Living Space Housing promotes Paul Breen to Commercial Director

Living Space Housing has promoted Paul Breen to the role of Commercial Director, in recognition of his contribution to the phenomenal growth of the start-up affordable housing specialist. The Solihull-based business is on track to deliver a turnover well in excess of £20m in only its second year of physical trading.

Living Space is a development-led residential planning, design and construction services solution for Registered Providers, PRS Funds, the NHS, Universities and Defence Estates. Having launched to the market in 2019, the company is already well underway with the construction of seven residential developments across middle England, with a number of additional sites in the planning system. The combined construction value of its development portfolio is in excess of £72million, which equates to 580 affordable houses, apartments and bungalows. 

With over 20 years’ industry experience, Paul Breen was a key founding senior member of the Living Space team and has managed the commercial function for the business since its inception. His strong and active management of the whole supply chain – both pre- and post-contract – has enabled the rapid growth, despite construction pausing on all Living Space sites for six to eight weeks during the first national Coronavirus lockdown in spring 2020.

Steve Davies, Managing Director of Living Space Housing said: “The affordable housing sector was impacted more significantly than the residential market as a whole last year, with the number of new homes delivered down 30 per cent on the previous year. However, by working very closely with our supply chain, Paul Breen has been instrumental in driving Living Space’s remarkable growth, which will see us achieve a turnover in excess of £20m this financial year. He has recruited and trained a great team and used his extensive experience to negotiate, problem solve and work with me to shape the development of this business in a highly sustainable way that puts us in great stead for continued strong growth. I am delighted to promote him to the pivotal role of Commercial Director.”

Living Space has seven live developments located in Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire, Oxfordshire and Bedfordshire. The company’s Housing Association clients include Stonewater, Accord Housing Association, The Wrekin Housing Group, Paradigm and Hightown Housing Association.

Paul Breen, Commercial Director for Living Space said: “None of us have ever worked through a global pandemic and the impact it has had on the construction industry and long-established ways of working has brought about tough challenges. Brexit is also having an impact on supply chains. But through all of this, we have been determined to make significant headway, by working to our Covid-19 Safe Operating Procedure and delivering much-needed affordable homes across all our live sites. It has been so rewarding to see the reactions from the residents who have taken occupation of their new homes; being able to move home during this difficult time has made the process even more meaningful.”

Paul Breen originally joined Living Space Housing from Shrewsbury-based RGB Group, where he held the position of Head of Commercial for nearly three and a half years. Prior to that he was employed as Bovis Homes’ Commercial Director and by Thomas Vale Construction as a Commercial Manager.