Planning consultancy bolsters Birmingham team with key local authority hires

Leading planning consultancy Marrons has continued its rapid growth trajectory in the West Midlands with the appointment of two experienced planners in Birmingham – further strengthening its national development management offering.

The latest additions to the team – senior planner Leah Wright and planner Joe Fleetwood – bring with them more than 14 years combined local authority experience.

Leah joins with a wealth of experience gained at Lichfield District Council, Brent Council, Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council and Walsall Council. She has led on a broad portfolio of complex major and minor planning applications, often under significant constraints, and brings a detailed understanding of the inner workings of local authority planning.

Joe adds strong expertise from his time at Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council and Blaby District Council. His track record includes managing applications for residential schemes in countryside and conservation settings – delivering results in sensitive locations. He also has extensive enforcement experience.

Sachin Parmar, planning director at Marrons, said: “Our Birmingham team is growing rapidly and with good reason. Demand for strategic, responsive planning support has never been higher and Leah and Joe’s arrival represents an exciting next chapter for us. Their depth of local authority experience is already proving invaluable to clients and it’s enabling us to hit the ground running on projects that require real insight into local planning systems.”

The Birmingham office is now home to a nine-strong planning team and plays a central role in Marrons’ national development management offering.

Led by Sachin and fellow planning director Charlotte El Hakiem, the team includes senior planner James Lloyd, graduate planner Munashe Mhemba, planning administrator Cathy Gao, and new joiners Leah and Joe. Together, the team is powering forward planning projects at a regional and national level, offering clients a fully integrated, strategic approach to delivering development.

Charlotte said: “This is an exciting time for Marrons. We’re proud of what we’re building in Birmingham – a dynamic, ambitious team that reflects the complexity, pace and ambition of today’s planning landscape. Marrons is known for its collaborative, multi-disciplinary approach, and Leah and Joe’s skills perfectly complement our existing strengths. We’re thrilled to have them on board.”

The Birmingham team works closely with planning colleagues in Leicester, including directors Jacqueline Jackson and Karen Brightman and graduate Morgan Hewkin, as well experts across Marrons’ wider economic development, urban design, land and heritage teams. Together with planning lawyers from Shakespeare Martineau, they offer clients a fully integrated and holistic approach to development, from concept to consent.

Pictured: The Marrons' planning team in Birmingham