Biographies for Salford Design Review Forum members

Stephen is an urban designer and award winning town planner. He is an experienced leader in design consultancy and has held Directorships with national and global businesses. He has over four decades of experience working across local government and the private sector and is highly respected within the development industry.

His masterplanning contribution in cities and towns across the UK is extensive and has included significant regeneration and housing initiatives as well as major infrastructure projects in health, education and custodial development of national and regional importance.

He has an enquiring approach to active problem solving, drawing out the best from the many who contribute to city building and placemaking. He has a reputation for achieving successful outcomes delivered effectively and collaboratively.

Stephen is well known to many in the City of Salford and Greater Manchester and recent contributions to regional Design Strategy have included work with Stockport and the Mayoral Development Corporation and at Wigan on the town centre strategy.

He retains academic interest in planning and urban design education and holds an Honorary Visiting Professorship with the University of Liverpool.

Stephen’s association with Salford is long-standing, having first worked from the Quays when relocating back to the North West in the early 1990s after a successful local government career in London, including as Principal Urban Designer at the then Docklands Development Corporation.

He recently completed a four year term as Northern Cities leader with AECOM and currently sits as an independent Council Member at the University of Salford.

Ernst is a Director at MCAU and brings a wealth of experience and expertise following a career spanning 20+ years working in highly respected practices including Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Mecanoo Architecten and SimpsonHaugh, where he was instrumental in delivering a wide spectrum of award-winning schemes.

Ernst has led major town centre transformation projects for Stretford, Chorlton and Wythenshawe coupled with innovative masterplans such as Trafford Civic Quarter, Lumina Village and the recent Strangeways and forthcoming Stockport East Strategic Regeneration Frameworks.

Notable civic projects include the thriving HOME Arts Centre, Antwerp Concert Hall and the University of Manchester’s ground-breaking Engineering Campus.

Ernst is known for industry-setting residential schemes including Kampus, Circle Square and Hulme Leaf Street, specialising in affordable and Passivhaus design seen at Muse’s Salford Oldfield Basin and completing his own Passivhaus home in 2022.

Fahad is an Associate Architect at AtkinsRéalis with a broad and versatile portfolio, encompassing a wide range of sectors including residential, healthcare, transport, defence, nuclear, mixed-use, and commercial/office developments. His experience includes the design and delivery of Stockport Interchange, securing planning approval for the GPA Manchester Digital Campus, and contributing to Rolls Royce’s successful bid for the Great British Nuclear initiative through their Small Modular Reactor design.

His expertise extends beyond architectural design into strategic project development. Fahad plays an active role in procurement processes, supporting client presentations, engaging with planning committees, and collaborating closely with contractors. His multidisciplinary approach enables him to effectively manage complex projects involving diverse teams and multiple consultants.

Outside of work, Fahad has a wide array of interests. He enjoys travelling and exploring different cultures, reading across genres from fiction, science-fiction to fantasy, and following football. He is also a keen drawer, using sketching to relax and reflect, a skill that enhances his ability to communicate ideas visually in professional settings. Fahad also has a growing interest in photography, urban design, and sustainability, often seeking inspiration from the intersection of design, nature, and technology.

Andrew is a time served architect and prior to his retirement in July 2025 worked as a shareholding director at MBLA Architects + Urbanists (1986-2012) and Buttress Architects (2012-2025).

Throughout his working career Andrew designed, coordinated and managed a wide variety of major developments ranging from individual, private and public sector projects. He is also an experienced Urban Designer and regularly undertook masterplanning projects. A significant achievement, Andrew was part of the group that developed the masterplan and urban design code for Hulme, Manchester – a regeneration project that has gone on to become the standard by which many UK urban design projects were measured. This experience informed much of his subsequent practice.

He has extensive knowledge of the residential sector, having been involved with a number of schemes from inception to design and delivery, including significant multi-generational, mixed use regeneration projects. To all he applies an understanding of the importance of place on design, seeking to support the creation of vibrant and inclusive social communities through creative, thoughtful and inspiring architecture.

His experience includes project work across many sectors beyond the residential arena with a portfolio of successfully completed arts, education and healthcare buildings.

Georgina is a certified member of the Landscape Institute and a director at Planit, an interdisciplinary practice consisting of landscape architecture, urban design, visual storytelling and creative engagement specialisms. With five UK studios Planit have delivered many notable projects across the country covering all sectors of the built environment. Based in Planit’s head office in Altrincham, and with director responsibility for the Liverpool Studio, Georgina has led many projects across the North West and beyond including schemes across educational, sporting, event, residential, heritage and mixed-use settings. Guiding these projects from early concept stages through to on-site delivery and longer-term stewardship, Georgina is equally happy with a sketching pen in hand as she is on site.

Throughout her 24 years at Planit, Georgina has helped to shape the practice into a dynamic design studio and, alongside the wider director team, is driving Planit’s short-term mission to become a net-positive business as they move towards regenerative practice. This drive to ensure a balance between planetary boundaries and the social foundation sits as the heart of her work.

Georgina’s experience includes a specialism in the design and delivery of large sporting and event venues including premiership football grounds, national stadia and significant cultural venues. She has delivered projects within hard urban areas, rural idyls and everything in between. She has a keen interest in planting design and aims to maximise the positive benefits that well-designed, balanced landscape design and public realm can bring to all living things.

