Alex McCombie

Alex is a chartered town planner with 10 years’ experience in Planning gained in a variety of private and public sector roles.

In his most recent planning consultancy role prior to joining DWD Alex was the Project Lead on a number of Solar and Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) applications, progressing several of these schemes through to successful determination.

He has worked with a number of energy developer clients to provide end to end planning services. This covered initial site appraisals and EIA Screening requests to identify sites with development potential, followed by subsequent agreement of fees and a scope of work to progress sites through pre- application and planning applications stages.

The role as a lead on these projects also included the management of technical consultants to ensure technical reports were prepared in a timely and efficient manner to meet Client expectations, to support both pre application and applications submissions. Alex also has extensive experience of post determination work including the agreement of Section 106 agreements, discharge of conditions work and variation applications.

In regard to Solar and BESS development Alex has led the planning on a number of projects in England and Scotland for Balance Power, Clearstone, Zenobe, Anglo Renewables and Endurance Energy.

Alex also has further Client-side project experience in the mixed use, commercial residential, care home and sport facilities sectors. Beyond site appraisal, pre application, planning application and post determination stages his experience also covers the preparation of planning appeals for Clients. He has managed several appeals through to a point where the Council’s original refusal has been overturned and the appeal allowed.

Prior to working Client side, Alex worked for Islington and Hammersmith & Fulham Councils and the Planning Inspectorate. He subsequently has a good understanding of Council procedures and processes and the often-political nature of Council & Planning Inspectorate decision making to ensure tailored planning strategies that provide the most efficient route to successful determination of planning applications and appeals.