Meet the Team
At the Robert Doughty Consultancy, we are proud to employ enthusiastic and dedicated individuals. We are all passionate about what we do and every one of us is responsible for the continued success of the consultancy.
Lewis Smith
Town Planning Director
Lewis is a Chartered Town Planner and has extensive experience of a range of town and country planning matters with experience gained working for several Local Authorities.
Graham Prior
Principal Landscape Architect
Graham is our Principal Landscape Architect and is experienced in site appraisals, concept and feasibility studies, infrastructure works, landscape and visual impact assessments, detailed hard and soft landscape design and project management.
Michael Braithwaite
Chartered Town Planner
Michael brings a wealth of expertise in planning policy and local plan work to the practice and is heavily involved in promoting new housing development sites and organising public consultations for various projects.
John Sneddon
Chartered Town Planner
John is a Chartered Town Planner with extensive experience of the planning process.
Nick Gazda
Part II Architectural Assistant
We are pleased to welcome Nick Gazda back to the consultancy as an Architectural Assistant.
Will White
Architectural Visualiser
Will is a Design Technician, producing a variety of drawing and design work for the planning, landscape and architecture teams.
Jessica Gilbert
Architectural Technologist
Jessie is a motivated Architectural Technician with over 20 years of experience from initial concept, design and planning stages.
Mercedes Golding
Planning Assistant
Mercedes' responsibilities include the submission and administration of planning applications, planning appeals and overseeing the Practice’s engagement with the Development Plan process.
Sharon Brown
Planning Administrator
Sharon provides support for our planning team, administrating and collating planning submissions, as well as liaising with Local Authorities to monitor planning applications and maintain contact with Planning Officers.
Heather Cuzzocrea
Secretary to the Managing Director
Heather provides secretarial support to the Managing Director and his Team and is responsible for managing reception, dealing with telephone calls and greeting clients.
Meet Jennifer Killick
Accounts and Payroll Assistant
Jen is our Payroll and Accounts Assistant
Jen is our Payroll and Accounts Assistant. Having previously trained in Customer Service, Jen looks to further her training in accounting.
She previously worked in Early Years Education as a Quality Assurance Officer.
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Meet Jessica Gilbert
Architectural Technologist
Jessie is a motivated Architectural Technician with over 20 years of experience from initial concept, design and planning stages.
Jessie is a motivated Architectural Technician with over 20 years of experience from initial concept, design and planning stages. She also has a thorough knowledge of the Building Regulations and is experienced in working drawing stages through to completion of a project.
She has worked on a wide variety of projects from new build, extensions, renovations, barn conversions, and has carried out work in relation to listed buildings, schools, shops, agricultural development, industrial units, churches and changes of use.
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Meet Nick Gazda
Part II Architectural Assistant
We are pleased to welcome Nick Gazda back to the consultancy as an Architectural Assistant.
Nick is enrolled on the Graduate Diploma in Professional Practice and Management in Architecture at the University of Lincoln and works within the design team. He has worked in architectural practices locally, as well as in Norfolk and London and has experience of a broad range of project types in the residential and commercial sectors.
He completed his RIBA Part 1 studies at the University of Greenwich and graduated with a Bachelor of Architecture postgraduate degree and Master of Architecture postgraduate degree with distinction from the University of Lincoln. He has lectured at the University of Lincoln on art direction in film and at the International Seascape Conference in Skegness on the urban public realm and performative identity. Prior to his career in architecture Nick was a member of the Directors Guild of Canada and lived in Toronto working as a set designer and art director on feature films.
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Meet Sharon Brown
Planning Administrator
Sharon provides support for our planning team, administrating and collating planning submissions, as well as liaising with Local Authorities to monitor planning applications and maintain contact with Planning Officers.
She has worked in development for over 25 years, initially with Balfour Beatty Homes before setting up a family architectural business. She joined RDC in August 2020.
Outside of work Sharon enjoys watching motorsport, gardening and cycling. She has a keen interest in cars and over the years has owned a Citroen, Ford Pop, Ford Model A and currently has a Dodge Ram. She is a blood donor and keen advocate of the transplant services and Anthony Nolan.
Sharon supports Beaumont House, a local hospice, by baking cakes for various events. Her challenge for next year is to take part in some form of fundraising activity.
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Meet Paul Skepper
Principal Architect
Paul is our Principal Architect and leads our Design Office Team.
He is experienced in all aspects of the RIBA Plan of Work from concept feasibility studies through technical design to mobilisation of works on site.
A keen designer, Paul is equally adept with sketch feasibility design as technical resolution and has over the course of fourteen years been involved with residential, commercial, educational, leisure, conservation, industrial and ecclesiastical schemes throughout the East Midlands, Yorkshire and North East of England.
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Meet May Sands
Office Administrator
May provides administrative support to our team.
May Sands is our Office Administrator providing support to our team and undertaking specific projects such as archiving. She has considerable experience in administration providing assistance to her husband’s gardening business and having previously been an Office Manager for an Insurance Broker. She has also worked in the local Post Office.
01529 421646
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Meet Graham Prior
Principal Landscape Architect
Graham is our Principal Landscape Architect and is experienced in site appraisals, concept and feasibility studies, infrastructure works, landscape and visual impact assessments, detailed hard and soft landscape design and project management.
Graham holds a B.Sc. Honours Degree in Geography and landscape Studies, a Post Graduate Diploma in Landscape Architecture and is a Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute with over 25 years of experience in the private and public sectors including a recent appointment with Durham County Council prior to joining RDC.
