Mike Derbyshire
Partner, Planning
Head of Planning
Mike leads Bidwells’ planning practice. He is a passionate and vastly experienced advocate for thoughtful, well-designed development and a thought leader on the future of planning in England.

Mike leads Bidwells’ planning practice. He is a passionate and vastly experienced advocate for thoughtful, well-designed development and a thought leader on the future of planning in England.

His track record demonstrates how he has overcome our clients’ biggest planning challenges with a blend of strategic and political instinct and forensic knowledge of the planning system. Mike breeds confidence and spots an opportunity quicker than most but more importantly, Bidwells’ most senior planner loves his work.
As an expert witness, Mike’s most at home arguing his case at a planning committee, in the media or at the High Court. He helped turn 26 planning reasons for the refusal of Brookgate’s 1.6m sq ft CB1 scheme at Cambridge train station into an award-winning commercial success, which is now home to three out of four of the world’s trillion dollar corporations.
In 2009, the SoS dismissed a called-in appeal on the former Dunsfold Aerodrome stating it was in an inherently unsustainable location. Nine years later, and with Mike at the helm, the owner secured an allocation for 2,600 homes and approval for a parallel application for 1,800 homes and 250,000 sq m of commercial floorspace after a call-in Inquiry.
Channel 4 even once made a documentary about a one-of-a-kind planning case that Mike won for his client in the High Court after she painted the facade of her Kensington home in bright red and white stripes.
Mike managed to help us unlock a site that a series of experienced planning consultants, architects and heritage consultants have been unable to do over a six year period - quite an achievement and one he should be proud of.

The Future of the Oxford to Cambridge Region Conference
Listen to real estate leaders from across the Oxford-Cambridge Arc discuss key issues facing the region at The Future of the Oxford to Cambridge Region Conference 2023.

Making Cambridge the science capital of a science superpower relies on Planning reform
Cambridge was identified in a keynote speech from Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove, as an area that could supercharge the UK’s position as a science superpower. With the city at its centre.

Best Planning Advisor Award goes to Bidwells
Bidwells were named Planning Advisor of the Year at the Eastern Echo Awards on 28 June 2023.

Will planning reform be enough to deliver the help scientists really need?
To supercharge the Oxford-Cambridge arc and the economy at large, the government must follow through its intention to liberalise planning bottlenecks.

‘Planning reform to help scientists’ welcomed by Bidwells after £650m Government life sciences package revealed
The news that the Government is pledging to ‘reform planning rules to help scientists’ by delivering more laboratory space in places like Oxford and Cambridge has been welcomed by Bidwells this morning.

Oxford to Cambridge Pan-regional Partnership Appoints Managing Director
Bidwells welcomes the appointment of Dr Richard Hutchins as the new Managing Director for Oxford to Cambridge Pan-regional Partnership.

RTPI Names Bidwells In Awards Shortlist For 8th Year In A Row
For the 8th year in a row, Bidwells’ Planning team has been shortlisted in the prestigious RTPI East of England awards celebrating some of the region’s most impressive projects.

Budget 2023 summary: a Scientific Superpower, East West Rail and boosting labour supply
As Britain prepares to solidify its position as a scientific superpower, the property industry and life science sector were watching closely during yesterday’s Budget. From investment in R&D, support for infrastructure in the Arc and measures to boost construction labour supply, the Bidwells team reviews the Government ‘s latest support for growth.

Government back in the game: PRP commitment relaunches Science Superpower vision
The UK's top spot in global research and development depends on a strong partnership between the public and private sector. That’s always been clear. But lately, we've been wondering if the Government had forgotten its role in this national effort.

Science and real estate call for national effort to make Britain a scientific superpower
Almost 400 researchers, academics, investors and real estate professionals from around the world convened in Westminster yesterday to call on Government to grasp the opportunity to make Britain a Scientific Superpower.

Bidwells Grows Oxford Team with Planning Consultancy Acquisition
Leading property consultancy Bidwells has acquired Turnberry Planning, a division of the Turnberry Group.

BEN OxCam Arc Conference - Mike Derbyshire's Keynote Speech
During Built Environment Network's (BEN) OxCam Arc Conference, sponsored by Bidwells, Head of Planning Mike Derbyshire kicked off the first day by delivering a keynote speech. Mike called on government, property, science and academia to think radically about the future of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc and deliver a new type of economic growth.

Triple award nomination for innovative Bidwells planners
Our Planning team was today shortlisted for three prestigious RTPI awards for their work on some of the region’s most innovative projects.

