3 mins Read
Capita Local Government today announces the creation of a new planning shared service centre in Belfast, focused primarily on delivering development management and planning resilience services into local authorities across the UK.
A number of strategic appointments have been made with a variety of skills and experience to support the growth of the shared service centre. It will provide services initially to councils in England with a view to expanding services to Northern Ireland councils to support the needs of their communities.
New appointments include;
- Brian Timmons, a chartered town planner with 13 years of experience gained in local government and private practice. He has extensive experience in the assessment and management of large scale retail, commercial and residential developments. He has a particular interest in town centre regeneration, shopping centre development and high quality social housing.
- Brendan Starkey, a chartered town planner. Brendan has over five years’ experience working in both public and private sectors across both England and Northern Ireland. He has wide ranging experience across all sectors with specialisms in the residential, defence, healthcare and renewable energy sectors.
- Donna Smith, a chartered town planner is returning to Northern Ireland to take up this role having spent the last three years working in private consultancy in England. Previously being responsible for planning and advertisement applications for a major global retail chain. Donna also brings with her a variety of residential experience.
- Dominic Duffin, a chartered town planner who has worked in both the English and Northern Ireland planning systems. Dominic has built up a broad range of skills within the profession, starting his career in 2008 at Epping Forest District Council dealing with the pressures that come with balancing development and the Green Belt. After 7 years in England, Dominic returned to work in Councils within Northern Ireland - a move that coincided with a challenging period for the profession in Northern Ireland with the transfer of planning powers to local councils.
- Emma Hawthorn graduated from Queens University Belfast in 2015 with a post graduate degree in Environmental Planning. She relocated to work as a Planner for a Council in Oxfordshire gaining experience of the English system. Joining Capita has given Emma the opportunity to move home whilst continuing to work for Councils in the UK.
