Partner Article

Ludman Planning offers specialist service to the market

Jenny Ludman had worked as a Chartered Town Planner for a total of 15 years in a variety of roles in private practice, in local planning authorities as both a Development Control Officer and Policy Planner, and most recently for the National Trust as their Regional Planner for 10 years. However after deciding that she needed to address her work/life balance by adopting a more flexible working pattern, Jenny opted to start her own environmental planning consultancy in 2012.

With no previous experience of self employment, Jenny realised that she needed support to ensure she ‘covered all the bases’ when starting her business so she approached NBSL’s Business Advice Centre in Hexham for guidance. There she met with experienced Business Adviser Julia Weldon who worked with her under a project known as ‘Business Support in the North East’.

The project is being part financed by the European Union’s ERDF Competitiveness Programme 2007-13, securing £1.07m ERDF investment. Working in a consortium led by North East Enterprise Agencies Ltd (NEEAL) local Enterprise and Development Agencies in the North East have matched this ERDF investment with £1.07m of their own funds.

Together Julia and Jenny worked through a review of all the issues that she needed to consider before starting up, such as the best legal format for her business; insurance cover; marketing strategy; costing and pricing; running a business from home and business skills development.

Julia worked with Jenny to help her formulate her goals and strategy and to consider her target clients which will predominantly be other businesses such architects and famers and a variety of commercial and environmental organisations.

Jenny specialises in working in heritage environments, rural planning, farming diversification, environmental planning, renewables and marine planning issues. As a Chartered Town Planner with a Masters degree in Environmental Planning from the University of Nottingham, Jenny has a wealth of professional knowledge and skill to bring to the market. Her relatively low overheads mean that she can offer a highly professional service but at reasonable prices, so meeting market needs in the current competitive environment. To contact Jenny for more details about her services go to www.ludman-planning.co.uk

For more information about how NBSL can help you to start a business, contact us on 01670 813322 or visit our website at www.nbsl.org.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Phil Langton .