Commercial real estate firm Avison Young has appointed David Williams as an associate in its Bristol planning team as part of its growth, which has also included a new chartered town planner and a graduate planner.
David has more than 17 years’ experience in planning and has worked in the East of England, London and the South West. 
He started his career on land promotion and rural projects, before joining the team at Carter Jonas, where he worked on Brentford FC’s plans for its 17,250-capacity Gtech Community Stadium along with various housing developments.
In 2016, he joined national consultancy Planning Potential’s Bristol team, helping retail giant Aldi secure new stores across South Wales and the South West.
Most recently, he has acted as a planning consultant, advising on a range of projects from renewable energy to residential development schemes.
David’s role at Avison Young will be to support its Bristol planning team’s directors and principal in supplying clients with expert planning advice, managing the application process and negotiation, and consulting with stakeholders.
His appointment coincides with Lewis Godsmark’s promoted to chartered town planner and the arrival of Charlotte Leach as a graduate planner.
Lewis, who joined Avison Young last September Knight Frank as a graduate planner, focuses on providing planning consultancy for private and public sector clients, unlocking the full development potential of assets.
Charlotte is supporting projects across retail, housing and employment and has also been selected to attend global property showcase MIPIM 2025, where she will network, join panels and present her ideas to leaders in the sector as a Challenger – an initiative that encourages the next generation of real estate professionals.
David Williams said: “I’ve been working in the Bristol and South West for over five years and I’ve seen first-hand how the market is changing.
“I’m excited to join Avison Young and play my part in the largescale and city centre-based projects that the team is often involved in.
“I enjoy the challenge of working on complex projects that result in positive changes to the urban environment and can’t wait to continue working to deliver best-in-class results for our clients.”
Avison Young UK principal Pete Stockall said the firm was very pleased have started 2025 by strengthening its planning team for a busy year ahead with David, Lewis and Charlotte’s appointments.
“All three will be pivotal over the coming months as the National Planning Policy Framework takes shape to speed up housing delivery in the South West, and as local authorities across the region continue to drive their regeneration agenda,” he added.
“We have a strong, confident team who are ready to give clear advice to help deliver our clients’ commercial priorities.”
Avison Young has 12 offices across the UK employing around 1,500 people.
Pictured below, from left: Lewis Godsmark, Charlotte Leach and David Williams
