The origins of DLP Planning Ltd date back to 1991 when Development Land and Planning Consultants Ltd was founded in Bedford as OR Planning, changing its name the following year. Since that time Simon James and Neil Osborn have seen it grow significantly, reflecting the broad based expertise of its staff and the success it has delivered to its clients in a wide range of planning activities.

Its first regional office was at Wokingham in Berkshire on acquisition of a small local planning practice in the town.  This provided exposure to the complex issues of planning in the Thames Valley and the south coast.  It was quickly followed by an Office in Sheffield, lead by Roland Bolton, formerly of Sheffield Hallam University.

Subsequently offices were opened in Bristol and Cardiff based around the offer of transportation planning services and in 2007 DLP acquired The Inskip Partnership, a Bedford based architectural practice

In 2013, DLP Consulting Group was formed; DLP Transportation was rebranded as Matrix and the Group’s architectural and masterplanning company began to trade under the name be1 Architects.

Since that time DLP Planning has further grown its offer in planning and environmental consultancy, establishing permanent offices in Leeds, Nottingham and London and a satellite at Milton Keynes as a result of increasing demand for its services.  In 2015 it acquired Laurence Wilbraham Associates giving the firm a presence in Rugby.

DLP Planning Ltd offers an experienced and comprehensive project management service for the most complex of schemes. The company has close working relationships with national and local firms of accountants, solicitors, land agents, plus specialist engineering and environmental consultants.

The company is vastly experienced in all aspects of planning and development promotion from site appraisals and planning applications, to public inquiry appearance and environmental impact assessment. The company provides a comprehensive service in terms of the preparation of development briefs and master plans for major residential, commercial, leisure, retail and mixed-use schemes. Recent projects have included proposals for major urban extensions and regional-scale employment park developments, as well as smaller-scale projects including those within historic environments and on urban regeneration sites.