Graeme Atherton

Director - Landscape & Urban Design
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Graeme Atherton

Director - Landscape & Urban Design

BA (Hons) DipLA CMLI RMaPS

Career: Graduated from Sheffield University, spent a couple of invaluable years at Oxford City Council before returning to my home town to work for TEP. Specialise in public realm design, heritage and habitat creation. Proud to manage a great team of hard working and talented designers.

Amir Bassir

Principal - Historic Environment
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Amir Bassir

Principal - Historic Environment

BSc (Hons) PGCert MCIfA

Career: Since graduating from Birmingham University in 2008 with a degree in Geology and Archaeology I have worked in archaeology in various guises including as a field archaeologist and site supervisor. I spent several years heading up an illustration department where I gained an interest in historic buildings which quickly became my specialism. I have completed a Post Graduate Certificate in Architectural History and enjoy publishing articles on interesting projects. I joined TEP as a Senior Historic Environment Consultant in 2018 and have had the opportunity to work on several exciting projects which have considerably helped my professional development and broadened my experience.

Darren Bennett

Associate Director
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Darren Bennett

Associate Director

RFS Cert Arb

Career: Worked in the Arboricultural industry for 20 years starting as a contract climber then on to contracts and company management.  I began my career with TEP in 2007.  I am based in the North East office and became Principal consultant in 2014.  I now spend most time as a Managing Agent, looking after open spaces and vacant property for Homes and Communities Agency.

Reading: Not enough time to indulge but do love 1950’s/60’s beatnik authors such as Jack Kerouac, Ken Kesey, William Burroughs and Charles Bukowski. I also have a large library of obscure Herpetological literature.

Music: Listening to far too much 1960’s Psychedelia, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, and The Grateful Dead.

Best Project: Receiving new sites and the resulting delivery of de-risking and management are always interesting…

Films: Pulp Fiction, Some Times A Great Notion.

Favourite Place: Black Cuillin, Isle of Skye. The Himalayas.

Family:Wife (long suffering) and two children (causing long suffering!).

Activities: Kayaking, Mountaineering, Climbing (trees) and catching snakes!

Not a lot of people know:I have a keen interest in Herpetology and maintain a large private breeding facility of reptiles and amphibians.

Paul Bennison

Principal Landscape Manager
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Paul Bennison

Principal Landscape Manager

BA (Hons) Dip LA Dip UD CMLI

Career: I graduated from Manchester Polytechnic in 1989 with a degree and postgraduate diploma in Landscape Architecture. I then moved to the North East and joined a large engineering consultancy, where I worked on large infrastructure projects including EIA production and also developed an interest in masterplanning and golf course design. For a short period I worked as a Local Authority urban designer before developing an urban and graphic design team at Newcastle based planning consultancy, Lichfields. Following that I joined a landscape design practice, working on BSF and masterplanning projects. I then joined TEP in 2012, working mainly on the Homes England consultancy, managing their land and vacant property portfolio and various related Landscape Management contracts.

Highlights: Seeing my masterplans finally coming to fruition, sometimes years after that initial commitment from a developer/local authority. Working with deprived communities across the north of England to develop regenerative development plans.

Listening to: Talking Heads, Franz Ferdinand, Van Morrison, Judie Tzuke and Bruce Springsteen.

Reading: The Outsider: A History of the Goalkeeper by Jonathan Wilson; Bomber Command by Max Hastings; and Homo Deus, A Brief History of Tomorrow by Yuval Noah again.

Favourite places: Back to the family’s roots in Whitby/Esk Valley and the wider North York Moors. My back garden and allotment.

Mark Bentley

Associate Landscape Architect
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Mark Bentley

Associate Landscape Architect

BSc (Hons) MA LA CMLI

Career:  I have been working as a Landscape Architect since completing my MA at the University of Greenwich in 2011.  Before re-training as a Landscape Architect, I worked as an Environmental Consultant developing best practice guidance and supporting design teams on major building and infrastructure projects.  As a consultant I focussed on resource efficiency, carbon foot-printing, urban ecology and sustainable drainage.  These themes have carried through into my work as a Landscape Architect, with a focus on green infrastructure in urban and suburban spaces. Projects have included SuDS retrofit, a wetland boardwalk, multiple park and social housing regeneration schemes, historic garden restoration works and public art. My interest is in combining strong design concepts with sound detailing to create landscapes that are multi-functional, beautiful and diverse.

Listening to: All genres of music, but particularly dance/electronica – the Late Night Tales series, Aphex Twin, LTJ Bukem, Daft Punk etc.

Reading: The Sound of One Hand Clapping by Richard Flanagan, Topos and Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth

Watching: Sport, boxsets and any film by Wes Anderson.

Not a lot of people know but: Zammo from Grange Hill is my brother-in-law!

Favourite Things: Family, Swimming, The Square and Compass pub in Dorset, Dungeness, walks through the woods, Baklava, 30mins sat in the garden with a coffee and nothing else to do….

