The Practice

Richard leads our multidiscipline team of planners, landscape architects and designers. He has an outstanding knowledge of planning law and procedures based on 20 years’ practical experience, and continues to build the practice’s reputation as an industry leader. Richard provides a full spectrum of services including planning appraisals, preparing and submitting applications for planning permission, listed building consent, advertisement consent and Certificates of Lawfulness. He also represents clients at planning committee meetings and appeals, hearings and inquiries. Highly regarded by his peers and clients, Richard is accomplished in negotiating with local planning authorities to achieve the best outcomes for our clients.

Jason heads up our dynamic Design and Landscape team and is a passionate architectural designer with more than 25 years’ experience in the industry. He and his team have earned a reputation for working closely with clients from the outset, from design brief through to project management and completion, ensuring that their vision is translated into innovative, bespoke design. Jason joined Laurence Associates in 2006, tasked with developing the design arm of the practice. He’s more than delivered, building a creative and energetic team which combines expertise with flair and enthusiasm for every project they undertake. Jason is well respected throughout the industry, and is a full member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists and a Chartered Building Engineer.

Mark is an Architect with over a decade of experience, primarily focused on residential architecture. His portfolio spans single-family homes, larger housing developments, conversions, and extensions, alongside work on commercial and mixed-use schemes. After graduating from Birmingham City University in 2014, Mark returned to Cornwall, where he has successfully led numerous projects from concept to completion.

Mark’s strong technical background enables him to provide expert guidance on construction methods and detailing, ensuring the highest standards of quality throughout both the design and construction process. His collaborative approach fosters effective communication among clients, consultants, and contractors, resulting in the successful achievement of project goals.

Dedicated to staying ahead of industry trends, materials, and technologies, Mark integrates innovative design solutions that enhance both functionality and aesthetic appeal. He is also committed to mentoring his team, fostering a culture of continuous learning and promoting best practices in design and project delivery.

Outside of work, Mark is an active volunteer with the Scouts, where he contributes his leadership skills to the community. He is also deeply involved in the renovation and extension of his own home, where his passion for architecture and design continues to grow. This hands-on experience fuels his commitment to innovation and excellence in both personal and professional projects.

James has a background in construction and possesses extensive technical knowledge in building technology. Our Senior Technologist, James is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists, having studied at Plymouth University. James is involved in the preparation of construction and building regulation drawings, providing detailed plans, sections, technical construction details, schedules and specifications. He works closely with project architects, clients and consultants, to bridge the gap between concept designs and planning approval to construction and completion. James runs projects on site, providing contract administration and project management services to clients, and regularly undertakes site inspections for issuing Professional Consultant’s Certificates. He’s been involved in small to medium-sized residential schemes, industrial and commercial projects, and tourism and leisure schemes.

Nick joined the team bringing with him over 30 years extensive experience in architecture, building design, draughting and mechanical engineering trades.  He is proficient in 2D AutoCAD and manual drawing board, sketching & visualising.

Having run his own practice for several years Nick has a clear understanding of the construction industry as a whole and the importance of client interaction.

He has worked on a wide range of residential projects, from small extensions through to high end bespoke single dwellings, commercial /retail developments and everything between, focusing mainly on construction detailing and building control.

In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three children, one of them being his 8 year old son, who is a budding engineer!

Ivor is a hugely experienced landscape architect, specialising in landscape projects for housing projects, commercial and leisure developments, and self builds. He’s involved in all stages of masterplanning, from site analysis and initial site layout through to design. A Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute since 1993, Ivor worked for Cornwall Council for eight years, with responsibility for a wide range of landscape projects including land reclamation, design and implementation of public realm and highways works, and project management of multi-agency funded partnership projects. As well as expertise in detailed hard and soft landscape designs, he has considerable experience in the preparation of Landscape & Visual Impact Assessments (LVIA) and Landscape Management Plans for a wide range of developments, from large scale renewable energy projects to smaller, less complex housing schemes. He’s been an expert witness for a number of successful appeals for both residential and renewable energy projects across England and Wales.

Arthur is a Highly experienced Landscape Architect with Wide-ranging experience, including large infrastructure projects, a variety of small landscape-led projects, and hands-on environmental projects all implementing his skills in both planning and design.
He has a keen interest in social sciences and a solid knowledge of human systems, planning systems, ecosystems, biodiversity, and green infrastructure. Arthur can use this knowledge to think holistically about sustainable projects at all stages of master planning, from site analysis and initial site layout through to design.
He prides himself on his ability to understand these interconnected areas, design spaces and places that work for the environment and for the people.

