A HEXHAM-based planning firm behind some of the region’s most prestigious projects is expanding.

Hedley Planning Services, based at Burn Lane, set up three years ago and has taken on Northumberland County Council’s former major development and delivery manager, Bart Milburn.

Bart (40) has extensive experience in planning and development throughout local government, having also led the planning team at Gateshead Council for 10 years.

In its short history the firm supervised the planning work to redevelop the former Co-op building in Newcastle city centre’s Newgate Street into a Premier Inn.

It also worked on the reorganisation of emergency service sites for the County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue Service to help rationalise its estates development programme.

The business has also submitted a hybrid application, known as Wear Point 55, to Sunderland City Council for a one million sq ft manufacturing and 100,000 sq ft commercial “hub” on land north of the city’s Nissan factory.

The development has an estimated investment value of £70m and could create 1,348 jobs for the region.

“The number and varied range of clients we have managed to attract since HPS started has surprised me and hopefully shows the professionalism and quality of our work and our friendly, approachable manner with clients,” said founder and managing director Sean Hedley.

A graduate of Newcastle University, Sean worked as a director at a national firm of surveyors for more than 10 years.

“There are lots of projects in the pipeline that we and our clients hope will go a long way towards bringing a substantial number of jobs to the region,” he said.

Father of one Sean lives in Hexham and employs his mother, Catherine Hedley, to do planning research and IT work.

Bart, who is married with three children and also lives in Hexham, studied planning at Newcastle University.

He said: “My experience in local government means I will be able to give extensive help to clients to guide them through what, at times, must seem like a mythical maze.

“Hopefully I will be able to greatly help smooth and speed the way through the planning and consultation process.”

At present, Hedley Planning Services is behind work to build 40 houses in Acomb, the redevelopment of the former fire station in Sunderland city centre into an arts centre and restaurant, as well as recently-secured consent for the conversion of the former Grade II listed Flynn’s bar to a high
end restaurant on Newcastle quayside.

Previous projects include an emergency “quad” station in Barnard Castle for the rescue services, offices for Live Theatre on Newcastle’s quayside, homes in County Durham and Stockton, and fire stations in Crook and Sniperley Park in Durham.