Ben is an experienced urban planner who specialises in providing detailed planning advisory to clients on the delivery of projects of varying scales, from large mixed-use urban regeneration schemes to small-scale residential infill developments. Ben is experienced in all aspects of the town planning process, from the development of policy to site acquisition and the management of the planning application and appeal processes. Ben has a strong understanding of the design process and works closely with design teams through the development of project briefs and design concepts to delivery.

Prior to joining HTA, Ben has advised a variety of clients over the course of 13 years in private practice working for LUC, AECOM and Iceni and has negotiated permissions for a wide range of projects including residential, commercial, educational and mixed-use developments in London and throughout the UK.

Ben secured planning permission for the comprehensive redevelopment of Stamford Bridge Grounds in Fulham, London on behalf of Chelsea Football Club to provide a new 60,000 capacity stadium for the Premier League club. Ben advised on and led all stages of the planning process including strategy, engagement, application coordination and negotiation of legal obligations and planning conditions.

Ben led a multi-disciplinary team in relation to the delivery of a 32-hectare site in Cambridgeshire for residential development on behalf of Homes England. Ben coordinated a series of ‘de-risking’ works for part of the site to enable prompt delivery of 90 new homes and assisted in refurbishment appraisals for several Grade II listed buildings to be bought back into residential use. Ben subsequently advised on planning strategy for a residential-led masterplan for the remainder of the site.

More recently, Ben advised on a major residential and employment-led redevelopment of the Sackville Trading Estate and Hove Goods Yard by Moda Living and Mayfield Villages for 599 Build to Rent homes, 4,500sqm flexible B1 office accommodation, a 258 unit specialist accommodation for older people, a health and wellbeing centre and retail floorspace.

Ben has also provided planning advice on the delivery of a number of non-residential masterplans, including the delivery of a new masterplan for the West Cambridge Campus on behalf of the University of Cambridge, to provide a focus for academic and commercial research, and subsequently supported the University at the Local Plan EiP and coordinated the outline planning application. Ben also advised Rolls-Royce on masterplan proposals to secure long-term MoD and R-R manufacturing requirements at Raynesway, including the development and delivery of a priority major development project, coordinating several planning applications and providing project and programme management.

Ben was also part of a planning and urban design team appointed to develop guidance for the GLA on understanding place, character and context in London, which has been adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) to the Mayor’s London Plan. The SPG provides practical guidance on policies set out in the London Plan relating to place and identity and assists local authorities, neighbourhood groups, developers and designers understand what is important about their places and help improve design outcomes in the capital.

Ben is currently working with the London Boroughs of Enfield and Islington on the delivery of several major residential-led estate regeneration masterplans, as well as leading the delivery of several sites on behalf of Lewisham Homes as part of Lewisham’s social housing building programme. Ben is also currently advising on student accommodation, commercial and residential-led mixed use developments in London, Oxford, Cambridge and Essex.