Midlands

Chelgate has been providing political engagement and community consultation support to our clients for almost 40 years.

Over the past decade, we have worked on over 100 projects totalling over 50,000 dwellings and, over the last 2.5 years, we have enjoyed a 100% success rate on planning applications and local plan allocations.

To manage our growth, Chelgate Local has been split into three regions: South Thames, North Thames and Midlands. Our new Midlands region includes Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire and Warwickshire.

The Midlands team is led by Clare Tevlin and Guy Orton, supported by Michael Hardware and Dan Sames. Clare is a former Huntingdonshire district and Milton Keynes city councillor, whereas Guy is a former council planning officer and planning consultant. Michael is a serving district and county councillor, a current planning portfolio holder, and Dan is a former planning portfolio holder in Cherwell, and principal lecturer in planning at Oxford Brookes University.

The Midlands team will operate from our new office in Northampton. Our experience in the region is extensive. Michael Hardware spent many years in Northampton when he was seconded to Wilcon Homes (Wilson Connolly) as its head of external affairs, and then seconded to the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation. Over the years, we have worked on housing projects in Northampton, Daventry, Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Peterborough, Warwick, Melbourne (Derbyshire) and Leamington Spa. We have also completed solar projects in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. These have included:

Northfield, South Oxfordshire

Chelgate supported Catesby (formerly L&Q Estates) and Brasenose College, Oxford University, progressing proposals for this development of up to 2,000 new homes with a new primary school, local centre and open green spaces. Located on the green belt on the eastern edge of Oxford city, the development was not originally included in South Oxfordshire’s draft local plan despite its locational advantages and deliverability. Following Chelgate’s political and community engagement for the scheme, the site was included. The partners have worked towards a master plan with planning applications expected to be submitted to develop the site later in 2026. The promotion has included a successful stakeholder forum which has helped with finalising proposals and ensuring all parts of the community have been properly engaged.

Little Paxton, Huntingdonshire

This 440-home site next to the Great North Road is being promoted through the Huntingdonshire Local Plan and we have provisional allocation. Engagement is at an early stage but the community will have an active role in formulating the proposals for this site via a local stakeholder forum and via the parish council.

Finedon, North Northamptonshire 

The client has acquired over 700 acres of land around this village, and between it and Wellingborough. Chelgate is assisting De Merke Estates with political and community relationships across several councils and wards for this long term project.

West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC)

Grand building of Northam All Saints Church

Chelgate assisted WNDC in managing relationships across Northampton, Towcester and Daventry. Our role was to engage with partners, potential investors and developers. This included strategy development and crisis management, developers’ forums, newsletters and other briefings, councillor events, media launches, media relations (local, trade and national), corporate entertainment and public affairs. The assignment involved a secondment to the WNDC offices in Northampton.

To discuss a project in the South Midlands, please contact Guy Orton, Senior Account Executive, on 020 7939 7950 or email.