Grainger Trust, the UK’s largest quoted residential property owner, has appointed a new development director to spearhead the company’s Northern England expansion plans.

Nicola Osborne has joined Grainger from Knight Frank, where she headed up the Newcastle residential development team. Her responsibilities in her new role will include identifying and overseeing large scale regeneration projects in the North East, such as Kylins in Morpeth and the regeneration of the Gateshead College site.

She has more than 20 years experience in the property sector, starting her career as a chartered surveyor in Birmingham and working in property in the West Midlands for five years before moving back to her native North East, where she founded Knight Frank’s Newcastle residential development team.

Osborne said: ‘Grainger is committed to the regeneration of the North East and this is a period of growth for the company both within the region and beyond.’

Rupert Dickinson, chief executive of Grainger, added: ‘Nicola is a highly experienced property professional with a proven track record of success in this region. We welcome her to the Grainger team and I’m sure that her skills and expertise will be an integral part of Grainger’s successful commitment to large scale regeneration in the North East in years to come.’