PLACE SERVICES - Key Persons
Adam graduated from Writtle University College in 2019 with a BSc (Hons) degree in Landscape Architecture. He joined Place Services in 2019 within the Urban Design team of the Built Environment section, as a Junior Urban Design Consultant.
During his time at University, Adam gained a solid foundation in the designing of spaces across various scales from designing the public realm to master planning of large urban sites, as well as gaining background knowledge into landscape appraisal, analysis and evaluation. He is now keen to transfer and combine these skills within the Urban Design field.
Adam is looking forward to beginning his professional career in Urban Design with Place Services, and to expand his knowledge and capabilities through further master's studies, to eventually become a recognised practitioner with the Urban Design Group.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Arboricultural Consultant
Adam joined Place Services in April 2023 as an Assistant Arboricultural Consultant. He is currently working with the team part time, while studying for a degree in Horticulture at Writtle University College. His studies have included a focus on Arboriculture, plant physiology, environmental management and climate, soils and land use.
At Place Services, Adam is involved with proactive surveying, highway enquiries, school surveys, country park surveys and working with Local Authority clients to assist with Tree Preservation Order, Conservation Area and Planning application decisions.
Adam plans to continue his academic and professional development in the coming years, advancing his skills and knowledge within the Arboricultural industry. He is a member of the Arboricultural Association and Chartered Institute of Horticulture.
Outside of work Adam enjoys all things outdoors, in particular cycle touring, trail running and volunteers to organise an annual charity bike ride.
Adrian is a seasoned public sector professional with extensive experience of heritage and planning, including historic landscape survey and area assessment, conservation management, development management and strategic planning advice. He is an experienced expert witness.
As Head of Place Services he directs the development and delivery of our business. Adrian has a long held passion for the integrated management of the historic, built and natural environment, and brings additional value to our clients through his holistic approach.
Job Titles:
- Historic Environment Consultant
Alison has over 25 years' post graduate experience, primarily working with Sites and Monuments/Historic Environment Records. Specialising in data management and standards, she has built up comprehensive skills relating to the HBSMR database and Geographic Information Systems, and has worked with data from a number of local authority Historic Environment Records.
Alison also has experience of developing and delivering a wide range of projects for Place Services clients, primarily relating to the historic landscape, which she has a particularly interest in. These have included Historic Landscape Characterisation, Historic Environment Characterisation, parish surveys, and place names studies.
Alison's skills include data management and standards, database and GIS technical skills, planning advice, documentary and cartographic research, and characterisation.
Job Titles:
- Senior Landscape Architect Consultant
Almudena is a creative Landscape Architect with over 13 years' experience. After studying landscape architecture in both Spain and the UK, Almudena started her professional career at Essex County Council.
She has developed experience in delivering projects from concept stage to the delivery of a wide variety of projects including highway mitigation, urban planning and community new green space sites. She also integrates with the with Urban Design teams in delivering visions for town centres and new developments.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Landscape Consultant
Amy joined Place Services in October 2022 as an Assistant Landscape Consultant. She graduated in September 2022 with a BSc (Hons) in Landscape and Garden Design from Writtle University College. Throughout her degree Amy gained various landscape skills that she has been able to transfer to her job role.
Amy's role is to support the landscape team by providing advice to Local Planning Authorities across Essex and the surrounding areas. She is also assisting with a range of project work including landscape appraisals and landscape design.
Amy is looking forward to developing her professional career with Place Services and hopes to undertake a master's degree in Landscape Architecture in the near future with a view to becoming a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute (CMLI)
Anna has been in her current role since April 2016 although she has been part of the Place Services team for much longer. She enjoys supporting the team and helping to deliver projects to a professional standard. Anna has previous experience of working in an arboricultural consultancy within a local authority and in consultancy based roles with a broader spectrum of clients.
Anna's work includes liaising with clients, assisting in project management, running some of the behind the scenes aspects of the team, technical report writing and numerous other varied projects. Assisting in project and grant management, experience in dealing with aspects of Tree Preservation Order systems and a strong skill base in GIS working are among Anna's strengths.
Bringing a wide range of skills from the arboricultural sector and beyond, Anna is able to identify and overcome potential problems when planning work and initiate practical solutions during implementation.
Job Titles:
- Arboricultural Consultant
- Member of the East Anglian Arboricultural Association
Anne has over 13 years' professional experience in amenity arboriculture, with a strong background working for local authority clients and more recently a wider client base, providing consultancy services that includes surveying, reporting and project management.
