Neil Allen Email and Phone Number

Sports Planning Consultants (SPC) is a new bespoke specialist sport and leisure planning consultancy formed following the departure of Directors Neil Allen and Carolyn Wilkinson from Tetra Tech Planning.SPC were formed by Neil Allen and Carolyn Wilkinson in July 2022 having previously worked for Tetra Tech Planning for 4-years, following the strategic acquisition of Neil Allen Associates (naa) in May 2018 by Tetra tech. naa was a specialist sports consultancy, formed in March 2007, which worked extensively with local authorities, Sport England, governing bodies of sport, education establishments and with private sector partners to deliver strategic planning solutions for sport. SPC will continue this work as an independent boutique consultancy. Previously naa was the only sports consultancy to have been accepted by Sport England on its former Strategic Planning Framework across all four sports lots, reflecting the status and the skills of the individual team members. The core team members; Neil Allen and Carolyn Wilkinson have now formed SPC to continue to offer bespoke independent sports planning advice. This team have delivered numerous Sports Needs Assessments (SNA), Playing Pitch and mitigation strategies, working with Sport England, LPAs and NGBs. Neil and Carolyn are experienced in Sport England policies and mitigation approaches. The former naa team moved to Tt where we were accepted on the Sport England Active Environment Framework for Needs Assessments and Town Planning. We now support Tt as a sub-consultant on the Sport England Framework. Independent again we are able to bring specialist sports planning advice and wider experience from a multi-disciplinary planning environment.We can be contacted on the same telephone numbers or at neil@sportsplanningconsultants.co.uk or carolyn@sportsplanningconsultants.co.uk

Professional services firm WYG acquired Neil Allen Associates (naa) into its planning and transport business on 18th May 2018, WYG was subsequently taken over by Tetra Tech. naa will help grow WYG’s portfolio of sports planning projects and expertise. The experienced core naa team of Director Neil Allen, Carolyn Wilkinson and David Payne will continue to deliver and grow the portfolio of sports planning work; playing pitch strategies, sports facility strategies and sports needs assessments, the facilities planning model (fpm) as part of the WYG group, benefitting from the capacity and reach of WYG and their planners across their network of offices. Part of the move sees the Sport England fpm contract extended to 2021. This is an exciting next stage of development for the former naa, with the same core team at its heart it will be ‘business as usual’ for existing and former clients but with the added benefit of being able to grow the business, deliver more and offer the added benefits to clients of being part of a multi disciplinary organisation

Director of naa - an industry leader in sport and leisure consultancy, offering strategic planning and commissioning solutions for the sport and leisure sector.naa offers bespoke solutions and a wealth of experience to public and private sector clients, as well as adding valuable expertise to multi-disciplinary teams across all aspects of the industry. naa specialise in all aspects of strategic commissioning for sport, strategic needs assessment, options appraisal, managing and performance management. naa is on the Sport England Strategic Planning Framework across all four sports lots, reflecting the status of naa as one of the leading deliverers of strategic sport and leisure consultancy solutions, applying practical, senior level knowledge to solve problems and find solutions to the challenges facing the industry.The naa team is currently supporting local authorities, private sector clients, clubs, schools and ngbs with their strategic planning and commissioning challenges:• Development of needs and evidence base to support planning policies • Playing Pitch Strategies (PPS) and area based studies• Authority wide strategic facility and PSS strategies • Needs and evidence and PPS studies to underpin planning applications• Underpinning strategies to support rationalization proposals, service prioritisation and investment bids• Feasibility studies, options appraisals and funding bids• Working with ngbs to develop needs and evidence bases• Supporting options appraisals and procurement work, ensuring asset transfers work for sport and communities• Supporting local authorities, developers and house builders release surplus sites for investment to deliver better returns for sport• Rationalising sites and facilities in a way which safeguards and enhances future sports participation• Helping to maximize investment in sport and take the full advantage of planning contributionswww.neilallenassociates.co.uk

As Director of Consulting at PMP, Neil was responsible for the development of the Company’s public sector consulting work, operating on behalf of clients in all aspects of local authority work including sports development, facility management, arts and cultural provision, PPG17 and Open Space work.On joining PMP Neil also led the companies Best Value Inspection work. PMP were the only specialist leisure consultancy to be appointed by the Audit Commission to undertake Best Value Inspections. As part of this contract, Neil managed and undertook leisure and cultural inspections at Charnwood Borough Council, Cambridge City Council, Salisbury District Council and Thanet District Council.

Best Value Inspector in the northern region, responsible for Cultural Services Inspections across the region. Neil led several Culture, Sport and Parks and Countryside Inspections including Lancaster, Bolton, Halton, Pendle and York City Council, becoming familiar with all aspects of local authority work and the rigours and sensitivity of support and change management work within the public sector setting.

Director of Consulting responsible for public sector portfolio of assignments within this industry leading boutique sports and leisure consultancy.

Neil began his career with Sport England in the Facilities and Recreation Management Section where he was part of the team responsible for strategic leisure planning and providing guidance and advice on planning, management and quality assurance issues. During this time he supported the publication of Planning and Management Factfiles, Sports Council Management Award, and the industry guide to BS5750, the forerunner to Quest. Neil was also involved in helping to set up the Lottery Unit in Sport England and developed many of the processes and guidance for the Lottery Capital Fund and provided advice to prospective applicants.