We recently welcomed Sally Wright to our team of exceptional Planners. Sally completed her undergraduate degree at the Royal Agricultural University where she studied Real Estate Management and went on to complete her Masters in Spatial Planning at Oxford Brookes University. She has a strong interest in urban design and focuses on high-quality buildings and creating attractive, safe and pleasant areas. Sally has worked on a residential scheme within the village of Drayton and has been involved with projects pertaining to renewable energy projects including solar farms.

Sally is based in our Oxford Studio and to get to know her better, we recently asked her a few questions.

What aspects of planning interest you?

I have a strong interest in urban design and ensuring that buildings are of a high-quality design and areas are attractive, safe and pleasant to live, work in and visit. I also enjoy the variety of planning in which no two projects are ever the same, which means that I am continually learning and researching new topics and policies.

What is your favourite project that you have worked on?

I worked on a scheme for 9 residential dwellings within the village of Drayton. This was a challenging project with a lot of site constraints and public interest, and I enjoyed identifying the key issues and finding solutions to address them. This resulted in a scheme that made efficient use of land within a sustainable location which responded well to the character and appearance of the area.

I’ve also recently been involved with a few renewable energy projects including solar farms which has been interesting to deal with in the current environment where there have been declarations of a climate emergency at both national and local level.

What are your Hobbies?

When I am not spending time with my friends and family, I love spending time going on long walks in the countryside with my dog, Billie, and my husband and we usually manage to find a country pub along the way to reward ourselves! I am also a keen baker, and love trying out new recipes; my white chocolate and raspberry blondies always go down a treat!

What would you have studied if not planning?

I was a keen artist at school, and if I hadn’t studied planning, it would have been interesting to see where Art might have taken me.

What inspired you to study planning?

I’ve always had an interest in the built environment, and I was introduced to planning and urban design as part of my undergraduate degree. I love that no project is the same, which makes planning an exciting and ever-changing subject.

Where have you travelled, or where would you like to travel to?

I recently travelled to Canada on my honeymoon which has been on my bucket list for a long time! We spent time in Banff exploring the Canadian Rockies and National Parks before travelling across to the beautiful city of Vancouver. We finished off our trip with a few days in Toronto where we had fun cheering on the Blue Jays!

We’re hoping Sally settles in and is ready to get started on some amazing projects.