Urban Design Expert Appointed to Lead Yorkshire Expansion

We are delighted to have appointed David Kemp as associate director of urban design to spearhead the creation of a new Yorkshire design hub and drive growth across the north of England.

David joins from CASS Design Consultants, where he was associate director of masterplanning. With more than 17 years’ experience in the public and private sectors, David has a strong track record in successfully delivering large-scale masterplanning projects and securing planning consents for complex sites across Yorkshire.

Following the opening of our Sheffield office earlier this year, David will work closely with the existing planning team to develop a local urban design offer. His role will focus on providing high-quality design outputs for clients and supporting strategic site promotion, particularly within Yorkshire and northern England.

David said: “I was attracted to Marrons because of its ambitious growth strategy and the high calibre of the design team. The opportunity to establish a new Northern design hub, embedded within the planning team, offers a fantastic platform to deliver a better, more joined-up service to clients.

“I want to help build Marrons’ reputation in the north as a trusted design and planning advisor, supporting clients in achieving their land and development goals.”

David will be based at our Sheffield office at Cubo, in Carver Street. His appointment comes as part of a wider strategic expansion to meet increasing demand for planning and design services across the north.

Luke Hillson, design partner, said: “David is a natural fit for our growing team. His arrival supports our expansion northwards, building on the success of our design teams in the south and Midlands. With David leading the charge, we can offer a truly integrated planning and design service for our northern clients.”

David joins our growing team in Sheffield led by planning director Megan Wilson, who brings more than a decade of experience in strategic development and housing land supply, and planning director Jenny Keen, who specialises in residential, commercial and town centre regeneration.

Our Sheffield team works with developers, landowners and public sector bodies on strategic land promotion, complex planning applications and regeneration projects. The consultancy is continuing to recruit planners and design specialists as it builds its presence in the region.

Megan added: “Since launching earlier this year, our Sheffield office has seen an incredibly strong start – we’re working on a range of exciting projects and unlocking some really challenging sites across the north of England. David’s appointment is a key step in building our full-service offer here, and I’m looking forward to seeing how his design expertise strengthens our work and helps deliver even better outcomes for our clients and communities.”