Responsibilities have included health & safety inspections for schools, BS5837 surveys and assisting with the management of ECC Woodlands & associated grants. Anne now focuses on safety inspections for ECC Highways, the development of highway schemes, the provision of planning advice, the provision of ad-hoc advice to local planning authorities, town and parish councils, tree-related insurance claims relating to people or property, and the engagement and management of contractors where implementation of remedial work is required.
Through detailed professional knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of the requirements of other professional disciplines, Anne is able to provide pragmatic and practical solutions, and has driven innovation in challenging areas.
Committed to industry best-practice, Anne is a committee member of the East Anglian Arboricultural Association and was also formerly a committee member of the East Anglian Tree & Landscape Officer Group.
Job Titles:
- Built Heritage Consultant
Azizul joined Place Services in 2020 as a built heritage consultant. With extensive experience in built heritage, historical research, cultural heritage and historic environment, his key strengths are recording and assessment of historic buildings and conservation areas with a focus on planning and sustainable development.
Specialising in GIS and spatial analysis, 2D and 3D CAD, photogrammetry, measured and aerial survey, Azizul worked on a wide range of historic buildings including Grade I and II listed buildings. As a buildings archaeologist, he took part in several major conservation and restoration projects by both National Trust and Historic Royal Palaces.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Ecological Consultant
Ben is an Assistant Ecological Consultant who worked as a Field Ecologist before joining Place Services in 2022. He has experience surveying bats, amphibians, reptiles and supervising management as an Ecological Clerk of Works (ECow).
Ben's role is to support the existing team of ecologists by assisting with project delivery and working as part of the wider Place Services multidisciplinary team. This includes providing ecological advice to Local Planning Authority officers in relation to planning applications, for Essex County Council and for our District and Borough partners.
He has a National Diploma in Countryside Management, Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies and Graduated from the University of Brighton with a BSc Honours degree in Ecology in 2014.
Job Titles:
- Senior Built Heritage Consultant
- Senior Member of the Built Heritage Team
Caroline joined Place Services as a Senior Built Heritage Consultant in August 2022, previously working as Principal Consultant (Heritage and Research) for an architectural practice specialising in historic building conservation and heritage consultancy services. Caroline gained eight years' experience of researching a wide range of designated and non-designated historic buildings including St Paul's Cathedral and other places of worship, providing heritage statements and heritage impact assessments to support applications for planning and listed building consent. Caroline also has experience project managing and co-writing a number of Conservation Management Plans for Grade I and II* listed National Trust properties and other historic places in private and local authority ownership. Prior to this Caroline worked in historic houses enjoying a successful heritage management career with the National Trust, with responsibility for buildings and collections management and conservation.
Caroline is now a senior member of the Built Heritage team at Place Services, responsible for the delivery of heritage conservation advice to local planning authorities as well as managing project work, including character appraisals and conservation area reviews.
Job Titles:
- Principal Landscape Consultant
Job Titles:
- Arboricultural Consultant
Charlie joined Place Services in December 2020 after graduating with a degree in Conservation and Environmental Studies from Writtle University College. Most recently, Charlie has worked for an environmental consultancy as a Field Ecologist, working on a large-scale national infrastructure project.
Since joining Place Services, Charlie has been involved in assisting with BS5837:2012 surveys for planning applications, highways tree management and producing arboricultural reports for a range of clients. Most recently, Charlie has been assisting with the delivery of arboricultural advice to two Local Planning Authorities regarding Tree Preservation Order, Conservation Area and Planning application decisions.
Charlie is currently undertaking his ABC Level 4 in Arboriculture at Myerscough College and is continuing to develop his knowledge and skills within the industry.
Job Titles:
- Senior Arboricultural Consultant
Dave joined Place Services in January 2021 as an Arboricultural consultant. He has seven years of industry experience, a wide knowledge of arboriculture and has worked in both the public and commercial sectors.
Dave graduated in 2013 with a Bachelor's degree in Geography from the University of Bangor. He gained invaluable experience working as an arborist before moving into consultancy.
Dave is highly motivated, and has an excellent understanding of current arboricultural practice. He has been a Technician member of The Arboricultural Association since 2017 and always seeks to progress his professional development.
