Collett to lead £700m Oxford North development
Victoria Collett has been named as development director to deliver the £700m Oxford North scheme.
She was appointed by Thomas White Oxford, the development company of St John’s College.
Collett joins from Legal & General Capital, where she headed development for its suburban build-to-rent business, building up a portfolio of projects with sister companies and local authority partners, including the North Horsham masterplan in West Sussex.
Victoria Collett has been named as development director to deliver the £700m Oxford North scheme.
She was appointed by Thomas White Oxford, the development company of St John’s College.
Collett joins from Legal & General Capital, where she headed development for its suburban build-to-rent business, building up a portfolio of projects with sister companies and local authority partners, including the North Horsham masterplan in West Sussex.
Prior to that she spent eight years in the UAE as lead adviser to Abu Dhabi municipality’s investment office, with a development portfolio of more than 40 projects, including Al Qana and Sheikha Fatima Park.
Collett, a chartered surveyor with 18 years’ development and regeneration experience, has worked across England and Wales as a consultant, including at CBRE and Navigant Consulting, where she worked on projects including the Canning Town and Custom House masterplan and the regeneration of South Kilburn.
Thomas White Oxford recently entered into a 50:50 joint venture partnership with Canada-based Cadillac Fairview, the real estate arm of Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, and developer Stanhope. The jv will deliver 1m sq ft of laboratories and workspace, along with amenities and infrastructure on Central and Eastside. This is in addition to its residential development partnership with Hill Group to deliver 317 new homes on Canalside, to the south of the A40.
William Donger, chief executive of Thomas White Oxford, said: “We warmly welcome Victoria, who has joined the team at a significant moment in the delivery of this globally ambitious project. Her standout breadth of experience in masterplanning and placemaking and how commercial and residential work in such districts to enable pioneering science and technology companies to accelerate their growth, will be highly beneficial as we work with our partners to continue to deliver this new place for Oxford.”
Collett added: “I’m delighted to be joining the Oxford North project at this exciting stage, working with august institutions to deliver this unique opportunity to create a thriving and sustainable district for the future of the city.”
To send feedback, e-mail piers.wehner@eg.co.uk or tweet @PiersWehner or @EGPropertyNews
