ELM TWO Environment & Planning
ELM TWO
Telephone: 01638 721207
e-mail: david.collins@elmtwo.com
Synopsis:
David Collins is a chartered environmentalist with 25 years experience in the fields of coastal management, wetland policy development and environmental appraisal. Over the last 10 years he has worked in the flood management industry, mainly as environmental policy advisor reporting to Head of Flood Management in Defra. He made a significant contribution to the development of the ‘Making Space for Water’ policy initiative, and help set up the Flood Management Innovation Fund. David has had a key role in developing Government policy on wetland management, with particular involvement in interpretation of the Habitats Regulations, development of environmental appraisal policy, and the Water Level Management Plan initiative. He wrote Defra’s project appraisal guidance note 5 on Environmental Appraisal. He has experience in providing advice to senior officials and Ministers.
From July 2005 he worked for the Environment Agency’s Anglian Region on secondment from Defra overseeing delivery of estuary strategies and major wetland creation projects. He has continued to have a key role in these issues in his role as an independent consultant.
Through his various roles in policy making and consultation he has developed strong communication skills. David has experience in chairing conference sessions, making presentations to major conferences, and he is also a trained facilitator.
Prior to working in flood management and wetland policy David worked in environmental consultancy, specialising in the project management of EIAs and ecological survey and appraisal. David has particular expertise in ornithological and botanical studies. He has experience in planning and managing major ecological studies and mitigation works, including for the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, where he was the in-house ecologist for two years.
In 2005, he received a Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship to study sustainable and coastal and wetland management in Australia. In 2004 he visited Hungary at the invitation of the Hungarian Government where he advised them on sustainable approaches to flood management and flood mapping.
Qualifications
BSC Hons Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway College, University of London 1979
MPhil University of London, 1984 A study of the Canarian Houbara Bustard with special reference to its behaviour and ecology
Professional Memberships:
Chartered Environmentalist, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management (founder member)
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellow
Career:
ELM Environment & Planning (from April 2008)
• Supporting the Environment Agency on high profile coastal projects; Environment Agency PM for partnership project with RSPB Wallasea Island Wildcoast Project to create 700ha of intertidal habitat.
• Involvement in Ecological appraisals for 5 aggregate development sites.
Environment Agency (November 2006 – February 2008)
Project Executive: Suffolk and Essex Estuary Strategies and Anglian Region Habitat Creation Programme.
• Overseeing development of a Flood Risk Management Strategy for the Blyth Estuary, involving Withdrawal of Maintenance. Leading on consultation and stakeholder engagement issues
• Developing deliverability of compensation habitats through partnership approaches with NGOs
Environment Agency (July 2005 – October 2006)
Anglian Region Coastal Strategy Manager
• Developing overall coastal policy in the Region, especially the relationship between estuary management and delivering habitat creation
Defra (initially MAFF) (Nov 1997 – July 2005)
Senior Environmental Advisor in Flood Management Unit
• Author of FCDPAG5, Environmental Appraisal
• Establishing targets for habitat creation in flood management
• Clarifying implications of Habitats Regulations for flood management projects and establishing the role of Regional Habitat Creation Programmes
• Establishment of Water Level Management Plan funding and delivery arrangements
Channel Tunnel Rail Link Project (Nov 1995 – October 1997)
Senior Ecologist
• Project management role overseeing protected species work and development of mitigation measures – annual budget of £0.5m
Environmental Management Consultants Ltd (1993-95)
Senior Ecologist and Manager
• overseeing EIAs, including a coastal defence project on the Tees Estuary
Resource and Environmental Management Unit, University of Cork (1991-93)
• Consultancy manager and ecologist, including an EIA for a Tannery
Environmental Advisory Unit, Liverpool University (1988-91)
Ecologist
• EIA projects including two for gold mines in rainforest in Ghana as well as throughout UK
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (1983-88)
• Contracts in wetland bird research and estuary management issues, including tidal power barrage for the Mersey Estuary
Aigas Field Centre (Feb-Nov 1982)
• Naturalist Guide in the Scottish Highlands
Planning Director ELM Environment and Planning Ltd,
Houbara House, 32 Hillside Meadow,
Fordham,
Ely,
Cambridgeshire, CB7 5PJ
e-mail:eiluned.morgan@elmtwo.com
Synopsis
Eiluned Morgan was an established planning consultant with over thirty years experience in a wide range of fields. Prior to becoming a consultant she worked in Canada (Athabasca Tar Sands), Hampshire and Leicestershire County Councils, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council, the London Borough of Southwark and Milton Keynes Development Corporation. Since leaving the Development Corporation she has had a diverse portfolio of work. In 1990 she commenced providing consultancy advice to Rugby Cement on various aspects of their holdings including the construction of their new cement works at Rugby. As Chairman of the East Midlands Royal Town Planning Institute during 1993 she became familiar with issues affecting the region as well as developing links with other professions in the region and contributing to the development of continuing professional development at a national and local level. At this time she also wrote with Kathleen Dunmore the first ' Councillors Guide to Planning' which was initially published by the Conservative Central Office and subsequently in a new revised form by the Royal Town Planning Institute.
