Janet Long
Janet Long
Owner and Director RTPI
Janet is a qualified Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and has worked both as a Local Government Officer and as a consultant in private practice for many years.
Her early years as a professional planner were spent in London where she worked for a number of specialist planning consultancies and an architectural practice. After a spell of 6 years with the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham she moved to Surrey and worked for a short period with Guildford Borough Council to gain experience in Green Belt and Countryside/rural planning.
Janet set up Planit Consulting in November 2006 to provide specialist planning services. Over the years Janet has established a network of specialist consultants including Legal Advisors, Architects, Highway Engineers, Structural Engineers and designers.
Tim Dawes
Tim Dawes
Planning Director RTPI
Tim is a qualified member of the Royal Town and Planning Institute and has significant Local Authority experience at a senior level.
His first Local Authority job was with Eden District Council in the Lake District, then Wealden District Council in Sussex, followed by 5 years with two Berkshire Authorities and then over 20 years with Guildford Borough Council in Surrey encompassing 4 roles. His most recent position was as Head of Place, managing Development Management, Building Control and Land Charges.
His strengths are communication, mediation, and the ability to find a way through. He is comfortable dealing with the larger more complex schemes and appeals.
On 8 November 2021 Tim joined the team at Planit as Director of Planning and brings with him a wealth of experience and knowledge of the local area and processes.
Tara Everson
Tara Everson
Associate Director RTPI
Tara has over 20 years of broad ranging planning experience, gained in both the private and public sectors. She has a wealth of knowledge to help steer you through every stage of the planning process, including strategies to help maximise the development potential of Green Belt sites; Paragraph 80 ‘exceptional quality design’ houses; replacement dwellings and extensions in the Green Belt; Permitted Development and Prior Approval applications; Appeals and Lawful Development Certificates (existing and proposed). She also provides advice to the filming industry and has obtained permissions for several Hollywood blockbuster films.
With her experience, Tara would be pleased to assist and advise on any planning matter.
Tara has been a full member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) since 2000 and joined the team at Planit in August 2016.
Kieran Cuthbert
Kieran Cuthbert
Senior Planner
Kieran joined Planit Consulting in January 2023 as a Senior Planner after working as a planning officer at a Local Authority in the South East for three years.
He has a degree in Geography from the University of Brighton and is currently undergoing the application process to become a chartered planner under the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
In his capacity as a planning officer at the Local Authority he worked on appeals, presented at a number of planning committee meetings and represented the council at planning appeal enquiries. He has experience dealing with a large number of applications ranging from permitted development certificates to major developments. These included many developments within the Green Belt, AONB, town centres and conservation areas.
Alexander Cameron
Alexander Cameron BSc (hons) BArch
Architectural Consultant
Alex joined Planit in 2022 as an Architectural Consultant with over 20 years professional experience across Architecture, Landscape, Urban Design and Interiors with Architectural and multi-disciplinary design firms in London and the South East.
Alex’s sensitive and informed approach to design, strategic thinking and market awareness mean that he has been instrumental in securing planning approval for developments on several sensitive Green Belt and Brownfield sites of Conservation and Heritage significance. His UK work has included high profile projects for The National Trust, Bicester Village, The Sandringham Estate, Redrow Homes, Taylor Wimpey and Savills.
At Planit Alex conducts site appraisals and client meetings. He works on development drawings, planning applications, design & access statements, planning presentations and 3D models. He is also an accomplished sketch visualiser and illustrator having produced hundreds of eye-catching images in support of planning applications, appeals and marketing campaigns.
Jo Dawes
Jo Dawes
Senior Planner
Jo is a qualified member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and has significant Local Authority experience at senior planner level.
Jo started her Town Planning career at Wealden District Council and then in 1999 moved to Waverley Borough Council where she joined and remained with the Development Management team for the last 24 years.
Her strengths are an extremely broad knowledge of Green Belt and countryside policies and a very clear understanding as to what is achievable and realistic.
Jo joined the team at Planit on 18 September 2023 and brings with her a wealth and depth of knowledge to the team.
Ben Mitchell
Ben Mitchell
Senior Planner
Ben joined Planit Consulting in July 2023 as a Senior Planner. Over the four years prior to joining the team, he worked as a Planning Officer for Guildford Borough Council and within the Heritage and Design Team at Waverley Borough Council.
He has a degree in Geography from the University of Nottingham, a masters in Spatial Planning from University College London and is currently undergoing the application process to become a chartered planner under the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
Ben developed his experience dealing with a significant number of applications during his time as a Planning Officer. In this, he dealt with Lawful Development Certificates all the way through to major developments. These included applications within many sensitive areas including Green Belt, AONB, town centres and conservation areas. Further, his time at Waverley has provided him with a strong working knowledge of heritage and design within planning, often providing advice and assessments for listed buildings and other heritage designations.
Sophie Sherman
Sophie Sherman
Office manager
Sophie joined Planit in April 2021 from Chartered Surveyors based in Godalming. Sophie tries to keep us all in check and is often the first point of client contact and for new business. Sophie’s role includes keeping the office running smoothly; from health and safety, to IT, to accounts as well as answering the phones. She plays a fundamental supporting role to Planit Consultants.
Laura Bush
Laura Bush
Office Assistant
Laura joined Planit in July 2022 with a background in property management, recruitment and administration. Laura helps support the Office Manager in the smooth running of the office offering admin support to Planit Consultants and is a first point of contact for clients and new business, answering calls and dealing with emails
Sarah Jarvis
Sarah Jarvis
Planner
Sarah has worked for 19 years as a Town Planner in both public and private sectors roles, following completion of a geography degree.
Prior to working as a consultant for a number of Surrey and Hampshire Authorities she spent several years working for Cornwall Council as a planning officer. Sarah has worked for Planit for 5 years, and has a good working knowledge of national and local planning policies and their application, together with a practical understanding of Permitted Development Rights for commercial and residential properties.
Gillian Hanson
Gillian Hanson
Planner
Gillian is a qualified Town Planner with 18 years’ experience across the public and private sectors.
Gillian has a BSc in City and Regional Planning, Post Graduate Diploma in Town Planning and is a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI).
Before joining the team in February 2017, Gillian worked for 14 years in the public sector as a Senior Development Management Officer for Guildford Borough Council, Wiltshire Council and Kennet District Council.
Gillian is a very experienced Town Planner with experience across a broad range of application types and site designations. This includes residential, retail, healthcare, commercial, agricultural and householder proposals in the Green Belt, AONB’s, National Parks and Conservation Areas.
Gillian has extensive practical knowledge of the planning system, permitted development rights, lawful development, and the appeals system, and has represented clients at complex hearings and Public Inquiry.