Chris Pattison takes on the mantle of Head of Planning

Pattison joined Bidwells in 2022 following the acquisition of his company Turnberry Planning. Since joining the business, Pattison has played an instrumental role in Bidwells’ Planning team and has held senior leadership roles across the firm, including as Head of Oxford.

Derbyshire will continue to play a leading role within the Planning team, building on a long track record of advising on complex development, infrastructure and growth programmes. He has played a key part in Bidwells’ work across the Oxford-Cambridge Arc – one of the UK’s most important growth corridors – advising clients on strategic sites and infrastructure-led development as the region has evolved.

Together, Pattison and Derbyshire have overseen a period of significant growth within Bidwells. The Planning team has doubled in size since 2022 as the firm expanded its planning capability and broadened the services it provides to clients. Bidwells was ranked in the top 5 fastest growing planning consultancies in 2025.

Chris Pattison, Head of Planning at Bidwells, said: “I would like to thank Mike for his leadership and support to date, and for everything he has achieved for Bidwells and our Planning team. We will continue to work closely together and it will be business as usual as we grow Bidwells Planning through new services and new markets in 2026.”

Mike Derbyshire, Deputy Head of Planning at Bidwells, said: “Effective succession planning is key to the long-term health of the business and I am delighted that Chris is now stepping into the role. He combines his previous experience as the Director of Turnberry Planning with a strong track record in senior roles at Bidwells.”

The appointments come at a time of heightened political focus on planning reform and accelerated delivery across the UK, reinforcing Bidwells’ commitment to investing in planning leadership and capability to support clients navigating complexity and unlocking development.