Cala Homes has appointed Alex Richards as Managing Director of its Chiltern division, tasking him with delivering the region's growth strategy and advancing a strong pipeline of sites across Oxfordshire, the Cotswolds and the West Midlands.

Richards joins from Taylor Wimpey, where he served as Managing Director of the South Thames and North Thames businesses. He began his career in site management before moving into senior leadership roles at major housebuilders including Kier Homes and David Wilson Homes.

By the end of 2026, the Chiltern business is expected to have nine live developments, with new launches planned at Edmund Park in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire (135 homes), Bliss Willows in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire (86 homes), and Millstone Green in Fairford (98 homes).

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The team delivered a strong planning performance in 2025, securing consent for 812 new homes. Later in the year, Reserved Matters approval was granted for over 200 homes across two sites in St Albans, alongside a 98-home scheme in the Cotswolds. Construction has started on Phase 6 at Nobel Park in Oxfordshire, taking the development to over 600 high-quality homes.

Richards said: "Following a string of successful applications across Hertfordshire, Gloucestershire and Warwickshire, we're looking to continue the momentum in 2026. Our dedicated land and planning team is actively seeking short-term and strategic land opportunities, with or without planning permission, as we play our part in meeting the need for more quality homes in our region.

"Cala has an excellent reputation for design, quality, and customer service, and I look forward to working with our talented team to build on the strong foundations already in place and drive the next phase of growth for the business."