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About us
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The town planning system can be complex and, without experts on hand, can delay the delivery of schemes across the country. What’s more, it’s hard to understand and it keeps changing.
We understand the steps needed to take a site through the planning process from advising on the planning prospects of a potential land acquisition through to works starting on site.
There’s nothing simple about securing planning permissions. Our clients know that our value is in our clear and pragmatic professional advice and input from the outset of a project and through every stage.
We see things differently
We understand the planning system and appreciate its importance for building brilliant places. We know how to work with it, and with local planning authorities, in order to deliver the right results for our clients and for places.
We’re a team of proactive and pragmatic planners who cut through the complexities of the planning system and provide straightforward advice.
Established by Bill Davidson in 2013, P4 has been steadily growing ever since. But we’ve held tight to our original values of close relationships, collaboration, inclusivity and flexibility.
With decades of combined experience under our belt, we’re experts at finding the right solutions: unlocking tricky sites for new uses, adding value to underused land and, through our collaboration with professionals across the industry, helping to build great places.
We focus on what we’re good at
As an independent planning consultancy we don’t spread ourselves thinly trying to master all the built environment specialisms. We focus on what we do best: providing pragmatic planning advice, delivering bespoke planning strategies that work commercially and helping our clients to navigate the planning system.
We understand the planning system with all its technicalities and quirks. We’re proud of our people and our work, and we think outside the box to offer clear, refreshing, proactive advice.
Meet the team
Bill Davidson BA(Hons) Dip TP Dip UD MRTPI (Managing Director)
Bill Davidson BA(Hons) Dip TP Dip UD MRTPI (Managing Director)
Bill graduated in 1990 and is an established expert in his field. He worked in planning consultancy in London for 10 years before relocating to Manchester in 2000 to set up an office for a small London firm that he helped grow into a top 10 national practice. In 2013 he founded P4 Planning and works closely with clients enhancing the value of real estate assets of all types through the planning system. Bill often leads project teams on major and complex proposals in sensitive locations. His experience encompasses retail, residential, education, commercial and major mixed-use developments in urban and rural environments across the UK. He thinks strategically, has great attention to detail and is an experienced expert witness.
In his personal time, Bill enjoys many sports, including rugby, golf, cycling and skiing and one of his personal goals is to ski in Japan. He has his work cut out being Grandpa to 8 grandchildren (so far)!
What was No1 in the UK charts when you were born? Procol Harum’s ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’
Laine Teesdale Operations Manager
Laine Teesdale Operations Manager
Laine is very approachable and possesses great project management alongside the quality management skills. After working in recruitment for four years matching candidates with roles in the built environment sector, she has spent the last eight years focusing her skills within office and service quality management.
Last year, Laine walked 100 miles in a month and raised over £1000 for brain tumour cancer research, and in 2011 appeared in a calendar which raised over £10,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust!
In her spare time, Laine loves going to rugby with her son and family, as well as going to gigs/festivals, eating out and appreciates a good rose blush!
Fact that not many people know; Laine is a qualified lash technician.
Thomas O’Kane BA MA MRTPI (Associate)
Thomas O’Kane BA MA MRTPI (Associate)
Thomas graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2013 with a Masters degree in Town and Regional Planning. Since graduating, he has worked in private practice in Leeds and Greater Manchester and joined P4 Planning in 2020. Thomas has worked extensively with private developers, local authority and community sector clients. This has enabled him to have a commercially minded and detailed understanding of the planning process, enabling him to advise clients on a variety of different projects. Thomas is keen to forge relationships and is often networking with fellow professionals.
In his spare time, Tom loves football (the red ones), hiking, cooking and golf. A lover of travel having lived in Canada and Japan before settling in Manchester, he would love to attend the Hong Kong Sevens championship one day.
Who is your favourite music artist or group? Without a doubt, Dire Straits!
Samantha Lee MTCP MRTPI (Senior Town Planner)
Samantha Lee MTCP MRTPI (Senior Town Planner)
Samantha joined the P4 team in March 2023 as a senior planner.
Samantha is from Singapore and moved to the UK around 10 years ago for university. Prior to joining P4 Planning, she worked with in private practice where she specialised in retail planning and jointly coordinated Lidl’s planning applications for the Yorkshire and Humberside region.
Life in Singapore looked quite different to her planning career: she trained as an actor and worked at Universal Studios Singapore as well as performing in Chingay, Singapore’s biggest annual cultural street parade.
Alex Snow BA(Hons) MPlan (Assistant Planner)
Alex Snow BA(Hons) MPlan (Assistant Planner)
Alex joined P4 Planning in September 2022 as an Assistant Planner, having previously graduated with a first class ‘Masters of Planning’ degree from the University of Manchester. During his studies, he focused on Environmental and Health Impact Assessments and wrote a dissertation exploring alternatives to the Greater Manchester Green Belt. Alex also has an interest in transportation and transport planning, having spent a summer working for Vectos Transport Planning.
Having grown up in Switzerland, Alex enjoys hiking and mountain biking in the Alps and in the countryside around Manchester. He spent the summer before starting his career traveling extensively around Europe by train.
What’s on your bucket list. Go skiing in Colorado.
Jayshree Astley MTCP(Hons) MRTPI (Consultant)
Jayshree Astley MTCP(Hons) MRTPI (Consultant)
Jayshree graduated with a Masters in Town Planning from The University of Manchester in 2007 and acts as a Consultant for P4. She has over 14 years experience in private consultancy and has been a chartered member of the RTPI since 2009. Jayshree specialises in retail, commercial and residential projects including retail impact assessments, EIAs and appeals. She has previously worked for Manchester City Council, Savills, Walsingham Planning and Indigo Planning. She is commercially minded and is experienced at managing projects from inception to completion.
Jayshree is a self-taught bricklayer and tiler, recently having built her family their very own pizza oven. To add to her varied skill set, Jayshree hopes to one day learn how to snowboard. In three words, Jayshree would describe herself as: energetic, committed, mother.
What was No1 in the UK charts when you were born? Wham. But a couple of months later it would’ve been Last Christmas which is infinitely better.
Anne Davidson BA (HONS) (Support)
Anne Davidson BA (HONS) (Support)
Anne provides the team with part time admin and HR support and book keeping, alongside running her own online retail business Giggle Knickers!
In her spare time Anne loves gardening, swimming and yoga and has recently taken up golf (describing herself as terrible at the moment!). Anne also loves a wide variety of music from the Prodigy to Maria Callas, with her favourite song being ‘Ticket to Ride’ by The Beatles.
What’s on your bucket list: to see the Northern Lights.