Final piece of Brookgate’s CB1 masterplan secures planning consent
Planning consent for a 50,000 sq ft mixed use development scheme has been approved, completing the final stage of the CB1 Estate at Cambridge Rail Station.

Driving Economic Prosperity and Growth in the Centre of the Arc
Bidwells' first report in the Unleashing the Arc paper series brings together views from across the Oxford to Cambridge Arc to discuss driving economic prosperity and growth in the central region.

A bold and brave step towards prosperity
Bidwells' head of planning, Mike Derbyshire, explains how the spatial framework from MHCLG could provide a viable vision for the growth of the knowledge economy across the Arc.

Government’s Oxford Cambridge Arc plan to help drive £20bn investment
As leading property advisor to the science and technology sector Bidwells welcomes government moves announced this morning that will help bring billions of pounds of funding for jobs, housing and infrastructure into the Arc’s knowledge economy.

Brookgate secures funding for new pre let office building at 20 Station Road, CB1 in Cambridge
Bidwells has advised Brookgate on securing funding for a new development at 20 Station Road, part of the CB1 Estate in Cambridge, from Aviva Investors, the global asset management business of Aviva plc, and Canadian pension investment manager, PSP Investments.

Voice of business still quiet in 'radical' reform of planning focused on housing, says Mike Derbyshire
Government's "radical" approach to planning reform announced this morning (6 Aug) has been welcomed by Head of Planning Mike Derbyshire. But he warns of dangers ahead calling for a more employment-focussed approach, a recalibration of local democracy, increased funding for LPAs and specific support for growing science and tech businesses.

Seven things we’ve learned from today’s Planning White Paper so far
Bidwells Associate planner, Matt Wilson, gives the Planning for the Future White Paper launched by government this morning (Aug 6) a first once over.

The Future of Residential Development - Webinar Series
We hosted a four-part webinar series discussing 'The Future of Residential Development'.

Bidwells forecasts huge increase in demand for workspace in Oxford-Cambridge Arc
New Bidwells research has revealed that up to 20 million sq ft of new lab and office space will be required in the Oxford Cambridge Arc within the next two decades to keep pace with soaring demand, twice the volume of the previous 20 years.

12 million and growing – will the senior housing challenge finally receive some attention?
Almost 25% of the UK’s population is over 65 and by 2050, this proportion will have grown to an estimated 37%. While we have ambitious carbon neutral targets for this date, the planning for the care and housing of over a third of the population remains an area short in policy detail. Is this a tenable position for the new government who received votes from an estimated 60% of the UK’s over 65 population?

Call for Olympics-style delivery body for Oxford-Cambridge Arc to stop development deadlock
Property chiefs are calling for the creation of an Olympic-style body to deliver the homes and infrastructure needed to create a supercluster within the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, warning that a lack of new housing, workspace and suitable infrastructure threatens to stifle growth in the region by pricing out talent and businesses.

Bidwells breaks into top 15 of UK planning consultancy league table
Bidwells has shot up Planning Magazine’s consultancy rankings to become the 15th largest team of chartered planners in the UK. The news comes soon after Bidwells made four promotions in its senior team to support its growing client base within the Cambridge to Oxford Growth Corridor.

Bidwells joins Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor delivery board
Head of Planning Mike Derbyshire has joined the delivery board of the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Land Value Capture
In their representations to the Inquiry, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority have proposed, in simple terms, an ‘agricultural land value cap’ as a form of Land Value Capture (LVC).

Providing a place for people to work, live, shop and socialise.

Revitalising community support in Cambridge by Gaining Planning Consent for a New Care Home

Assembling and delivering planning across the whole Botanic Place site

Expert planning and strategy advice for Kensington’s Candy-Striped house.

Creating a new, mixed-use sustainable urban quarter

The complex reimagining of London's historic nightclub.

A key gateway office building in the masterplan development of Cambridge North

Delivering a world-class education environment for an institution over 400 years old.

Delivering the first new planned Surrey village for over 100 years - and creating a new concept in sustainable rural living

Creating a home for three of the world’s trillion-dollar companies

The Future of the Oxford to Cambridge Region Conference
Mon 18 Sep
Creating a Scientific Superpower Conference
Wed 28 Jun, 08:30 - 16:00
London Real Estate Forum 2021
Wed 29 Sep 2021, 08:00 - Thu 30 Sep 2021, 16:00
Prioritising sustainability in an uncertain economy
Thu 04 Jun 2020, 14:00
The Future of Residential Development - Webinar Series
Thu 02 Jul 2020 - Thu 13 Aug 2020
WEBINAR: Local Plan Watch Autumn 2020
Mon 05 Oct 2020, 09:00 - 10:00