Joanne Boothroyd

Director - Environmental Planning
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Joanne Boothroyd

Director - Environmental Planning

60BSc(Hons) DipLA CMLI MRTPI

Specialism: Landscape Architecture and Environmental Assessment

Career: I left Sheffield Uni in 1992 to work as a Landscape Architect in North Wales before travelling and working in New Zealand and Australia. I joined TEP in 2000 initially working on landscape design schemes but quickly moving into environmental planning and assessment which is where my interest still lies.  I head up the Environmental Planning Team comprising landscape architects, planners, environmental assessors and GIS consultants and we are fortunate to have a great team of people and a portfolio of really interesting projects.

Enjoy: Doing a bit of everything. Off to improve my windsurfing skills this summer in Spain!

Reading: ‘Matilda’ by Roald Dahl to my daughters who love it and like to read it over and over and over again.

Music:  We have 3 guitars, a bass guitar and lots of other equipment in our house.  The girls are keen to join their Dad in a band and I’m keen to have some peace and quiet now and again!

Best Project:  Hard to choose.  Each new project brings diverse and interesting challenges.

Not a lot of people know but: I’m Welsh.  My un-placeable accent disguises the fact that I was born and bred in North Wales.

Richard Catling

Associate Landscape Architect
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Richard Catling

Associate Landscape Architect

BA (Hons) BLA CMLI RMaPS

Career: Richard studied Landscape Architecture at Manchester and joined TEP in 2002 as a graduate, following completion of the undergraduate & post graduate courses. Since then, he has worked on a wide range of projects delivering schemes from inception through to construction. These include habitat creation, residential masterplanning, education, transport corridors, heritage, parks and public realm schemes.

Best Project: From a success perspective I would have to say the Avenue Coking Works (recognised by awards from both the Landscape Institute and BURA). However, I am proud of a number of successful schemes that I have completed over the years, including Carlisle public realm, Stamford Brook development and Whalley Range High School.

Films: Die Hard

Sport: I like almost all sports, particularly if I can view them from an armchair!

Team: The mighty (admittedly lowly placed) Wycombe Wanderers.

Jason Clarke

Associate Director - Historic Environment
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Jason Clarke

Associate Director - Historic Environment

BSc (Hons) MA CMIfA

Career: Jason graduated from the University of Leicester in 2000 with a degree in Archaeology and then worked as a field archaeologist for the University of Cambridge, excavating mainly prehistoric sites in the Fenland. He then moved north, first to Yorkshire, then Lancaster working on numerous multi period sites. Highlights include the Ferry Fryston Iron Age Chariot burial and Liverpool’s world’s first inland dock. In 2005 he completed an MA in Archaeology and Heritage by distance learning from the University of Leicester. In 2006 he moved back to the Midlands where he spent 8 years at Northampton Archaeology, later MOLA as site supervisor and Project Officer, before joining TEP as a Historic Environment Consultant in January 2015.

Music: Sebadoh, Sonic Youth, Nirvana, Nick Cave, Pixes,  Manics, Bowie

Watching: Star Wars, Landscape photography vlogs on YouTube, archaeology documentaries.

Team: Leicester City (through the many lows and occasional highs)

Spare Time: Family, Landscape Photography, music, coaching my sons junior football team.

Lindsey Cunniff

Head of Land & Estate Management
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Lindsey Cunniff

Head of Land & Estate Management

MLPM CMLI

Landscape Management & Contract Management

Career: Graduated from Manchester University in 2004 with a masters in Landscape Planning and Management.  After leaving university joined Groundwork St Helens, Knowsley, Sefton and Liverpool, an organisation operating across the UK, changing places and changing lives through enabling local action.  Joined TEP in 2005, working in the field of environmental regeneration with a focus on green infrastructure planning and community engagement.  Progressed into a role of Managing Agent working on behalf of the Homes and Communities Agency.  When TEP was successful in winning a national consultancy for the HCA in 2011, I led the establishment of the Southern Consultancy including the opening and management of a southern TEP office.

Highlights so far: Being given the opportunity to develop TEP’s southern consultancy, building relationships with HCA southern managers.

Watching: Just finished watching all 4 series of Homeland (the end of series four was a let-down), addicted to Masterchef the professionals, UK, Australia, Canada, New Zealand…you name it I watch it.

Listening to: Mumford and Sons

Spare Time: Found down at the stables, mucking out and riding my horse.

Janet Davies

Associate Director - Business Support
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Janet Davies

Associate Director - Business Support

Finance and Administration

Career: I started work at 16 on a 6 month YTS scheme and secured full time employment working in a local Solicitors Office.  I spent a few years there and left to take up employment with New World Gas Cookers in the Research and Development Department.  Left there after 3 years to have my son and had a break for 8 months.  I then worked for Arcon Construction Supplies for nearly 8 years and left there to take up my post with TEP, where I have stayed for almost 20 years.

Favourite Place: America.

Favourite Film: The Wizard of Oz

Not a lot of people know but I passed my motorcycle test in November 2011 at the ripe old age of 40 something!

