Our Team


Claire Day

Claire Day FRTPI FRICS

Executive Director

Claire is a Fellow of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and one of The Planner’s 2023 Women of Influence. Together with Danielle St Pierre, Claire founded Hybrid Planning & Development in 2017.

Claire has over 25 years’ experience encompassing mixed-use, residential, retail, employment, leisure and heritage schemes for public and private sector clients across the UK. Claire has been an RICS Assessor and Mentor for 12 years and has also sat on the judging panel for both the RTPI Planning Excellence Awards and Building London Planning Awards.

Claire’s Recent Projects:

  • The Gresham, Leicester - £17m regeneration to transform an historic, landmark building into a mixed-use development comprising apart-hotel, retail and commercial space
  • Screwfix, Nationwide - National acquisitions and roll-out programme for more than 900 sites across England, Scotland and Wales
  • 5 Wych Elm, Harlow - An 11 storey, residential development, which is one of three sites masterplanned by Hybrid within the town centre
EmailLinkedIn

Danielle St Pierre MRTPI

Executive Director

Danielle is a Member of the RTPI, one of The Planner’s 2023 Women of Influence, and commended in the 2023 RTPI London Planning Excellence Awards for Young Planner of the Year. Together with Claire Day, Danielle founded Hybrid Planning and Development in 2017.

Danielle has over a decade of experience from private sector and local authority roles, and specialises in urban masterplanning, high-rise and mixed-use development. Working nationwide, Danielle’s professional interests include sustainability and biodiversity, regeneration and re-use, building gender parity within the planning industry, and mentoring the next generation.

Danielle’s Recent Projects:

  • Mill Road, Wellingborough – Sustainable development of 47 new homes, regenerating a derelict site that forms part of the Stanton Cross urban extension
  • Ariel Hotel, Heathrow – Sympathetic restoration and extension of Ariel Hotel, which was opened in 1960 by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, adding 113 new bedrooms and a new build aparthotel
  • Joe & The Juice – Strategic advice and planning applications to support a UK wide roll-out of retail juice bars
  • Birmingham Jewellery Quarter – Phased residential development in Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter, combining new build apartments and townhouses alongside a sensitive restoration of the Grade II listed former brass works, dating back to 1854
EmailLinkedIn
Aaron Henecke

Aaron Henecke MSc MRTPI

Associate Director

Aaron is a Chartered Town Planner with over seven years’ experience in the private and public sectors, having previously worked for Westminster City Council. Aaron brings expertise in multi-phase planning strategies for complex greenfield and urban brownfield sites, as well as advising on development of historic buildings and heritage areas across London and the wider UK.

Aaron’s Recent Projects:

  • Station House, Milton Keynes - Residential conversion & rooftop development for 264 BTR flats
  • Bruce Grove, North London - Successful appeal on designated open space and SINC to build between 5-9 new homes
  • Hertford Grey Belt - Providing strategic advice, land promotion & pre-application planning services in support of a 300-home Grey Belt development
  • Boutique London Hotels - Leading multi-stage planning strategies for several boutique London hotel schemes, creating an additional 95 rooms
EmailLinkedIn
Aleksandar Pantazis MPlan MRTPI

Aleksandar Pantazis MPlan MRTPI

Associate Director

Aleksandar is a Chartered Town Planner with over ten years’ experience across both the public and private sectors. He has advised on a wide range of development schemes across the UK, from complex Green Belt and rural projects to large-scale urban developments, providing strategic planning advice through all stages of the planning process.

Aleks's Recent Projects

  • Cheshunt Park Farm - Green Belt development to provide 12 new homes
  • Thamesgate House - Prior Approval change of use from office block to 149 flats
  • Goswell Road - Redevelopment of Grade II listed building to provide self-contained flats
  • Slough – Major residential development with live applications for 160 units across two buildings
EmailLinkedIn
Charlotte Mills

Charlotte Mills AssocRTPI

Associate Planner

Charlotte started her planning career in 2016, joined Hybrid in 2018 and became an Associate Member of the RTPI in 2026. As Associate Planner, Charlotte’s specialisms include commercial and educational developments across the UK. She has significant project management experience, and her professional interests include urban regeneration, re-use and retrofit.

Charlotte’s Recent Projects:

  • Paddy Power - Due diligence, national acquisitions, roll-out and branch re-fit programmes
  • 62 Middle Street, Portsmouth - Construction of five-storey building comprising student accommodation and commercial floor space
  • H R Owen - Extension and refurbishment of various car showrooms and aftersales facilities across the country
  • Mount House School – Expansion of Grade II listed independent school within the Green Belt and Monken Hadley Conservation Area
EmailLinkedIn
Elliot Smith

Elliot Smith BA (Hons), MSc MRTPI

Senior Planner

Elliot is a Chartered Town Planner with five years’ experience. Prior to joining Hybrid, he worked in renewable energy infrastructure for a multi-disciplinary firm in Bristol, before moving to London to follow his interest in regeneration and mixed-use developments. Elliot is Junior Vice Chair of RTPI London.

