Early Years Practitioners

Molly Brealey is a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) specialist at Environment Bank, where she has worked since BNG became mandatory in England. She works closely with developers, planning consultants, and local authorities to deliver off-site BNG solutions for projects such as NSIPs.

Molly has developed experience in the statutory Biodiversity Metric, advising on habitat unit requirements, and supporting clients through the practical delivery of offsite BNG alongside the planning process. She is passionate about helping to bridge the gap between development and nature recovery by providing commercially practical biodiversity solutions.

Through her role at Environment Bank and her engagement with the planning and infrastructure sector, Molly has developed a strong understanding of the opportunities and challenges associated with integrating BNG into development. As a member of the NIPA Steering Committee, she is keen to bring a biodiversity perspective to discussions on infrastructure planning while supporting collaboration and knowledge sharing across the industry.

Ruth is a Senior Associate in the planning team at Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer LLP and has experience advising on the consenting and delivery of major infrastructure projects, predominantly in the energy, water and transport sector. She works with clients on all aspects of contentious and non-contentious planning, including environmental impact assessments, habitats regulations, compulsory purchase and judicial reviews. Ruth also brings her experience from client secondments to Southern Water and the Government Legal Department (MHCLG).

Lucia is principal planner at Arup.  She began her career in communications, specialising in creating communications and engagement campaigns for complex and contentious infrastructure projects. Now a chartered planner, she works at the centre of Arup’s infrastructure team, focusing on consenting NSIPs and SIPs across England and Wales and specialising in energy and transport, from site selection to operation. She also supports Arup’s advisory team, working on behalf of clients to advocate for policy and legislative changes aiming to add value to infrastructure consenting and delivery.