Property specialists Baird Lumsden have secured the services of recognised planning expert Chris Gardner to head up a major advance into new markets at both Baird Lumsden and associate company DM Hall Chartered Surveyors.

Chris, who went to university in Edinburgh, will lead an internal planning advice service which will build on the established relationships within the companies’ excellent client networks.

The move into planning specialisms will take the companies into new areas and, in conjunction with its in-house architectural service, will allow it to offer a comprehensive service to the development sector in Scotland.

Chris, MRTPI, who will be Head of Planning Consultancy, said: “My remit is to robustly grow DM Hall’s and Baird Lumsden’s presence in the planning field, in order to bring the companies’ ethos of high standards, best practice and professionalism to a complex legislative arena.

“There have been significant changes to the planning regime in recent times and the onus is very much on the developer to demonstrate deliverability to the authorities at the start of the process.

“For this reason it is of paramount importance to clients within the planning process to have the correct advice and to invest the time and effort required to secure a successful application.”