Union4 is a specialist, independent and privately-owned consultancy
Union4 provides a full range of town planning services
We work within all areas of the property market including the residential, commercial, retail, education and leisure sectors, as well as providing expertise on a range of infrastructure projects in the minerals, waste and energy sectors. The type of work we undertake ranges from small to large scale, including major redevelopment projects, tall buildings and regeneration schemes.
Our clients are varied and include developers, house builders, housing associations, private individuals, charities and a variety of public sector bodies, including local authorities, education providers and health establishments.
Meet the team
Our team works with a positive and creative mindset. We specialise in providing our clients with strategic advice, optimising the likelihood of successful outcomes in a dynamic and increasingly technical planning system. We have established a wealth of experience in dealing with complex, controversial and sensitive sites and development proposals, whilst working closely with our clients and project teams to guide applications through the planning process.
Steven Fidgett
Director
Steven is a Chartered Town Planner and was formerly UK Head of Planning with WYG, one of the top 5 Planning Consultancies in the UK. He was previously Managing Director of Alliance Planning and led the business until its acquisition by WYG in September 2014. Steve has over 30 years experience in the planning and property sector, working for a wide range of public and private clients throughout the UK. He has extensive experience of major projects, EIA and public inquiries, and providing expert advice for the development and regeneration sector.
Jonathan Rowlatt
Director
Jon is a Chartered Town Planner and a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute. He has extensive experience of planning work over 16 years in both the public and private sectors. Jon has led a wide range of projects across all sectors of planning, including mixed use, residential, healthcare, education, commercial and minerals and waste, from project conception, through to detailed advice and support during the build out process.
Alan Hannify
Director
Alan is a Chartered Town Planner with 16 years of experience within the private planning sector. Alan’s experience includes strategic planning advice to a variety of clients and the successful delivery of large-scale projects across a range of development sectors, including residential, commercial, education, minerals, waste and renewable energy. Alan also specialises in the preparation and co-ordination of Environmental Impact Assessments, including the project management of multi-disciplinary teams.
Andy Stallan
Director
Andy is a Chartered Town Planner and a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute. He is the Head of Office and Planning Director at the Guildford Office of Union4 Planning. He provides town planning advice for residential, commercial, education and leisure projects within the South East. Currently working on a variety of feasibility, planning application and appeal proposals relating to both urban and rural/Green Belt sites. Andy previously worked for Guildford, Spelthorne and Surrey Heath Councils, developing an excellent knowledge of public sector procedures and practices. Andy then worked for SEEDA, Alliance Planning, WYG and Tetra Tech Europe prior to joining Union4 Planning, all based in Guildford, Surrey.
Andy Wells
Director
Andy is a Chartered Town Planner with a very wide range of experience from the largest (i.e. HS2) to delivering small regeneration/ redevelopment sites and everything in between. Andy looks to achieve the best outcome for each site and enjoys finding solutions to site specific problems. Andy has over 18 years’ experience of delivering strategic planning advice to a variety of clients and the successful delivery of projects across a range of development sectors, including affordable and market housing, commercial, community facilities, infrastructure (particularly energy and transport) and leisure. Andy is a confident project manager of multi-disciplinary teams.
Joy MacCoughlan
Associate Director
Joy is a Chartered Town Planner with extensive private sector town planning experience over the last 20 years having worked for Alliance Planning and for multi-disciplinary companies WYG and Tetra Tech Europe. Prior to this Joy spent 15 years working for local planning authorities, principally in the south-east including Guildford and Woking Borough Councils. Joy currently provides town planning advice for public and private Clients across a broad range of development sectors, including residential, commercial, education and leisure.
David Butcher
Associate Director
David is a Chartered Town Planner and an affiliate member of the IHBC. He is proficient in leading and working in multi-disciplinary teams to achieve planning permission for complex development sites. He has a background in managing and developing rural and urban land portfolios, providing tailored strategic advice. He is skilled at setting up management systems and identifying opportunities for improving client service and delivering outcomes. David has an interest in urban design and is proficient in analysing the heritage impacts of development providing Heritage Statements to accompany applications. He also has expertise in garden centre development and retirement communities.
