Ben Aspinall

Ben has over 30 years’ experience in the planning, development and regeneration sector working nationally. Ben is a Chartered Surveyor and Chartered Town Planner specialising in property investment and finance. He is also an RICS Registered Valuer, RICS Civil Commercial Mediator and CIPFA Better Business Case Accredited. Ben has a degree in Land Management from the University of Reading.

Ben has significant experience in planning and development consultancy; strategic planning and policy making; financial modelling; financial viability assessments; and the development and delivery of major projects. He acts for both Local Authorities and private developers / house-builders at a policy and site-specific level.

Ben provides commercial planning advice on district-wide Local Plan and CIL viability and is an experienced expert witness. At a site-specific level, Ben provides commercial appraisal advice for S106 negotiations, heritage enabling and strategic sites / New Towns delivery. Ben has extensive experience on strategic urban extensions. Ben led a team to provide Homes England with due diligence on the garden communities programme and provides master-appraisal advice on various New Towns.

Ben is also used to working on brownfield regeneration and town centre projects. He has a long track record in public sector funding stretching back to: English Partnerships; then the Regional Development Agencies; ERDF European funding; Homes and Communities Agency; and Lottery Funds. He has been on various public sector appraisal panels negotiating public sector funding and interventions. Ben is AspinallVerdi’s lead contact on the Homes England Property Framework and is retained to provide due diligence on JESSICA revolving funding in Sheffield and the National Lottery Heritage Fund(s). Ben has provided due diligence to Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF) projects. Ben has also acted for project sponsors to secure funding for major town centre regeneration and infrastructure projects including: Towns Fund, Brownfield Housing Fund (BHF), Brownfield Infrastructure Land (BIL) fund etc.

Ben has held various Social Value roles including: WYCA Place Regeneration and Housing Committee member; RTPI England Policy Panel member; Non-Exec Director of Connect Housing Association; Director of The Leeds Academy Community Interest Company; and a Trustee of Leeds Civic Trust.

Ben enjoys play the electric guitar; sailing and back-packing adventures in Scotland and the Lake District.