Claire Pearce

Director of Planning and Economic Development
This is Gravity

• Led the governmental planning negotiations for Hinkley Point, Western Europe’s largest infrastructure project
• Director of Planning and Economic Development for Salamanca Group and This is Gravity Ltd
• Exceptional track record as Chief Planner in the development sector, with a reputation for way-finding and delivery - leading negotiations and bespoke development solutions for national and local infrastructure projects.

• Skilled in strategy, place leadership and management, creating conditions for investment and growth.
• Turnaround agent, leading the top performing local authority team in the country, realising investment on the ground, integrated with social and environmental transformation.
• Passionate about creating genuine responses to climate change and generating a momentum to stimulate green economic renewal, enabling accelerated responses towards a net zero carbon economic landscape.
• Leadership of local labour and employment initiatives to inspire, create opportunities, transform skills and enhance individual life chances.
• Personally committed to creating social and environmental value: mentor at Reading University on Real Estate, Governor of BTC College leading on sustainability and champion of the Avalon Super Nature Reserve.

Jason Schofield

Development Director
Generator Group

Jason Schofield is the Development Director for Generator South West and is responsible for managing and growing development opportunities in the region. Jason has extensive knowledge of the area having lived in and around Bristol and the South West since leaving university. He has over 30 years’ experience leading diverse quoted, private and asset-backed companies in the real estate, infrastructure, consumer, food wholesale and marine sectors where cultural change is at the centre of a company’s transformation. Prior to taking on the exciting role at Generator South West, Jason was the CEO of a public limited company listed on the London Stock Exchange successfully attracting significant international investment leading to a partial takeover of the company.

Jason has been at the heart of some of the South West’s largest regeneration projects including Harbourside in Bristol - a 500-home, one million sq ft, mixed-use city centre redevelopment project; the restoration and new build mixed use elements of the historic Gloucester Docks in Gloucester City Centre; the transformation of Sutton Harbour into a major south west tourist and business destination; and, devising the masterplan for the regeneration of the former 113-acre Plymouth City Airport site.

Today, Jason is not only responsible for expanding Generator South West’s business and presence in the region, but also overseeing the company’s existing projects  including the impressive transformation of the now complete Huller and Cheese warehouse in Bristol City Centre, and, the much-anticipated regeneration of the Elizabeth Shaw Chocolate Factory in Greenbank where construction work is well underway to provide 140 new homes and commercial accommodation primarily aimed at serving the local community. Jason is also working on other new exciting opportunities in the region, not least the regeneration of Redcliffe Wharf bringing forward a sensitive and highly attractive mixed-use development as a welcome addition to Bristol’s historic waterfront. 

Abigail Stratford

Head of Regeneration
Bristol City Council

Newly appointed as the Head of Regeneration, Abigail will lead a team promoting and enabling inclusive and sustainable growth across the City. Previously Abigail was Head of Housing Delivery responsible for delivering the Mayor’s ambitious target of building 2000 homes – 800 affordable a year, alongside the City’s largest housing led regeneration project – Hengrove Park – which will deliver 1,400 new homes.

Before joining Bristol, Abigail successfully led the regeneration of South Kilburn for the London Borough of Brent.

Jo Davis

National Head of Planning Development & Regeneration
Avison Young

Jo Davis is National Head of Planning Development & Regeneration in the Bristol office of property adviser, GVA. Heading up the Planning, Development and Regeneration team across the South West and Wales, her twenty years’ experience in the industry has seen her involved in the planning of many of the region’s most prominent regeneration projects, residential housing developments, and complex brownfield site developments, working alongside companies and organisations such as HCA, St Modwen, Change Real Estate, Skanska, Goodmans, Royal London, Linden Homes, and Barratt Homes.

Jo is a firm believer in taking the holistic view to achieving commercially deliverable and sustainable development. Aware of both the opportunities and obstacles to effective delivery, she has an extensive understanding of what is achievable in this emerging market.