South West Business Council Annual Dinner
As Chair, it was a pleasure to attend the South West Business Council dinner, greeting old friends and new. All of our guests were thrilled to be hosted at His Majesty’s Naval Base (HMNB) Devonport, Plymouth: the largest naval base in Western Europe and one of three operating bases in the UK for the Royal […]
Michelmores Property Awards 2026
I was delighted to be invited to join the judging panel this year for the Michelmores property awards. It was quite a demanding and refreshingly challenging process to conduct a programme of site visits and then debate entries with my colleague judges. The awards celebrated new development, completed and on the ground. £400m of development activity, […]
One Year Impact and Progress on the Dorset Clean Energy Super Cluster
A year ago, the Dorset Clean Energy Super Cluster launched nationally at UKREiiF 2025, bringing together businesses, Dorset Council UK, regional and national stakeholders, including Tom Hayes MP for Bournemouth (East) and the Government’s Energy Mission Champion, to position Dorset as a leading UK destination for clean energy investment, jobs and skills. Initiated by South […]
Positive winds of change: strengthening UK wind energy supply chain in the South
At a time when international energy markets are in the spotlight more than ever; with increasing global instability, energy market volatility and enhanced need for UK security and resilience, the Government must look to distribute and diversify its energy generating potential to all parts of the UK. The first quarter of this year has seen […]
Interchange 2026: Intelligent Transport Systems UK Annual Conference, Manchester
Reflecting on Interchange 26 in Manchester, the priority for place-led transformation and growth is clear. Whether city or region led, whether site or infrastructure asset led, investment must be shaped and integrated into place to positively contribute to long term sustainability, resilience, and prosperity of communities. The transformation of cities such as Manchester is to […]
Keeping Abreast of Planning Reform
At a time when Government is desperate for good news, economic growth remains stubbornly slow, and unemployment is rising. Part of the mission of government is to unlock growth, reduce bureaucracy and streamline regulation. The planning system is one part of this, and there is a new tranche of documents out for consultation. If you […]
The North Sea Future Plan – Prospects for Transition in the South of the UK?
Yesterday (26 November 2025), the Government set out its plan to manage the North Sea oil and gas fields, protect jobs, and grow clean energy industries. Read more here. The intent to ensure a sustainable future for the North Sea is commendable, protecting existing jobs and providing the next generation of good jobs in sectors […]
MP’s Breakfast Briefing: Dorset Clean Energy Super Cluster
I was delighted to lead the team from Dorset to attend and work closely with Lloyd Hatton, MP for South Dorset, who kindly hosted a breakfast briefing for MPs on the Dorset Clean Energy Super Cluster. We were pleased to engage directly with Michael Shanks MP, Minister for State for Energy and meet MPs from […]
Michelmores Planning Primer with the Land Promoters and Development Federation
I was delighted to be invited to participate in this event with Michelmores and the LPDF. Steve Quartermain and I were set the challenge: “Have the recent planning reforms been radical enough? Will the next round of changes proposed make a real difference?”. The legal context was really helpfully set out by Helen Hutton. It […]
Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England Visit the South West
I was delighted to meet with Andrew Bailey, Governor of the Bank of England, as he visited Navantia UK at Appledore, a key location in the South West, strengthening Britain’s defence, maritime and clean energy industrial capabilities. The Governors’ concern about jobs and specifically businesses reducing the number of new employees certainly chimes with other […]