BNG is here, What’s next? Hybrid Seminar

I am the Service Manger covering Development Management, Strategic Sites and Enforcement at Somerset Council. I started active involvement in the region in 2016 by approaching Charlotte Daborn at a CPD event and asking ‘so what is it that the committee do?’ and have been part of the group since. I was RTPI SW Chair in 2020 which included a full year of CPD planning, two events, COVID and the evolution of virtual! This year I hope for a more active year championing wellbeing, working collaboration and growth as if you are standing still in planning you are already behind!   I look forward to meeting members throughout the year and understanding how these themes guide our practice.

I started my career as a Modern Apprentice for the Isle of Wight Council which reinforces my underlining support for the range of apprenticeships available, including in Town and County Planning. Gaining my Masters in Spatial Planning via day release at Oxford Brookes, and becoming RTPI accredited, my family and I moved to the 'mainland', to Somerset in 2015, progressing from a Senior to Principal role at Sedgemoor District Council (SDC). I gained a CMI Level 5 Diploma in Management and Leadership in 2018 and was promoted to Service Manager at the SDC prior to its merger with the adjoining Districts and County to become the new ‘Somerset Council’ in April 2023. Despite promising never to study again I completed my Level 7 Extended Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership qualification in 2023 and became a Chartered Manager.

Through my involvement with the RTPI SW Regional Activities I have promoted Planning Aid; organised and delivered CPD events for volunteers and members; worked with Plymouth University determining awareness and outreach opportunities and have been part of the judging panel for the Planning Awards. This year I am really looking forward to judging the Chairs ‘Unsung Hero’ award! 2025 will see collaboration through the events (with one co-joined with the South east), more involvement in the RTPI SW Planning Awards and the Presidents visit. In my spare time I also manage to enjoy exploring with family, my dog Topper and being put in my place by my cats Twinkle and Carbonel.

I am a Chartered Town Planner with nine years of experience in policy, lecturing and development management. My time lecturing in Urban Planning and mentoring students through their dissertations created a passion for research, leading to a national study on BNG enforcement and best practices for PPAs with the Planning Advisory Service. At BCP Council, I focus on large-scale projects and have written a comprehensive How-To Guide for officers on BNG.

With a career spanning Africa, Canada, the Middle East, and the UK, she brings global expertise in environmental law and compliance to her role at BNG.AI by Aidash. Here, she pioneers the application of artificial intelligence to geospatial data for Biodiversity Net Gain across the UK. Her background encompasses water resource analysis, environmental management for mining projects, and international consulting. Now based in Devon and drawing inspiration from Dartmoor walks, she combines worldwide experience with local insight. Her work focuses on the intersection of technology and ecology, with particular interest in soil health and sustainable agriculture.

Nina Pindham has a wide-ranging planning practice specialising in environmental law matters in the context of planning applications, including infrastructure, energy, controversial minerals development, hazardous substances consent, waste, EIA, SEA, agriculture, water, air quality, and nature conservation issues. She has represented clients before the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and the United Nations both for and against Government and public bodies. She has been appointed to the Attorney General’s C Panel of counsel.

She is ranked as a leading junior in Environmental Law by the Legal 500 (“a rising star”), one of the country’s top-rated juniors by Planning Magazine (2023), and a leading junior by Chambers and Partners. Comments include: “her ability to crack intellectually challenging issues is unbelievable. If you think of it as chess, she is always three or four moves ahead of the opposition”, “has a tremendous capacity to take in a great deal of information and get straight to the point”, “an incredible advocate”. Nina has also featured as one of The Planner’s Women of Influence (2022) and in the inaugural ENDS Power List of the most influential environmental professionals: “she is one of, if not the, leader in her field”.

In 2022 Nina was part of the legal team that challenged the government over its Net Zero Strategy which the High Court, in a historic ruling, deemed as “unlawful”, and led the government to revise its climate strategy to show how key emission reductions will be met.

At COP27 Nina was awarded the Global Leadership Award in Climate Law for her work with an international coalition of bar associations seeking to build the capacity of the legal sector in relation to climate change where it is relevant to legal advice, so as to best serve the needs of lawyers’ clients.

Find out more:Nina Pindham | Cornerstone Barristers

Principal Ecologist for Devon County Council with a strategic overview of Biodiversity Net Gain for Local Planning Authorities in Devon.  I provide ecological and biodiversity net gain advice on a wide range of planning matters and related enquiries to partner organisations, developers, ecology consultancies and other interested parties, in accordance with appropriate professional standards and best practice.

Will leads East Devon District Council’s implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), nutrient neutrality, and nature recovery initiatives. He supports development management assessments of major planning applications, delivers training to officers, members, and developers, and contributes to regional working groups on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy. With over a decade of experience in ecological consultancy and local government, he brings specialist knowledge in protected species, ecological assessment, and integrating biodiversity into planning policy and practice.

Lloyd works as a Strategic Account Director for Environment Bank. Lloyd works closely with Environment Bank's strategic and key developer clients and the wider team to guide developers and their consultants through the BNG aspects of the planning process. Lloyd has many years of experience in the private sector and spent several years leading projects for a range of retail, mixed-use, leisure and hospitality, residential, and commercial clients across England and Wales.