Behind the scenes with the Project Manager at Platform Home Ownership’s upcoming Coventry development

Originally from Norwich, Eleanor moved west in October 2023 when she joined the Platform Growth and Development team, after working as a Regeneration Project Manager for a regional housing association based in Norfolk.

On her route into the construction industry, 27-year-old Eleanor, commented: “I didn’t follow a particularly direct path into the construction industry. It wasn’t until later in my journey that I discovered my passion for it.

“While completing a master’s degree in Linguistics, I began working as a freelance Project Manager for a network of property developers and principal contractors to help support myself through my studies. I really enjoyed the problem-solving aspect of the job and loved seeing the physical changes as schemes progressed on site.”

After finishing her master’s degree, Eleanor never looked back and continued working in the construction industry, until eventually becoming Project Manager at Platform. Eleanor is now working on multiple schemes including Platform’s upcoming Coventry development, The Spires.

The Spires will comprise 106 Shared Ownership plots, with a further 53 for social rent and 37 for affordable rent, providing Coventry residents with a route onto the property ladder through an affordable homes scheme.

Eleanor continued: “I’ve been working as Project Manager for The Spires since around February of last year, and in that time, there hasn’t been a typical day that I could point to and say, “that’s what I do”.

“With any operational environment, it’s always a tightrope walk between the need to proactively plan and matters that require immediate action or attention, which can occasionally come out of left field. Anything can happen in this job, and you’ve got to stay on your toes and be prepared to meet the challenges as they come.

“My role is to deliver development projects and coordinate project teams from the point we start on site all the way through to completion and handover.

“This means that a lot of my time is spent communicating with the various stakeholders and teams involved with the project, liaising with contractors and consultants on design, specification, cost, and contractual matters, and keeping everyone updated and on the same page as we progress.”

Focusing in on the specifics of the development, Eleanor added: “The Spires is our first scheme in Coventry and as an area that’s seen significant growth, it’s hugely rewarding to know that we’re helping meet local housing demands with quality Shared Ownership and affordable rent homes.

“The scheme will be well-integrated into its surroundings, connecting into existing walking and cycle routes, and benefiting from an adjacent sports club which will be a great facility for residents. With a considered mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses and one and two-bedroom apartments, we hope that The Spires will meet a range of housing needs and provide a great offering for those looking to find affordable housing within the city.”

Shared Ownership allows homeseekers to purchase a share of their home and pay rent on the remaining amount, typically buying between 10% and 75% of the property’s full market value, depending on the model purchased with.

This lowers the amount needed for a deposit, with most deposits on Shared Ownership schemes between 5% and 10% of the share and not the full amount.

Platform has seen an increase in popularity in the Shared Ownership scheme. In fact, they have sold 55% more Shared Ownership homes between April 2021 and March 2022 compared to the previous year.

Through the process of staircasing, those using Shared Ownership can gradually increase the amount of their home that they own.

Outside of work, Eleanor enjoys a bit of gardening alongside being an avid cook, unwinding after a stressful day by spending some time in the kitchen with cookery programmes on in the background.