Nick joined Paul Basham Associates in July 2022 as a Graduate Transport Planner after making a career change from hotel management. Based in Cambridge, but with local knowledge spread across Essex and Hertfordshire, Nick has been contributing to the Cambridge Team based out of Milton for coming up to four years.
What does your job involve?
As a Senior Transport Planner my role centres around providing expert advice for planning, from the preliminary feasibility of a scheme all the way to planning submission and beyond. While I am involved in a variety of projects at any one time, I also manage my own portfolio with direct and often daily contact with our clients, which usually includes individuals, developers, planners, and architects. The projects I work on span diverse sectors including small to large-scale residential, research and development, agricultural diversification, education, and more. With every new site presenting its own unique challenges and opportunities, and such a broad variety of clients and sectors, no two days are ever the same.
What do you enjoy most about the role?
I enjoy the variety this role offers, particularly the opportunity to take ownership of both the work and the client relationships we develop. Among the day-to-day tasks, I especially look forward to the more technical aspects, most notably when it's time to fire up AutoCAD. Most of our projects involve reviewing or producing detailed technical designs, which demand a high level of attention to detail, a strong understanding of both national and local policies and guidance, and a degree of creative thinking to develop effective site-specific solutions.
What challenges you each day?
Every project comes with its own unique requirements, and it's not uncommon to encounter new challenges that require careful thought and problem-solving skills. To address this, one of the strengths of Paul Basham Associates is the collaborative environment, as we work across regions and roles, making it easy to share knowledge and experience. This allows me to seek guidance and discuss complex issues with a diverse range of colleagues, and I know that this support has helped to progress my professional development.
What do you get up to in your free time?
In my spare time I surround myself with friends, family, and/or good food usually to celebrate an occasion. Recently I spend at lot of time playing at Cambridge Squash Club and outside of that participating in a variety of pub quizzes throughout the week. As like most people, I enjoy travelling and next on the destination list is most likely a city in Europe, but I can’t decide so would welcome any suggestions.