Firm poaches council planning chief

Law firm Burness Paull has appointed Dr Margaret Bochel from Aberdeen City Council as a director in its planning division.

Dr Bochel will join in September from her current role as head of planning and sustainable development at the council.

She will work across all the firm’s offices in Scotland, guiding clients through the planning application process in an attempt to boost the firm’s existing planning capabilities.

Elaine Farquharson-Black, Partner at Burness Paull said the firm is currently providing planning advice on a number of high profile projects including a new £3 billion gas plant in Shetland and large scale communities in Chapelton, Grandhome and Countesswells.

Dr Bochel is a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and Heads of Planning Scotland, which she chaired in 2010/11.

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