Nick has experience across a wide range of sectors including masterplanning, residential, education, leisure, commercial, museums and community projects. As a director at OMI Architects, Nick has been involved in or led on some of the practice’s largest residential commissions and has a wealth of experience in the planning and technical aspects particular to high-rise buildings. In addition to his involvement in large scale residential projects Nick also has an interest and specialism in the conversion and re-use of significant historic buildings and has completed a number of radical conversion projects, often for communities in need which have attracted several awards.

As a Salford based practice OMI have always maintained an active involvement in Salford’s regeneration. Nick led on the masterplan vision for the Greengate regeneration area in Salford and has overseen the design of many of the buildings within the area including Salford’s tallest residential buildings; One Greengate (31 storeys), Anaconda Cut (44 storeys), Colliers Bank phase 1 (50 storeys) and One Heritage Tower (55 storeys), a total of over 2,000 apartments in Greengate alone.

Nick believes that clear, strategic thinking allied with good design is the key to creating buildings and places that people want to use. A principle that applies to projects of all scales and sectors, OMI’s buildings have become known for their attention to detail and their interaction at a human scale.

Nick studied architecture at Edinburgh and qualified with distinction in 1997.

Sarah is an award-winning Mancunian architect and co-founding director of IF_DO, a practice with bases in London and Manchester specialising in social infrastructure, community, and cultural projects. Recognised by the Architects' Journal as one of their 40 under 40 (2020) and named a 'Future 50 Global Leader' by the Project Management Institute (2024), Sarah brings almost 20 years of professional experience to her design work.

At IF_DO Sarah is the project lead on many significant community-focused projects including the transformation of historic buildings in Hastings into vibrant community facilities, the award-winning Brent Cross Town Primary Substation for Related Argent and most recently the regeneration of Wythenshawe Civic Centre (including workspace, foodhub and early activations) for Muse and Manchester City Council. Her approach prioritises community engagement and co-design, translating diverse needs into impactful architecture.

A sought-after public speaker, Sarah has delivered keynotes internationally, including at the Barbican and recently at Utopian Hours Turin 2024. She is a founding member of Part W, an action group campaigning for equity in the built environment, which received the inaugural Prize for Research in Gender and Architecture 2023 for their 'Women's Work' project.

Sarah brings valuable design review experience and has served on several award juries including as jury chair for the RIBA Awards Scotland. She holds an MA (Hons) in Architecture and an MArch (Dist.) from the University of Edinburgh. Sarah is also a guest tutor at Manchester School of Architecture, sharing her expertise in inclusive, socially-focused design with the next generation.

Rory is an accredited conservation architect and Associate Director at Donald Insall Associates. He has developed a specialism in contemporary adaptation to historic architecture and environments over the course of a decade at DIA.

Many of his projects have been high-profile public buildings, concerning the cultural, economic and historic identity of an area. Notable examples include The John Rylands Library (Manchester), Bramall Hall (Stockport), Wentworth Woodhouse (Yorkshire), the Palace of Westminster and Covent Garden Market (London).

His most recently completed projects include the creative adaptation of the much-loved John Rylands in Manchester, and the large-scale adaptive reuse of Wentworth Woodhouse stables into a publicly accessible events/ commercial/ residential/ retail space (in coordination with local business, local planning authorities and complex funding streams).

Rory has also led a number of feasibility studies for local Greater Manchester regions; assessing disused sites and discussing with the local authority and local stakeholders how best to bring them back to life. Examples include sites in Cheetham Hill, Middleton, Trafford (Empress conservation area) and Trafford Park; working closely with viability consultants, landscape designers and quantity surveyors to propose a new future for these urban sites.

His passion for design has led to exhibited work in the Royal Academy and published writing and drawings in journals such as the Architects’ Journal and RIBA Journal.

With experience working at architectural practices across India, France and the UK, Rory brings a wide range of design-solution knowledge from a range of urban contexts.

Michael studied at the Manchester School of Architecture qualifying as an architect in 2003. With over 20 years’ experience he has historically worked for practices BDP, Hodder + Partners and StephensonBell Architects. Since 2012 Michael has worked at Jeffrey Bell Architects, in the role of Associate Director.

Working predominately in the North West, Michael has a keen interest in masterplanning and urban design, community projects, heritage buildings, adaptive reuse and energy focused design. Michael’s main body of experience ranges from masterplanning, education, residential schemes at all scales and commercial projects. Michael has worked on notable projects including Medieval Manchester masterplan, Chetham School of Music Extension and Michigan Avenue masterplan and residential scheme. Michael is currently involved in the Graphene house project and the adaptive reuse of listed buildings Bridge Works, Altringham and Rylands Buildings, Manchester.

Michael historically has been a visiting studio tutor at the Lancaster University School of Architecture, Liverpool University School of Architecture and the Manchester School of Architecture.

Simon is a Senior Partner and Studio Leader at Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. He leads the Manchester Studio, as well as having a cross-practice design leadership role.

In the last ten years, Simon has worked predominantly in the mixed-use sectors, from large-scale masterplanning through to the delivery of high density, low carbon homes. Key projects include the Circle Square Development and Chorlton Precinct in Manchester, as well as the Piccadilly Pestana Hotel. He is currently working with MUSE on the low energy, affordable Oldfield Basin development, and at Wythenshawe, where he has overseen the masterplan and is heading up the delivery of the first phase homes.

