Carter Jonas has strengthened its national planning and development network by appointing three new leads in the North, East and South East of England.

Simon Grundy joins Carter Jonas as Head of Planning – North from consultancy Indigo Planning, where he has worked for the last five years as Regional Director for Yorkshire and Humber. Based in Yorkshire, Simon will bolster and expand the planning expertise that Carter Jonas provides to clients across the region and work closely with his colleagues in the development consultancy practice.

Simon has nearly 30 years’ experience in planning and has worked on a number of high profile projects for clients including the University of Leeds and Threadneedle. Prior to Indigo Planning, he worked for Colliers CRE where he headed up the Leeds consultancy practice and at Barton Willmore.

Mathew Forster will lead the Eastern regional development team from Carter Jonas’ Cambridge office. He brings over 25 years of experience in residential development, which will strengthen Carter Jonas’ overall planning and development offering across the Eastern Region.

Mathew joins Carter Jonas from Strutt & Parker’s national development and planning department, where he specialised in residential development at the company’s Cambridge office. Prior to this, he was Spicerhaart’s Land and New Homes Manager in the East Midlands and East Anglia, and a Non-Equity Partner at Spaceward Limited.

In the South East, Ryan Harris will move from the Newbury office to Carter Jonas’ Winchester branch to spearhead the growth of the company’s planning and development offering in Hampshire, its neighbouring counties and along the south coast. He was appointed one year ago as Associate Partner from regional agency Goadsby and will work closely with Carter Jonas’ rural division to provide advice to clients on long term strategic land use.

Winchester is set to undergo major regeneration with the potential development sites of Silver Hill, Station Approach and the Cattle Market, which will bring significant business opportunity to the area.  Carter Jonas already works closely with St John’s Winchester Charity and the Winchester Diocese, as well as various other public bodies and private landowners, to capitalise on Winchester’s growing status as a residential and commercial hotspot.

James Bainbridge, Head of Planning & Development, Carter Jonas, said: “Planning and development is once more being thrust into the spotlight by the Government as they seek to address housing numbers and the UK’s infrastructure needs, so our services are more critical than ever. Simon, Mathew and Ryan have over 65 years’ of experience between them and have a deep understanding of how to deliver complex urban sites and significant regeneration projects for both public and private sector client in their respective regions. They will be invaluable assets to the Carter Jonas planning network as we realise our ambition to further expand this part of our business by providing specialist advice to our clients in a challenging political climate.”

Simon Grundy, Head of Planning – North, Carter Jonas, said: “I am looking forward to guiding a highly successful team of planning experts based in Yorkshire and identifying opportunities to further expand our remit all the way down to the East Midlands. Carter Jonas advises a broad range of clients across the UK, and I intend to apply my previous experience in both the public and private sector to identify new and exciting opportunities for our national network.”

Mathew Forster, Head of Development – East, Carter Jonas, said: “The opportunity to join the expert planning and development team at Carter Jonas in Cambridge, and to apply my experience of the residential development sector is a highly appealing one. The area is a renowned growth hot spot, and it is my aim to continue and enhance the extensive work of the regional team by identifying strategic areas for growth and expansion.” 

Ryan Harris, Associate Partner, Carter Jonas, said: “Hampshire and its neighbours have an enduring appeal for the UK’s major housebuilders and residents alike, given their proximity not only to London but new emerging economic hubs such as Bristol. Appetite for both homes and commercial space remains buoyant despite the uncertainty created by Brexit, so we hope to capitalise on continued interest in the South East region by establishing a new planning and development hub in Winchester.”