Job Titles:
- Built Heritage Consultant
David joined Place Services as a built heritage consultant after working for a decade as a buildings archaeologist in the commercial sector. He has experience in the analysis, assessment and interpretation of a wide range of buildings including Grade I and II listed buildings, industrial sites and structures ranging in date from the Roman and medieval eras to the late 20 th century. He has also worked on built heritage projects for large infrastructure projects and major conservation projects for the National Trust. David has also written numerous articles and publications on buildings archaeology.
As a Built Heritage Consultant at Place Services David continues to undertake archaeological building recording projects while also providing Historic Building and Conservation advice to Basildon and Thurrock.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Urban Design Consultant
Elisha is a recent graduate in Urban Design & City planning MSc from Bartlett School of Planning. She has a background in psychology and her vision is to bring psychology, people, and well-being to the fore front within the built environment. She is currently studying to be a WELL AP accredited practitioner and is interested in healthy cities, sustainable cities and overcrowding and density issues.
Job Titles:
- Senior Ecological Consultant
Ella is a Senior Ecological Consultant at Place Services and has over eight years' experience as a professional ecologist. Ella is an associate member of Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management and a member of the Association of Local Government Ecologists. She graduated from Southampton University in 2011 with a degree in Biology studying bat ecology in her final year. She has project managed ecology aspects of large-scale developments as part of a multi-disciplinary team, including EIA projects, as well as small-scale single dwelling proposals.
Ella has a great deal of experience organising and carrying out a number of protected species surveys as well as writing a variety of comprehensive reports. She also holds Natural England Class Licences to survey bats and great crested newts and is qualified in tree climbing and aerial rescue, enabling her to undertake aerial tree inspections for roosting bats. She has also written and implemented many bat mitigation licences for a range of sites undertaking works from initial assessment to supervising soft strips, installation of mitigation and monitoring.
Outside of work Ella volunteers for the Essex Bat Group undertaking hibernation monitoring, caring for injured and grounded bats as well as giving educational walks and talks to members of the public, children's groups and local natural history groups. She is also a Volunteer Bat Roost Visitor for Natural England, regularly undertaking surveys of churches and residential properties, offering advice on how to undertake works whilst protecting bats.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Arboricultural Consultant
Emily joined Place Services in January 2022 after graduating with a BSc (Hons) in Horticulture from Writtle University College.
Since joining Place Services, Emily has been involved in a number of projects. These include assisting carrying out veteran tree surveys and making management recommendations, highways tree management and carrying out health and safety surveys for a number of departments within Essex County Council, including Essex Property and Facilities, Country parks and Schools. She has also been heavily involved in providing support to a number of Local Authority clients, providing advice in relation to TPO and TCA applications as well as reviewing and determining planning applications.
Emily is currently continuing to develop her knowledge and skills within the industry and is looking to start a Level 4 qualification in arboriculture soon.
Emma has a wide-ranging experience of delivering statutory and non-statutory ecological and countryside projects and has a strong public service background in working for and with local authorities, government organisations and NGOs.
She has a wealth of experience in applying ecology to the planning system at all levels. She provides development management and spatial planning advice to local authorities, providing advice and support on a range of county and district planning matters regarding small and large development proposals, including major housing schemes and has a particular focus on minerals and waste developments. She is experienced in securing long term management agreements to provide compensation and biodiversity net gain. She produces Habitats Regulations Assessments for small developments, local plans and other strategic documents and has experience of public inquiries and examinations in public.
Emma also has experience in the management and protection of statutory and non-statutory wildlife sites and developing partnership approaches. She firmly believes in delivering outcomes in biodiversity conservation through partnership working. She is used to interpreting complex wildlife legislation and planning policy for a wide variety of stakeholders.
Emma is used to delivering projects; she has considerable experience in coordinating the Special Roadside Verges project for Essex County Council, in partnership with Essex Wildlife Trust and the County Council's highways partners.
She also has experience of local authority environmental scrutiny and policy development at a senior level; statutory site designation; management of a habitat and landscape creation grant; protected species (eg bats, reptiles and great crested newts) and botanical surveying, volunteer support; producing management plans and is a GIS user.
Emma is also a long-standing member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management and Association of Local Government Ecologists.
Job Titles:
- Ecological Consultant
- Member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology
Gen has over 20 years' experience as a professional ecologist in the UK and overseas in the non-governmental and local authority sectors. She is passionate about conserving and enhancing biodiversity and has a strong interest in communication about ecology through writing and public speaking.
