Duncan Smith has joined the Lincolnshire-based Larkfleet Group to help increase the delivery of ‘affordable’ housing in the East Midlands and East of England.

Through its subsidiaries-Larkfleet Homes and FE Peacock - the group builds homes for registered housing providers such as housing associations throughout the region. These ‘affordable’ properties are then available either for renting or for purchase through a variety of schemes which help people who could otherwise not afford to buy a house to ‘get a foot on the property ladder’.

In the newly-created role of strategic investment manager, Duncan Smith will work with the group’s housing association clients and the government’s Homes and Communities Agency to help increase the building of affordable housing. He will also have a particular focus on supporting the building of care homes for people with a need for nursing or other support.

Smith has more than ten years experience in the affordable housing sector having previously worked for local authorities, registered housing providers and most recently for consultancy firm EC Harris, where he advised the Larkfleet Group on a number of projects.

Larkfleet Group managing director Karl Hick said: “Duncan’s appointment is a further demonstration of the group’s commitment to delivery of affordable homes in our region of operation. Duncan will not only continue to promote and enhance our existing partnership arrangements but also develop new ones.”

Duncan Smith said: “Delivering affordable housing in the existing market conditions is challenging but Larkfleet has considerable expertise to offer its partners and I am looking forward to being a bridge between the group and housing providers.”