Grayling UK is proud to announce the launch of its new Planning & Infrastructure team.

Grayling UK has been working in the planning and infrastructure space for over a decade, but this area of their work – led by Head of Planning & Infrastructure, Joe Cawley, and Director, Ross McWilliams – has seen exponential growth over the last two years, with the dedicated team over doubling in size in 2024 alone. Working alongside Grayling’s renowned Public Affairs and Corporate Affairs teams, Grayling Planning & Infrastructure offers comprehensive communications and engagement support to clients working in the energy and the built environment sectors.   

Grayling Planning & Infrastructure is committed to the UK’s energy transition and has supported some of the UK’s largest and most high-profile Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects, including securing a Development Consent Order for a CCS system with Drax Group earlier this year.  

Grayling Planning & Infrastructure also supports major economic development projects, including Birmingham City FC’s ambitious stadium project and Stena’s new freeport in North Wales, as well as delivering ongoing construction communications for large infrastructure projects, such as National Grid’s £1bn London Power Tunnels project. 

As part of the formation of the new team, Grayling Planning & infrastructure is partnering with PREACH Inclusion (Promoting Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage), an organisation that promotes intersectional inclusion in the Built Environment sector, through education, campaigns, training, events and corporate membership.  

Heather Blundell, CEO of Grayling UK said:  

“The growth of our work in the built environment sector has been phenomenal over the last year and we have grown our team, our tech and our skills to match. We have some of the best specialists in the industry at Grayling UK and our commitment to this sector is highlighted by the formation of this new team. 

“Our partnership with PREACH Inclusion is part of Grayling’s commitment to being at the forefront of DE&I. We want DE&I to be at the heart of everything we do and as the Planning & Infrastructure team grows, we want to do so while promoting intersectional inclusion in the built environment.”  

PREACH Inclusion was founded by Priya Aggarwal-Shah, a communications consultant and DE&I specialist, who worked within Grayling’s Corporate Communications team for three years, prior to running her inclusion organisation full-time. Priya said,  

“I’m really pleased to welcome Grayling as an official partner to PREACH Inclusion, adding to the growing number of companies we work with across the Built Environment sector. I’m buzzing to work with Joe and the fantastic team, once again, supporting them with training sessions and events, as well as using my experience in communications and DE&I to support their project approaches. A nice full circle moment!”  

Grayling has already won several awards for its work in the build environment sector, winning Campaign of the Year at the PRCA Public Affairs Awards and the Purpose and Social and Digital categories of the PRCA Dare Awards in 2024 alone.  

Joe Cawley, Head of Grayling Planning & infrastructure said,  

“It has been an incredible few years and we are proud of the work we have delivered for our clients to date. With a growing team and the new partnerships we have formed, Grayling Planning & Infrastructure will add to Grayling’s reputation as the UK’s leading communications agency.  

“There is a lot more to come from the team in the coming months and we will be launching new partnerships, the latest AI-powered consultation software and a process to deliver the infrastructure for the future, watch this space!”