In 1997 she became a consultant planning inspector undertaking written representation appeals and hearings, this continued until 2000. This useful experience led to her acting for South Northamptonshire as their representative for over 20 appeals, including member overturns, achieving a good rate of success.
Eiluned has often worked with other practices, namely Addison & Associates, Three Dragons and Jeff Bishop at BDOR; for links see below.
With Addison & Associates she has contributed to the development of good practice on development control performance and since 2007 has visited over 20 local authorities to review the foundations for the delivery of the local development framework and to recommend to the Planning Advisory Service areas where support would be beneficial. Her work with Three Dragons has primarily been in relation to housing provision and has included support for events requiring facilitation. Over the years Eiluned has worked on a number of occasions with Jeff Bishop of BDOR and this has helped her develop her skills in stakeholder engagement and facilitation.
Qualifications:
BA Hons Town and Country Planning Hons) , Newcastle-upon-Tyne University 1967-72
MSc Property Development (Project Management), South Bank Polytechnic 1984-87
Professional Associations: MRTPI
East of England RTPI: Regional Activities Committee. Current post.
Selected Publications
‘Good Practice for Stakeholder engagement in the Aggregates Sector 2004, Environment Council contrbutorl.
‘Councillors Guide to Planning’ Royal Town Planning Institute 1999
‘Defining Rural Sustainability’, The Rural Planning Group, TLIOR 1999 - Contributor
Planning witness for Hertsmere Council on planning inquiry March-July 2009
• Contributed to development of Common Vision Training Module produced by Addison
& Associates for the Planning Advisory Service 2009
With Addison & Associates delivered member training programme for Wealden District Council 2008/09 on Common Vision
• Delivery of LDF Diagnostic toolkit for Planning Advisory Service with Addison & Associates involving visits to over 18 local planning authorities to identify where support from the Planning Advisory Service would be useful and what actions could be taken by the authority to improve the foundations for delivering the new spatial planning framework, October 2007 on-going
Assisted Phil Brown at Document Doctor with design of stakeholder project on dog disturbance and nesting bird on coastal habitats in Norfolk.
With Strategic Solutions and Three Dragons contributed to Shelter input on Eco-Towns.
With Addison & Associates undertook study for Planning Inspectorate on Market Analysis for Potential Inspectors Summer 2008
• With Kathleen Dunmore of Three Dragons for major landholder providing input to David Lock Associates representations on housing policies in North Northants Core Strategy submission document and provided input to EIP session on affordable housing February 2008
• Provided facilitation support for East Midlands Regional Housing Strategy workshops autumn 2007 with Three Dragons and Strategic Solutions
With Keith Reed Consultancy contributed to Parish Councillor Training package for Fylde Borough Council
With Addison & Associates delivered member training package on Local development Framework to four local authorities 2008
• Chaired Multi-Faith facilities event in Cambridge for Three Dragons
• Addison & Associate’s facilitator for the PAS Autumn 2007 development management seminars on development management.
• Review of South Northamptonshire District Council’s planning service with recommendations for improvement action, spring 2007.
• Providing critical friend support to Nottingham City Council on LDF production. With Jeff Bishop organised workshop to plan strategy for stakeholder engagement.
• With Jeff Bishop of BDOR produced presentation and designed workshops on the relationship between the LDF and sustainable community strategies for the Planning Advisory Service autumn 2006.
• Planning Appeals: Hearings and Inquiries for South Northants Council (SNC) 2001 to 2006
• Drafted standard application form and guidance for waste applications for ARUPs and DCLG Spring 2006
• Best Value Performance Indicators 2002/3, 2003/4, 2004/5 and 2005/06 ODPM (with Addison & Associates) + Investigating the performance of planning standard authorities in determining planning applications through desk top analysis + One to One interviews with authorities following on from desktop review that were deemed as unlikely to improve performance
• Input to RSS consultation for North-West Planning Aid, April 2006
• Facilitator and presenter (Options) on LDF workshops for PAS (with Addison & Associates), February to April 2006
• Facilitated key stakeholders event on proposed Second Eden project in Bedfordshire for Nirah Holdings and Ove Arup, July 2005.
• Facilitated stakeholder workshops Corby Borough Council on LDF Issues and options, September 2005.
• Workshop facilitator on development control improvement strategies/plans for planning authorities for IDeA and PAS (with Addison Associates)
• Research into reasons for declining performance on major applications for ODPM (with Addison & Associates)
• Northamptonshire Minerals Plan Inquiry acted for South Northamptonshire District Council in March and April 2005. Successful outcome.
• Facilitator at Housing Strategy workshops for East of England and West Midlands November 2004 to February 2005.