Simon also holds expertise in the education sector, first working on a series of schools including the DFES commissioned exemplar design for a ‘Through School’ and a new City Academy in Paddington. Simon went on to lead the design of the award-winning Business School and Student Hub for MMU followed by commissions for a new Students Union, the SODA building, the library refurbishment project and re-model of the listed Ormond Building.

Simon has worked internationally on a series of low energy projects including the Holland Plain masterplan in Singapore, the Myhal Centre for the University of Toronto, the E3 institute for Trinity College Dublin, a visitor centre in Huan, China and a new city for 170,000 residents in Rwanda.

With almost 30 years of experience, Simon is a hands-on architect, committed to working across sectors in delivering a place and people focussed, progressive low energy architecture.

Jaimie is an experienced and creative designer who works from city-wide spatial strategies through to detailed design. He has lived, studied and worked in Greater Manchester for 25 years, playing a role in bringing forward many major projects in the region.

Jaimie studied engineering with architecture, before specialising in masterplanning, working with some of the leading proponents of Urban Design at Alan Baxter & Associates and EDAW, where he was ultimately made Director. He then took on a similar role with BDP before becoming Turley’s national Head of Design and establishing OPEN’s Manchester studio. He is now founding Director of the independent design practice Lucid, based in Manchester.

Passionate about urban regeneration, Jaimie enjoys overcoming the physical and perceptual challenges required to bring forward development in brownfield locations and town centres. He has been involved in the regeneration of Ancoats and Red Bank neighbourhoods in central Manchester over many years, co-authored the Birkenhead 2040 regeneration framework which unlocked significant investment in the town, led the masterplan for Stockport Town Centre West, and is currently delivering a new mixed use town centre in Huyton.

He is an exponent of well-structured urban growth having worked on a number of major residential masterplans, new settlements and urban extensions such as Charlestown Riverside in Salford, the 1,500 home East Halewood and the 4,500 home South Warrington Urban extensions.

An Urban Design Group recognised practitioner and Academician at the Academy of Urbanism he is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation.

Stuart has been a partner at Make Architects since 2004, working across a variety of sectors, from workplace and residential to hospitality and urban design. His portfolio includes lead roles on buildings and masterplans across the UK and Europe.

Stuart recently led the design and delivery of three major schemes within the New Bailey masterplan in Salford, including the award-winning Eden building, a LETI Pioneer project featuring Europe’s largest living wall. He’s also overseeing the Salford Crescent Masterplan – a net zero development introducing significant new housing, public realm, commercial space and transport along the River Irwell – along with the masterplan’s first piece of infrastructure, Salford Rise, a parkland bridge which is currently on site.

Stuart is skilled at coordinating multidisciplinary teams and passionate about embedding sustainable principles into architecture. He has secured planning permission for the first zero-carbon home in the North West of England and is in line to meet UKGBC’s net zero carbon in operation targets for Eden.

He is part of Make’s internal panel of experts for sports and leisure, and has played a key role in several landmark schemes in this sector, including the award-winning Copper Box, Make’s 7,500-seat indoor arena for the London 2012 Olympics and one of four legacy buildings on the Olympic Park.

Tim believes that architecture holds a great responsibility to the city and its people. Since establishing Tim Groom Architects in 2005, his contribution to the growth and development of the city can be seen in the consistent delivery of high quality buildings.

Tim is a natural leader and takes a principal role in the design of all projects within the practice. His approach is very much a hands on, proactive one with a focus on developing strong and lasting working relationships with clients, consultants and stakeholders.

There is no part of a project that Tim doesn’t care about. His skill for applying both strategic thinking and rigorous attention to detail are core to the ethos of the practice.

Tim takes an active interest in local architectural issues, having served on the council of the Manchester Society of Architecture for seven years. He is currently undertaking an invited post as a guest tutor at the School of Architecture, University of Manchester and is a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects.

Katie is a landscape consultant with a passion for shaping places that are both imaginative and enduring. A Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute, she has spent more than two decades helping towns and cities across the UK reimagine their streets, squares, and public spaces.

Katie spent ten years heading up Gillespies’ Manchester studio, where she helped lead award-winning teams behind projects such as Rochdale Town Hall Square, St Cuthbert’s Garden Village and Trafford Waters. Today, Katie runs her own independent consultancy, collaborating with leading North West practices on a wide range of town planning, masterplanning and public realm projects.

Katie has recently overseen the completion of Phase 1 of the Belfast Harbour public realm masterplan -City Quays Gardens which opened in Summer 2025. Katie is currently working on the wider public realm strategy with Gillespies and McCreaner Lavington and is leading the landscape design on Belfast Stories, an international competition-winning proposal for a new £100million visitor destination.

Katie’s other recent projects include a large-scale landscape-led masterplan for Elton Reservoir and public realm designs for Carlisle Market Square and Lyceum Square in Crewe. Katie has experience across all design work stages and has authored numerous design guides and public realm strategies for cities including Bradford, Carlisle, Lancaster, and Caernarfon.

Beyond practice, Katie plays an active role in shaping the design agenda nationally. She sits on the RIBA/Places Matter! Design Review Panel, has supported the Government’s High Streets Task Force, and was the author of Creating Inspirational Spaces guide for Places Matter! and the NWDA. 

