星空传媒

Bob Pringle, director of regeneration at Touchstone Housing Association, is to be chief executive of Gateway, the Hull and East Riding market renewal pathfinder.

The project has made a slow start devising an action plan to tackle low demand. But Gateway chair Stuart Whyte said Pringle鈥檚 arrival marked a step forward.

鈥淏ob has a long track record in this field and we鈥檙e excited that he鈥檒l be involved,鈥� he said.

Pringle will join in November, replacing interim chief executive Hardial Bhogal.

Bhogal will become director of Renew North Staffordshire, another market renewal pathfinder.

He said: 鈥淚 have a rare opportunity to work in an area where both a pathfinder and an urban development corporation are being set up at the same time. There鈥檚 huge potential and I鈥檓 looking forward to a fascinating time.鈥�

Gateway has lagged behind the other eight pathfinders in putting together its strategy because of problems at Kingston-upon-Hull council during the past year. The local authority was put under partial government supervision last November because of poor leadership and problems of no demand for surplus stock.

But Bhogal said the pathfinder was starting to make rapid progress. 鈥淥ur prospectus will go to the government in September and funding will be available from next April, which means we can really start improving housing.

鈥淭here were delays and I鈥檓 not quite sure why, as the issues pre-date my joining Gateway [in January]. But they have been put behind us and we are in good form.鈥�

Gateway鈥檚 programme was approved earlier this month by its board and Hull council鈥檚 cabinet. The three-year strategy includes housebuilding and infrastructure work.

The proposals are being finalised for submission to the ODPM in the autumn.

Gateway will receive confirmation of the level of grant available for the schemes after the prospectus is submitted.

Renew North Staffordshire has already been given the green light for the first two years of its 18-year programme. It will launch a 拢67.5m housing programme.