Retirement communities developer and manager McCarthy Stone has announced three new senior appointments to its land team as it looks to invest more than £200 million in buying 65 or more new sites this year.

James Hanna has been appointed land director in McCarthy Stone’s special projects team and will be responsible for leading land activities connected with the development of new initiatives.

Hanna previously worked for 10 years in land teams in the supermarket sector, at Lidl and most recently at Aldi, where he was responsible for the company’s mixed-use development business and for corporate acquisitions from companies such as Waitrose and the Co-op.

Philip Isherwood has been appointed land director for the Midlands. For the past 10 years Isherwood has worked in senior property development roles including six years at Aldi, where he was responsible for Scotland and Northwest England. Before that, he worked in the land acquisition team at McDonald’s for four years.

Gareth J Owen has rejoined McCarthy Stone as land director for the North responsible for land acquisition across the Northwest, Northeast and Yorkshire. Owen has more than 25 years’ senior experience and was previously land and partnerships director at Keepmoat Homes for two years, and before that he was land director for McCarthy Stone for two years. Prior to that he spent 14 years as land and planning director at Taylor Wimpey.

McCarthy Stone’s chief executive John Tonkiss said: “I’m delighted to welcome Phil, Gareth and James to the business. With our existing land team around the UK, they will help us buy more sites for high-quality and well-located retirement communities.’’