April 2014
Staff Promotions
We are delighted to announce the promotion of several key members of our team.
Jen Heal - our new Associate
Jen joined the Urbanists in 2007 and has become an expert statutory planning consultant and urban designer. Her promotion to Associate from Senior Urban Designer is reflection of her excellent planning and design skills, her adaptability and her loyalty to the company.
Jen, now a full Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, has worked on a number of complex planning applications, such as the Listed Building consents necessary for the transformation of Cardiff Royal Infirmary and has recently advised Welsh Government on the future use of Design & Access Statements as part of the statutory planning process in Wales. in addition, Jen’s urban design skills have been the basis of her extensive work with Housing Associations on a number of complex regeneration initiatives.
Jen also makes fantastic cakes and frequently makes sure that her colleagues are sustained by her wonderful baking abilities.
Liam Hopkins - our new Senior Development Planner
Liam’s rapid promotion from a student placement in 2011, to our new Senior Development Planner is testament to his energy, enthusiasm and rapidly maturing skill as a highly effective planning consultant.
Liam has made a telling contribution to some of our most important projects. He had a direct involvement in the development of the initial Metro Impact Study for Welsh Government whilst helping colleagues to obtain Outline Consent for the Circuit of Wales development for the Heads of the Valleys Development Company. We fully anticipate that Liam will become a Member of the RTPI this Spring (application pending!).
Liam’s infectious energy is a real asset to the team, although his colleagues have learnt to strictly regulate his consumption of caffeine after 11am.
Lauren Brown - our new Technical Manager
Lauren’s rise from work experience student with the Urbanists in 2008, to our new Technical Manager reflects her unflappable approach, eye for good design and her wide-ranging technical know-how.
Lauren has grown to become an excellent all round Urban Design consultant. She has recently been involved with initial feasibility work for potential new Metro alignments, has contributed to the development of proposed new urban spaces in Aberystwyth and Oxford and has prepared residential masterplans for major housebuilders.
Lauren’s cakes aren't so good, but we don't tell her that because she looks after our internal IT.