• Preparing guidance on Implications of new legislative framework for use in manual for field workers with BDOR, Jeff Bishop, for South West Regional Development Agency
• Developed training programme for local planning authorities on Statements of Community Involvement with BDOR, Jeff Bishop. CCourses run in Lancashire and Kent 2004.
• Planning aspects in community consultation guide for aggregates industry and other users, worked with Environment Council/MIRO, published March 2004.
• Represented six local parishes at Examination in Public for Milton Keynes and South Midlands Sub Regional Guidance, 2004.
• ODPM: Planning for Affordable Housing Practice Guide and PPG3 Update. Organised and ran GO regional workshops for Three Dragons, Nottingham Trent University and Roger Tym Associates, 2003.
• Sub Regional Affordable Housing Policy development and Stakeholder Process for Cambridgeshire CC, 2003.
• New Councillor Training Kettering Borough Council, 2003.
• Research on affordable housing site thresholds for GLA and ODPM, 2003 with Three Dragons.
• Contributor to Sustainable Homes and Livelihoods in the Countryside, January 2003.
• Planning Witness for Nottingham City Council on Certificate of Appropriate Alternative Development Appeal, six day Inquiry January 2002. Council successful on appeal.
• Time and Project Management Seminar and action arising Nottingham City Council, including review of clerical support, access to technical information, meetings etc, + Householder Applications SPG and application form, Nottingham City Council (NCC).
• Stakeholder Workshops and process leading to identification of locations for Strategic Development Areas, Kettering Borough Council
• Working with developer on community aspects of proposed development in Boston, Lincs.
• Project Co-ordinator on South Northants Council sponsored Friends of the Upper Nene.
• 2 no. residential planning applications
• Development Control Quality Review for Nottingham City Council 2001.
• RTPI Croner Councillor Workshop on Development Plans.
• Member of Northamptonshire CC Best Value Review Reference Group.
• Running of workshop for Bath and North-East Somerset Stakeholder Waste Management Strategy Group.
• Waste Strategy public consultation with Jeff Bishop (BDOR) in Warwickshire.
• Preparation for Nottingham Inquiry 2002.
• Planning consultant on application to London Borough for house for disabled person.
• Assisted three clients on development control matters, agricultural and residential.
• Consultant Planning Inspector, 1997 to September 2000, Undertaking written representations and hearings.
• Planning aspects of land holdings and on implications of changes in environmental legislation for Rugby Group plc + Project manager (team of 10) for environmental statement on major residential proposal and as environmental statement co-ordinator (team of 12) for Rubgy Cement Works Upgrade 1996 (construction cost in excess of £100m) + Also undertaken negotiations with local planning authorities on noise abatement zones and planning conditions, community liaison, appearance at local plan inquiries and examinations in public.
• Worked with BDOR, RMC, local authority and local community on strategy for future use of former cement works and quarry land working, Southam, Warwickshire.
• Advice given on marketing of land to Leicester City Council
• Affordable Housing Provision advice to Peterborough with Kathleen Dunmore
• Revision of site development briefs for Commission for New Towns
• Advice on the planning aspects of care homes
• Obtained planning permission for religious retreat
• Project Co-ordinator Friends of Upper Nene funded by South Northamptonshire Council plus Countryside Agency LHI grant to 2003. Purpose to Increase awareness and involvement in the life of the valley to the benefit of the environment and residents alike. Major focus on flood management and sand and gravel extraction but also on ecology, landscape, archaeology and motorway noise
• Combe Down Stone Mines, (with Jeff Bishop BDOR) 1999 + Community strategy for solution to ground instability
• WWF sustainability workshops
• Consultation process on Warwickshire’s Local Transport Plan.
Principal Officer, Milton Keynes Development Corporation 1989-92
Responsible with architects and surveyors for briefing and disposal of in excess of 1000 hectares of major residential and commercial development opportunities including employment areas and two sub-regional shopping centres.
Residential grid square proposals included local centres, schools, community facilities including care in the community residential provision, and also new open spaces, parks and recreational facilities.
Associate, Planning Design and Development Ltd. (PDDL), Milton Keynes, 1987-89
responsible for team of six planners: commercial and residential development.
Senior Officer, London Borough of Southwark 1979-87
Surrey Docks: development of proposals and implementation of same for former docks, new infrastructure, area improvements and major new landscape proposals, included consultant and contract management of projects in excess of £1million.
Principal Planning Officer, Deputy Team Leader Special Projects Team responsible for Burgess Park development and Bricklayers Arms. Close community working.
Southwark Environment Trust Administrator: Manpower Services Commission
o Including British Rail trackside improvements
o Reconstruction of Denmark Hill Station and
o Various local communities projects
o Responsible with secondment from Bovis for team of 30 persons.
Senior Planner Urban Design Team, Nuneaton Borough Council 1977-79
Consultant, Pard Associates (Architects and Planners) Calgary Canada, 1973-76
Development Control Assistant, Leicestershire County Council 1972-73
Year-out student: Local Plans team, Hampshire County Council 1970-71