New land and planning assistant appointed at East Wales

A new land and planning assistant has been appointed at East Wales region.

Ellena Hodges has joined the company’s land and planning team covering South East Wales, and will be responsible for assisting in the identification and acquisition of land opportunities and planning matters.

Ellena, from Cardiff, has joined the company from Jehu Group where she served as a development and planning co-ordinator.

Ellena has a 1st Class BSc hons degree in City and Regional Planning from Cardiff University, while she is currently undertaking the Assessment of Professional Competence to become a RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) chartered surveyor.

Commenting on her appointment, Ellena said:

“With Persimmon’s sustained growth and continued drive for quality, I am delighted to have joined at what is an important time for the business.

“There’s a strong appetite for land acquisition to achieve ambitious future growth targets, and since starting in the role, I’ve been involved in a number of exciting projects reflecting Persimmon’s strong presence in South East Wales.

“This is a great opportunity for me and I look forward to assisting in identifying land-led opportunities for short-term growth whilst ensuring a strong pipeline for the future in East Wales.”

Ellena’s appointment comes at a time when the company has launched a ‘Target 50’ initiative, which is an ambition to recruit 50 female apprentices or technical trainees into construction-related roles this year.

The initiative forms part of Persimmon’s 50th anniversary celebrations and supports the Company’s commitment to building and retaining a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

Managing Director for Persimmon Homes East Wales, Lee Woodfine, said:

“We are delighted Ellena has joined the team at an exciting time for the region and wider business.

“We want to attract, retain and develop the best talent from as wide a pool as possible – providing an environment that encourages innovation and creativity to meet the big challenges society faces, such as harnessing new technologies to build more sustainable communities and achieve net zero.

“Successful companies reflect the customers and communities they serve and embrace new ideas and ways of working – and Ellena is proving to be an excellent addition to our team in East Wales.”