Alun Evans

Principal Ecologist
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Alun Evans

Principal Ecologist

BA MSc MCIEEM

Career:  I graduated from Aberystwyth with a BA in Geography and Bangor with a Masters in Rural Resource Management. I initially worked as a tutor for the Field Studies Council followed by undertaking ALC (soil) surveys and delivery of the original Countryside Stewardship Scheme for the Farming & Rural Conservation Agency.

I spent a considerable length of my career working in natural environment departments in local government across Cheshire. I provided specialist ecological input into both development management and policy formulation, which included acting as an expert witness in a public inquiry for a major windfarm development.  Highlights also include a successful application to the HLF for a Landscape Partnership Scheme. I have also led teams of technical specialists across a range of disciplines including arboriculture, building conservation, landscape, ecology, natural health and green infrastructure.

Listening to: Stereophonics

Reading: Too little time to read……last book read Curlew Moon by Mary Colwell

Watching: Rugby

Not a lot of people know but: Spare time is spent managing farmland in north-east Wales under various agri-environment schemes, including part of a SSSI with a small flock of Hebridean and Herdwick sheep, and a couple of ponies.

Favourite things: Welsh Rugby, early morning dog walks

Lee Greenhough

Principal Ecologist
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Lee Greenhough

Principal Ecologist

Career: Left School in ‘82 to work in farming, then the music industry as a radio plugger (Warner Bros) via working in a record store chain. Studied Countryside Management & Creative Ecology at University in 2002 and joined Cheshire Wildlife Trust as their People & Wildlife Manager.  I then joined TEP in 2007 as an Ecologist.

Listening to: Arctic Monkeys

Reading: Tim Dee. Four Fields spreads around the world: their grasses, their hedges, their birds, their skies, and their natural and human histories.

Watching:  Football (Chelsea)!

Best Project:  Lane End, Buckley, North Wales, seeing how development can work protect and support wildlife …

Not a lot of people know but:  I used to breed pigs! Oink! Oink!

Robin Grimes - Principal Arboriculturist

Robin Grimes

Principal Arboriculturist
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Robin Grimes

Principal Arboriculturist

(FdSc) MICFor M.Arbor.A

Career: I experimented with several different trades before finding arboriculture in 2006. I worked as a contractor for seven years and after graduating from Myerscough College with a Foundation Degree in 2013, I moved into consultancy with TEP. Since joining TEP I have also become a Chartered Arboriculturist.

Specialism: Linear routes, big data, AutoCAD and Microsoft Excel.

Favourite Places: Between the mountains and the sea, anywhere with a view (and Disneyworld, Florida).

Listening to: All sorts. I have a rather eclectic taste in music covering everything from classical to ska and soul to symphonic metal, not a fan of cheesy pop though.

Sport: Formula 1, Cricket and NFL

Watching: Marvel Cinematic Universe, anything Disney, Jack Whitehall and Ricky Gervais (After Life is a must watch!)

Not a lot of people know but… I have multiple tattoos including Wall-e on my leg and the Lorax on my stomach. I have also built my own wood-fired pizza oven.

Favourite Tree: The Common Hornbeam – Carpinus Betulus

Ian Grimshaw - Director of Planning and EIA

Ian Grimshaw

Director - Environmental Planning
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Ian Grimshaw

Director - Environmental Planning

BA(Hons) MA(LM) MSc CMLI MRTPI

Town Planning, Environmental Assessment and Landscape

Career: Co-founded TEP in 1997, putting my town planning and landscape assessment skills to use on a wide range of developments including nationally significant infrastructure projects.

Listening to: George Formby records; dust ‘em off and they turn out nice again!

Reading: Just finished Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart.

Best Project: Hard to single one out but very pleased that the many electrical interconnectors we have worked on are strongly supporting renewables and carbon reduction.

Not a lot of people know but….I sold Hurricane Higgins an ice cream in a circus.

Red or Blue? Primrose and blue for the Wire rugby league!

Nicola Hancock

Director - Landscape Architecture
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Nicola Hancock

Director - Landscape Architecture

BA (Hons) MALA CMLI

Career: Graduated from Sheffield University in 1994 and joined TEP working for 6 years on a wide range of landscape design and planning projects before relocating to London.  Over the next 10 years gained further experience in the private and public sectors, in the residential, education, commercial and power industry markets.  Returned to TEP in 2013 with particular responsibility for business development in London and the south east.

Project Highlights: Researching and restoring Grappenhall Heys Walled Garden, assisting National Grid obtain the Development Consent Order for the Richborough Connection, planning One Galleons (a highly sustainable residential scheme based on the One Planet Living principles) and creating a special setting for new homes at Great Kneighton in Cambridge.

Inspiration: David Scott, founding partner of TEP; mentor and friend since 1994.

