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Uniquely amongst planning consultancies none of our consultants have less than 15 years experience and most have been working for more than 20 years. TPS is also unusual in how it bridges the gap between the public and private sectors. Many planning consultants have not worked in the public sector which is a major weakness in negotiations with Councils. Our consultants have worked for substantial periods in both Councils and consultancy giving us a substantial advantage in presenting projects in the most favourable light to planning authorities.

TPS Planning also has the rare advantage of bringing overseas practice ideas to projects. Roger Rankin as team leader works extensively in Scotland and Australia. Gprdon Edgar has similar Scottish/Australian planning experience. Overall the Planning Team of twelve includes 2 Australian planners, 8 United Kingdom planners and 2 dual Australian/United Kingdom planners.

Roger Rankin (UK / Australia)

Roger Rankin founded TPS in 1995 to connect professional good practice, research and management expertise in a consultancy offering the best of public and private sector problem solving skills. Roger has 31 years experience of delivering urban and rural regeneration projects and programmes in Scotland and Australia. Leading a multi-disciplinary team as Chief Planner in West Lothian Council’s planning service, he played a significant role in the revival of the area’s local economy.

Joyce Hartley (UK)

Joyce Hartley has 33 years of wide ranging policy development and project implementation, experience in both the public and private sectors. She has a particular expertise in the project management of major research commissions. This has included managing a comprehensive record of UK New Towns and a large-scale review of all public policies that influence the housing sector in Scotland. She specialises in event development and management and is currently organising workshops and conferences for several clients.

Richard Heggie (UK)

Richard Heggie who is a planner and urban designer with 21 years of varied experience in consultancy, developmentv corporation and local authority roles. He specialises in master planning, urban design, Local Plans, site planning and graphic presentation. Richard also has broad, hands on experience in building refurbishment, private rented sector housing, business development and media relations. He will lead on urban design aspects of the exercise.

Nick Wright (UK)

Nick Wright has worked for TPS since 2005. He has been working in community engagement, planning and regeneration for over 15 years. His experience encompasses the public, private and voluntary sectors. He is a qualified town planner, an accredited Mediator and a member of the Urban Design Group. Nick has an excellent understanding of the constraints and aspirations of different stakeholders in the planning system – local communities, developers, local authority elected members and officers, and other public sector organizations. He will be responsible for devising the community engagement process and act as a core facilitator. He was responsible for an award-winning programme of community capacity building and engagement workshops delivered across Scotland by Planning Aid for Scotland.

John Duff (UK)

John Duff has worked extensively in Scottish Enterprise, consultancy and local authority planning for 32 years. He has a particular expertise in economic development and planning for business and residential development. John is a chartered surveyor and town planner. He has carried out many planning consultancy commissions for a range of clients, including the United Auction Group. John frequently leads property development projects such as the Dobbie’s Garden centre with related infrastructure at Perth.

Charles Tibbles (UK)

Charles Tibbles is a graduate of Heriot-Watt University (BSc Hons 1994) and Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (since January 1996). He has worked extensively as a planning consultant and has a particular expertise in statutory planning, research and project co-ordination.

Gordon Edgar (UK/Australia)

Gordon Edgar has over 35 years experience as a planner in consultancy and the public sector. He has worked at senior levels for over 20 years in strategic urban and regional planning, policy development, policy implementation, research and development control, with extensive experience at local, metropolitan and national levels of government in Scotland, England and Australia.

Ian Spence (UK)

Ian Spence is a highly experienced architect and town planner. He started his career as an architect in both the private and public sectors, latterly becoming design team leader. Invited to Edinburgh Council to establish an Urban Design unit. Developed urban design practice within the Council’s Planning Service – dealt with strategic development and directly processed many major planning applications. Upon local government re-organisation he was appointed Conservation and Design Manager (Assistant Director position equivalent). Ian was subsequently appointed as Development Quality Manager (with broader responsibilities – deputising for Head of Planning when necessary).

Forbes Marr (UK)

Forbes Marr has over 40 years experience in the public sector and consultancy. He works on housing, industrial, commercial and mineral extraction developments; including planning appeals, local plan representations and Lands Tribunal hearings. Forbes is also a part-time lecturer in Town and Country Planning at Napier University, Edinburgh. From May 1975 to March 1996, Lothian Regional Council Principal Officer in Strategic Planning Division (Control and Co-ordination) involving liaison with District Councils and Livingston Development Corporation on implementation of policy (including recreation strategy); public transport working parties; development of Union Canal (including connection to footpath networks); Central Scotland Woodlands Project; overhead power lines route analyses; Port Edgar leisure development; Principal regional witness and co-ordinator at local plan and major planning and housing public inquiries; principal co-ordinator of Review of Edinburgh Green Belt Boundaries.

