SME News Managing Director of the Year 2025 / 20 Architecture MD of the Year 2025: Grant Singlehurst-Ward Nestled in the heart of London, Planning By Design is an architectural design and planning consultancy serving the whole of the UK and Ireland. Led by MD Grant Singlehurst-Ward, the team here know the UK planning system inside out, leveraging their past experiences across the likes of council positions to work effectively with local planning authorities and deliver a five-star service at an unbeatable price. Recognised with an award in this programme, we caught up with Grant for more on one of the UK’s best architecture and planning consultancy firms. Whilst it may only be in its fourth year of operation, Planning By Design already boasts one of the largest portfolios in the industry today. Having secured more than 800 planning approvals and lined up over 900 more, the firm delivers its impact-driven services to clients from owners of commercial and residential properties through to developers and even fellow architects in search of nothing but the very best the industry has to offer. As for these services, Planning By Design’s comprehensive approach sees it excel across architectural design, planning permission, pre-planning advice, building regulations, and structural engineering, making the firm the partner of choice for so many. This is seen through the more than 200 five-star reviews it boasts across Google and Facebook, as well as a series of video testimonials from some of the firm’s many happy clients. Ensuring this reputation is preserved is something that gladly falls to Grant SinglehurtWard, Planning By Design’s MD. Grant explained how this starts with the people behind the firm, making recruitment one of the most important aspects of his role. Since Planning By Design is unrivalled when it comes to rates of pay and flexible working options, it is no surprise that any job openings are greeted with an overwhelming amount of applications. Thus, Grant has the opportunity to pursue perfection across the firm’s robust hiring process. Once an individual is hired, they are welcomed into an environment of self-sufficiency and mutual respect, where the goals are simply to make as much money as possible and deliver a standard of service worthy of Planning By Design’s prestigious reputation. The culture that arises as a result lends itself to team holidays in Budapest through to a weekend skiing in Bankso. Everyone may be friends, but this does not mean that Grant will not exercise his power as the boss on the rare occasion of an issue or underperformance. Perfection is something Grant has aspired towards from a young age, dating back to his days selling windows and then finance/ insurance shortly after leaving school. Grant’s first taste of leadership would come a few years later, starting when he took a job selling fax to email for a company that acted as a reseller for a US-based firm. Grant was 21 when the company’s then director bailed, leaving him to pick up the pieces of a business that could not even pay people’s wages at the end of that month. It was sink or swim for Grant. Recounting his experience, Grant told us: “I was thrown straight into the deep end and had to learn everything about running a business, from management to planning, marketing, accounts etc. I saved it, the staff all got paid (about eight of us at that time), and I even grew the company over the next four years.” Grant would then go on to establish his own business – a global B2B marketplace called The Reseller Network – and take on a role at a planning and design consultancy before founding Planning By Design in 2021. Starting with just three staff and £2000, the firm was an instant success – and has today grown to encompass a team of over 30 staff with an annual turnover of more than £1.4M.” Expansion has proven incredibly diverse, and Planning By Design is today made up of people from all backgrounds and of all races, religions, and ages. Many members of the team are – like Grant, who has ADHD – neurodiverse, and they are supported through a values-driven firm that remains just as committed to its people as it does to its clients. Ultimately, the sky is the limit for Grant Singlehurst-Ward and Planning By Design, which are working on some exciting projects including government contracts and doubling down on AI innovations (they already have an advanced AI sales chatbot that can answer questions concerning projects and generate invoices) as we move through the rest of the year and beyond. Although these projects must be kept under wraps for the sake of competition, it is safe to say that what is still to come is both exciting and significant. For more on the services provided by this leading UK architecture and planning consultancy firm, or to access its expert planning advice, simply follow the link below. Contact: Grant Singlehurst-Ward Company: Planning By Design Web Address: https://planning-by-design.co.uk/ AIS-Jul25199
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