Reading: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Greatest Sporting Achievement: Making it up Ditchling Beacon on the London to Brighton Cycle ride

Passionate about: Jonathan, Radio 4 and Marmite

 

Jennifer Hansen

Principal Quality & Training Manager
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Jennifer Hansen

Principal Quality & Training Manager

220Specialism: Learning and Development

Career: After travelling in Australia I joined Vodafone as a Customer Service agent before quickly progressing to becoming a Learning and Development trainer, whilst studying to complete my Chartered Institute in Learning and Development level 3. I then joined TEP in July 2013 as a Quality and Training Coordinator and by 2017 progressed to a Senior Quality and Training Manager and most recently in 2018 was awarded the promotion of Principal Quality and Training Manager. I am also one of TEP’s Mental Health First Aiders and play a big part in promoting Health and Wellbeing within TEP.

Enjoy: Spending time with my lovely family Chris (husband), my two children Emilee and Archie and Ralphy our Lhasa Apso dog.

Reading: An array of children’s books from Peppa Pig with my son to The World’s Worst Teachers by David Walliams with my daughter.

Music:  I love all different types of music ranging from Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene, Paul Weller to Motown and Northern Soul. Also a good sing along to anything Disney is good for the soul.

Not a lot of people know but: I’m a fully qualified Hairdresser by trade and have continued to keep up my skills over the last 17 years.

Red or Blue: 100% the Blue side of Merseyside

Narada Haralambous

Associate Director - Landscape & Urban Design
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Narada Haralambous

Associate Director - Landscape & Urban Design

Landscape and Urban Design

BA (Hons) DipLA CMLI

Career: Graduated with first class honours and a Diploma in Landscape Architecture from Leeds Met Uni back in 2004. Been at TEP ever since undertaking landscape design projects with an emphasis on masterplanning, urban design and public realm works. More recently undertaking landscape and visual assessment

Highlights so far: Warrington Town Centre Public Realm Strategy and Design Guide, Otterspool and Egremont Promenade and Carlisle Roman Gateway to name a few

Watching: The Wire, Sopranos and lots of football

Listening to: Foals and some Wu-Tang

Reading: The Stars My Destination

Travel: most recently Mexico, Sri Lanka and Venice

Red or Blue? Both!! Liverpool and Alumni FC – Scouse not English!

Charlotte Hayden

Associate Landscape Architect
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Charlotte Hayden

Associate Landscape Architect

BSc (Hons) Dip LA CMLI

Career: Graduated from the University of Sheffield with a Diploma in Landscape Architecture in 2003. Did my year out placement with TEP and it was so good I came back as a graduate landscape architect to work in the design team.  In early 2008 I left TEP and joined the multi-disciplinary design consultancy, Taylor Young.  I re-joined TEP in 2011 (I couldn’t stay away!) and after a stint working on landscape planning projects, I am now part of the Design Team.

Projects I am proud of: Eden Project North, Chester Public Realm Design Guide and the Carbon Neutral Show Garden at the RHS Tatton Flower Show

Inspiration:  The great outdoors

Favourite Pantone Colour:  376 of course

Not many people know;  I am a Welsh speaker (Cymru am byth!)

Pete Henebery

Associate Director - Estates and H&S
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Pete Henebery

Associate Director - Estates and H&S

Landscape Architecture, Estate Management and Health & Safety

BSc (Hons) Dip LA

Career: Graduated from Kingston Poly in ‘82 and subsequently worked for Bass Carrington, The Groundwork Trust, Carlisle City and Trafford Council before undertaking the part time Post Graduate Diploma in Landscape Architecture at Birmingham Poly. Subsequently left the public sector after over 20 years’ service to join a small design consultancy specialising in the design of holiday parks and, following a spell working contract, joined TEP in July 2008

Listening to: Very eclectic musical taste but have been a fan of The Cure ever since I first saw them in a sports centre in Crawley in 1979.

Reading: I possess every novel written by Wilbur Smith, just love the way he tells a story.

Best Project: Difficult to choose, but would suggest that its normally the current one.

Not a lot of people know but…. In a Brass Band for over 7 years during my teens and spent a lot of time in The Bulls Head, Parr (rehearsing obviously)

Red or Blue? – Red for my Rugby (Saints) and Blue for my Football (Everton), but rarely attend either.

Francis Hesketh

Director - Ecology & Green Infrastructure
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Francis Hesketh

Director - Ecology & Green Infrastructure

BSc (Hons) CMLI MICFor MCIEEM CEnv

Career: Left Edinburgh Uni in ‘83 to be a forester in Scotland, then to Afghan border with TEARFUND to do community woodlots. Home to be an ecologist, first with Gillespies, then Merseyside Councils. Co-founded TEP in ’97.

Listening to: Probably something from U2; definitely something my children would be embarrassed by!

Reading: “God’s Politics” by Jim Wallis – a call for politics to address social justice and spiritual renewal

Best Project: I’m hugely proud that TEP has helped the environmental and built regeneration of the Northwest – working with clients and colleagues with great personalities, vision and passion. I’ve particularly enjoyed working on reclamation of brownfield sites such as various landfills that are now community woodland, and an abandoned unsafe claypit in North Wales that is now regenerated as a site for 300 family homes and a nature reserve.

Not a lot of people know but…. I have the worst old passport photo ever

Red or Blue? White…Tranmere Rovers!