Graham has worked for practices of varying sizes across the UK including the West Midlands, the West Country and the North East of England. He is experienced in all aspects of Landscape Architecture including concept and feasibility studies, infrastructure works, detailed planting design, hard landscaping, landscape and visual impact assessments, site appraisals, project management and landscape contract administration.
Projects have included urban renewal strategies in the Midlands, residential developments and city centre apartment complexes for nationwide housebuilders, large scale industrial, warehouse and distribution/production units, business and science park developments, retail parks and landmark building developments such as Millennium Point in Birmingham. Graham has also worked on road improvement and bridge replacement schemes in conjunction with The Highways Agency.
Working extensively with the architects Purcell and Historic England, Graham also worked on heritage related projects including Wentworth Woodhouse, Rotherham; The Avenue Castle Howard, York; Tatton Park, Cheshire; Sheffield General Cemetery, Sheffield and St James Garden, Liverpool Cathedral, Liverpool. Such work required the production of Landscape Risk Assessment, Statement of Significance and Landscape Advisory reports.
The Grade I Listed property and Grade II* Registered grounds at Wentworth Woodhouse allowed Graham to express his passion for historic landscapes and the opportunity to contribute to the formulation of a sustainable future for the asset through the fusion of heritage and modern development.
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Meet Mercedes Golding
Planning Assistant
Mercedes' responsibilities include the submission and administration of planning applications, planning appeals and overseeing the Practice’s engagement with the Development Plan process.
Mercedes joined RDC in 2004. Her responsibilities include the submission and administration of planning applications, planning appeals and overseeing the Practice’s engagement with the Development Plan process. She liaises closely with Local Planning Authorities and the Planning Inspectorate.
She also assists the Town Planning Director with his administration and Town Planners with the efficient working of the organisation.
While at RDC, she has attained Associate Membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
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Meet Will White
Architectural Visualiser
Will is a Design Technician, producing a variety of drawing and design work for the planning, landscape and architecture teams.
This includes residential masterplans and consultation material, leisure park layouts and coloured street scenes. He has been involved in a range of landscape work, including the preparation of graphical information for Landscape Visual Impact Assessments (LVIA) and design details for Rutland’s first glamping dome retreat.
Will is developing his skills as the Graphic Visualizer at RDC producing high quality images of architectural projects.
Will studied Product Design at University, where he focused on 3D visualisation and high quality rendering – skills he is able to develop and employ on architectural projects.
Will has a lifelong interest in the outdoors having lived on a local farm all his life. He is passionate about wildlife and animal welfare (especially cats!) and is keen to travel abroad at every opportunity.
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Meet Michael Braithwaite
Chartered Town Planner
Michael brings a wealth of expertise in planning policy and local plan work to the practice and is heavily involved in promoting new housing development sites and organising public consultations for various projects.
Michael spent 10 years at Leeds City Council before coming to Lincolnshire in 2001 to work for the Environment Agency followed by 6 years working at North Kesteven District Council to see the Local Plan through to adoption. Before he joined our practice, Michael was the Head of Central Lincolnshire Joint Planning Unit.
Michael takes an active role in the promotion of the planning profession and is currently on the Regional Management Board for the Royal Town Planning Institute in the East Midlands.
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Meet Liz Curley
Company Secretary
Liz is Company Secretary and oversees Human Resources and Accounts.
Liz joined the Consultancy in 2005 as Company Secretary and oversees Human Resources and Accounts. Whilst here, she has achieved a Masters in Business Administration and is a key member of the Consultancy’s Management Team.
She previously worked in Human Recourses for a large soft furnishings company as a trainer and auditor.
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Meet Lewis Smith
Town Planning Director
Lewis is a Chartered Town Planner and has extensive experience of a range of town and country planning matters with experience gained working for several Local Authorities.
Lewis joined the consultancy in 2002, and has been involved in a range of different planning projects including obtaining planning permission for residential proposals, listed building/conservation projects, tourism/recreation schemes/renewable energy projects and many commercial schemes. He negotiates 106 contributions, undertakes appeals, is involved in rural diversification issues and acts as an expert witness at Inquiries.
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Meet John Sneddon
Chartered Town Planner
John is a Chartered Town Planner with extensive experience of the planning process.
He prepares and submits detailed and straightforward planning proposals for clients, prepares planning appeals, appears at local planning committees, negotiates with planning authorities, advises clients and researches a range of project.
John has over forty years of post-qualification experience at all levels of Local Government, followed by a three year spell with RDC and then six years with a solicitors as in-house planning consultant, before returning to RDC as a Town Planner in 2013.
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Meet Heather Cuzzocrea
Secretary to the Managing Director
Heather provides secretarial support to the Managing Director and his Team and is responsible for managing reception, dealing with telephone calls and greeting clients.
Her responsibilities include managing the office diary, maintaining client and project records.
Heather was a member of the Royal Air Force before leaving to start a family. She then worked as a front office manager for a large chain of hotels, returning to the Royal Air Force as a Civil Servant, before leaving to join the Robert Doughty Consultancy in 2006.
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Meet Robbie Doughty
Managing Director
Robbie is Managing Director and a Chartered Town Planner.
He manages a multi-disciplinary team of town planners and landscape architects as well as an architectural design team and ensures the company is up to date with national and local legislation and practices.
Projects completed include detailed planning proposals for both public and private sector organizations; preparation and submission of planning appeals; appearance as expert witness at Public Inquiry; appearance at Local Plan examinations; planning research for a wide variety of projects and negotiation with planning authorities.
Robbie has presented seminars and presentations on the Town Planning system to local land agents, local ecologists and also to the School of Urban Planning and Public Affairs at the University of Louisville, Kentucky, USA.
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