South Coast Young Planners' Network

Zac is a Planner who joined Lewis and Co Planning in 2024, bringing a range of experience from his time in Local Authority and previous private practice. Zac is currently completing a Town Planning Apprenticeship at London South Bank University and working towards Chartership with the RTPI. Zac has a wide range in planning experience, scaling from householder development, to residential and agricultural developments.

Jess is a Planning Policy Officer at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and has been working there since 2021, she graduated from the University of Reading in 2021 with a Masters degree in Spatial Planning and Development.

Jess is currently a Licentiate member of the RTPI and is working towards her chartered membership. She has been a member of the South Coast Young Planners group since April 2022.

Joe is a Strategic Land Manager working for a luxury home builder in Hampshire, with expertise in planning policy, site appraisals, strategic site promotion and development management gained from extensive experience working for a local authority, planning consultancy, a major housebuilder and latterly a partnerships business.

In addition to serving on the RTPI South East’s Regional Activities Committee focusing on Policy, Joe is part of the South Coast Young Planners Network Streering Group and also serves as a school governor. Previous voluntary roles for the RTPI held by Joe include serving on the England Policy Panel for two years and the replacement England Policy Committee for a year. 

Ben has worked for Portsmouth City Council as a Planning Policy Officer since August 2021, and is a new member to the South Coast Young Planners Network. During his postgraduate studies at the University of Reading, and after graduating, Ben gained valuable experience in the private sector working for Troy Planning and Design, picking up many transferable skills he has been able to use in Local Authority. Ben is currently a Licentiate member of the RTPI, working towards his chartership

Lauren has worked as a Planning Consultant for over 4 years in the private sector and am currently working at Parker Dann on a range of planning applications, with a particular focus on residential development. She is a second year studying for an MSc degree in Town Planning at the University of Brighton, with the view to become a Chartered Town Planner after graduation.

Nick is a Principal Planner in the Planning Strategy team at Fareham Borough Council and has been working at Fareham since October 2014. After completing a Masters in Environmental Assessment and Management at Oxford Brookes in 2017, Nick specialises in ecology and the natural environment covering topic areas such as: nutrient neutrality, recreational disturbance mitigation, green infrastructure and open space improvements for climate change, biodiversity and wider environmental net gain.”

Benjamin has been working in planning since 2017 where he started as a Level 3 apprentice at West Sussex County Council dealing with Minerals & Waste and Regulation 3 applications, Following completion of the course he has progressed from a Technical Officer role to Planning Officer in a range of local authorities and currently works at Bracknell Forest Council whilst undertaking his Masters qualification through the Level 7 apprenticeship route. Over his years of experience Benjamin has participated in the RTPI led scheme 'Planning Your World', Co-chaired the South East 'Young Apprentice Ambassador Network' for the Coast-to-Coast region and been nominated as a finalist in the 'Apprentice of the Year' catagory at the Sussex Business Awards 2019.

Will works at Thakeham Homes, a leading housebuilder in the south of England which works across Strategic Land, New Homes and Partnerships. At Thakeham Will works with landowners, consultants and local authorities to bring forward large residential schemes through the planning system. Will joined Thakeham after spending time at Wates Developments, a major strategic land promoter which operates across southern England. Will holds degrees of MSc Town Planning from University of Brighton and BSc Real Estate from University of Reading. Will is a member of the RICS, as a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor, and is working towards becoming a chartered member of the RTPI.

Since graduating from Cardiff University in 2018, Will has worked in both the public and private sectors. Will currently works for Savills Southampton as a Senior Planner and recently passed his APC in Spring 2024.