Mike Hodgkinson Associate Director ICT & GIS

Mike Hodgkinson

Associate Director - GIS & ICT
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Mike Hodgkinson

Associate Director - GIS & ICT

MLPM CMLI

Career: Mike graduated from Manchester University in 2004 with a Masters in Landscape Planning and Management. He joined TEP in 2005, where he has worked in both the Planning and Land Management teams before progressing to Associate Director and leading on the development of field survey, risk management systems and regional spatial assessments. Currently, Mike manages the ICT and GIS teams, focusing on the development of spatial analysis solutions for Biodiversity Net Gain, Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services.

Sport: Football and Formula 1

Favourite Place: New York City

Film: Bond Films and Star Wars

Reading: H.G Wells The Invisible Man.

Red or Blue? RED – Liverpool FC!!!

The Environment Partnership Associate - Alice Kennedy

Alice Kennedy

Associate Landscape Manager
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Alice Kennedy

Associate Landscape Manager

BSc (Hons)

Career: Graduated from the University of Manchester with an undergraduate masters in Landscape Planning and Management and joined the Land Management at TEP as a graduate in 2011. I became a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute in 2013 and became a Principal Landscape Manager in 2017. I specialise in landscape and habitat management plans, landscape maintenance costings to inform endowments and stakeholder consultation.

Travel: Recently spent three weeks in China and loved it

Sport: Walking my border terrier, Charlie.

 

Rebecca Martin

Associate Landscape Manager
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Rebecca Martin

Associate Landscape Manager

BSc (Hons) AIEMA CMLI

Career: I graduated from the Manchester Metropolitan University with a BSc Hons in Physical Geography in 2014. Shortly after, I joined the Landscape Management team at TEP as a Graduate Landscape Manager in the Market Harborough Office. In 2019 I became a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute and a Principal Landscape Manager.

I have worked on a large range of projects since joining TEP including the management of Homes England sites across the midlands, landscape management plans, open space assessments, endowment models, and more recently the procurement of landscape maintenance contracts, and implementation contracts, including the creation of several country parks.

Listening to: A bit of everything, but currently Amy Winehouse, Enter Shikari and The Rolling Stones

Films: Pulp Fiction and The Lion King (who doesn’t love a bit of Disney)!

Reading: A short history of nearly everything

Not many people know: I can play the trumpet and guitar

Alistair McGregor

Associate Director - Arboriculture
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Alistair McGregor

Associate Director - Arboriculture

BSc (Hons) PhD HND

Arboriculture and Estate Management

Career: A career change took me to a HND Distinction in Arboriculture and on to estate and property management. I now manage the north-east team of TEP, based in Gateshead.

Listening to: Frank Turner

To unwind: Kayaking, cycling, off-piste skiing.

Best Project: Opening and staffing of the north-east office.

Not a lot of people know but…. I spent a year and a half cycling around the world.

Bridges: So many great ones but it has to be the Tyne.

Juan Murray

Juan Murray

Associate Director - Planning & EIA
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Juan Murray

Associate Director - Planning & EIA

BSc (Hons) MSc FRGS MRTPI PIEMA

Career: Graduated from Sheffield University in 2002 with an Honours Degree in Environmental Conservation, and began working in the Environmental Contracting sector, until going travelling, where I found myself in New Zealand working for an Environmental Company.  Upon my return I went back to university, graduating from Salford University in 2007 with a Masters Degree in Planning Sustainable Environments.  I have spent my time in the private planning consultancy sector ever since.

Specialism: Town Planning and EIA

Highlights so far: The wide range of jobs we are involved in; Residential, commercial, leisure, infrastructure… and it’s always nice to see things built!

Sport: Rock climbing

Watching: Grand Designs or anything to do with climbing!

Favourite Place: Fontainebleau, Paris.

Not a lot of people know but:  I’m not Spanish! I was born in the Isle-of-Man so my name is pronounced the English way.

Andy Nyul

Associate Director - Ecology
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Andy Nyul

Associate Director - Ecology

BSc (Hons) MSc CEnv MCIEEM

Career:  Graduated from the University of Stirling in 2001 with a degree in Biology and then spent a couple of years working for Intelligent Finance and travelling. Went back to the University of Aberdeen in 2003 to get a Masters degree in Ecology. My first consultancy job followed in 2005 with Young Associates. In 2008 I joined Atmos Consulting in Edinburgh, becoming a Senior Ecologist in 2011 and moving to Ely.  There I mainly worked on the ecological aspects of renewable energy developments.  I joined TEP as a Principal Ecologist in the Market Harborough office in December 2015.

Music:  Pretty eclectic really, if it’s good I’ll listen to it!  I love John Martyn, Suzanne Vega, Nirvana, Ben Folds and The Black Keys.  I’m currently listening to Sylvan Esso.

Watching:  Masterchef, The Sopranos, varied documentaries and as much sport as I’m allowed.

Red or Blue?  Red and The Arsenal all the way!  Although I’m from Leicester, so I’ve got a soft spot for the blue of the Foxes and the green and red of the Tigers.

Spare Time:  Spare time is largely a pre-kids concept, but I love surfing and generally being in and by the sea, running, climbing hills, cooking, watching sport and having the odd drink with friends.

