Duchy of Lancaster appoints new head of rural

The Duchy of Lancaster has confirmed the appointment of Christopher Sparrow to head up its rural portfolio. Christopher has spent the last 10 years working for The Duke of Buccleuch as estate manager for the Boughton Estate and will take up his post in January of 2015. Philip Coles, who previously undertook the role on a part time basis, will remain as a consultant to the Duchy.

This latest appointment is the fourth full time appointment made by the Duchy of Lancaster in the last six months. Nathan Thompson, chief executive of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: “The Duchy of Lancaster comprises a diverse portfolio of properties and it is important they are managed responsibly, sustainably and in accordance with the organisation’s unique cultural heritage. I am confident that the skills and experience that Christopher has will make an extremely important contribution to the Duchy. I am very pleased to welcome him to our management team and look forward to working with him.”

Christopher who is also chairman of Northamptonshire Rural Housing Association said: “I am honoured to be joining the team at the Duchy of Lancaster. The rural portfolio holds an exceptional range of core assets from which will emerge many associated opportunities. With the support of key stakeholders the Duchy has the potential to push forward performance not only commercially but also in terms of improved stewardship, operational sustainability and creating a positive impact on the communities in which it operates. I look forward to being part of this process and building on the achievements to date.”

The Duchy of Lancaster is a private estate owned by Her Majesty The Queen, as Duke of Lancaster. The rural estate consists of 18,454 hectares of land in England and Wales.

The Rural Estate comprises commercial, agricultural and residential property the majority of which are in Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Staffordshire and Lincolnshire. Additionally the Duchy has a significant commercial property portfolio largely off the Strand in London, a portfolio of financial investments and a small urban residential portfolio.