Gillian is an Associate Director at Levitt Bernstein, a practice of architects, landscape architects, urban designers and sustainability specialists, with studios in Manchester and London. Gillian specialises in the design of general and special needs housing, working on projects across the UK from inception to completion.

With 18 years of practice experience, Gillian was a founding member of the Levitt Bernstein Manchester Studio in 2012 and now leads residential work in the North West. Her experience ranges from masterplans for 1000s of homes through to individual buildings in both urban and more rural locations, and includes all tenures and typologies: houses, apartments and specialist later living schemes; for social landlords and private developers, often in partnership. Her portfolio includes significant developments across the North West, some built to Passivhaus standards, demonstrating her commitment to sustainable design.

Gillian also has broad experience in the commercial and education sectors, from masterplans and new builds to complex restorations and refurbishments. Many of these projects have involved working in conservation areas with historic and listed buildings.

Gillian has particular expertise in designing specialist housing for older people and has direct professional experience in Salford, having led the design of Broughton House, a care home for military veterans completed in 2020, alongside several other residential projects in the borough.

Her work puts people at the heart of the design process, with a focus on community benefit and social value. She is also an active contributor to industry discourse, regularly speaking at panels and events.

Jack is a dual-qualified heritage and planning consultant (IHBC, MRTPI) with over 15 years’ experience working at the intersection of design, placemaking, and the historic environment. He is the Founding Director of Adapt Heritage, an independent consultancy providing strategic, robust heritage advice across residential, commercial, civic, education, and infrastructure projects.

Jack’s approach is rooted in the belief that heritage should be a creative design driver, not a constraint – and that the most successful places embed historic character into the fabric of modern, meaningful development. He works closely with architects, planners, developers, and local authorities to unlock potential in historically sensitive settings, offering expert input across contextual analysis, legislative compliance, significance assessment, and design-led solutions.

He has contributed to some of the UK’s most complex and high-profile regeneration schemes, advising across all stages – from concept and design development through to planning and delivery. His advice has supported adopted masterplans, award-nominated housing schemes, and the integration of design quality into heritage policy and decision-making. Jack is known for delivering clear, pragmatic advice that enables sustainable, design-led outcomes in challenging heritage contexts.

While Jack operates nationally, he maintains a strong presence in the North West and knows Salford’s urban and historic fabric well. He sits on the IHBC North West Executive Committee and contributes to postgraduate teaching at the University of Liverpool.

Away from work, Jack is usually found exploring historic sites, walking in the Peak District with his Border Collie, Monty, or optimistically tending to his ever-unruly allotment.

Catalina is a Senior Architect at Chapman Taylor with over 11 years of experience specialising in residential and mixed-use large-scale developments across the UK and internationally. Her work is driven by a strong passion for placemaking and creating vibrant, sustainable communities in urban settings.

Catalina has extensive expertise across all project stages, from initial concept design to construction delivery, and her portfolio spans diverse project types, including large-scale residential developments, masterplans, office buildings, and listed building restorations.

In addition to her professional role, Catalina serves as a Women in Property North West committee member, where she holds a strategic position as Inclusion Champion, advocating for equity, diversity, and inclusion in the industry. She also shares her expertise with future architects and urban designers as a lecturer for the Master of Architecture and Urban Design program at the Manchester School of Architecture.

In 2024, Catalina completed a PhD in Urban Activation and Placemaking at Sheffield Hallam University, further cementing her academic and professional focus on creating inclusive and engaging spaces.

Rachel is a Lecturer in Urban Design at the University of Manchester. Using skills in regeneration and masterplanning from the strategic to the local scale, her studio-based teaching focuses on contextually responsive design solutions. Rachel is a member of the Manchester Urban Design Lab, leading collaborative projects between the university and local authorities, design studios, and third sector partners. She is a regular guest reviewer at Manchester School of Architecture and sits on the RTPI North West committee, supporting policy and research projects across the region.

Rachel is an experienced urban design practitioner, beginning her career designing streets and public realm schemes in the transport and development planning team at AECOM, where she worked on the University of Sheffield campus masterplan. She went on to join the urban design team at WYG and worked as Associate Urban Designer at Tetra Tech before joining the University of Manchester. As Associate she has a successful track record in leading multi-disciplinary teams in the design of regeneration frameworks for towns across the UK, as well as in the design of mixed use and residential masterplans, collaborating with both public and private sector partners.

Rachel’s interests lie in communicating urban design as a technical process, encouraging engagement and advocacy in placemaking. Passionate about design quality, Rachel has published on regeneration best practice and is coauthor of a forthcoming book ‘the Urban Design Toolkit’ in publication with RIBA.

Martin, Director at Buttress, is an experienced architect who has successfully delivered projects across a broad range of sectors, most recently specialising in hotels, multi-residential, mixed-use, and masterplanning work.

Martin brings flair and intellectualism to architectural practice, together with a deep understanding of the key issues of environmental, social, and economic sustainability in development. He has strong professional and personal connections to Salford, cultivated over many years through his work at Buttress.

He applies a rigorous design ethos to all of his projects from inception to completion, and is committed to delivering considered and striking design to suit the needs and ambitions of clients and stakeholders.

He brings an understanding of the implication of ‘place’ to all of his designs, seeking to support the fundamental requirements of daily life to foster social communities through creative, thoughtful and inspiring architecture.