Not a lot of people know that my surname means rabbit in Hungarian.

Emma Parker

Principal Landscape Manager
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Emma Parker

Principal Landscape Manager

BSc (Hons) CMLI AIPROW

Career: I joined TEP in 2010 as a Graduate Landscape Surveyor with a BSc Hons in Agriculture, Environment, and Conservation. I also have a National Diploma in Forestry & Arboriculture, which led to me obtaining my chainsaw certificate and gaining experience in tractor driving. It also helped me gain a placement and voluntary work with Denbighshire Countryside Service, the RSPB, and a private country estate. I feel my practical experience helps me better understand works on site.

Since joining TEP I achieved Chartered Membership with the Landscape Institute, my ILM Level 3 Certificate in Leadership and Management, and became a Principal Landscape Manager in 2020.

I now work primarily within the Homes England consultancy team, providing high-level support for the Procura Risk Management Systems and to Regional Managers in resourcing and work allocations across the team.

Liz Plumpton

Principal Landscape Manager
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Liz Plumpton

Principal Landscape Manager

BSc (Hons)

Career: Graduated from Lancaster University in 2006 with a degree in Geography. I took a break to travel around North and South America and then headed back to the north of England to undertake a graduate programme with Groundwork Oldham and Rochdale. In 2008 I joined TEP as a graduate in the Land Management team. I  have now progressed to Principle level and am Service Leader for the Risk Management Systems within the Homes England Framework, overseeing development and outputs across over 200 sites nationally.

Favourite places: San Francisco, The Lake District, Home – a Midlander at heart but an adopted Northerner as have lived here for the past 15 years

Reading: The Help – Kathryn Stockett, and The Spy and The Traitor – Ben Macintyre

Not many people know but: I achieved grade 6 piano back in the day, with a dream of owning my own piano again when I have the space!

Tom Popplewell

Associate Arboriculturist
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Tom Popplewell

Associate Arboriculturist

BSc (Hons) MICFor

Career: I graduated from the University of Central Lancashire (Myerscough College) with a first class bachelors with honours in Arboriculture with top student and best dissertation awards in the year.  I worked as a tree surgeon during my studies and then moved into consultancy and joined TEP’s arboriculture team in 2010.  During my time at TEP, I have also become a chartered arboriculturist.

Projects I am proud of: St Fagans National History Museum and Richborough Connection (National Grid’s proposed 400kV line in Kent)

Favourite things:  Grammar, pancakes, Yorkshire

Reading list:  Feral by George Monbiot; Forest Gardening by Robert A de J Hart; The Lord of The Rings by J R R Tolkien

Not many people know:  I can ride a unicycle

Anne Pritchard

Associate Director - Ecology
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Anne Pritchard

Associate Director - Ecology

Career: I graduated from Bristol University in 1991 then undertook rainforest biodiversity surveys in Colombia. I then worked for the Joint Nature Conservation Committee before doing an Ecology MSc at Durham, graduating in 1994. More rainforest research in Thailand followed before moving into consultancy in 1996, where I worked mainly on energy infrastructure projects in the UK and abroad. I took a 10 year career break to look after my young children before starting with TEP in 2012.

Best Project: All are good in their own special way, whether it’s the people, the project location, the ecological issues that we are addressing or the outcomes we secure.

Listening to: A bit of everything but surprising myself with new found interests in jazz, funk and classical music.

Reading: What has nature ever done for us by Tony Juniper

Watching: The Americas with Simon Reeve

Rachel Roberts

Associate Ecologist
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Rachel Roberts

Associate Ecologist

BSc (Hons) MSc PhD MCIEEM CEnv

Career: Graduated in Marine Biology and Zoology at Bangor and then worked across the Turks and Caicos Islands for a WWF project – 266 endangered rock iguanas, 115 cays, 24 low orbital American military NAVSTAR satellites, 4 pairs of hiking boots & 1 telescopic noose later, I left MMU with my MSc in Behavioural Ecology.  Following a year at the Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Cornwall Bat Hospital and English Nature Bat Warden Trainee Programme, I went on to complete my PhD with DMU, studying the orientation capabilities of great crested newts whilst wardening at Little Wittenham LNR.  I joined TEP in 2001, when I had a pond net and a map thrust into my hands on my first morning and it’s been pretty much nonstop since then.

Inspired by:TEP has given me the opportunity to relocate back to Cornwall, which is fantastic.  Having seen the ecology team in Warrington grow from a select few into the 30 strong team we now have, I am enjoying the challenges of firmly establishing TEP’s presence in the South West.

Sport: Diving and archery.

Listening to: Alestorm (pirate rock!) and “The Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs with Henry Rollins and Peaches Doing The Dark Side of the Moon”. Oh, and most things Nina Simone.

Reading: Recently finished “The Swarm” by Frank Schätzing.  Re-reading “The Red Hourglass” by Gordon Grice and working my way through the Long Earth sequence by Stephen Baxter and Terry Pratchett.

