Lichfields opens ninth UK office in Birmingham

Lichfields has cemented its place in the Midlands with the opening of an office in Birmingham.

Experienced planner Jon Kirby will head the new base at the Cornerblock on Cornwall Street. He is joined by fellow Senior Director Stephen Hollowood and Planning Director Laurence Holmes, who form the backbone of Lichfields’ growing Midlands’ team.

Jon has more than 25 years’ experience in the sector and previously worked as a Director in Avison Young’s Birmingham office for over 10 years.

He has experience across a range of sectors, including housing, mixed-use commercial and leisure development advising public and private sector clients, including: housebuilders, landowners, local authorities, regeneration agencies and private sector commercial developers.

Jon is an expert in the strategic promotion of land through the development plan process and in securing planning permission for residential development. Lichfields is currently involved in bringing forward more than 30,000 residential plots in the Midlands.

Stephen is a well-known figure in the Midlands market having previously led the Midlands planning, development and regeneration team at Avison Young where he also headed its public sector consultancy team.

He has advised on a large range of key projects including delivery of the MoD’s estate rationalisation strategy; strategic housing sites for Homes England; key research to inform the West Midland’s Land Commission Report; and developments such as the Library of Birmingham and HS2 Curzon Station. 

Stephen’s brief is to help grow the Birmingham office, and play a lead role in expanding Lichfields’ public sector consultancy business, with particular focus in the South and Midlands.

Recent Lichfields’ projects in the region include large housing developments such as the new settlement at Long Marston Airfield in Warwick, as well as the upgrade and improvement of major shopping centres such as intu Merry Hill in Dudley, and Upper Precinct in Coventry.

Lichfields has also provided economic advice on some of the Midlands’ largest infrastructure developments and policy initiatives, including the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension which is now being delivered.

Laurence Holmes has over 10 years’ experience in private-sector planning consultancy with a strong track record in strategic promotion and managing complex applications, principally for residential and retail-led development. Laurence brings significant experience in advising clients on retail capacity and impact matters and specialises in the preparation of quantitative retail impact assessments to support major planning applications for new and replacement stores on behalf of national supermarket operators.

Lichfields new office brings its UK presence to nine including; Bristol, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leeds, London, Manchester, Newcastle and Thames Valley.