Having grown up in London, how cities and urban environments grow and are enjoyed by people has always interested me, and I was lucky enough to stumble upon town planning as a degree at university. My studies focused on how urban design and transport play a vital role in cities, creating connections to employment, amenities, leisure and education, alongside understanding how urban planning can help buildings and spaces adapt to climate change issues, and improve health, happiness and wellbeing of an ever-growing population.
Unlike many other professions, being a Town Planner allows me to witness successful projects that I have worked on grow physically from the ground up. My career has been UK-focused, primarily in development management, and I have been fortunate to have over 5 years experience working on a variety of projects from land promotion to planning applications, and a diversity of land uses, including retail (shopfronts to new foodstores), employment (refurb, extension and new build offices and warehouses), residential development, healthcare and new leisure/sports facilities. All of which have given me a wealth of experience and understanding of all stages of the planning process. At Prior + Partners, I am able to utilise my development management background and support colleagues in the planning process for schemes that comprise high-quality urban design and placemaking for communities.
The planning sector is always changing and adapting, with the aim to achieve sustainable growth – it is an exciting field to be a part of!