Eclipse House,
Kent
The HQ of DHA, we have teams that operate in all specialisms in the Kent office servicing some of our longest standing clients as well as new business in the South of England.
Kent Offering
Since moving into Eclipse House in 2006 with a team of around 20, we've grown to 65 staff strong at our Maidstone headquarters — home to all six of DHA's specialist disciplines under one roof.
Bringing our teams together in one place means collaboration happens naturally. Ideas move between disciplines, learnings get shared, and our people benefit from working alongside colleagues who bring different expertise to the table.
Just off Junction 7 of the M20, Eclipse House puts us within easy reach of clients across Kent and the wider South East. It's also where our wider team gathers for training days and celebrations, keeping DHA connected as we grow which remains as important to us as it was 40 years ago.
Our Kent team has worked in the majority of South East local authorities, building relationships and a detailed understanding of local planning systems along the way. That knowledge translates directly into better outcomes for our clients.
Kent Team Leads
Alex has worked at DHA for more than 15 years and became Managing Director in 2016. Alongside overseeing the day-to-day running of the business, he remains passionate about planning and development.
Alex Hicken MRICS
Managing Director
Alex has worked at DHA for more than 15 years and became Managing Director in 2016. Alongside overseeing the day-to-day running of the business, he remains passionate about planning and development. He enjoys meeting clients, exploring opportunities, and advising on how DHA can help maximise the value of their land.
Alex began his career training as a Chartered Surveyor at BNP Paribas within their Development Consulting team, working on a variety of major housing, commercial and public-sector schemes. He joined DHA in 2010 and was promoted to Managing Director six years later.
He works across a broad range of residential and commercial projects, with key expertise in development viability, enabling development, asset optimisation, and strategic land.
Outside of work, Alex coaches a local junior rugby team.
Danielle is a Director and leads our Viability team as well as running a large caseload of planning projects.
Danielle Lawrence MRICS
Director
Danielle joined DHA in 2014 with a BSc in Real Estate from the University of Reading, having gained relevant planning & development experience through a series of placements in both the public and private sector. She qualified as a Chartered Surveyor of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors in 2016 and has since focused on developing her career in planning and development.
During Danielle’s time at DHA, she has been involved on a number of developments including the construction of a performing arts centre and boarding house at an independent school, the restoration and extension of the Grade II* listed Leas Lift in Folkestone, care homes and student accommodation schemes.
Danielle also works closely with a number of housebuilders to deliver large scale residential-led developments across the South East.
Alongside planning, Danielle leads our viability team who specialise in providing advice on affordable housing and planning obligations. This includes advising clients on the viability of development schemes, preparing application stage Financial Viability Assessments at the and leading negotiations with local planning authorities on a range of residential and mixed-use schemes.
David is a Director at DHA and leads a planning team working on a range of projects. He has a particular interest in residential projects, local plans and using his extensive knowledge and experience on all matters relating to the Green Belt and AONB.
David Bedford MRTPI
Director
David has worked in the planning industry for 20 years in a mix of local authority and private consultancy roles. He has an Undergraduate degree in Urban and Environmental Planning and a Post Graduate Diploma and Master's degree in Town Planning. David's areas of expertise include Green Belt/AONB development and Local Plan promotion.
Some of his recent projects include:
- Securing consents for 45 homes at Copper's Lane, Matfield (AONB)
- Securing residential consent at Salts Farm Fawkham at appeal (Green Belt very special circumstances)
- Securing consent for the major commercial redevelopment of Preston Farm, Shoreham (Green Belt and AONB)
In addition David, with the support of Emma Hawkes, leads DHA's in house Graduate Training Programme to ensure our graduates are trained to the highest standards.
David is a Director at DHA, and works on a number of high profile, large scale projects. David joined DHA as a graduate planner in 2007 having spent two years in the planning policy department at Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council. David has gained nearly 20 years of knowledge and expertise at DHA and has cemented his reputation in the Planning and NSIP industry.
David Harvey MRTPI PISEP
Director
David has worked on numerous industrial, commercial and energy projects as well as on large scale agricultural schemes and healthcare projects. He also regularly works on various scales of residential projects and mixed use schemes.
