Specialist land practice Rural Solutions has hired Lindsey Wright as associate director in its national planning team.
Wright joins the national consultancy with more than a decade of strategic planning and development experience, spanning both public and private sectors. She is based in Suffolk.
The recruit was most recently consultant senior planning officer at South Norfolk and Broadland District Councils. She also worked as a senior planning officer with Cotswold District Council and was a project manager at Arcadia Planning and Development.
Wright will lead planning projects across the East of England at Rural Solutions, while supporting clients nationally as part of the firm's multidisciplinary planning, architecture, landscape and consultancy teams.
"Lindsey’s role will focus on delivering strategic planning advice, developing client relationships and identifying new opportunities in one of the UK's most dynamic regions for rural development," the firm said.
It added that Wright's arrival reinforces the company’s commitment to its clients across Suffolk, Norfolk and the wider East of England. The hire also follows what it called a "period of sustained growth" for its planning team.
Recent additions include the appointment of Simon Newall as associate director and the promotions of James Ellis to director of planning and Shelley Jones to head of planning. Its planning team now totals 1-10 people.
The firm's portfolio of projects across the east and south east of England, including Wild Ken Hill, the Watatunga Wildlife Reserve and Astley Estate in Norfolk, and Wiston Estate and Lancing College in the South Downs National Park in West Sussex.
Jones said: "Lindsey's appointment is another important step in strengthening our national planning offer while expanding our presence in the East of England. This is a region with significant opportunities and challenges, from estate diversification and rural enterprise to strategic land promotion and environmental delivery.
"As rural businesses continue to adapt to changing policy, land use and economic drivers, her local knowledge, technical expertise and commercial understanding will provide clients with the strategic planning advice they need to unlock opportunities and realise long-term ambitions."