Planning & Urban Design That Move Projects Forward
✴︎ Who We Are
Designing Smarter Strategies to Navigate Complex Planning Landscapes
Serving Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and the surrounding areas
MiTo Planning & Urban Design is a specialised consultancy focused on delivering expert-led urban design and planning services for strategic land projects.
With over 20 years of experience across AJ100 firms and major housebuilders, our team blends design creativity with a deep understanding of planning policy, technical constraints, and commercial objectives.
We create practical, policy-aligned design solutions that support site promotion, unlock value, and withstand planning scrutiny, adding clarity and credibility from concept to completion.
“Planning brings all elements of a scheme together to ensure it is as robust as possible to deliver a place for the future. With the right planning strategy from the outset, time and money can be saved for clients whilst minimising planning risk”.”
Melissa Keegan, Consultant @ MiTo Urban Design
✴︎ Our Services
Planning & Urban Design Services
We support land promoters, land owners, housebuilders, and developers with strategic, design-led solutions that help bring land forward for development. Our work is tailored to align with policy, unlock commercial value, and support planning success.
Feasibility & Concept Design
Early-stage site assessments, layout testing, and vision documents to support promotions and land bids.
Masterplanning
Strategic masterplans that respond to context, infrastructure, and planning policy, developed in collaboration with your wider team.
Design & Access Statements
Clear and engaging planning documents that communicate vision, movement, and placemaking strategies.
Planning Visualisation & Graphics
Illustrative plans, character area diagrams, and presentation material to aid communication and consultation.
Design Codes & Frameworks
Structured, flexible design codes that guide development quality for outline applications or land sales.
Strategic Site Support
Input into local plan representations, planning appeals, and site frameworks to enhance your promotion strategy.
Whether you require full management of planning permissions or advisory support tailored to your needs, we offer flexible solutions that put your comfort and objectives first.
✴︎ Our Team
MiTo Urban Design & Masterplanning Expertise
Philip Ashenden MCIAT & MSAI
Consultant
Philip Ashenden MCIAT & MSAI brings over 20 years of architectural expertise, having worked with prestigious AJ100 firms including Purcell and Gibberd Architects before transitioning to major housebuilders such as Hopkins Homes and Weston Homes.
Specialising in residential design, urban planning, and masterplanning, Philip blends creative vision with practical execution to deliver well-integrated architectural solutions. He has extensive experience coordinating complex residential and mixed-use schemes from early concept stages through to planning delivery, working collaboratively with landowners, developers, and planning consultants to create commercially viable and policy-responsive places.
Philip is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (MCIAT), The Society of Architectural Illustrators (MSAI), and is a Recognised Practitioner in Urban Design (UDG), ensuring MiTo Urban Design’s projects are both innovative and cost-effective.
Melissa Keegan MRICS
Planning Consultant
MRTPI Chartered Town Planner with over 10 years’ experience across both consultancy and developer-led projects. Her hybrid background enables her to provide commercially aware planning strategies alongside clear, practical planning advice. She supports MiTo Urban Design across a range of strategic planning and development projects as our consultant.
Mel has wide-ranging experience spanning large-scale strategic sites through to farm diversification schemes. During her time working within the housebuilding sector, she managed a portfolio of circa 10,000 homes across multiple sites, covering plan promotion through to outline and detailed planning applications. She has successfully secured multiple draft allocations alongside planning permissions and resolutions to grant for over 1,000 homes.
Mel has previously been involved with the RTPI Young Planners Committee for the Thames Valley region and currently holds an advisory role on the Women in Planning South Midlands Committee.
Andrew Radice
Consultant Valuer
MRICS ACIM Chartered Surveyor and RICS Registered Valuer with over 25 years’ experience across commercial property, residential development, and mixed-use schemes. His experience spans consultancy, valuation, and development advisory roles, including senior positions at Bidwells, Christie & Co, and Metro Bank. Andy supports MiTo Urban Design & Masterplanning with commercially focused valuation and viability expertise across a range of strategic development projects.
Andy has extensive experience delivering valuation and appraisal advice for residential, commercial, science and technology, and mixed-use developments. He has worked on complex development schemes for both public- and private-sector clients, including strategic regeneration projects, large-scale housing developments, and investment portfolios across the UK.
He has also provided valuation advice for Local Authorities, NHS organisations, and major investment management companies, bringing a practical and commercially aware approach to development consultancy and project viability.
“Urban design is about more than layout, it’s about legacy.
We help shape places people want to live, work and grow.”
Philip Ashenden, Consultant @ MiTo Urban Design
✴︎ Our Approach
Why Early Masterplanning Matters?
The most effective masterplanning starts long before a planning application is submitted. Whether a site is being promoted through a Local Plan or assessed for acquisition, early input can significantly shape its future.
At MiTo Urban Design, we bring clarity and strategy from the outset, testing development capacity, identifying constraints, aligning with policy, and shaping a vision that stands up to scrutiny. Getting involved early de-risks the process, informs better decisions, and builds a stronger case for planning success.
Planning Services
Navigating the planning system can be complex, time-consuming, and full of risk. That’s why early engagement with an experienced planning advisor is critical to securing the best outcomes.
Our preferred planning advisor brings over 10 years of experience across both consultancy and client-side roles, offering a unique hybrid perspective. This ensures our clients benefit from commercially sound, policy-aligned strategies from the very beginning.
By engaging early with Local Planning Authorities, stakeholders, and wider project teams, we help de-risk proposals, shape realistic strategies, and improve the likelihood of planning success.
We work collaboratively with clients to align design, planning, and commercial objectives—ensuring projects move forward with confidence.
Planning Consultancy
- Site appraisals
- Portfolio reviews to identify planning potential
- Formation of cohesive planning strategies
- Plan promotion
- Pre-applications
- Planning applications
- Section 106 negotiations
- Planning appeals
- Local Plan examinations
- Stakeholder engagement
- Project management of consultant teams
What You Can Expect Working With Us
Design-Led Strategy
A clear, responsive approach grounded in planning realities and tailored to your development goals.
Clear Communication
Visuals and reports that simplify complexity and strengthen your planning case.
Planning-Focused Delivery
Everything we produce is built to meet policy tests, support applications, and move your project forward.
Collaborative Working
Strong relationships across disciplines, working closely with promoters, consultants, and communities.
Have a project in mind or want to learn more about our Urban Design services?