Claire Fallon, lead consultant for KKP's open space studies has recently been promoted to Principal Consultant. This recognises her hard work, dedication and leadership of the team that is responsible for delivering high quality open spaces, playing pitch, indoor and outdoor sports and play assessments and strategies.

In recent years, KKP has delivered more than 70 PPG17, SPP11 and TAN16 related studies across England, Scotland and Wales:

• Open spaces strategies - comprehensive, robust studies in a wide variety of environments, assessing provision in terms of quality, quantity and accessibility to inform LDF planning. 
• Playing pitch strategies - ensuring that development opportunity presented by BSF, the FA, the Football Foundation, Section 106 and other programmes is optimised. 
• Indoor and built facilities strategies - forensic supply and demand assessments to inform decisions about which facilities should be rationalised, replaced and improved.

Under her supervision, KKP has built a well deserved reputation for providing the most comprehensive evidence base in the sector due to the emphasis its places on interpersonal in situ consultation and in-depth site visits:

...many thanks for all the work that went into the reports, we were very impressed by all your team and look forward to working with you again for the strategy (Joanna Bagnall, High Peak Borough Council)

...KKP's work clearly informed our Open Space SPD that has recently received a Strategic Planning Award from Sport England. This would not have been possible without KKP's technical and forensic procedures." (Pam Smithies, Calderdale Council)

...The report is coherent, easy to understand and makes clear recommendations to overcome the identified tier 1 deficits in provision (Sue Jones, Bridgend County Borough Council)

...KKP has, again, more than met our brief, producing a challenging but practical strategy that I am confident we shall be able to use to lever in additional investment required.(Craig Horabin, Hyndburn Borough Council)

In her new role, Claire will focus on the further development of KKP's portfolio in the area and continuing to ‘raise the bar' on the quality and depth of our work - ensuring that we stay ahead of the competition. She will also be preparing her team for the imminent surge in commissioning of updates to PPG17 related audits and assessments as many of the assignments undertaken in the first swathe of this work come up for renewal.

Recognising the current emphasis on utilising planning policy and developer contributions to shape investment in local communities, KKP has also recently recruited a new member to its open space team who brings a depth of knowledge and expertise in this area. Chris MacFarlane joins the Company as a consultant, bringing town and spatial planning qualifications and experience from his work in at local authority level and as a Regional Planning Assistant for the North West Regional Assembly, where he supported the preparation and process of a Public Examination for the Draft North West Regional Spatial Strategy.

Commenting on Claire's promotion and the development of KKP's open space portfolio, John Eady, KKP's Chief Executive said,

"In addition to thoroughly meriting this, it is also pleasing to note that she is the first person to have ‘risen through the ranks' to this position having started at KKP in her first job after leaving university. I have no doubt that Claire will continue to develop on a personal level and take forward and further improve our highly regarded suite of PPG17 services."

Find out more about KKP's services and expertise in open space studies