Simon Dudley

Senior Independent Director & Acting Chair
Homes England

Cllr Paul Smith

Cabinet Member for Homes and Communities
Bristol City Council

Paul Smith is the Cabinet member for Homes and Communities for Bristol City Council. Paul was re-elected to the council in May 2016 following a 17 year break. Paul has worked in the housing association sector for almost 30 years and has also been the Chief Executive of two national charities. Paul’s housing experience has included working at director level within a midlands based housing association, more recently as Head of Intelligence and Insight for Aster Group which manages 28,000 homes across the south of England and two spells with the National Housing Federation.

Paul is a Fellow of both the Royal Society of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce and the Institute of Consulting and runs his own market intelligence and governance company.

Andrew Dobson

Managing Director of Crest Strategic Projects
Crest Nicholson

Andrew joined Crest Nicholson in 2013 as Development Director for Crest Strategic Projects and became Managing Director in November 2016. 

Andrew manages a multi-disciplinary team, securing strategic opportunities and driving those opportunities through to the delivery of successful communities, of which a number are founded on Garden Village principles.   Andrew is the custodian for ensuring Crest’s development principles and place making vision is adhered to and delivered.  Andrew firmly believes in the importance of legacy and how development must sit alongside and enhance communities.  Andrew has delivered long term stewardship models and has been instrumental in setting up two successful Community Interest Companies. Responsibilities have also included the delivery of key community assets such as schools, local centres and community buildings.  

Andrew has over 20 years of development experience and has worked in multiple development markets including the UK, United Arab Emirates and Hong Kong.   Andrew has a successful track record in managing teams in the planning and delivery of large scale developments that are designed with place making and legacy at their heart.

Outside of work Andrew is a keen rugby follower and enjoys attempting triathlons.

Karen Cooksley

Karen is highly regarded within specialist planning, advising clients on the full spectrum of planning and environmental issues they face, including devising strategies for obtaining planning permissions and other consents, viability, environmental impact assessment, s106 agreements and CIL, compulsory purchase and highways matters. She has particular expertise in relation to mixed use developments, tall buildings, urban extensions, waterside schemes and the optimisation of consents to increase financial value for clients. She works for leading developers, private rented sector operator and management companies, national housebuilders, registered providers, local authorities and funders. The majority of her projects are in London – she is currently working on several tall building projects, advising on the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station and other major schemes in the Vauxhall opportunity area and securing office to residential conversions under permitted development rights. She and her team also work across the country – they have recently obtained permission for the £5.5 billion Liverpool Waters scheme and are advising on new settlements in Cambridgeshire, Devon and Kent.

Lesley Metcalf

Regional Head of Development
Sovereign Housing