David has secured consent for three Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, comprising two gas fired Combined Heat and Power plants and an upgrade to an Energy from Waste facility. He has been heavily involved during his time at DHA in work on large manufacturing projects including a new paper mill in Kings Lynn and has secured consent for industrial and agricultural anaerobic digesters. David has secured planning permission for the NHS for student accommodation at the Tunbridge Wells Hospital for the training of new doctors and for an orthopaedic surgery barn theatre facility at the Maidstone Hospital.
Waste to Energy Facility - DHA Planning
Free Range Egg Facilities - DHA Planning
Pembury Hospital Accommodation - DHA Planning
DS Smith Projects - DHA Planning
Mathew joined DHA as one of our original graduate intake in 2004. He has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Westminster, having previously studied Geography at the University of Birmingham.
Matthew Blythin MRTPI
Director
In his time at DHA, Matthew has worked on a wide variety of projects across all sectors including large scale estate regenerations, rural housing, Local Authority infrastructure projects and industrial schemes. He has also appeared as expert planning witness on behalf of clients at Public Inquiries.
Although working across all sectors and with a wide range of experience in his time at DHA, Matthew leads our education teams in our Maidstone and Leeds offices, and has overseen many applications which have secured permission for new schools and replacement school buildings across the country. He also has particular experience working with contractor and local authority clients on leisure and infrastructure projects, including new leisure centres and multi-storey car parks.
Matt is a keen cricketer and in to all things sport, including coaching the DHA-sponsored Roseacre Raiders!
Matthew specialises in rural planning and has extensive experience in barn conversions, agricultural development, rural business growth and farm diversification projects. He is also DHA’s lead specialist on permitted development rights and point of contact on MOD projects.
Matthew Garvey MRTPI
Director
Matthew joined DHA in 2012 as a Graduate Planner, having previously worked at Kent County Council. He holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Degree in Geography and completed an MSc in Town Planning at the University of Brighton in 2014.
Over the course of his career at DHA, Matthew has progressed through the business, culminating in his promotion to Director in June 2026.
With more than a decade of experience in planning consultancy, Matthew advises a diverse client base ranging from major developers, contractors and landed estates to farmers, businesses and private landowners. He has successfully managed a broad spectrum of planning projects and is recognised for providing clear, commercially focused advice that helps clients navigate complex planning issues.
While his work spans multiple sectors, Matthew specialises in rural planning and has extensive experience in barn conversions, agricultural development, rural business growth and farm diversification projects. He is also DHA’s lead specialist on permitted development rights and point of contact on MOD projects. He ensures clients benefit from the latest legislative changes and opportunities.
His practical approach, detailed knowledge of planning policy and commitment to delivering results make him a trusted adviser to clients across the South East and beyond.
Matthew leads some of the practice's biggest projects, predominantly involving large scale residential development.
Matthew Woodhead MRTPI
Director
Matthew is one of DHA’s most experienced planners, with over 28 years’ experience across both the public and private sectors. He is dual-qualified in Planning and Urban Design, bringing a broad perspective to complex development projects.
Matthew leads some of the practice's biggest projects, predominantly involving large-scale residential development. This ranges from the promotion of land for landowners through to working with housebuilders and developers on major housing, mixed-use and regeneration projects.
He has secured permissions for clients for developments comprising many thousands of homes, while also bringing extensive experience in more bespoke projects, including one-off houses in the countryside.
Paul joined DHA in 2014 having previously worked for Kent County Council and the Department for Transport in the fields of development planning, transport policy, capital projects and public transport. Paul leads our Maidstone-based Transport Team and our public sector transport planning work.
Paul Lulham FCILT
Director
He provides advice to a range of clients throughout the UK to support the preparation of planning applications, Local Plans, transport strategies and the negotiation of developer contributions for transport infrastructure and services. He is also an experienced expert witness, having appeared at numerous Public Inquiries, Appeal Hearings and Local Plan Examinations.
Some of Paul's projects include:
- Millwall Football Club Training Ground and Academy, West Kingsdown;
- South East Maidstone Urban Expansion;
- Kent Medical Campus, Maidstone;
- Mole Valley Local Plan Transport Assessment;
- Hartopp and Lannoy Point estate regeneration, Hammersmith and Fulham;
- Chatham Waterfront and Mountbatten House, Chatham;
- Ledian Gardens Integrated Retirement Community, Maidstone;
- School of Science and Technology, Maidstone;
- Abbey Farm Primary School, Swindon.