Martin is also responsible for leading Buttress' design review process, ensuring that a considered, high level of design quality is maintained on projects across the studio. He strives to elevate design quality, refine concepts, and resolve complex challenges.

Holly co-founded architecture and urbanism practice, We Made That, in 2006 and is a trusted voice in shaping healthy, fair and well-designed places. She cares deeply about locally-informed and impact-driven outcomes.

She is a registered architect and affiliate member of the Landscape Institute. She has led a unique range of urban projects for the practice, from pioneering industrial intensification work through to comprehensive high street regeneration projects. Holly advocates for community involvement within the design process, empowering women in the built environment and equitable city-making.

Holly is Mayor’s Design Advocate for the Greater London Authority and is a Design Council Expert. She has also contributed as a national High Streets Task Force Expert. Currently, she is the Town Architect for Hackney Central, chairs the Croydon Design Review Panel, and is a member of the Thanet Design Review Panel.

She was shortlisted for the AJ Emerging Woman Architect of the Year Award 2012, is a former trustee of The Architecture Foundation and lectures internationally.

Holly is Mayor’s Design Advocate for the Greater London Authority and is a Design Council Expert. She has also contributed as a national High Streets Task Force Expert. Currently, she is the Town Architect for Hackney Central, chairs the Croydon Design Review Panel, and is a member of the Thanet Design Review Panel. 

She was shortlisted for the AJ Emerging Woman Architect of the Year Award 2012, is a former trustee of The Architecture Foundation and lectures internationally.

Jon was born in Salford and established his own Architecture Studio in 2018. He provides overall design leadership to the studio. Consistent themes explored in Jon’s work are those of cities, people, climate and a deep obsession with materiality. These themes are evident in some recent projects completed in Salford such as Local Blackfriars, 55 Queen Street, Derwent Street and the masterplan for Eccles Town Centre.

Jon’s portfolio of built work spans nationwide award-winning projects in the cultural, residential, workplace, re-use and masterplanning sectors.

Prior to this Jon was the founding director of 5plus Architects. From its inception in 2010 5plus grew to a nationally respected AJ 100 practice with studios in Manchester and London, it was named RIBA Emerging Practice of the Year in 2014.

Jon finished his Architectural education at the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow where he won the Bourdon Prize for Architecture, John Cowell Prize, the annual RIAS sketch book commendation, and the Mackintosh School of Architecture Masters Scholarship. Jon received his Masters in Architecture in 1997.

Jon is a RIBA awards judge, regular industry speaker, infrastructure design champion and a visiting critic at The Mackintosh School of Architecture and UCLan.

Jonathan is a Chartered Landscape Architect with over 15 years’ experience shaping places that put people at their heart. His career has been defined by a passion for regeneration and a belief that high-quality landscape design can transform how communities experience their towns and cities.

An award-winning designer, Jonathan has led the delivery of some of Greater Manchester’s most ambitious regeneration projects. From the canal side neighbourhood of Kampus, to the transformation of Stretford Mall, Sale Town Centre, and Collyhurst Village, his work demonstrates how thoughtful, collaborative design can bring new life to complex, multi-stakeholder sites. In Salford, his contributions to the Soapworks and the Salford Quays Public Realm Masterplan reflect his commitment to creating welcoming, resilient, and distinctive urban places.

Jonathan is recognised for his ability to translate ambitious visions into clear, deliverable designs. He is a skilled communicator, equally at ease engaging with local communities as he is working alongside developers, architects, and policymakers. Collaboration underpins his approach, and he thrives in the space where different disciplines and perspectives come together to shape better places.

Beyond practice, Jonathan is dedicated to nurturing future talent in the profession. He regularly guest lectures at Manchester Metropolitan University, sharing insights from practice to inspire the next generation of landscape architects.

His work has been celebrated with multiple accolades, including Housing Design Awards, the Building with Nature Award, and the Pineapple Award for Future Place, recognising his role in delivering schemes that set new benchmarks for design quality.

Paul, Director at Civic Engineers and a chartered civil engineer, has over 20 years’ experience shaping sustainable urban infrastructure and public realm projects across the UK. A Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), he sits on the ICE Carbon Champions Panel and co-founded Common Good, promoting climate-conscious engineering.

Since joining Civic Engineers as a graduate in 2003 and becoming Director in 2016, Paul has delivered a wide range of green infrastructure schemes, from exemplar SuDS and drainage projects to transformative public realm and highways schemes. He has led on major projects including award-winning Mayfield Park, a new public park in Manchester, the Climate Innovation District in Leeds, and green spaces at the heart of regeneration projects in Stretford and Collyhurst.

Passionate about nature-based solutions, Paul’s philosophy is to “engineer less”, creating simpler, lower-impact solutions that deliver lasting social, economic and environmental value. He has shared this approach widely, presenting for local authorities, TDAG, and Places Matter! on the integration of green infrastructure, trees, and good design in place-making. Building on this, he also prepared a SuDS guidance brief for TfGM and GMCA, which served as a myth-busting document for implementing SuDS into all developments, reinforcing his commitment to creating climate-resilient, sustainable places.