Gen has experience of interpreting wildlife legislation in the planning system and works closely with planners to ensure that legal requirements are met whilst supporting sustainable development. She has worked on householder, minor and major housing and commercial applications, including Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, and associated policy issues. She has experience of legally protected species in the planning system and is a competent botanical surveyor.
Gen is a long-standing member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management and the Association of Local Government Ecologists.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology
- Senior Ecological Consultant
Hamish is a senior ecological consultant at Place Services and has over five years' experience as a professional ecologist. He graduated from the University of Plymouth in 2017 with a degree in Conservation Biology and has previously worked for the Field Studies Council and Suffolk Wildlife Trust, planning and delivering environmental education courses and events.
Hamish provides advice to local planning authorities to ensure that they meet their statutory and non-statutory requirements for biodiversity. This involves delivering workable solutions for complex ecological planning issues, to ensure that projects will conserve and enhance the natural environment and meet wildlife legislation and policy. This includes a good understanding of the Environment Act and how to assess and deliver measurable biodiversity net gains via the use of the Biodiversity Metric. He is also proficient in delivering Habitats Regulations Assessments for plans and projects and regularly provides advice on how local planning authorities can meet their legal requirements for European and International designated sites.
Hamish also holds Natural England Class Licences to survey Hazel Dormouse and Great Crested Newt, and has significant survey experience for Protected and Priority species, while delivering Ecological Impact Assessments. In particular, he has a specialism in Hazel Dormouse ecology and has presented research on dormouse habitat suitability in the East of England at the 10th International Dormouse Conference.
Hamish is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management, as well as a member of the Association of Local Government Ecologists.
Job Titles:
- Built Heritage Consultant
Hannah is a built heritage consultant with experience in both the public and private sectors. After completing her degree in Architecture and her master's degree in Historic Conservation, she undertook a number of internships within local authorities and a historic buildings consultancy. Prior to her current role, Hannah worked at Turley Heritage for two years, providing informed heritage advice and assessment. During this time she gained experience of carrying out detailed research and producing heritage statements, historic building assessments and heritage, townscape and visual impact appraisals.
Hannah joined Place Services in June 2017 and provides conservation advice to local authorities within the county.
Job Titles:
- Consultant
- Ecological Consultant
Hayley Dean is an Ecological Consultant at Place Services and has over four years' experience as a professional ecologist. She previously worked as an Ecologist with Essex Wildlife Trust's ecological consultancy. She has project managed protected species surveys relating to a variety of projects, including large scale pipeline installations, railway bank stabilisation, solar farm installation and housing developments. Hayley has carried out multiple Biodiversity Net Gain Feasibility Assessments and is proficient in using both UK Habitats Classification and Phase 1 Habitat Mapping.
Hayley undertook her Bachelor's degree in Zoology at Cardiff University. During her undergraduate degree she carried out a professional training year, working as a researcher at Córdoba University, Spain, within the Ichthyology department. During this time, she specialised in researching the populations and habitat dynamics of the European Eel. Several abstracts from this research were published and presented at the XV European Congress of Ichthyology. She undertook her Master's degree in Conservation Ecology at Oxford Brookes, where she evaluated the changes in breeding bird populations at Abberton Reservoir, post completion of the reservoir expansion project.
Hayley holds Natural England Class Licences to survey Great Crested Newts and Dormice. She regularly provides advice and solutions relating to complex ecological planning issues and is proficient at writing comprehensive reports. She is an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management.
Job Titles:
- Historic Environment Consultant
- Historic Environment Consultant / MPhil
Helen has 17 years professional experience with Essex County Council responsible for aerial reconnaissance work, including survey, interpretation and mapping. She has an MPhil from the University of Glasgow in Aerial Photography and Geophysical Survey and a BA (Hons) in Archaeology and Geography from the University of Southampton. Aerial photographic survey, GIS and GIS databases, aerial photographic interpretation and rectification, digital mapping, report writing, formal publication and archaeological geophysical surveys are among her strengths.
Since 2001, when she started work with ECC she has been responsible for setting up and managing numerous projects, including the completion of the Essex NMP, preparation of the NMP final EAA publication, two large projects to enhance the NMP data of Essex, Google Earth mapping projects Other project work has included the annual aerial reconnaissance projects, and several geophysical surveys, including surveys on Scheduled Monuments in Essex. More recently Helen has begun the first phase of a NMP project in Suffolk, in association with Suffolk County Council along with development control and planning advice within Essex.