Vivienne Goddard
Associate
Vivienne is a Chartered Town Planner and has 10 years of planning consultancy experience working at a number of multi-disciplinary planning consultancies in the Capital. She advises across a range of sectors, including residential, commercial and education but with particular regional focus and experience on development schemes within London and the South East. Vivienne graduated from the University of Westminster with a Masters in Town Planning and from University College London with a Post Graduate Diploma in Infrastructure Planning, Appraisal and Delivery.
Tanya Kozak
Senior Planning Consultant
Tanya is a Chartered Town Planner and has worked in the private planning sector for just under 5 years. Originally from Canada, Tanya came to the UK to study urban planning and completed her Masters Degree in Urban Planning Design in 2016. She has worked in a variety of sectors including education, residential, commercial and energy, providing support to clients throughout all stages of the planning process. Tanya also specialises in townscape matters, providing input in terms of existing architectural elements and how they relate to the design of development proposals.
Katie Fidgett
Business Manager
Katie is the Business Manager at Union4. She graduated with a First Class BA (Hons) degree in Business Management from the Henley Business School, University of Reading. Prior to joining Union4, Katie has spent the last few years working at the head office of a leading US apparel and homeware retailer, assessing market trends, the strength of retail sales and logistics. She has a passion for strategic planning and developing efficient business practices that support growth.
Luke Farmer
Assistant Planning Consultant
Luke is an Assistant Planning Consultant at Union4, with previous experience working in both consultancy and housebuilding settings. Luke is currently completing the L-APC requirements to become a chartered member of the RTPI. Luke graduated from Royal Holloway, University of London with a First-Class undergraduate degree in Geography and then completed a Masters degree in Spatial Planning and Development from Henley Business School at Reading University.
Lois Partridge
Associate Director
Lois is a Chartered Town Planner who has 17 years experience in both public sector and private planning consultancy. She particularly enjoys project managing large scale residential and commercial developments, working with a range of technical consultants, with local communities and a wide range of stakeholders to resolve problems and deliver successful outcomes. She is also experienced in advising clients on promoting their rural or urban sites for residential and commercial development through the Local Plan preparation process. Lois graduated with a First Class undergraduate degree in Town and Country Planning and a Masters degree in Environmental Assessment and Management, both at Oxford Brookes University.
Latest News
See all See all
A Warm Welcome to Union4's Newest Team Members
We are delighted to announce the addition of two new members to the Union4 Planning team! Please join us in welcoming Lois Partridge and Luke Farmer.…...
Read now
Public consultation on revised NPPF 30 July 2024 – 24th September 2024
The Government had committed to publishing a revised NPPF by the end of July, and today they have done so. Some of the highlights and key changes…...
Read now
New Government Signals Intent for Clean Energy Sector
It is now over two weeks since the General Election and it is clear that the new Labour Government has signalled its intent to deliver a series of…...
Read now
The King's Speech 2024
A new government, new energy (literally) and an extensive list of proposals featured in the Kings Speech this week. Notwithstanding that the ‘devil…...
Read now
A Green Light for Data Centres?
The first few weeks of the new Government has provided some positive headlines for the data centre sector. The recovery1 of two major data centre…...
Read now
Union4's Planning Bites
With all the noise about the General Election, it would have been easy to miss recent planning announcements....so what else has happened over the…...
Read now
The Expansion of Agricultural PD Rights
The Government have expanded the permitted development (PD) rights, known as Classes Q and R, relating to the conversion of some agricultural…...
Read now
Less than two weeks left to comment on Central Government’s proposed ‘Accelerated Planning Service’ and other key changes
You may recall towards the end of 2023 that the new Levelling Up and Regeneration Act received Royal Assent, bringing in various planning reforms…...
Read now
GLA Publishes Guidance on Large-Scale Purpose-Built Shared Living
The Greater London Authority (GLA) has published its new planning guidance document on co-living accommodation, which it is entitled London Plan…...
Read now