Watching: Foyle’s War after which I’m looking forward to “The Wind Rises” by Hayao Miyazaki.

 

Tim Ross

Principal Ornithologist
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Tim Ross

Principal Ornithologist

BSc (Hons) MSc CEnv MCIEEM

Career: Studied at Oxford Brookes University completing my MSc in 1999. I moved to Liverpool and worked as an Ecological Consultant at Casella Stanger. In 2003 I joined TEP and specialised as an Ornithologist about three years later. I have overall responsibility for the delivery of high quality ornithological survey and assessment work.

Listening to:Various Historical Novels and the Bible

Favourite bird(s): swift, mute swan and of course hen harrier

Watching:Motherland, World on Fire and Handmaid’s Tale

Wildlife highlights: watching a family of giant otters playing when I visited the Pantanal in Brazil, tracking large mammals in South Africa and seeing a fighting peregrine and hen harrier drop a hundred feet towards the earth.

Richard Round

Associate Director - ICT
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Richard Round

Associate Director - ICT

Arboriculture and ICT Systems

MICFor BSc(Hons) M.Arbor.A

Career: Achieved National Diploma with Distinction after placement year in Switzerland climbing trees, on to Aberdeen Uni until ’01 for my Urban Forestry Degree.  Worked in local government then with tree contractor and on to consultancy with TEP in 2003.  I progressed from Consultant to Senior in 2006 and on to Principal in 2010, during this time I have also qualified as a Chartered Forester.

Activities: Snowboarding and spending time in the mountains, Cycling, Mountain Biking, Hiking and attempting to master Surfing.

Inspired by: Bradley Wiggins.

Tech: I am very much into my gadgets, I would not know where I would be without my iPad.

Elizabeth Seal

Director - Ecology
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Elizabeth Seal

Director - Ecology

420BSC Hons CEnv MCIEEM

Career: Left Manchester Uni in ‘98 to work for the British Council before heading off to be a zoology researcher for various institutions including Adelaide Uni, Oxford Uni and Arizona Uni.  Returned to the northwest to complete an MSc and after a brief spell with Government Office Northwest I joined TEP in 2004.

Listening to: 6 Music

Reading: “Fingers in the Sparkle Jar” by Chris Packham

Best Project: I don’t have favourites, some projects inspire because of the people, others because of the location and more besides due to the collaborative outcome we secure.

Not a lot of people know but…. That would be telling

Red or Blue? – Green!

The Environment Partnership Director - Katie Shilcock

Katie Shilcock

Director - Ecology
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Katie Shilcock

Director - Ecology

Ecology and Sustainability

BA (Hons) MA AIEMA

Career: Graduated from the University of Leeds with a Bachelors and Masters degree in Environmental Management. Gained business experience in a Liverpool based firm of Solicitors before joining TEP in 2008. Along with Liz Seal, I jointly lead TEP’s wonderful team of ecologists helping our surveys run as smoothly as wildlife and seasonal restrictions allow!

Highlights so far: Being given the opportunity to develop TEP’s ecology service, watching us grow from having 15 to over 45 in-house ecologists who deliver ecological protection and biodiversity enhancements on a range of significant and complex developments. Outside of project work, I’ll always be grateful for the support of my colleagues, clients and friends as I set about a yearlong TEP charity challenge in 2020-21 #5keveryday.

Watching: Not much … Living in Snowdonia I am very lucky to have the mountains and coastline on my doorstep so I try to spend more time outside than in.

Reading: Anything swimming or running-related is usually on the list. Currently reading Space Below My Feet by Gwen Moffatt. I’m definitely not a climber (far too haphazard for that!) but love getting lost in her mountaineering exploits of North Wales and beyond.

Travel: Sri Lanka, China and Brazil are the most far-flung. Definitely looking forward to being able to enjoy swimming in warmer climates soon enough.

Jonathan Smith

Associate Director - Arboriculture
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Jonathan Smith

Associate Director - Arboriculture

440BSc (Hons) MICFor

Career: I graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in 2006 with an honours degree in Arboriculture and gained experience as an arborist in Auckland.  Over the following 10 years I gained experience in the private and public consultancy at TEP. I became a Chartered Arboriculturist in 2013 before being appointed Associate Director and arboricultural lead in 2017.

Activities: Family, hill walking, squash, snooker

Favorite Places: Woodland, Italy, shed

Listening to: Alter Bridge, Nightwish, Slash

Watching: The Gruffalo (or whatever the kids want to watch).

Why trees: Because their stories are more interesting than ours.

Kerry Stead - Principal Ecologist

Kerry Stead

Principal Ecologist
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Kerry Stead

Principal Ecologist

BSc (Hons) MSc AIEMA MCIEEM

Career: Graduated in 2000 with a BSc (Hons) degree in Environmental Biology, closely followed by an MSc in Environmental Engineering. Following this, I worked in environmental consultancy with a focus on contaminated land for almost 10 years. This was until a work-related encounter with an ecology consultancy brought my focus back to wildlife and biodiversity. I began volunteering with wildlife organisations and attending courses in my spare time, subsequently taking on a role as a sub-consultant with TEP’s ecology team for the 2013 survey season. I was taken on as a graduate ecologist following the end of the season and have now been with TEP for eight years.

