A LEADING planning consultancy firm has expanded with the launch of a new office in Chester.

Emery Planning Partnership, based in Macclesfield, has opened a base at Chester Business Park.

The independent consultancy provides a comprehensive range of expert planning services to private and corporate clients.

Several of its 19 consultants have more than 20 years of experience in the planning sector and are regarded as experts in specific planning matters, such as Local Plan Representations, Green Belt redevelopment, replacement dwellings, and agricultural and equestrian development.

Through client retention and word-of-mouth recommendations, Emery represents clients located across the UK and has enjoyed a sustained period of organic growth.

Now, following a MBO from founders Denise and Peter Emery and Alison Freeman earlier this year, the company is embarking on a programme of strategic expansion in the run up to its fortieth anniversary in 2025.

The new Chester office will be headed up by Associate Director, Helen Leggett, who has been with Emery for 15 years.

She said: “Over the years, we’ve established a concentration of Clients in Cheshire West, North Wales, Shropshire and on the Wirral in addition to developing solid relationships with local architects, estate agents and land agencies.

"By expanding into Chester, we can grow our business further in these areas whilst offering existing Clients and partners the convenience of a local office.

"The area has a diverse range of development opportunities at a private individual and commercial level and our whole team take pride in assisting businesses and families make the most of the opportunities offered by their sites."

Helen will be supported by director Alison Freeman and consultants Victoria Wood and Aaron Marrs.

Aaron is no stranger to Chester - he lives locally and worked for four years at the city’s branch of Strutt & Parker on Lower Bridge Street where he was the sole planning consultant advising on a diverse portfolio of residential and commercial projects across the northern region.

The new office will offer Emery’s comprehensive range of planning services from site appraisals and pre-application advice to planning applications and all types of appeals, in addition to Environmental Impact Assessments and project management. 

As with Emery’s existing Client base, projects will be led by the most qualified Emery consultant for that specialism regardless of their geographical location, to achieve the best outcome.

Helen said: “It won’t be the case that Clients can only harness the skills of those consultants operating out of the Chester office.

"We take a client-centric approach and work as a team so the full arsenal of Emery’s planning expertise will be at their disposal.”

Alongside the new office expansion comes ambitions to grow the Emery team with managing director, Stephen Harris, hoping to add planning experts from the Chester and North Wales area to the company’s headcount.

He said: “We are always keen to meet experienced planning professionals to complement our excellent team, many of whom have been with the business for most of their planning careers.

“Emery Planning Partnership is a special place to work and is a ‘partnership’ in every sense of the word.

"It was founded on the ethos that truly happy and motivated staff, whose individual needs are acknowledged, accommodated, and respected, will thrive, and perform to the very best of their capabilities and as a result, flexible working has been part of our process since the beginning.

“The culture, combined with the relationships we’ve established with colleagues and our client base, are why I and my fellow senior directors, Caroline Payne and Rawdon Gascoigne, have each been with the business for nearly 20 years,” he added.