Jay is a Director at Bell Phillips Architects, where she leads on design delivery, practice strategy, and business development. Her work focuses on creating high-quality, socially responsive housing and public realm projects that prioritise community needs and long-term impact. Jay has led major projects across the UK, including Smithfield, a proposed 408-home development in Birmingham; Victoria Point, a student housing scheme in Manchester combining retrofit and new-build; a 1,000-home masterplan at Barking Riverside; a completed 126-home later living project in Portishead; the resident-led Marklake Court in Bermondsey; and Newham Housing, a pattern book of infill homes across the borough.

She sits on the steering group for the Architects Action for Affordable Housing campaign and is a board member of the newly formed cross-party Representative Planning Group. Jay also serves on the Croydon, Ealing and Islington Design Review Panels. Her wider industry involvement includes judging for the British Homes Awards, the Civic Trust Awards, and New London Architecture.

A confident public speaker and media contributor, Jay has appeared on BBC Radio and BBC London, as well as writing for publications including Architecture Today, Architects’ Journal and New London Quarterly, discussing housing, architecture, sustainability, feminism, and the role of design in social change. Jay also hosts the podcast Architects for Change. Committed to education and mentoring, she led a Design Think Tank at the London School of Architecture and has previously taught at the University of Creative Arts Canterbury. Her practice is rooted in the belief that inclusive design and policy advocacy are essential to building cities that are equitable, resilient, and just.

Siobhan is an Architect and Associate Director at Hawkins\Brown. Her career began at Hawkins\Brown in London where she worked on the delivery of Tottenham Court Road, Elizabeth Line and Thames Tideway Tunnel. In 2017, Siobhan relocated to Manchester to lead the infrastructure team and since relocating, Siobhan has delivered Strategic Regeneration and Development Frameworks, along with business case work, masterplans and creative vision pieces for a large number of local authorities. Most recently, Siobhan led the large multidisciplinary team on Bury Interchange, a multi-million refurbishment of one of Transport for Greater Manchester’s key assets, with refreshed subterranean light rail, future tram-train provision, bus and coach interchange and active travel hub.

Siobhan is a dedicated and enthusiastic champion of inclusivity; she’s at her best when engaging with stakeholder groups to make sure everyone’s voices are heard. She excels in a client-facing role and is well respected by a broad network of public and private sector clients across the infrastructure sector including TfL, TfGM, Network Rail, London Continental Railways and many public sector local authorities. She brings an innovative and collaborative approach to design, delivering spaces that are both diverse and inclusive and support broader place making initiatives.

David is founder of ArchitectureDoingPlace, included in New Architects 4, the Architecture Foundation’s showcase of the best emerging UK practices. The studio was named an AJ100 Disruptor Practice.

David specialises in housing, arts, and public buildings. He is unique in having worked as a housing officer before retraining. He went on to deliver award-winning estate regenerations, arts, and education projects.

David also holds strategic advisory roles including as a Mayor’s Design Advocate for London as part of Sadiq Khan’s ‘Good Growth by Design’ programme. He is a past-curatorial board member for the London Festival of Architecture; an Expert Advisory Group member for Historic England; a board member of Urban Design London; an advisory board member of New Architectural Writers; and a Board Trustee of the Architecture Foundation. He contributes to design review panels for the Greater London Authority, Westminster City Council, St Albans, Brighton and Hove, Guildford Strategic Sites Panel, Luton, and Kingston.

He has mentored widely including for Public Practice and the Royal College of Art and taught architecture up to Masters’ level. He is an external examiner for London Metropolitan University.
He has practiced architecture in the UK and the Middle East and is a confirmed urbanist.
David currently supports the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester on its capital projects programme.

Nick is a Partner at SimpsonHaugh Architects with over 20 years’ experience in leading complex regeneration and mixed-use projects across the UK, spanning a range of scales and typologies. Since joining the practice in 2001, he has been central to delivering high-quality, contextually responsive architecture that fosters sustainable, thriving communities.

Nick played a lead role in the design and delivery of Circus West Village, the first phase of the Battersea Power Station redevelopment in London. This landmark scheme delivered new homes, workspace, leisure and retail spaces within a dynamic riverside neighbourhood, setting a benchmark for placemaking and design quality.

In Greater Manchester, his recent work includes proposals for the regeneration of the historic Great Northern Warehouse, as well as the delivery of residential and mixed-use developments such as Manchester New Square, St Gabriel’s, Artisan Heights, and Victoria House. He has also worked extensively with local authorities, including Salford City Council, to develop strategic masterplans and regeneration frameworks.

An experienced and intuitive designer, Nick is passionate about the value of good design, and the importance of placemaking and sustainability. He combines lateral thinking and creativity with a balanced, collaborative approach.

Sophie is an experienced chartered landscape architect, horticulturalist and studio director at Planit. Throughout her career, Sophie has led a number of high-profile, award-winning public realm projects. Her experience spans the full project lifecycle -from concept to delivery -across a diverse range of disciplines, including masterplanning, residential development, and complex urban landscapes, both in the UK and internationally.

Her deep-rooted knowledge of horticulture stems from her formative years growing up on her family’s nursery in Suffolk, along with formal horticultural training. As a dual-qualified landscape architect and horticulturist, she brings a unique perspective to her role as Regenerative Design Lead at Planit integrating end-user needs with a broader, forward-thinking greening agenda for urban spaces. Sophie has contributed to design critiques, reviews and student assessments at the Manchester School of Architecture. She has led tours on public realm and contributed to panel discussion, talks, publications on public realm.

