DHA have market leading experience in creating new communities. This is evident in the scale and success of the projects worked on across the country.
As well as securing planning permission for many large residential led schemes, DHA are also promoting a number of new garden communities. These tend to include all areas of the business but especially the planning, transport, EIA, flood risk, drainage, land, viability and infrastructure teams.
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Place making and infrastructure are key elements of this work alongside the community engagement and effective stakeholder liaison.
DHA can offer a strong team to support all development elements of creating new communities.
Case studies in this sector
Appeal allowed for 700 homes on the outskirts of Eastbourne.
Three replacement energy-efficient apartment buildings for the Aintree Estate in Hammersmith.
Bellway Homes granted permission to develop 220 new homes.
First phase of a new 1,400 home community secured for Westwood Village One.
Four industrial units and a drive-thru Costa Coffee shop for Maidstone business park.
New homes and community facilities for Sutton Valence.
People who work in this area
Alex has worked at DHA for over 15 years and became Managing Director in 2016. As well as the day to day running of the business, Alex remains passionate about planning and development and enjoys getting out and about meeting clients and discussing the various options how DHA can maximise the value of their land.
Alice is a Planner at DHA and has worked on a variety of different projects during her time at DHA.
Alice joined DHA as a Graduate Transport Planner in September 2025.
Cameron joined DHA in January 2024 as a graduate planner whilst completing his Masters in Town and Country Planning at London South Bank University.
Carleigh, Associate Director, leads the DHA Design team.
Chris is a Director at DHA running one of our residential teams, he is particularly passionate about creating new communities and ensuring developments meet the needs of the local demographic.
Before establishing David Hicken Associates in 1986, David had ten years' experience in Local Government, including posts with a District Council, a Metropolitan Borough Council, Maidstone Borough Council and finally as Chief Planning Officer with Harlow District Council in Essex.
Emily joined DHA in 2014, having previously been employed at Kent County Council in planning policy and highway roles and having gained a number of years' experience in architectural employment.
Emily undertook a yearlong Placement at DHA from September 2023 to September 2024 as part of her BSc in Urban Planning. Having now completed her undergraduate at Loughborough University, she has now returned to DHA full time as of September 2025.
Hannah joined DHA's Gatwick team as an Associate Director in 2024 from Iceni in London.
Holly is a Senior Transport Planner in our London team.
Jack originally joined DHA Planning in 2021 after graduating from UCL with an MSc in Spatial Planning and is working towards becoming a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute. He started out by working with Jonathan Buckwell and Mark Bewsey in the Gatwick Office assisting on applications and providing advice to a range of clients with land and development interests in Sussex and Surrey.
John joined DHA in 2001 having gained experience with a Chartered Surveying Practice in Central London and then having spent some 12 years in Local Government. His Local Government experience involved a City Council, Borough Council and working as a Development Control Manager at a Unitary Council. He has a BA (hons) degree in Town and Country Planning and an MBA, and has been a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute since 1988.
Lizzie joined DHA in early 2025 as an Associate in the Gatwick Office, bringing with her seven years of experience in the private sector with some public sector experience during her time as a student.
Lucy joined DHA in 2021 and has nearly 20 years of experience providing planning advice and support on major projects throughout Kent and the south east.
Mark is a Planning Director within the DHA's Gatwick office and regularly leads the promotion of major schemes through the planning system.
Martha joined DHA in September 2025 for her placement year, as part of her undergraduate Geography Degree (BSc) at Loughborough University.
Noora joined DHA in May 2025 after graduating from the University of Manchester with a Masters Degree in Environmental Governance.
Olivia joined DHA in July 2025 as a Transport Planner, bringing with her three years' of transport planning experience across a diverse range of projects. She earned a First Class BSc in Geography from UCL in 2021.
Paddy is a Chartered Surveyor and Registered Valuer with over 15 years’ experience carrying out Valuations, Development Appraisals and Viability.
Rebecca is an Associate at DHA and works from both our Maidstone and London offices.
Sophie joined DHA as a Graduate Planner in May 2025 after working as a Transport Planner in Exeter for the previous 2.5 years. She graduated from the University of Exeter in 2022 with a BSc Geography degree.
Sectors you may be interested in
DHA have a long track record of work within the leisure sector, having secured consent for projects including ice rinks, football stadia and training complexes, sport pavilions, equestrian training centres and countless leisure centres. Each project comes with its own unique set of circumstances and design needs and DHA are adept at responding to these, working collaboratively with the design team to identify and mitigate any planning risks whilst promoting the many benefits such projects deliver.
DHA's experience in mixed use schemes is wide and varied in both scheme types and location.
DHA are a leading practice in the residential sector, working with individuals on their dream houses through to thousands of new homes in Garden Settlements.
With an ever-increasing need for specialist accommodation for older people, DHA have expertise across the field to assist in the delivery of retirement and care-related schemes.
Services we work in
At DHA, we strive to make the process of obtaining planning permission as clear and honest as possible.
DHA's Transport and Infrastructure Team specialise in creating robust and cost-effective transport planning solutions to optimise development projects of all sizes.
DHA's Design team combines a wide range of design skills to offer the high level of experience and knowledge necessary to deliver viable, well designed, imaginative schemes which satisfy the needs of the client as well as the community.
Site promotion is vital to identify land for future developments and to meet the needs of future generations.
DHA’s viability team provides specialist advice to public and private sector clients on development viability. This includes advising on the initial feasibility stages, through the application and late-stage review mechanisms, Section 106 agreements and CIL contributions on a range of schemes.
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