Thames Valley: Pegasus Group acquires Vocalism

Pegasus Group has acquired a Reading planning business, taking on its MD as a senior director.

Vocalism has been delivering successful results in the planning and development industry for more than 20 years, with a proven track record in achieving first-time, on-time planning consent.

Jonathan Walton, Vocalism managing director since July 2017, is also an adviser to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on SME housebuilders, which has offered him a real insight into the practices of developers and policy makers.

A qualified member of the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations, Walton has joined the Pegasus Group office in Bracknell.

Walton said: “With clients including many of the leading developers, retailers and housebuilders in the industry, Vocalism recognised that the planning system had moved on. The company focused on delivery, working hard to reduce the period between consent and on-site commencement by developing detailed site-wide strategies which were agreed upfront with decision-makers to de-risk key issues and provide greater certainty to the project programme.

“As part of this we had been working collaboratively and successfully with Pegasus Group for more than two years and the acquisition represented a logical next step.”

Tony Bateman, managing director of Pegasus Group, said: “We are excited to welcome Jonathan to Pegasus Group, where his experience and contacts will prove a real asset to our enthusiastic and resourceful growth plans.

“The values and ambitions that made Vocalism such a success are a good fit for our business, and we relish the opportunity of a productive partnership going forward.”

Pegasus Group has more than 300 skilled and experienced staff operating from 13 offices across the UK and services span the entire project process from planning through to design and delivery, specialising in planning, design, environment, economics and heritage.