Hemal is DB3’s Design Director and leads their architectural studio in Manchester. She drives the practice’s design direction and oversees a range of projects, including mixed-use developments and large-scale industrial and regeneration schemes. Her role combines setting design standards with mentoring teams and providing internal design reviews to ensure projects are well considered, contextually appropriate and deliver long-term value for the people who use them.

Throughout her career, Hemal has developed a strong interest in inclusive design and placemaking, with a particular focus on how architecture can create welcoming spaces to encourage resilient communities. Much of her work has involved early-stage design, where her method of constructive critique and collaboration is most impactful in shaping high-quality outcomes.

Through her work in Greater Manchester, Hemal has developed a strong understanding of how architecture and placemaking can shape the city’s regeneration. She believes good design is about balancing ambition with practicality, while always keeping the needs of local communities at the heart of decision making.

As a member of the Salford Design Review Forum, Hemal is looking forward to contributing to the city’s next chapter, helping to ensure new development reflects Salford’s heritage, ambition and diversity while raising the bar for design quality.

Jack is an award-winning architect, lecturer, and Associate at Haptic Architects where he leads the studio's early design work, retrofit, and large urban projects.

As an architect, lecturer and mentor he is keen to bring his voice to the conversation about design in our urban environment. Jack strives for good quality and fair design in his work. At Haptic this is seen in his early involvement in the visioning of projects, helping to generate the ideas needed for transformational regeneration, drawing on Haptic's shared values across the UK and Norway, to create places that make people happy.

Jack is part of the in-house Haptic Green sustainability team, he understands best practices when it comes to Net Zero, designing to passivhaus principles, and how best to meet evolving regulations. Additionally as cities adopt a retention first approach, he is well equipped to navigate the finer details of embodied carbon and circular economy principles as they become ever more common in the way the industry approaches projects.

With a Masters in Architecture and Urbanism, and having worked across the country and abroad in the Netherlands, he has learnt a great deal about the topic of design and the role it has to play in creating a better, healthier, safer and more diverse world in which we all live and participate in.

Alberto is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and Chartered Transport Planning Professional (CTPP) with over eight years of experience delivering development and regeneration projects across the North West. His approach sits at the intersection of transport, planning, and urban design, with a particular focus on how movement and accessibility shape inclusive, sustainable places.

Alberto has led transport strategies for significant projects such as Eden Project Morecambe, Bootle Strand Regeneration, and Hind Street Urban Village in Birkenhead. His work often involves collaborating with stakeholders, architects, planners, and engineers to develop access strategies and movement frameworks that support high-quality placemaking and successful planning outcomes.

In Greater Manchester, Alberto has worked extensively on projects such as Salford Central, Quays Gateway, Wythenshawe Park, and Places for Everyone. His approach combines strategic thinking with technical depth, and he is known for helping shape movement strategies that support inclusive, well-connected, and resilient urban environments. He brings a strong understanding of how transport and access influence the character and functionality of places, and how design decisions can support long-term community wellbeing.

A resident of Salford since 2017, Alberto brings a dual perspective to the Forum, as both a professional and someone who experiences the city’s evolving built environment every day. His local lived experience gives him insight into how design decisions affect daily life, from walkability and public realm to service charges and transport connectivity.

Jack is an architect who is passionate about the vital role design can play in building a sustainable and equitable society.

He established Editional Studio with friend and co-Director Jo Sharples in 2018. The studio is featured in the Architects’ Journal’s ‘40 under 40’ -‘a who’s who of the nation’s next generation of boundary-pushing designers and innovators’ and the Architecture Foundation’s book -‘New Architects’ showcasing ‘the best British architecture practices of the last 10 years.’ The studio has received the RIBA Research Award and the William Sutton Prize for Sustainability and Placemaking (Highly Commended - 2021).

In 2022, he was selected to take part in Public Practice’s first cohort of public sector placements in the North of England. Working as a Design Officer at St Helens Borough Council, he led on design policy and coding, producing a Supplementary Planning Document to raise standards. He consulted on major and sensitive development proposals and acted as Client Advisor to the council for two town centre regeneration schemes.

Jack is an accredited Retrofit Coordinator, and has recently completed a demonstrator project retrofitting 12 back-to-back terraced houses in Leeds for the housing charity Canopy. The studio designed and delivered ‘The Canopy Guide to Retrofit’ which explores how community groups can replicate Canopy’s successful model.

Jack’s background is in public housing including the multi-award winning Colville Estate Regeneration, Hackney, which he worked on for four years whilst at Karakusevic Carson Architects and the Great Jackson Street Regeneration whilst at Hodder + Partners in Manchester.

Tony is a Director of 5plus Architects. He leads the practice’s national portfolio within the higher education, culture, public and masterplanning sectors.

For nearly 30 years he has conceived and delivered many award-winning projects across all sectors, latterly working extensively within the Higher Education sector. His particular interest and specialism is in the design of public, academic and research led environments for many universities and cultural institutions. Tony has developed major new build, adaptive re-use, and masterplan schemes across the UK and overseas and is the current Director Lead for the University of Lancashire’s Business School; the North Wales School of Medical Sciences at Bangor University and masterplanner and strategic estate advisor to the University of Lancashire.

