AshtonHale
Business Coaches
AshtonHale
Astley House, Manchester
# AshtonHale: Planning Consultancy Description
AshtonHale is an independent planning consultancy based in Manchester, specialising in navigating the complexities of the UK planning system for commercial and residential development projects. The firm is led by Richard Barton and Neil Lucas, who bring over a decade of combined experience from senior positions at prominent planning practices including HOW Planning and Avison Young.
The consultancy serves developers, landowners and commercial organisations across residential, commercial, leisure, retail, and industrial sectors. They excel at handling major schemes—from brownfield regeneration to greenfield and green belt land delivery—offering strategic guidance at every stage of the planning process. Their expertise spans initial land promotion through local plan examinations, complex multi-use developments, and tall building projects, including some of the UK's largest regeneration initiatives.
What distinguishes AshtonHale is their nimble, independent approach. Unburdened by the constraints of larger corporate practices, they focus exclusively on delivering exceptional client outcomes. Their service model combines strategic planning advice with hands-on delivery: they devise planning strategies, prepare and manage complex applications, secure commercially attractive permissions, provide expert witness testimony, and handle planning appeals with proven success.
Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, AshtonHale provides tailored consultancy that addresses the specific commercial and regulatory challenges facing modern development projects across England.
AshtonHale is an independent planning consultancy based in Manchester, specialising in navigating the complexities of the UK planning system for commercial and residential development projects. The firm is led by Richard Barton and Neil Lucas, who bring over a decade of combined experience from senior positions at prominent planning practices including HOW Planning and Avison Young.
The consultancy serves developers, landowners and commercial organisations across residential, commercial, leisure, retail, and industrial sectors. They excel at handling major schemes—from brownfield regeneration to greenfield and green belt land delivery—offering strategic guidance at every stage of the planning process. Their expertise spans initial land promotion through local plan examinations, complex multi-use developments, and tall building projects, including some of the UK's largest regeneration initiatives.
What distinguishes AshtonHale is their nimble, independent approach. Unburdened by the constraints of larger corporate practices, they focus exclusively on delivering exceptional client outcomes. Their service model combines strategic planning advice with hands-on delivery: they devise planning strategies, prepare and manage complex applications, secure commercially attractive permissions, provide expert witness testimony, and handle planning appeals with proven success.
Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, AshtonHale provides tailored consultancy that addresses the specific commercial and regulatory challenges facing modern development projects across England.
Services offered
Strategic planning adviceSite promotion and local plan evidencePlanning application preparation and submissionComplex brownfield and greenfield deliveryPlanning appeals managementExpert witness servicesLocal plan examination representationCommercial planning permissions strategy