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Aster Group appoints new property investment director
Large Southern housing association Aster Group has appointed a new property investment director.
Gary Bellenger has joined Aster from A2Dominion, where he served six years as assistant director of property services.
He has nearly 25 years’ experience in asset management and investment in the social housing sector.
In his new role, Mr Bellenger will take responsibility for Aster’s £571m property investment programme, which will include co-ordinating investment in upgrades, maintenance and repairs across the landlord’s 34,500 homes in the South of England.
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Mr Bellenger said: “Aster has put delivering more for its customers at the heart of its strategy and is investing significantly in improvements to its homes.
“The drive and expertise to do this is already abundant in the business and I see my role as ensuring those efforts are focused and achieve the best possible outcomes for customers, crucially shaped by their feedback.”
He also said the need for affordable housing has “arguably never been greater”.
He added: “The economic impact of the pandemic, the cost of living hike and ever-rising prices in the private housing market are creating huge challenges for lower-income households.
“Aster’s mission is not just to supply enough housing, but to ensure that homes are of good quality. I’m excited to start playing my part in achieving that.”
Emma O’Shea, chief operating officer at Aster, said: “Ensuring the best for our customers requires a robust approach to asset management and investment, and Gary brings a wealth of experience in this space.
“It is vital that we continue to provide safe, well-maintained homes, keep pace with the changing needs of our customers and ensure we reach our target of all homes being rated EPC C or above by 2025.”
Late last year, Aster confirmed plans to merge with older people housing specialist Central and Cecil to create a 34,500-home landlord.
