James Stevens Email & Phone Number

London, United Kingdom

London, United Kingdom

Representing the broader interests of the house building industry through strategic town planning in England but focusing primarily on the regions of London, the South East and the East of England. Representations on all local plans and appearance at local plan examinations in public, including work on the London Plan. His main areas of expertise are demographics, development viability, housing land supply calculations, development implementation and affordable housing policy. He is also familiar with many other aspects of local plan making and strategic planning. James has proven to be particularly successful in securing increases to planned housing numbers in a number of local authorities as they have brought forward new local plans, thereby increasing the development opportunities for house builders by helping to get their sites allocated. In the last year (2015) through a combination of technical expertise and persuasive and articulate argument he has been instrumental in securing increases of 200 more homes a year in Basingstoke, 250 more a year at Arun, 150 more a year in Horsham, 140 more a year in Crawley, 200 more a year in Swale, and 20 more a year in Swale. James has also helped to successfully fight off West Oxfordshire's attempt to provide for far fewer homes than were needed, helping to secure a recommendation from the Government's Inspector that the Council should match the level of need indicated by the SHMA (660 homes per year rather than the 525 homes a year proposed by the Council). James is conversant with many aspects of sustainable design and construction and how these are applied through planning. He is also adept at understanding and scrutinising viability assessments and critiquing these on behalf of the house building industry. James is often invited to speak at public events on aspects of planning and housing. He most recently participated in a debate organised by the RTPI and ARUPS on the role of the green belt (February 2016).

Ma Planning Policy & Practice, Town Planning, Distinction. Rtpi Prize For Best Student. Prize For Best Ma Dissertation

Activities and Societies: Student representative.

Ba Hons, Medieval & Modern History