Laing O’Rourke expands housing arm

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Laing O’Rourke’s housing arm, Explore Living, has launched a division in the Thames Valley as part of an expansion drive.

The division, Explore Living Thames Valley, will have Roy Willer as its managing director. Willer joins from David Wilson Homes, where he was managing director for the eastern region. Before that he was managing director of Laing Homes’ south-east Thames region.

Willer will be responsible for developing the company’s presence in the Thames Valley. He will also be charged with taking Explore Living into new areas, including Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire.

Willer said: “We’re geared up to develop a variety of new homes in the forthcoming year and hope that in the next three to five years we will develop a substantial product portfolio. It’ll certainly be a challenging year, and one I’m looking forward to.”

We hope that in the next three to five years we will develop a substantial product portfolio
Roy Willer, managing director

Explore Living was launched in 2005, marking the start of a foray into housebuilding by Laing O’Rourke.

The company has expanded in the South-east since its launch. Its focus has been on Kent and Essex, although it also has a project under way in Luton.

The south-eastern-based business aims to build and sell 675 units a year by 2010. Its current schemes include the 59-unit Lumina development at Chadwell Heath in east London as well as projects in Northfleet, Kent, and Malden, Essex.