LDA Design to become an employee-owned business
A creative consultancy that has just opened a new office in Manchester has announced plans to become an employee-owned business.
LDA Design was behind the masterplan of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and celebrates its 40th year in business next year. It employs 150 people.
The move to employee ownership is part of an ambitious programme, which this year includes opening three start-up studios in Bristol, Cambridge and Manchester.
The Manchester office is based in the Beehive Lofts, in Ancoats Urban Village.
“This move is a bold and exciting one for us,” said LDA Design chairman Andrew Harland.
“The board wants to share the business to grow it, and believes this to be the right way to secure a long and bright future.”
He added: “We have always wanted LDA Design to not be about individual egos but the brilliance of the collective.
“That aim holds true, and we want to see a future where all of our employees can help to shape our business.
“This will put us in an even stronger position and make succession planning easier.”
Much of the fine grain detail needs to be ironed out.
Mr Harland estimates that it will take about two years to complete the process and to set up an Employee Ownership Trust.
LDA Design’s landscape-led approach connects people and place.
The practice is made up of masterplanners, urban designers, landscape architects, ecologists, and town and environmental planners.
Recent projects include: a new settlement at Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire; working in a multi-disciplinary team on HS2 and the transformation of Euston Station in London; the design of all the new public realm at Battersea Power Station in London; leading the regeneration of Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen and the transformation of Plymouth City Centre.