Barry qualified as an Architect in 2018 from London Metropolitan University after completing his undergraduate at Liverpool University and postgraduate education at Liverpool John Moores University. With over 18 years of experience working in architectural practices, his experience spans a range of sectors including high-end residential design, hotels, educational and commercial buildings. Having recently relocated to Cornwall, Barry was previously responsible for leading mid to high end residential projects across London through all of the RIBA work stages, from conception through to completion. He developed his extensive knowledge of industry best practice by being responsible for providing technical construction details on a variety of projects over the years, whilst maintaining strong relationships with both clients and construction teams that he has worked with. His work is influenced by his passion for adaptive reuse and sustainable design. He is interested in how space can be developed through innovative design solutions to support the evolving needs of modern living. In his spare time, Barry draws on his cheffing background to experiment in the kitchen and tends to his ever growing collection of edible house plants. He is also an experienced golfer and is currently learning to ride a motorbike, which may come in handy on a busy day of site visits!

Ana joined Laurence Associates in 2022, she qualified as an Architect in 2010 from the University of Coimbra in Portugal.

During her Master studies she did one Erasmus program in NTNU Trondheim, in Norway and one free mover program in RWTH Aachen, in Germany. She also did a postgraduate degree in São Paulo, Brazil.

She has worked in 5 different countries: Portugal, Brazil, Germany, UAE and Taiwan, therefore gaining experience in different typologies such as residential, mixed-use, stadiums, offices, amongst others.

Ana is an ARB registered architect and a RIBA chartered member. Her work draws upon the principles of sustainability, inclusive design, and the circular economy in the built environment. She holds LEED AP BD+C credential and an Ellen MacArthur Foundation Certificate for the program “From Linear to Circular”.

In her spare time Ana enjoys long walks by the sea with her family and the practice of different types of crafts such as watercolour, linocut, crochet or macrame. Ana believes that the most rewarding experiences involve learning new things.

Rebekah joined Laurence Associates within the Design Team, having previously studies and obtained a BA(hons) in Architecture at Falmouth University and then went on to complete the MArch Master of Architecture at The University of Plymouth.

Throughout her studies she has developed a keen interest in sustainable design, having minimal impact on the environment whilst also designing with resilience for a changing landscape.

Whilst having experience in various drawing and modelling software, Rebekah completed her BA(hons) solely in hand drawing.

Having grown up in Porthleven, Rebekah enjoys life in Cornwall going walking and sea swimming in her spare time.

Chris graduated from the Architectural Association in 2022 where he studied the Diploma Programme (MArch). Prior to that, he studied Architecture BA(Hons) at Falmouth University.

In practice he has worked at studios in London and Cornwall, working at varying scales, from bespoke Cornish dwellings to large residential masterplans in the Middle East. He is a proactive and compassionate designer whose work stems from the act of reuse and vernacular material cycles.

In the coming year, he aims to start his Part 3 studies to become a chartered architect.

In his spare time, he loves being in or on the water making the most of the Cornish coastline.

Lee graduated from Falmouth University in 2012 with a BA(Hons) in Spatial Design: Architecture, Interior Design & Landscaping. After graduating he trained and worked as a Building Surveyor at a local practice in Cornwall for over 5 years and has extensive knowledge, skills and understanding gained across multiple sectors. Furthermore Lee graduated from Leeds Beckett University in 2020 with an MSc in Architectural Technology & Design.

Alongside the skills learned as a Building Surveyor Lee is also proficient in the creation of drawings, submission of planning documents, full measured surveys, Building Regulations drawings and applications, reinstatement cost assessments, space planning, heritage statements and Design & Access statements. Lee’s role at Laurence Associates is to prepare detailed construction packages for both Building Regulations applications and onsite construction issue.

Lee started working in construction because of a general love of architecture, especially the renovation and restoration of heritage assets and ecclesiastical buildings.

In his spare time Lee can be found working on his Graphic Design business, playing football, managing a ladies football team and spending time with his partner and their three young children.

Jess joined Laurence Associates within the Design Team, bringing with her nearly 10 years experience working as an Architectural Technician.

She has worked in a number of Architectural Practices throughout Cornwall. Jess has worked on small extensions to larger residential schemes. Focusing predominately on one off residential bespoke builds.

Jess studied alongside work obtaining an FdSc in Construction in 2017 from Plymouth University.

In her spare time Jess enjoys spending time with her young family, friends and exploring all the wonderful eateries that Cornwall has to offer.

Sam earned his RIBA/ARB Part 1 at Arts University Bournemouth and his M.Arch RIBA/ARB Part 2 at Plymouth University, where he delved into architectural concepts with a strong theoretical foundation and gained valuable experience in graphic and visual communication.