Sarah McNeilly (Australia)

Sarah McNeilly has had 16 years experience as a town planner in councils, consultancy and state government in and around Sydney. She has in-depth expertise in environmental assessment, strategic planning and planning litigation. This skill set is reinforced by a Masters degree in Environmental Law. Sarah specialises in the preparation of development applications for all forms of development projects.

Ian Stewart (Australia)

Ian Stewart is a development and statutory planning specialist with over 16 years experience of both Sydney metropolitan and country New South Wales in both consultancy and councils. His C.V. embraces coastal planning and the unique experience for a planning consultant of having been a successful small-scale developer. Ian is a regular contributor to property journals and websites. He has undertaken a wide range of commissions including master planning, environmental impact assessment, expert witness, public consultation and mediation, planning strategy preparation and policy development.

George McNeill (UK)

George McNeill is a qualified civil engineer and town planner with over 40 years experience of all aspects of planning and regeneration. George has a particular expertise in built heritage conservation and has been heavily involved in the restoration of war damaged towns in Bosnia. George is TPS’s specialist advisor on urban and built environment conservation.

Donald Young (UK/Australia)

Donald Young has forestry, ecology and business qualifications and has worked in these disciplines for over 30 years. He has been implementing environmental sustainable developments since 1994 and over the last 5 years has extended that work into renewable energy projects. Donald has a particular expertise in making environmentally sustainable ideas commercially viable.

Ruth Lock (UK/Australia)

Ruth Lock is a Graphic Designer trained at Edinburgh College of Art. She specialises in design for print, web design, web administration and company branding. In addition she has several years experience in administration and office management.

Colin Armstrong (UK)

Colin Armstrong has over 25 years experience in the housing and regeneration field working for housing associations, government agencies and social enterprises. He has worked extensively on housing association procurement from different perspectives – working seven years with two housing associations and a further six years with Scottish Homes, where he also negotiated GRO Grants with private developers. He also has a sound understanding of the strategic context for housing investment in a number of central roles in Communities Scotland, latterly as Head of Planning, where his portfolio of work included development of Local Housing Strategies and the Strategic Housing Investment Framework. Colin was Director of Regeneration Services for the Wise for several years, playing a central role in developing the strategic direction, forward planning and operational delivery of the company and in engaging with key partners. He is a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and Vice Chair of the Scottish Urban Regeneration Forum. He specialises in policy development and review, organisational development, neighbourhood renewal and service delivery.

David Connolly (UK)

David Connolly is a skilled archaeologist, web designer and entrepreneur. He has been working as a consultant archaeologist in the UK and in other countries for over 25 years. David was East Lothian and Midlothian Council’s retained archaeological advisor for many years and has worked on numerous planning and development projects.

Malcolm Inkster (UK)

Malcolm Inkster is a qualified planner with over 30 years experience as a senior professional in both English and Scottish Councils. He is TPS’s specialist advisor on development and strategic plans.

Irving Hodgson (UK)

Irving Hodgson has been working in planning, housing and regeneration for 32 years for local government and a new town development corporation. He is a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Institute of Economic Development. Irving also has an MBA in Public Sector Management. Until recently he was Acting Executive director of Housing, Environmental and Economic Development Services at West Dunbartonshire Council. His achievements include leading the Council’s approach to social housing development; establishing the West Dunbartonshire SIP; and setting up the innovative tri-partite Council, Scottish Enterprise, private developer Strathleven Regeneration initiative.

Elaine Bourne (UK)

Elaine Bourne joined TPS in 2008 as Credit Controller.

Malcolm Smith (UK)

Malcolm Smith holds a BA (Hons) Degree in Planning (July 1985) and is a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute. He has more than 22 years planning experience in local government, national government where he was an Inquiry Reporter within the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporter’s Unit for 3 years, and private practice. His experience in planning is broad based and he has dealt with a number of major projects throughout Scotland both for local authorities and for private interests. During his career Malcolm has gained extensive experience in many aspects of planning including policy formulation, local plans, masterplanning, dealing with an extensive range of major and minor planning and related applications (including those subject to Environmental Assessment), determining and reporting on planning appeals, and representing a diverse range of interests through the planning and appeals process. He has extensive inquiry experience as an Inquiry Reporter, a local government officer and as a planning consultant. Recently Malcolm has represented the interests of Scottish Borders Council (public inquiry) and Falkirk Council (major planning application).

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