A Planning System for Net-Zero Seminar Speakers

Jennifer Ballantyne

Partner, Pinsent Masons LLP

Jennifer is a Partner in Pinsent Masons Property Group and heads up the Energy & Infrastructure focus within the UK Planning & Environment team. In relation to energy work, Jennifer advises landowners, developers and funders on the property, planning and environmental aspects of energy schemes across the UK.

David Bell

Director, David Bell Planning Ltd

David is a Chartered Town Planner and planning consultant with 30 years’ experience of planning and development practice. David established David Bell Planning Ltd (DBP) as a specialist renewable energy planning consultancy in June 2019.

David was previously Head of Planning for JLL in Scotland and held that role for almost 20 years. He has particular expertise in relation to energy planning and onshore wind development. He has advised on some of the UK’s largest renewable energy projects including the Viking, Dorenell, Rothes, South Kyle and Millennium Extension Wind Farms in Scotland, and Scout Moor in England. David has advised on feasibility studies and planning applications covering onshore wind energy, biomass, solar and transmission infrastructure. David is recognised as a leading planning consultant on renewable energy development and frequently acts in the capacity of expert planning witness at Public Local Inquiries and in Appeals throughout the UK.

Stephanie Conesa

Policy Manager, Scottish Renewables

Stephanie is a policy manager at Scottish Renewables, focussing on large scale renewable energy generation. She leads the organisation’s planning and consents work, working toward securing the optimum planning framework for the growth of onshore and offshore renewables at the national, regional and local level in Scotland.

As part of her role, Stephanie has regular engagement with key decision makers and represents the industry across a range of government and agency groups on members’ behalf.

Prior to joining Scottish Renewables Stephanie worked for a renewable energy developer, managing the organisation’s policy positions as well as leading its licensing and consenting process.

Mary Fisher

Associate Director – Landscape & EIA, Stephenson Halliday

Mary has over 19 years’ experience including key leadership roles. She has co-authored IEMA guidance relating to the integration of design and EIA, and Landscape Institute guidance on the use of visualisations and contributed to guidance regarding residential visual amenity assessment.

Mary specialises in providing landscape and visual impact assessments and is an experienced expert witness, having provided support to Inquiry witnesses for more than 17 years and acted as an expert witness herself in relation to wind projects, residential development and solar farms.

Her LVIA work includes work across the UK on housing developments; solar farms; industrial and distribution sites; infrastructure projects; approximately 200 wind projects; and the Arcelor Mittal Orbit in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Highlights in the last year have included the Kype Muir Extension wind farm with turbines of up to 220m consented in September 2019; successfully supporting Northumberland County Council at a Land Tribunal; and supporting a number of wind and solar developers in bringing new sites forward for development. Her wind farm work has included consents for major wind farms at both application and appeal.

Morag Watson

Director of Policy, Scottish Renewables

Morag is Scottish Renewables’ Director of Policy. Her work involves overseeing Scottish Renewables’ policy function and key projects within Scotland’s leading renewables trade body, working on behalf of 250+ organisations to grow Scotland’s renewable energy sector and sustain its position at the forefront of the global clean energy industry.

Morag has worked in policy for over 15 year and was previously a Senior Policy Officer with WWF Scotland, specialising in climate change, sustainable development and behaviour change.

Dr Rebecca Windemer

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Cardiff University

Rebecca is a postdoctoral research fellow in environmental planning at Cardiff University. Her most recent research explored the use of time-limited planning consents for onshore wind and solar, specifically looking at how decisions are made regarding repowering, life-extension and decommissioning.

James Wright

Advanced Planner, South Lanarkshire Council

James has over 15 years experience in local authority planning working within Development Management and Development Plans. Currently responsible for managing all minerals, waste and energy planning applications for South Lanarkshire Council, as well as taking the lead on delivery of Minerals and Energy Policies and Supporting Planning Guidance within the Development Plan.