Sarah Gibson

As Director of Landscape Planning, Sarah leads the practice's environmental planning sector across the three services of town and landscape impact assessment, development planning, and environmental impact assessments.

As well as producing landscape and visual impact assessments for proposed developments, including major infrastructure projects, Sarah is very experienced in assessing the sensitivity and capacity of landscapes to accommodate new development. She was a member of the working group providing advice to Natural England on the preparation of their 2019 guidelines, An approach to landscape sensitivity assessment – to inform spatial planning and land management. and is also on the working group for similar guidance being prepared by Natural Resources Wales.

Sarah’s excellent analytical, organisation and communication skills ensure that complex projects are undertaken in a robust and systematic way, guaranteeing they meet key targets in regards to budget and programme. Whatever the size, scale, or type of project, Sarah aspires to find the most appropriate and sustainable solution - seeking to maximise beneficial environmental effects whilst ameliorating or avoiding adverse effects. The quality of her work has been acknowledged by a number of accolades including four Landscape Institute awards for Excellence in Landscape Planning.

Sarah is an expert in routeing and assessing the effects of large linear infrastructure. Projects include the delivery of highway schemes, high voltage electricity circuits, and transport infrastructure, including light rail and more recently high-speed rail.

She has also represented Gillespies as an expert witness at both public inquiry and DCO hearings.

The Landscape Institute has awarded her a Fellowship for her expertise in landscape planning.