Previously, Sam worked at a prominent sustainable practice in Cornwall, focusing on luxury residential projects. His role encompassed all RIBA stages (0-7), where he successfully delivered both planning and construction drawing packages.

Sam plans to become a chartered Architect by starting the RIBA/ARB Part 3 in the new year. Outside of architecture, he makes the most of living by the coast with activities such as running coastal trail ultra-marathons, surfing and paddle boarding.

She is responsible for all things finance within the business. She draws on her extensive experience working within a project led environment to ensure accurate and timely results for the company and clients alike. Rachael has a full fellow membership with AAT (FMAAT) which is an internationally recognised professional status in accounting and finance. In her spare time, she enjoys travel, snowboarding, cooking and spending time with her friends and family.

Julie joined Laurence Associates within the Finance Team.

Julie has over 20 years of experience and understanding in finance which she gained while running her family business, this has given her an extensive amount of knowledge in her field.

She has now settled into a role where she can achieve a healthy work life and family balance. In her spare time, she enjoys walking the dog, gardening, and spending quality time with the family.

Bridgette joined Laurence Associates in July 2013. She’s worked in several administrative and client facing roles during the last thirty years and is the first point of contact for all clients. Bridgette is an experienced administrator with a wide range of administrative and customer service skills, supporting all areas of the business.

Following Paige’s graduation in 2022 with a First Class BA (Hons) within Interior Architecture & Design from Falmouth University, Paige gathered substantial experience as a Design Coordinator within a local luxury contracts firm. Her tenure involved extensive work across multiple sites in the South West, fostering invaluable industry insight and expertise.

In her spare time, Paige likes to go on long walks with her dog Otis and enjoys spending quality time with friends and family.

In her capacity as graphic designer and technical assistant, Catherine supports the planning, architecture and landscape architecture teams by producing supporting documentation using a range of graphic software packages.

Sam joined Laurence Associates within the Planning Team, following six years of professional experience working for Cornwall Council.

Sam has experience across a range of application types, being previously involved in strategic and major developments, as well as bespoke and complex general applications which have involved residential, commercial, and renewable energy projects.

Sam has an BA degree in Geography from the University of Plymouth and is currently working towards attaining his RTPI status by the end of 2024.

Tasha joined Laurence Associates within the Planning Team, following four years of professional experience working within masterplanning and planning consultancy firms in the south west. She has experience across a range of sectors including residential, commercial and rural planning and masterplanning schemes.

Tasha has an MSc (Distinction) in Urban Design from Oxford Brookes University and a BSc (First Class) Geography degree from The University of Plymouth. Tasha is an Associate Member of the RTPI and is currently working towards achieving MRTPI status.

In her spare time Tasha enjoys sea swimming, playing hockey and travelling.

Amy joined Laurence Associates within the Planning Team, following six years of professional experience working for a Local Planning Authority, Exmoor National Park and Public Health England.

She has experience across a range of sectors including heritage and listed buildings, rural planning and planning policy. Amy helped put together the South West Marine Plan and provides advice for Self-Build schemes across the county of Devon.

She has an MSc (Distinction) in Urban Planning from University of West of England, and a MSc (Distinction) in Sociology and Social Research from the University of Edinburgh.

In her spare time Amy enjoys gig rowing, and walking her dog on the beach. 

Jack joined Laurence Associates following five and a half years of professional experience working for the local authority. He has experience in dealing with a wide range of applications including residential, commercial and renewable development.

Jack has a First Class BSc(Hons) degree in Geography from the University of Plymouth and will be working towards his RTPI status.

In his free time Jack enjoys surfing, coastal walks and live music.

Jack joined LA in July 2023, having recently graduated with an MSc in Urban Planning (Green Infrastructure and Landscape Planning), from Newcastle University.

Jack has relocated to Cornwall, having grown up in, and briefly returned to Skegness after finishing his studies at Newcastle.

He has joined the RTPI as a Licentiate Member and hopes to become a chartered member upon completing two years of working in practice. Green Infrastructure is one particular area of planning which Jack is interested in.

In his free time, he enjoys reading, running, and walking.

Nancy is Jason’s Red Cockapoo and Laurence Associates’ office dog.

Nancy was still a puppy when she joined the team in 2015 (DOB 13.09.15). She visits the Truro office once a week, offering moral support and a warm welcome to clients and staff.

A specialist in cuddles and belly rubs, Nancy is incredibly good natured and loves everyone.

In her spare time, she enjoys long walks in the countryside, swimming, playing fetch with her ball, and rummaging through bins after lunchtime.