Listening to: Pretty much anything and everything!

Reading: Don’t get to read much through choice with two small children around, but Stephen King is a favourite.

Watching: Love anything sci-fi, spent lockdown watching the Marvel films and my all-time favourite TV show is Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Best Project: There are a lot of schemes I’ve enjoyed working on but Road One, Winsford is probably the one at the top. It presented many challenges relating to great crested newts and it was a good feeling once we finally achieved a licensable newt scheme.

Not a lot of people know but: I am a mini rugby coach with Northwich RUFC Superstars and spend my Sunday mornings trying to organise 20-30 pre-schoolers, not exactly a lazy Sunday morning but I love it!

Rick Tomlinson Principal Landscape Manager

Rick Tomlinson

Principal Landscape Manager
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Rick Tomlinson

Principal Landscape Manager

BSc (Hons) MLA CMLI MCIHort

I gained a Landscape Management degree from Reaseheath college and went on to complete a masters degree in Landscape Architecture from Manchester Metropolitan University. As part of the masters course, I undertook a 3-month placement module at TEP and subsequently was offered a position in the Land Management Team in 2015. Prior to study I established a successful landscape design, build and maintenance business where a honed practical landscape skills and gained first-hand knowledge of horticulture, which I continue to draw upon in my role as a professional landscape consultant.

I became a chartered member of the Landscape Institute in 2017 and a full member of the Chartered Institute of Horticulture in 2019. My current role at TEP sees me working alongside colleagues to deliver the Homes England Estate Management service across its land holdings in the North West. I also produce detailed landscape management plans for a range of landscapes, from new housing developments to large destination parks and community greenspaces.

Listening to: Foo fighters, The Killers, Stereophonics, Red Hot Chili Peppers…that sort of stuff

Watching: A good crime drama, Stranger Things and my favourite film is JAWS

Reading list: Feral by George Monbiot, Unnatural Causes by Richard Shepard and The Storyteller by Dave Grohl

Favourite things: Fell-walking with my family, Paddleboarding and My VW Camper

Mike Walker

Principal Ecologist
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Mike Walker

Principal Ecologist

Career: I spent a fair amount of time in the world of academia, graduating from York University with a  BSc in Biology in 2000 and then moving to Staffordshire University to do an MSc and then a PhD. My PhD looked at the importance of field boundary features for wildlife, in particular green lanes and farmland birds. I then worked for the British Trust for Ornithology while finishing off my PhD and joined TEP in 2006.

Favourite Places: The shores of Derwentwater

Music: Love it. I have been in a few bands playing guitar, bass and drums (but not all at the same time).

Film: Lord of the Rings trilogy

Watching: Anything cycling related – UCI World Championships at the moment

Favourite Bird: Golden eagle (you can’t beat a golden eagle)

Reading: At Home (Bill Bryson)

Not a lot of people know this but: I have worked in a local theatre company doing sound for a good few years and my nickname is ‘Danger’!

Franki Webb

Principal Historic Environment Consultant
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Franki Webb

Principal Historic Environment Consultant

BA Hons, PGDip, MA MCIfA

Career: Franki is an archaeologist and former journalist. She has an honours degree in Creative Writing from Bath Spa University and a Masters in Archaeology from University College London. She went to Kanda University of International Studies in Chiba, Japan. Franki began retraining as an archaeologist in 2014. She focussed on zooarchaeology, the study of the human-animal relationship. Franki worked for Atkins, where she worked for the Environment Agency mostly on habitat recreation and flood defence schemes and then moved to Lichfields in 2021, where she established their archaeological services. Franki is  based in London and focuses on sustainability and environmental conservation.

Not a lot of people know: Franki trained as an actor at The BRIT School.

Favourite Things: Reading, blogging, running, fashion and cats.

Tom Young

Tom Young

Associate - Green Blue Infrastructure
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Tom Young

Associate - Green Blue Infrastructure

MBiolSci PhD NSch

Joined TEP in 2022 as a Green Blue Infrastructure Associate. Prior to joining TEP Tom studied for a PhD in green roof technology and sustainable water management. After this he worked in a variety of roles for a multi-disciplinary research and consultancy company. Tom is heavily involved in external organisations such as GRO (UK Green Roof Organisation) where he is a board member, as well as the publication of various British Standards for the Green Infrastructure sector. Tom has also been awarded a 2022 Nuffield Farming Scholarship where he will be studying the theme of water security for the Agricultural, Horticultural and Amenity sectors.

Listening to: The National, Tom Petty and Public Service Broadcasting

Reading: A very heavy-going; David Bowie Biography. Turns out he is not a very nice person.

Watching: The Dust Bowl by Ken Burns and Inside No 9.

Not a lot of people know but: Tom was, for a short period of time, BBC Radio Sheffield’s go to expert on UK pubs after visiting and rating every pub within the city boundary in the name of science.

Favourite things: Putting green roofs on garden structures, live music, and historical fiction