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Consultant Capita Symonds has expanded its planning team with three new appointments.

Richard Blyth has joined the team as associate director responsible for leading the planning policy team, Claire Megginson is the new principal town planning consultant and Jonathan Harris is planning consultant.

The firm hopes to strengthen its Local Development Frameworks and Planning Policy Advice offerings with the new appointments.

These are designed to support the development of local authority planning policy teams as they adapt to the challenges of the new planning system following the publication of the new PPS12 on Local Spatial Planning.

Blyth joins the firm from the Department for Communities and Local Government where he was policy lead for LDF. During his time there he played a central part in driving forward the national programme for the delivery of development plan documents in partnership with the planning advisory service and government Offices for the regions.

He was also responsible for the new PPS12 dealing with Local Spatial Planning which set out the role for LDFs within wider local government. This review marked a significant shift away from an emphasis on detailed processes towards a focus on outcomes - making plans justifiable and deliverable.

Paul Nichols, director of planning, said: 鈥淩ichard is a successful leader of planning teams and has gained valuable insight into the development of new planning policy at central government level.鈥�

He said Blyth鈥檚 appointment was crucial in enabling the planning team to widen its offering, particularly within spatial planning.

Megginson joins Capita from the Government Office for the north east where she was responsible for a broad range of planning work including the regional spatial strategy, local development frameworks and planning casework on large applications.

Harris will be responsible for the preparation, submission and management of various client planning applications.

He joins the company from Penwith District Council in Cornwall and has a range of experience across both the public and private sector, including the handing of planning applications on residential and commercial schemes, development management, policy advice and planning appeal processes.