Fair takes on fresh challenge with Stewart Milne Group

Fair, who was chief executive of the trade organisation, becomes managing director of Stewart Milne’s homes division in Central Scotland, which is developing 18 sites, from Edinburgh to the Ayrshire coast. He will report to John Slater, group managing director of the homes business.

Fair led Homes for Scotland during one of the most difficult periods in recent history for the property industry north of the Border. The credit crunch pushed a raft of well-known developers into administration – including Elphinstone, Applecross and Heritor’s.

While many housebuilders have recently reported improvements in trading, Homes for Scotland has warned that a lack of affordable mortgage finance is hampering a full recovery.

One of Fair’s final projects at the trade body was brokering a mortgage indemnity scheme, which will see the Scottish Government offer security to lenders in an effort to encourage deals for first-time buyers.

Doug McLeod, chairman of Homes for Scotland, said the search for a successor is already under way.

“Whilst Jonathan has greatly assisted in raising the profile of home building throughout Scotland and in ensuring that Homes for Scotland is recognised by the Scottish Government and local authorities as the voice of the industry, he has done so with the support of an incredibly dedicated executive team.”

Fair succeeds Alex Goodfellow, who was promoted to Aberdeen based-Stewart Milne’s main board to oversee its timber systems business.

Fair said: “I am delighted to be joining one of the UK’s leading private developers and I am looking forward to contributing to an already successful and innovative business that prides itself on quality and service.”