Proudly independent
planning consultants
AshtonHale is a specialist planning consultancy whose aim is to use its considerable expertise and experience and apply it with the nimbleness of an independent practice.
AshtonHale has developed a reputation, and won awards for advising on and securing planning permissions for major complex planning projects across the North West and the country.
Free of bureaucratic entanglements or unnecessary baggage, at AshtonHale we pursue an ethos of pure planning advice for full development potential, creating the best possible outcomes for our clients and the places in which they build.
What does this mean for our clients?
Genuine approachability and honest, insightful and dependable planning advice delivered with clarity and intelligence.
Whether this advice supports smaller developers and housebuilders or large-scale commercial projects, the thinking behind it is the same: to provide the very best service and maximise a development’s potential. By doing this, we believe we can help create better places.
Meet the team
Co-founder, Director
Richard Barton
Richard co-founded AshtonHale in 2023 having previously been a Director at Avison Young,
previously HOW Planning. Richard specialises in advising on major residential, commercial and
mixed-use schemes across the UK, including initial promotion of land through the plan-making
process, giving evidence at local plan examinations and appeals.
richard.barton@ashtonhale.co.uk
Co-founder, Director
Neil Lucas
Neil co-founded AshtonHale in 2023 having previously held Director-level positions at Avison Young, HOW Planning and DP9. Neil specialises in advising on complex brownfield developments in the North West and nationally, including tall buildings and some of the largest regeneration projects in the country. These include residential, commercial, logistics, town centre regeneration, and sporting developments.
neil.lucas@ashtonhale.co.uk
Associate Director
Louisa Fielden
Louisa joined AshtonHale as an Associate Director in 2024 having worked with Richard and Neil over the previous ten years at HOW Planning and then Avison Young. Louisa has significant experience in leading large-scale projects across a range of sectors including residential, commercial and mixed- use from inception to planning approval in addition to strategic land promotion.
louisa.fielden@ashtonhale.co.uk
Associate
Imogen Zulver
Imogen joined AshtonHale as an Associate in 2026, bringing eight years’ consultancy experience with Lichfields. She has a proven track record in delivering high-profile, strategically significant residential, mixed-use and healthcare developments across the North-West. She was formally commended for professional excellence at the RTPI North West Awards 2024 in the Young Planner of the Year category.
imogen.zulver@ashtonhale.co.uk
Senior Planner
Rebecca Boston
Rebecca has been with AshtonHale since 2025 and is a Senior Planner. She has advised on a wide
range of development projects across the North West and London, from initial feasibility and site
promotion through to planning applications, appeals and delivery. Drawing on experience working with both Local Planning Authorities and the private sector, Rebecca provides balanced, commercially focused planning advice across a range of sectors, including residential, energy, sport, commercial, mixed-use and regeneration developments.
rebecca.boston@ashtonhale.co.uk
Planner
Cait O’Dowd
Cait is a Planner at AshtonHale, having joined the team in 2024 . As Chartered Town Planner, she
has worked on a variety of residential and commercial developments across the UK. Cait supports
clients through all stages of the planning process, from early strategy through to determination.
cait.odowd@ashtonhale.co.uk