Job Titles:
- Senior Arboricultural Consultant
Jack started his career as an arborist/tree surgeon for an Essex County Council arb approved tree contractor, regularly undertaking works on highway trees throughout his 6 years under their employment.
During this time, he gained his Level 2 and 3 in Trees and Timber at Capel Manor college, before moving onto complete his ABC Level 4 at Merrist Wood in 2019. Jacks practical and theoretical knowledge has better enabled him to understand tree pest & disease and disorder identification, tree biomechanics and maintenance, woody vegetation formation and physiology, and principles of tree management, selection, planting and design for amenity and landscape purposes.
Since Jack has joined Place Services, he has been involved in highway tree management, subsidence claims, school surveys, country park surveys, Essex Property and Facilities surveys and most notably assisting London Borough of Redbridge with Tree Preservation Order, Conservation Area and Planning application decisions.
Job Titles:
- Architect
- Principal Urban Designer
Jason is an experienced residential Architect helping to secure large housing planning applications initially in London and most recently in Essex. He brings to Place Services insight from working with housing developers varying in size from SMAs to large housebuilders.
Jason's key area of expertise is in Housing Design standards in Planning and he is a Licentiate member of the RTPI.
As Principal Urban Designer, Jason is undertaking Masterplanning schemes and Urban Design Development Control work.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Ecological Assistant
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Head of Environment and Flood Management
John is the Head of Environment and Flood Management at Essex County Council. He has 4 teams that specialize in Lead Local Flood Authority functions, Capital Flood projects, SuDS consultation and implementation, flood risk, flood enforcement, landscape, green infrastructure, coastal issues, climate change and energy.
He has worked in Essex and East London for 24 years, where he was the Director of Thames Chase Community Forest and the environmental charity, Groundwork South Essex. Most recently he managed the Thames Gateway Parklands environmental programme for Essex. Over his career John has raised more the £23 million for environmental projects in Essex from government, the EU, Lottery and charitable trusts.
John is passionate that multi-functional space which can provide flood alleviation and green infrastructure providing benefits for biodiversity, recreation, health, economic regeneration, access, community space etc. He has been instrumental in opening up new green spaces in South Essex through partnerships with government and voluntary sector partners. These new open spaces include over 1000 hectares of new forest areas and 2000 hectares of marshland. Most recently the Floods teams have led a £19 million programme creating soft and hard flood solutions for residents in Essex. These have included green flood storage areas and natural flood management such as "Leaky Dams".
Job Titles:
- Principal Planning Consultant
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- Historic Environment Consultant
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- Senior Landscape Consultant
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- Assistant Landscape Consultant
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- Senior Built Heritage Consultant
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- Assistant Built Heritage Consultant
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- Senior Ecological Consultant
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- Principal Countryside Management Consultant
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- Principal Built Heritage Consultant
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- Senior Historic Environment Consultant
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- Historic Environment Consultant
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- Principal Arboricultural Consultant
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- Historic Environment Consultant
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- Assistant Ecological Consultant
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- Natural Environment Manager
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- Built Environment Manager
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- Principal Historic Environment Consultant
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- Senior Built Heritage Consultant
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- Built Heritage Consultant
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- Principal Ecological Consultant
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- Historic Environment Consultant
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- Historic Environment Manager
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Project Design Engineer
Tom qualified from the University of Exeter in 2009 with a BSc (Hons) degree in Physical Geography. He has also undertaken a foundation degree in River and Coastal Engineering and will complete the full BSc degree in June 2017. He has spent 5 years at Lead Local Flood Authorities and District Councils undertaking asset inspections, watercourse regulation and enforcement, determining Ordinary Watercourse Consents, and providing flood risk management advice to partner risk management authorities and members of the public.
Tom joined Essex County Council in January 2015 and commenced his role in Flood Services in February 2017. His role involves the production of Flood Risk Assessments, Sequential Test assessments and Strategic Flood Risk Assessments, and project managing Flood Alleviation Schemes.
Tom's skills include data management, GIS analyses, enforcement, asset inspection and logging, and working with partners. He has a detailed knowledge of the legislation surrounding flooding and drainage and regularly attends conferences and webinar training to ensure he is up to date with the latest software and current best practices.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Ecological Consultant