Expertise
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Peter Sandover
BSc, BArch, RIBA, HKIA
Sandover Associates
Peter has more than 30 years’ experience in sustainable architecture, masterplanning and regeneration. Over recent years he has focussed on community planning, neighbourhood plans and community engagement strategies primarily in the South West. He is a Design Council Expert Associate, a Neighbourhood Planning Champion and chair of the South Devon National Landscape Partnership. On all his projects he sets out to demystify the development and planning process and build local confidence and capacity.
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.
Ben Stephenson
MSc Place Management and Leadership
BAS Consultancy
Ben is a place development consultant with a particular interest in inclusive economic development, food, culture, and community engagement. He is a High Streets Task Force Expert and as a senior fellow, was on the development team at the lead delivery body the Institute of Place Management. Ben is Chief Executive of the Angel Islington Business Improvement District and has an MSc in Place Management and Leadership. He has authored national guidance for public bodies conducting reviews and similar work for the Greater London Authority’s Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm.
Pat Steward
BA (Hons) UPS, Dip UPI, MA/PG Dip UD
Agile Homes & Property
Pat’s experience includes Head of Planning, Transport and Design, Torbay Council; Head of Planning & Transport, South West RDA and Regional Development Planner, Environment Agency (SW). Pat has managed major planning applications and production of a new Local Plan for Torbay. He was also responsible for the town centres regeneration programme in Torbay, securing significant investment. He is now Head of Opportunity for Agile Homes - designing, manufacturing and delivering low carbon, affordable, modular homes.
Tom Sykes
BA (Hons), BSc (Hons), MArch, DipArch
Extended Studio
Tom is an experienced and passionate architect, and a co-founder of Extended Studio, architects for communities. His work is about making great design accessible to everyone - from co-design and community engagement, to the development of places where people thrive together. Alongside his architectural background, Tom has also worked in public sector leadership positions as a client, giving him a valuable and unusual perspective on architecture, urban design and community projects.
Dan Tapscott
BSc (Hons) MRICS FPTS
Rapleys LLP
Dan is a Chartered Building Surveyor specialising in the field of Neighbourly Matters, which includes Rights to Light, Daylight & Sunlight Amenity, Party Walls and Access Arrangements. Dan is behind multiple developments on our local and national skyline. He founded 'Light Knights' a group raising standards in the Rights to Light & Daylight & Sunlight industry. He is the secretary of the Severnside P&T Society for Party Wall practitioners. He has published numerous articles, and regularly gives seminars on the subject of Neighbourly Matters.
Amanda Taylor
BA Hons Dip Arch
Urban Design Director, Nash Partnership
Amanda has over thirty years’ experience in planning, design and the built environment. Amanda’s areas of expertise include mixed-use masterplanning for LPA and private clients, extending existing communities and creating new neighbourhoods; through strategic allocation, outline and reserve matters stages, producing design codes. Amanda is a qualified Building with Nature assessor which she imparts into her approach to placemaking and urban design. Previous projects have won Housing Design and RTPI Awards. Amanda has also managed estate regeneration project for Council and RSL clients, and resident and stakeholder engagement projects, including strategies for failing highstreets.
Rebecca Thurgood
BA(Hons), DipArch(Dist), RIBA, ARB
LHC Design
Rebecca is Associate Director at LHC Design with over 20 years’ experience designing and delivering noteworthy residential, mixed use and community projects in London, the South East and the South West. Her professional practice is focussed on working collaboratively with public and private sector stakeholders to unlock the full potential of challenging sites, and driving up standards in the quality of housing design.
Sarah Toy
BEng MSc MICE CEng FRSA FSI
Sarah Toy Consulting
Sarah has 30 years’ experience working on infrastructure projects around the world. Her expertise is focused on developing strategic approaches to healthy urban development. She has worked in diverse roles including Sustainability Advisor at consultancy Arup and Chief Resilience Officer at Bristol City Council. Since July 2018 she has been a freelance Urban Futures Consultant and Research Director at Bristol Futures Global, where she leads on digital placemaking and 5G research.
