Hayfield Boosts Its Planning Team With The Appointment of Tamsin McSmith

Hayfield has appointed Tamsin McSmith to the role of Planner, enabling the five-star housebuilder to have a dedicated in-house resource to drive forward Subject to Planning deals and track progress with Local Plans.

Tamsin joins from independent planning consultancy Turley, where she worked as a Planner in the company’s Birmingham office. Prior to that she was a Graduate Planner for RPS Planning and Development. Tamsin became a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) in 2019.

Mark Gay, Planning Director for Hayfield said: “As we grow at pace, we need to bolster our in-house team to enable us to instigate many more residential development opportunities for both Hayfield and its sister company Terra Strategic, which has a UK-wide land portfolio with in excess of 10,000 plots. Tamsin joins us with invaluable experience gained at two leading planning and development consultancies, which ensures she can hit the ground running. She brings a new dimension to the team and we are thrilled to have her on board.” 

Tamsin McSmith obtained an RTPI Accredited Masters Degree in Urban Studies and Planning from the University of Sheffield. She is experienced at writing representations to Local Plans, drafting and managing planning applications and conducting land searches. Tamsin is a member of the West Midlands branches of both the Women in Planning Committee and the RTPI Young Planners Committee. Prior to commencing her career in Planning, she spent a year teaching English in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Tamsin McSmith, Planner for Hayfield said: “I am delighted to be working in-house for a housebuilder of Hayfield’s calibre, as I can work alongside colleagues to see through the entire development process. Our recently launched Green Revolution Pledge is a key factor in how new development opportunities are researched and considered, which is very refreshing to see. Driving down carbon emissions through proactive planning and design measures is a great way for Hayfield to stand out and make a difference.”

Solihull-headquartered Hayfield has live sites in Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Wiltshire and Buckinghamshire, where eco-friendly executive family homes are being constructed in prime semi-rural and edge of town settings. The expansion of the planning team is in line with Hayfield seeking to deliver a turnover of £100m during the current financial year, which will double the 2020 figure.

Hayfield’s growth has been fuelled by £85m of equity and debt funding, which has enabled the five-year old housebuilder to acquire a significant land bank. A £50m senior debt site acquisition facility, together with rolling development funding, is provided by OakNorth Bank plc. In addition, a prominent Dubai-based family office private investor – with over 30 years’ property development experience in the UK and internationally – has provided a £35m rolling equity facility.

Hayfield won Gold and Bronze accolades at the 2020 WhatHouse? Awards and has also received three Pride in the Job NHBC Awards.

For more information on Hayfield’s development portfolio, visit: https://www.hayfieldhomes.co.uk/