Tony also leads the practice’s Design Ambition strategy, providing a peer-topeer review of design and process across studios as well as ensuring and maintaining quality and technical standards across projects.

Prior to joining 5plus Architects, Tony spent 15 years at John McAslan + Partners (JMP), a highly acclaimed international practice, working nationally and internationally across a wide range of projects, including a new building for the British School in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; a new research-based botanical garden in Dongguan, China and the new School of Engineering for the University of Lancaster.

Tony continues to teach and has been visiting critic at Schools of Architecture at universities in Salford, Manchester, Liverpool and Sheffield and was an External Examiner at the Leeds School of Architecture from 2005 – 2010. He is currently Visiting Practice Professor at Sheffield University and in parallel to his role on the Salford Design Review Forum, is also a Design Review Panel member of Places Matter!

Katie is an Architect and Partner at the internationally acclaimed practice Hawkins\Brown. Originally from Manchester, she has played a pivotal role in expanding the firm’s reach beyond London by founding and leading Hawkins\Brown’s Studio North in her hometown. With over 20 years at the practice, Katie has become known for her commitment to inclusive, people-first design and her passion for nurturing local talent within the architectural community.

Katie offers hands-on support to the design and delivery of projects and works tirelessly to develop relationships with local stakeholders. She also contributes to the practice’s strategic leadership, business planning and development, strengthening cross studio relations with teams in London, Edinburgh, Dublin and Toronto. Hawkins\Brown became an Employee-Owned Trust in 2021. Katie is an active, elected member of the Trust Board, offering oversight and strategic governance.

Katie excels in a client facing role and is well respected by a broad network of public and private sector clients across the industry. Her work spans a wide range of sectors, including infrastructure, higher education, residential, and mixed-use developments, both new-build and refurbishment. Katie’s projects are often defined by their complexity, whether in context, stakeholder engagement, or programmatic demands. Katie brings an innovative and collaborative approach to design, delivering spaces and buildings that are both diverse and inclusive and support broader placemaking and sustainability initiatives. Her innate understanding of buildability, logistics and phasing means projects are developed with a commercial reality.

Katie’s influence extends beyond design, as she regularly speaks in public, sharing insights on the future of architecture and urban development as well as working with local communities to improve educational outcomes.

Since joining Mikhail Riches in 2014 James has led project teams across all scales and stages, including the Bridgewater Triangle Masterplan for the LLDC, ‘This City’ HDP for Manchester City Council and the City of York HDP. James has oversight across all projects working closely with the project architects, consultants and clients, notably leading on the 2019 RIBA Stirling Prize Winning Goldsmith Street.

Prior to Mikhail Riches, James studied at the University of Bath graduating with First Class Honours, bringing a holistic, well-considered technical approach to all projects. James has an eye for detail, working on highly sustainable private residential projects and scaling up this experience to multiple large housing schemes and masterplans in particular delivering Net Zero Carbon Certified Passivhaus schemes affordably.

James is interested in all aspects of practice, working closely to both win and deliver projects, mentoring the team in Professional Practice and speaking at industry events on delivering Net Zero Carbon Homes. James has been a judge for the RIBA Regional Awards in 2024, is member of the Timber Development UK Board and sits on a number of Design Review Panels including Design South East, Hounslow, and Greenwich, in addition to Salford.

Lindsay is an urban designer, chartered town planner (MRTPI) and programme manager. Using well-honed skills in place making, strategy and communication Lindsay currently works across the North West and West Midlands to deliver the innovative One Public Estate programme. A partnership between the Local Government Association, Cabinet Office and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, it promotes collaboration between public sector partners to repurpose surplus public estate to kickstart regeneration, transform public service delivery and unlock sites for new homes.

In a broad spanning career she has held positions in public and private sector organisations and has a demonstrable track record in successfully delivering both prolific and smaller scale masterplanning, development and design projects for a range of clients.

Holding both Planning and Urban Design Masters Degrees with distinctions, Lindsay continues to support design education, promote placemaking and advocating for inclusive citizen interaction with the built environment. This has included volunteering and committee positions for Planning Aid and RTPI NW (RTPI Regional NW Chair, 2013), RTPI Partnership Board Membership for the University of Liverpool, and as an RTPI Nurture Mentor. Having previously served as an external examiner for Sheffield Hallam University, Lindsay continues to support design education as ad-hoc guest lecturer at the University of Manchester and as a Design Tutor on the MA Architecture Course at the University of Salford. She is also a RIBA Places Matter! Design Review Panel Member, and a Design Council Expert.

Nick is a RIBA Chartered Architect with over ten years professional experience, primarily gained at the Stirling Prize winning architectural practice, Hodder + Partners, where he currently holds the role of Associate Director.

Prior to this Nick was educated at Leeds School of Architecture where he achieved a Distinction and a nomination for the RIBA Silver Medal. Nick has experience of a range of sectors, primarily focussing on high rise residential, purpose-built student accommodation and co-living, working through all RIBA work stages from initial design concept through to technical delivery and site coordination.

Beyond residential work Nick was the project lead for the multi award winning Welcome Building at RHS Garden Bridgewater, Salford. Being part of the competition winning team and later leading the technical design and site delivery.

Outside Hodder + Partners Nick has been a regular guest critic and technical studio group leader at Leeds School of Architecture as well as giving lectures at multiple schools of architecture.