Urban Green appoints director of ecology
Oliver Silver has joined the Manchester-based consultancy as it celebrates its 10th birthday.
Silver’s recruitment to Urban Green put the firm’s headcount at 30.
Prior to becoming Urban Green’s director of ecology, Silver was the head of ecology at London-based Ground Control. He has also worked at Thomson Environmental Consultants, XP Solutions, the Australian firm Cardno, and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand.
Martin King, managing director at Urban Green, said: “Oliver joins us at an exciting time, as we enter a new era in the ecology sector; biodiversity net gain becomes mandatory and survey equipment, like thermal imaging, and techniques leap forward.
“Our ecology team are ready to move to the next level, and with Oliver’s support and mentorship, I believe he can take us there,” King continued.
“Urban Green has a modern approach to ecological consultancy; by leveraging new tools our ecologists will become more effective and precise than ever. We fully expect the team’s size and service offerings to grow in 2024, with Oliver at the centre of that change.”
Ecology is just one of the services that Urban Green offers. The firm also does landscape architecture, urban design, landscape planning, and geographical information system mapping – as well as consult on biodiversity net gain and arboriculture.
Silver’s is not the only new hire at Urban Green. In the past few months the firm has recruited senior urban designer Tom Royles, principal landscape architects Stuart Walker and Nicola Evans-Vasey, senior arboricultural consultant Helen Milner, graduate arboricultural consultant Helen Lord, and assistant biodiversity net gain consultant Tafara Muzonsa.
Recent projects for Urban Green include the University of Cumbria’s £77.5m Carlisle Citadels campus and Stockport Council’s redevelopment of the former Shaw Heath hospital into a 70-bed care home and 68 affordable homes. Urban Green’s clients include Story Homes, Barratt Homes, and Taylor Wimpey.
King does not see Urban Green’s activity slowing down anytime soon.
“Even with some market uncertainty, we have an ongoing busy workload and have strengthened and grown the team accordingly with the recent appointments,” he said.
“Our pipeline remains strong, with diverse projects across sectors and repeat business, our reputation continues to grow securing and delivering exciting and high-profile projects across the UK.”
