Our recent 20th birthday celebrations helped us to reflect on how far we’ve come as a business. With seven different areas of expertise under our belt and 14 offices the length and breadth of the country, we’ve changed to become almost unrecognisable from when we first set up shop in 2003.

We may be known as planners, but we’re so much more than that. So, we’ve decided to highlight some of our lesser-known – but equally important – teams.

This month, it’s our economics team.

How Can Our Economics Team Help You?

We use our skills in research analysis and communication to craft clear and concise evidence-based reports that show the potential behind your projects.

Our analytical and data-driven approach helps inform your development decisions, guiding your project towards success. We know how to handle, decipher and present data and can help find the evidence you need to support your case.

Building Data-Driven Stories

We focus on finding out and understanding the real facts behind a story. Then we make sure we can explain the trends and impacts in an engaging way.

Stantsy Chain Road, Wrexham

We supported a planning application for 455 new homes in Wrexham by calculating and quantifying the economic impact of the proposed development. As well as preparing a thorough report, we used infographics to tell the story clearly.

Kempston Street, Liverpool

Artistic impression of proposal for 70 flats at Kempston Street, Liverpool. Credit: Studio RBA

We prepared an Employment and Skills Strategy as part of the major planning application submitted by Pegasus Group. This demonstrated that the strategy committed to by the applicant would maximise social benefits, helping more local people access quality jobs.

The strategy was a direct response to the Council’s recent requirement to evidence social value arising from development schemes, particularly in the area of employment and skills. With our knowledge and experience we prepared a solid submission, involving close consultation with the Council and partners, and our exemplar Employment and Skills Strategy helped achieve unanimous approval at committee.

Create Yorkshire

This exciting media project is home to Yorkshire’s largest film studio, and the latest phase of development needed a strong economics case putting forward. We focused on quantifying the economic importance of the digital sector to the district, region and UK as a whole, as well as calculating the contribution the scheme would make to the Exchequer, plus the impact on tourism and the skills agenda.

Stockwell Gateway Regeneration, Mansfield

We worked closely with our planning and heritage colleagues to prepare a robust case for this major regeneration scheme.

Our headline figures helped decision makers to understand and quantify the economic benefits of the scheme, as they weighed up whether to support the proposal.

Key headline facts included a £12million injection into the town centre, 140 full-time equivalent jobs and a £41million GVA contribution over 10 years.

Robust and Expert Evidence

We blend a strong commercial understanding with an in-depth knowledge across the built environment sectors (including visitor economy, renewables, housing, logistics, industrial, prisons and town centres).

Working closely with our planning colleagues, we know that no two projects are the same. So, we offer you a bespoke and flexible service which responds to what you need, whatever stage your project is in the development cycle.

We’re confident in our knowledge, capabilities and experience across a range of expert assessment, and you can rely on our evidence to be robust enough to withstand scrutiny at a Public Inquiry.

Harborough Prison, Ministry of Justice

We provided detailed socio-economic analysis for a new category C prison in Buckinghamshire, which included temporary and permanent job creation, economic contribution and employee spend.

Our analysis also considered the extent to which jobs will be taken by local residents and looked at how the build phase will benefit local businesses by providing them with procurement opportunities. When allowing the appeal in January 2024, the Secretary of State agreed with the Inspector that “the proposal would provide significant economic benefits in terms of job creation and spend within the local area and agrees that this carries significant weight.”

Wide Ranging Socio-Economic Advisors

We can help build the case for your development proposal in any of the following ways:

  • Economic Impact Assessment
  • Socio-economic analysis and EIA chapters
  • Demographic intelligence
  • Assessing the demand for Older Persons’ Accommodation
  • Assessment For Student Accommodation
  • Education Needs / Capacity Assessment
  • Healthcare Needs Assessment
  • Hotel Needs Assessments
  • Community infrastructure audit and analysis
  • Health Impact Assessments
  • Equality impact assessment
  • Retail Impact and Sequential Assessment
  • Employment and Skills Strategies
  • Five Year Housing Land Supply / Housing Delivery Test
  • Input to vision/framework documents
  • Crime impact statements

So whatever additional evidence the planning strategy requires, our economics team has the capabilities to support you from every angle.

Kirklees Cultural Heart, Huddersfield

For this flagship regeneration project, we supported the planning submission by preparing a Socio-Economic and Health chapter as part of the wider Environmental Statement, a Health Impact Assessment and an Economics Benefits Statement with infographic. These key documents helped reinforce the key messages set out in the planning case that the project would have major beneficial impacts for the wider community.

The scheme is a shining example of how collaboration between the public and private sector can achieve big things.

Image credit: Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios

You can find out more about the different services we offer here.

Who’s Who?

Our team is growing fast: from a team of three in 2021, just 24 months later we are now seven strong after our most recent recruit, graduate analyst Lucy, joined in autumn 2023.

The team is headed up by Senior Directors Richard Cook in our Manchester office, and Neil Tiley in our Cirencester office.

The pair are supported by Associate, Laura Day, and our brilliant team of Researchers and Analysts; Niamh Ruane, Cameron Davis, Angus Hannah and Lucy Shiels.

Where Do We Work?

Nationally. We may be based out of two offices but our remit covers all geographical regions and project-types. We’re experienced in a huge range of sectors, including residential and commercial property, logistics, leisure and tourism, renewable energy, and even prisons.

Here’s What People Think of Us

I use Pegasus’s economics team because they have the right knowledge and get the job done. But more importantly, they’re great to work with. I know they will always deliver on time, can adapt to changing circumstances and are always proactive and positive. Andrew Johnston, Made It Together

 

I regard the economics service at Pegasus Group to be excellent. Neil Tiley is always incredibly prepared and provides excellent value for clients in addressing 5-year housing land supply, education need, contesting s.106 agreement contributions. I am always impressed by how simple Neil can turn what are ostensibly complicated issues into digestible points for a decision maker to absorb. Moreover, I cannot commend more his desire to go above and beyond to provide a top-quality service in every job. Killian Garvey, barrister at Kings Chambers

 

The economics team at Pegasus has helped Robert Hitchins with multiple projects over the years and has always provided a highly professional and very effective service. Phil Hardwick, Robert Hitchins

 

The economics team at Pegasus provides high-quality advice and presents complicated economics in a succinct manner that everyone can understand.

The quality of their reports and infographics are amongst the best in the industry. The team is always on hand to answer and respond to any queries in a diligent and professional manner. Thomas Relph, Russell LDP