Planning for an ambitious future

Following the coming together of WSP and Indigo, the widely recognised Indigo brand has been initially retained.  WSP and WSP Indigo teams in Manchester and Birmingham have already integrated, and in London, around 25 WSP colleagues have moved to work in WSP Indigo’s office in the City, while WSP Indigo and WSP teams in Leeds will co-locate in the future. This structure has ensured a continuation of quality and personnel, whilst maintaining familiarity and trust for clients.

The combined team will focus on expanding both the type of work it does and the locations in which it works, building on the broad base created by the two firms.

Phil Villars – one of the founding directors of Indigo, who now heads the town planning and environmental management side of the integrated business – explains:

“While Indigo worked primarily in the private sector, WSP was focussed more on the public sector and large infrastructure projects. We see growth across the UK and across sectors.”

WSP's planning business serves major:

• Developers and owners
• Investors
• Local government and housing associations
• National infrastructure promoters and owners.

The initial focus will be on expanding existing teams in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds. Beyond this, the business will examine where best to extend its reach beyond the 20 offices around the country where it already has a planning discipline presence.

Growing presence and influence relies on growing the pool of talent and there are plans to do this too, as the head of WSP’s planning discipline, Darren Oldham, explains:

“We have already recruited three new planners – at senior planner associate level – since the integration and will be growing the town planning team further during 2020.”


Positive outlook

While uncertainty looks set to continue for the UK economy in the year ahead, there are positives in the planning market, including the ongoing need for new homes. As local authorities look to develop their own land for regeneration it also creates opportunities at the interface between the public and private sectors – for which the combined expertise of WSP and Indigo is well placed.