My First Year at Astute Transport Planning

When I joined the business in July 2025, Astute was just about to celebrate its first birthday and the team consisted of five people. Fast forward a year and as the company turns two, we've grown to a team of ten, with more new faces set to join us in September. It's been an exciting first year, being part of a business that continues to grow while maintaining a supportive and social culture that attracted me in the first place. 

Over the past 12 months, I've had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of projects across the country and “overseas”, from strategic housing sites in Greater Manchester to attending my first planning appeal hearing as an expert witness for an affordable housing scheme in Jersey. Seeing that scheme go on to be approved by the Inspector has been a particular highlight of my first year and was a fantastic learning experience.

Another exciting development has been the launch of Astute Transport Design. Having our own in-house design expertise has really helped to develop my own skillset and has allowed the business to deliver even better outcomes for our clients.

The highlights have not all been about work. Away from the office we went on the inaugural Astute away trip to Liverpool. As a former local, I found myself taking on the role of pub crawl co-ordinator through the Georgian Quarter, taking the team around some of the city's best pubs. It was a great opportunity to spend time together outside of the office, and I'm looking forward to our next away trip slightly further afield in September.

Looking back, it's been a year full of learning, new experiences, and plenty of memorable moments. I'm grateful to my colleagues for making my first year so enjoyable and rewarding. I'm excited to see what the next year brings for myself, the team and the business as we continue to grow.

Here's to another successful year with Astute Transport Planning!