Damian is an experienced transport planner and Director of Markides Associates, a Transport Planning and Engineering Consultancy based in central London.

He is very passionate about placemaking and design. In particular, he considers that embedding good and sustainable transport connections into new development from the outset is fundamental to the success of the new communities that we go on to create. He believes that as professionals, we all need to play a part in shaping our future and the Design Review Panel plays an important part in that process, by undertaking an impartial review of any development proposal focusing solely on design merit.

He is a firm believer that design is a constantly evolving process with no one right answer. Understanding and learning from other professionals, either as Panel members or those presenting to the group, allows us to constantly build in best practice in the advice we then give to others.

Damian has over 20 years’ experience in advising on the transport proposals of new development and has worked with major retailers, house builders, landowners, and developers across the UK, from the initial site appraisal stages through to planning and implementation. His specialist expertise includes traffic impact studies for new development proposals, highway design and the development of transport and movement strategies. He has a particular interest in how transport planning should be encompassed into new development to embed behavioural change from the outset. He has led a number of focus groups and charrettes made up of key stakeholders to discuss transport matters and how it integrates into new development, with particular regard to pedestrian and cycle movement.