60 seconds with…Alistair Rokas
This is the first in a series of profiles of some of the great people who work at Woods Hardwick. We kick off by meeting one of our Planning team, Alistair Rokas. Alistair joined Woods Hardwick in October 2017 as a Graduate Planner.
What sparked your interest in planning? I first discovered an interest in planning during an undergraduate visit to Welwyn Garden City (WGC). I was studying Geography at University of Hertfordshire. The visit included discussions regarding how WGC was planned and the underlying ethos that underpinned this process. I was taken aback by what a great place WGC was to live in and this led to my interest in the process of planning and the role it plays in shaping modern society. This interest ultimately flourished and culminated in me undertaking a dedicated post graduate in Sustainable Planning.
Central in location but can Bedfordshire capitalise on the OxCam Arc – a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity?
Last month saw the start of examinations on the Local Plans of two of the authorities located in the centre of the planned Oxford - Milton Keynes - Cambridge Arc. Central Bedfordshire Council (CBC) and Bedford Borough Council (BBC) sit in the ‘Central Area’ of the Growth Corridor - right at the heart of what is already hailed as one of the most innovative and economically successful areas of the UK. But the question is, do their Local Plans acknowledge this great opportunity and are they ready to capitalise on the huge investment in new infrastructure right on our doorstep?
Increased rail capacity promises a great future for the Midlands
We attended the Built Environment Networking’s inaugural Midlands Development Conference last week. With some great speakers, including Lord Bob Kerslake and Birmingham City Council CEO, Dawn Baxendale, our team from our Birmingham office came away excited about what the future holds.
Happy birthday to our Birmingham Planning team!
This a week to celebrate as our Planning team in Birmingham mark their one year anniversary! Woods Hardwick launched the Planning service in Birmingham just a year ago (almost to the day!), and it has been a brilliant year, both for us and our growing client base.
