With more than 25 years of experience across development management, planning and commercial property, my career has taken me from Cushman & Wakefield and Sainsbury’s to major residential regeneration at Berkeley Group and, more recently, development management at NEAT Developments.

Across these roles, I’ve gained experience of development from different perspectives, working on projects of varying scale and complexity. Two projects in particular illustrate the breadth of that experience.

For nine years, I worked on Woodberry Down, a £2.5bn, 64-acre regeneration project in north London delivering approximately 5,500 homes. Working in partnership with Hackney Council, Notting Hill Genesis and the local community, I helped guide development across multiple phases, from planning and design through to delivery.

I oversaw the delivery and handover of more than 1,000 private and affordable homes, alongside commercial space, an energy centre and public realm. My responsibilities included coordinating multidisciplinary teams, managing budgets and programmes, securing planning permissions and negotiating complex legal agreements. I also supported the council through the associated Compulsory Purchase Order process.

Partnership working was central to the project. I managed stakeholder relationships, contributed to the wider regeneration strategy and led community engagement initiatives. I also served as a trustee of Manor House Development Trust, which gave me a closer connection to the people and place behind the development. It reinforced the importance of understanding who a project is for, as well as what it needs to deliver.

At NEAT Developments, I led the planning and development work for the proposed redevelopment of Southbury Leisure Park on behalf of Royal London. The proposals included up to 1,150 homes, with a detailed phase of 489 build-to-rent homes, alongside public realm, landscaping and supporting infrastructure.

My role involved coordinating the planning, design and infrastructure work needed to progress the hybrid planning application through to submission, working closely with the client and a multidisciplinary consultant team.

I provided Royal London with strategic direction and considered how redevelopment could affect its investment objectives and future options for the site. This brought together the planning and delivery requirements of the proposed scheme with the wider commercial considerations of an existing investment.

Earlier in my career, I worked at Sainsbury’s and Cushman & Wakefield, gaining experience across planning, statutory consents and commercial property.

At Sainsbury’s, I managed planning and statutory consents across several regions, supporting new stores and extensions. This provided an understanding of the planning process alongside the operational and commercial priorities of a national retailer.

At Cushman & Wakefield, I worked across retail, mixed-use, industrial, office and residential property, assessing development potential and advising on planning strategy, applications and appeals.

Together, these roles gave me experience of property from different perspectives, from assessing development opportunities and navigating planning requirements to understanding the commercial priorities of owners and occupiers.

If you’re considering a development opportunity or would like an initial discussion, I would be very happy to hear from you.