Panel

  • Simon Power

    Simon Power

    BSc PGDip MSc PhD CEnv CGeol MRTPI MCIWEM

    Mott MacDonald

    Simon is an urban geographer, strategic town planner, infrastructure designer, regeneration consultant and consenting specialist with 30 years’ experience of leading interdisciplinary planning and sustainability teams. He is experienced in complex schemes involving transport-oriented infrastructure, also in early-stage policy, strategy and feasibility studies. In 2022 he completed a place-based PhD in Geography and Planning. Previously his career covered highways, rail, energy and water projects as well as urban regeneration. He supports Design Commission for Wales in panel reviews and workshops and is a Member of Bristol Advisory Committee on Climate Change. Simon’s recent work includes major regeneration frameworks: Bristol Temple Quarter, Frome Gateway and Bristol City Centre.

    Highways & Transport, People & Place, Strategic Development

  • Ben Smith-Laing

    Ben Smith-Laing

    CEng, MEng(hons), MCIHT, CMILT

    Transport Planning, Hydrock

    Ben is a Chartered Engineer with over 20 years of experience in transport consultancy for a broad range of public and private sector clients. He regularly advises on a range of issues from place-making through to technical junction modelling.

    Highways & Transport, Housing, People & Place, Strategic Development

  • Emily Walsh

    Emily Walsh

    BSc MEng CEng DUd

    Gloucestershire County Council

    Emily is a Transport Planner at Gloucestershire County Council where she works at all scales from the development of policy and strategy through to supporting the design of transport infrastructure and streets to enhance places. Before joining Gloucestershire, she worked in both the private sector and local government as an Engineer, Transport Planner and Urban Designer working at local and regional scales on transport strategy development, master-planning, transport capital programme development and delivery. Emily is passionate about the positive role well designed transport infrastructure and streets can play in shaping liveable economically successful places. She applies a ‘place’ and ‘people’ led approach to transport planning and design; frequently working collaboratively with stakeholders and local communities to do this. She has extensive experience of design review and support including as a Panel Chair.

    Highways & Transport, People & Place

  • David Watkins

    David Watkins

    MEng (Hons), CEng, MCIHT, FCIHT

    Arup

    David is a Chartered Engineer and an Associate Director at Arup where he leads the west transport planning business. Chair of the CIHT in the south-west, David has 19 years‘ experience across a breadth of transport planning disciplines including active travel, street design, parking, business case and development of new public transport services and interchange facilities. He enjoys working with public and private sector clients to integrate sustainable transport into projects to make it the mode of choice.

    Highways & Transport, People & Place