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About us

Darryl Howells

Qualifications

I have two degrees: A BA (Hons) in Town & Country Planning and a Bachelor of Town Planning degree.

Additionally, I have full membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute, the governing body that supports the highest professional and ethical standards within
the sector.

Many years as a local authority planning officer have given me far-reaching insight and real-life experience into almost every part of the process. From simpler applications, early on in my career, through to complex, large-scale schemes in my role as a Senior Planning Officer – the latter on one occasion even resulting in a change in caselaw in the High Court in London.

Prior to this, my role as Planning Enforcement Team Manager enabled me to argue against unauthorised development, as well as justify enforcement notices served under the Town and Country Planning Act.

I’ve defended my decisions at hearings and inquiries. And, have often won my contests. Since joining the private sector, I’ve put forward cases for development – overcoming both previous refusals and non-determination applications.

Significantly, a period in policy further expanded my knowledge of policy formation, including the weight of evidence needed to justify it. Or, in the case of an agent, to undermine it.

Work within the private sector has also informed what I do now, adding value and knowledge to my skills set. Since November 2017 I have worked in the private sector assisting clients secure planning permissions for various schemes throughout the country.

Emma Macwilliam

Qualifications

I have a Post Graduate Certificate and an MSc in Spatial Planning, both obtained from Oxford Brookes University. I am also a fully Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

I started working as a Planning Assistant at Borough of Poole Council back in 2008, whilst studying part time for my MSc. My workload then included householder applications and Certificates of Lawfulness. Following my qualification, I started to work on a larger variety of planning applications as a Planning Officer, including developments for new housing and blocks of flats. I was also the SANG officer at Poole, and dealt with several applications for the development of Suitable Alternative Natural Green Spaces within and around the Borough. I also spent some time shadowing Senior Officers, including Darryl, on more complex large scale developments. I was part of the Town Centre Regeneration Team for my final year at Poole, assisting the Urban Design and Conservation officers and the Planning Policy Team in working on regeneration and redevelopment proposals for the town centre.

After leaving Poole I went to work as a Planning Officer at the New Forest National Park Authority based in Lymington in 2014. This increased my knowledge and experience as a planner by becoming part of a team involved in very specialist area of planning. I learned about the importance of conserving and enhancing the natural environment, culture and history and landscape setting of the New Forest whilst facilitating development and how this is done under National Park Authorities’ special purposes and duties. I worked on a variety of projects from householder applications, agricultural developments, new housing developments, commercial developments and changes of use. I also became lead officer for dealing with Natural England’s wetlands restoration projects, and was lead officer on all applications for those throughout the forest during my time there.

I left the NFNPA in 2018 to start working in the private sector, having ten years of local authority experience under my belt. Since then, I have worked on a wide range of projects throughout BCP and the New Forest. My experience in both the public and private sectors has given me experience and understanding of a broad range of planning projects and how to have the best chance of securing planning permission for a variety of application types.

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