Elliot’s Recent Projects:

  • Spring Lodge, Bromley - Major housing development to create a part three, part four storey building on behalf of one of the UK’s largest housing associations
  • Intec House, Moxon Street - Mixed-use development encompassing ground floor light industrial units and 113 residential flats
  • The Lake House, Thicket Road - Located within the Crystal Palace Park Conservation Area and adjacent to the Grade II Listed Crystal Palace Park, this redevelopment includes 8 high-quality flats
  • The Link Apartments, Brent Park Road - An 8-storey building providing 63 new homes adjacent to the Brent Cross Cricklewood Regeneration Area and Brent Cross West station
EmailLinkedIn
Davide Bertaggia

Davide Bertaggia MSc MRTPI

Planner

Davide is a Chartered Town Planner with experience spanning the public and private sector. Following his studies at Cardiff University and three years working at a planning consultancy in Cardiff, Davide joined Hybrid in 2024. He has experience in projects relating to mixed-use schemes, regeneration of brownfield sites and Green Belt development.

Davide’s recent projects:

  • Seven Kings, Redbridge - Redevelopment of a constrained car garage site to allow a high-quality, 5-storey building comprising 18 flats next to an Elizabeth Line station and over a culvert
  • Mar House, Barnet - Two storey upwards extension via PD rights to enable the creation of 34 additional apartments, including additional work relating to fire regulation compliance and new HMO units
  • Padel Schemes - Applications and advice to various clients regarding padel and padel-led developments in Canary Wharf, Harlow and Loughton
EmailLinkedIn
Nickolai Rutherford

Nickolai Rutherford BA (Hons)

Planner

Nickolai joined Hybrid in 2024 and holds a Bachelors’ Degree in Urban and Environmental Planning from London Southbank University. Nickolai is building his planning career experience assisting senior colleagues with a wide range of residential and mixed-use projects, and has recently developed a keen interest in large mixed-use development.

Nickolai’s Recent Projects:

  • 2-4 Shrubbery Road, Streatham - Co-living redevelopment to provide 102 units with amenity areas, landscaping and associated works
  • 269-275 Rye Lane, Southwark - Mixed-use redevelopment comprising 38 residential flats and commercial floorspace in the heart of Peckham
  • 74 Week Street, Maidstone - Residential development of a 4 storey 10 bedroom (HMO) and discharging of all planning conditions
EmailLinkedIn

Max Shadforth Bachelor of Urban Design and Town Planning (Hons)

Planner

Originally from Australia, Max relocated to London in early 2025 to broaden his professional portfolio, having previously worked as a town planner in Queensland, delivering large mixed-use developments and complex rural subdivisions. Max joined Hybrid in June 2025 as an assistant planner, where he is excited to gain experience of the UK’s planning system. Max is particularly interested in urban renewal and its interplay with historical cities.

Max’s Recent Projects:

  • Joe & The Juice Stores – UK wide programme of refurbishments and new premises
  • The New Inn public house, Westminster – Refurbishment and sensitive extension to increase accommodation and secure long-term future of this community asset
  • Centric House, Milton Keynes – Redevelopment of a large surface car park into a mixed-use scheme of 83 apartments and commercial space
EmailLinkedIn

Elaine Lau (MPlan)

Assistant Planner

Elaine graduated from the University of Sheffield with an integrated master’s in Urban Studies and Planning and joined Hybrid in March 2025. Elaine has a keen interest in urban regeneration, brownfield redevelopment, strategic planning and cultural policymaking. Elaine’s dissertation focused on how cultural planning has shaped local artist communities in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.

EmailLinkedIn

Thomas Davolls

Assistant Planner

A graduate of the University of Liverpool, Thomas has both planning and development experience, gained via an internship, consultancy and graduate roles. Thomas’ professional interests focus on 15-Minute Cities, particularly the development of mixed-use communities that create training and educational facilities, as well as residential regeneration and sustainable development. Thomas aspires towards RTPI Chartership.

EmailLinkedIn
Aimee Williams

Aimee Williams

Executive Assistant

As executive assistant, Aimee is responsible for Hybrid’s HR, professional memberships and compliance, as well as bookkeeping and administrative support to both directors. Aimee has exceptional organisational skills and also oversees the management of any company conferences, charity support and social events.

EmailLinkedIn
Abbie Harris

Abbie Harris

Team Assistant

Hybrid’s team assistant, Abbie provides administrative support to Aimee Williams and Hybrid’s two directors. An integral part of Hybrid’s marketing team, Abbie also manages the company’s social media and website.

Email