst releasing land for quality housing in the form and location most needed in the county.
Graham Harley
Development Surveyor
Graham is a Chartered Surveyor and joined Essex Housing in 2023. Before joining Essex Housing he worked for Property Developers and Consultants in Essex as a Development and Project Manager of both Commercial and Residential developments. Development and Project management from site or property acquisition to letting and sale of the completed development including fund and agreements for lease, lease and sale.
Sally Hills
Development Operations Officer
Sally joined Essex Housing in 2018 but has been at the Council for around 11 years, 4 of those working within the Cabinet Office. Sally performs a variety of administrative tasks and Customer Service activities across her role.
Daniel Jefferis
Development Surveyor
Daniel is a chartered surveyor and spent his career in retail and leisure property, covering landlord and tenant, acquisition and commercial development work, before joining Essex Housing in 2020. Daniel works on a range of residential development schemes for Essex Housing.
Joel John
Programme Assurance Manager
Joel joined Essex Housing in 2019 with a background in Economic Growth and Regeneration at two local authorities. Joel oversees a wide range of Essex Housing sites across the County, providing programme assurance and oversight. Joel is a chartered member of the Chartered Institute of Housing.
Simon Maidment
Programme Assurance Manager
Simon joined Essex Housing when the team was created in 2017 and has been at the Council for over 15 years, prior to this working within Economic Delivery. Simon oversees a wide range of Essex Housing sites across Essex providing programme assurance and oversight. Simon is currently MRICS and hopes to be a fully qualified RICS member in the near future.
Graham Macpherson
Development Surveyor
Graham joined Essex Housing in 2016. His role encompasses residential appraisal, managing consultants, planning, construction and sales. As a Chartered Surveyor, Graham’s career has spanned planning consultancy, commercial property with Royal London Asset Management (12 years), land acquisition roles with Bellway, Taylor Wimpey and Persimmon and working with public sector clients at Concertus.
Nic Malby
Development Surveyor
Nic is a qualified Architect with 30 years experience in private practice. His passion for design quality plus a keen eye for detail brings an exciting dynamic to the team. His portfolio of residential projects includes assisted living, affordable housing and homes with a commercial focus. Nic joined Essex Housing in 2023.
Tasha Saville
Development Operations Officer
Tasha joined Essex Housing in 2018 but has been at the Council for 15 years, previous work before Essex Housing included finance, adult social care & business support. Tasha performs a variety of tasks and activities across her role, specialising in managing the Essex One Public Estate Partnership
Dan Taylor
Managing Director (Acting)
Dan joined Essex Housing in 2017. Prior to joining Essex Housing, Dan managed the Cabinet Office team and advised Cabinet Members on Economic Growth, Infrastructure, Housing and Finance. Dan is a qualified PRINCE2 and MSP Practitioner and has a degree in Politics, he has held various roles in communications, policy, strategy and project management.
Adam Thompson
Managing Director (Acting)
Adam joined Essex Housing at its formation in February 2016. Adam joined Essex County Council in 2007 and within the County Council has had a range of experience including in Performance Management, Partnership Delivery, Residential Development and Policy and Strategy roles. Adam takes a lead role in Essex Housing financial management, business planning and performance reporting and has been instrumental in establishing and chairing the Greater Essex One Public Estate Partnership, as well as securing government grant funding for important local projects.
Jodi Thompson
Essex Housing Partnership Manager
Jodi joined Essex Housing in May 2023, following 7 years in local government policy and strategy, working across a range of areas including corporate equalities, consultation and engagement, modern slavery, housing policy and project management, supporting Essex’s devolution deal and most recently as place/cohort lead for Essex County Council’s LU Programme. Jodi now focusses on working with public sector partners across Greater Essex to make better use of surplus or underutilised assets to address housing need and drive operational efficiencies. This includes promoting the value and potential of more collaborative use of public assets to contribute to shared outcomes.