Witney-based planning and heritage consultancy Edgars has changed hands following a management buyout led by Jon Westerman, marking a new phase for the Witney-based business as it approaches its 20th anniversary.
Westerman became managing director on 01 September, succeeding joint founder Jayne Norris. He has been with Edgars for a decade, joining the consultancy as a director in 2016 after working for Carter Jonas and at Cherwell District Council and West Oxfordshire District Council.
The transition leaves the consultancy’s existing team, client relationships and areas of expertise in place, with the business continuing to advise on planning, heritage and development projects across Oxfordshire and beyond.
For Westerman, the move represents a continuation of work he has undertaken alongside Norris over the past decade. He has been involved in a range of commercial, hospitality and heritage-led regeneration projects while helping to expand the consultancy’s client base and regional presence.
Edgars’ work has included projects involving Radley College, Bloxham School, Bicester Motion, the University of Oxford, Oxford colleges, Great Tew Estate, Kiddington Estate and Enstone Business Park.
The company was established as a planning consultancy in 2007, after Norris developed the planning arm of the wider Edgars business. Its work has since centred on helping landowners, developers, institutions, businesses and private clients navigate planning policy, heritage considerations and development strategy.
The consultancy has also built a presence in the professional planning sector, having been named Planning Consultancy of the Year at the 2023 Planning Awards, as well as Small Planning Consultancy of the Year at the RTPI South East Awards and SME of the Year at the CESE 2024 awards.
Norris said the decision to pass the business to Westerman was shaped by his longstanding involvement with the company.
“Jon has been part of Edgars for ten years,” she said. “He understands our people, clients and culture and has played an important role in the business we have become.”
Westerman said the management buyout would retain the foundations of the business while allowing it to pursue further growth.
The consultancy intends to strengthen its position in planning and heritage, build on its Oxfordshire roots and work with more major projects and organisations.
The change comes as Edgars approaches its 20th anniversary, providing a point of transition for a business whose work sits close to the region’s continuing development, from commercial and institutional projects to heritage-led schemes.
The company said existing client teams and projects would continue unaffected following the change in ownership.
