Wavensmere Homes Sales and Marketing Director Joins Marketing Derby Board of Directors
Donna Smith, Sales and Marketing Director of Wavensmere Homes has been appointed to the Board of Directors for Marketing Derby. We have well over 1,500 homes on site or proposed across four locations within Derby, including our £175m Nightingale Quarter scheme – one of the city’s major urban regeneration projects.
The invitation to join the Board of Directors came from John Forkin MBE, the Managing Director of Marketing Derby. Founded in 2006, the award-winning, non-profit organisation exists to promote Derby as a great place to live, work, and do business. The organisation’s key focus is inward investment in Derby to drive its continuing growth and development.
Donna Smith joined Wavensmere Homes as Sales and Marketing Director in 2018. Prior to this, she held a senior director role at Connells, one of the largest estate agents in the UK. Donna has played an integral role in Wavensmere Homes’ investment in Derby, establishing firm relationships with both the business community and home buyers. Donna has become a known ambassador for the city’s regeneration, and champions it as a thriving place to call home and invest in.
John Forkin MBE, Managing Director of Marketing Derby, said: “We’re thrilled to have Donna join the Board of Directors for Marketing Derby. Wavensmere Homes is making a huge investment in our city, with over £250m of development activity. The housebuilding firm has become not just part of enhancing the cityscape visually, but Donna and the rest of the team have shown a real passion and commitment to supporting our city. This is seen through their successful regeneration of historic landmarks, the delivery of quality new homes, and through their passion for what our city as a whole has to offer.
“Donna joins us as the residential development representative on the Board and will play an integral part in our continued work to support Derby’s economic growth and success.”
We are a regeneration placemaking specialist with a focus on reanimating brownfield sites to create new communities and have worked closely with Marketing Derby since the launch of our Nightingale Quarter development in 2019. Located off London Road, the scheme is one of the UK’s largest city centre regeneration schemes, delivering 925 new houses and apartments to meet intense buyer demand. It also includes the restoration of the former Royal Derby Infirmary’s two iconic Victorian ‘Pepper Pot’ buildings, and a rare statue of Queen Victoria, to celebrate the site’s history for generations to come.
We’re continuing to make further investment in the city and surrounding areas. Last year, work began to deliver 69 new homes at its historic Milford Mills site in Belper. Earlier this year, we were selected to partner with Clowes Developments to bring forward proposals for the landmark Friar Gate Goods Yard in central Derby. The expansive site has been dormant for 40 years, and the innovative plans will save the two Grade II Listed buildings, which were badly fire damaged in 2020. A deal has also recently been struck with Wilson Bowden Developments, enabling us at Wavensmere Homes to develop one of the final plots of land within Derby city centre’s newly revitalised Cathedral Quarter.
Donna Smith, Sales and Marketing Director at Wavensmere Homes said: “Having worked closely with John and the team for the past few years – as Wavensmere Homes has immersed itself into the fantastic city of Derby – it’s a privilege to now join Marketing Derby’s Board of Directors.
“Since we first started the remediation and construction work at Nightingale Quarter four years ago, we’ve really seen Derby flourish. There’s no doubt in the increasing demand for quality homes from local people and those wanting to move into or back to the city, and we are proud to be playing an integral part in supplying that demand. I’m passionate about supporting Derby on its continuing journey of growth and development, and Wavensmere Homes will be actively regenerating and building here for many years to come.”
Donna’s first event as a Board Member will be joining the panel at the Derby Property Summit on Wednesday 12th July. This year, the Summit will be focusing on ‘Curating the City Experience’. Also on the panel will be the Leader of Derby City Council Baggy Shankar, and Chief Executive Officer of Derby City Council, Paul Simpson.
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