WSP swoops for Indigo

Engineering and professional services giant WSP has announced its intention to complete the acquisition of planning consultancy Indigo by the end of April.

The 90-strong planning business has offices in London, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and Dublin, the Manchester office being based in St James Tower on Charlotte Street. In August last year, WSP concluded a long-rumoured relocation to 55,000 sq ft at No. 8 First Street, where it now occupies two floors.

Mark Naysmith, UK chief executive of WSP, said: “With the collective expertise of WSP and Indigo’s planning specialists we will become one of the UK’s largest planning consultancies, operating in the infrastructure, property, energy and environmental markets.

“Our newly combined skills will increase the strength and diversity of our service offer for our clients across the UK.”

Chief executive of Indigo Simon Neate added: “This move represents the next phase in Indigo Planning’s evolution and will create new and bigger opportunities for both our colleagues and our clients in the UK and internationally.”

Indigo was founded more than 30 years ago and has grown to become one of the largest planning-focused consultancies in the UK, while WSP has recently grown its planning team with a series of senior hires.

The deal follows another of the region’s most prominent planning outfits joining forces with a larger consultancy, How Planning’s acquisition by GVA having been completed in May last year – both parties now coming under the Avison Young banner.