Edge strengthens Midlands office with director appointment

Specialist urban design practice edgeUD has appointed Barry Gaffney as it looks to expand its presence across the Midlands.

Gaffney, who will work out of the firm’s Birmingham office in Hockley, brings more than 19 years’ experience across planning and urban design, strengthening the firm’s growing pipeline of regeneration and strategic master-planning work.

His background spans both disciplines, supporting edgeUD’s focus on designing places around user experience as well as built form.

“Successful places are ones that genuinely reflect how people actually live, work and connect,” said Gaffney. #

“What drew me to edge is its focus on the human experience of place, looking beyond red lines and technical parameters to understand what will make somewhere not just work but become special over time.

“That’s particularly relevant in the Midlands, where there’s a real opportunity to rethink how our villages, towns, city centres evolve – so to best serve the people within.”

Gaffney’s experience spans residential, employment, retail and mixed-use schemes, with a particular focus on urban renewal and town centre transformation.

He joins from Savills, where he spent nearly a decade helping to establish and grow its Midlands urban design team. His portfolio includes major projects across the UK and Ireland, such as Langley SUE and the Leopardstown Campus in Dublin.

Sarah Murray, director and co-Founder of edge added: “Barry brings a hugely valuable combination of planning and urban design expertise, alongside a strong track record in delivering complex regeneration projects.

“As we continue to grow our presence in the Midlands, his experience will be invaluable in helping clients unlock sites and develop projects that are both meaningful and deliverable.”