Owen Fairclough

Owen spent a decade working in public affairs and government relations for a property development company before moving into journalism. He advised on planning applications, tracked regulatory changes and sat through more council meetings than he cares to remember. His writing covers the policy and legal frameworks shaping the British property market — planning reform, housing targets, commercial development and the political decisions that determine where and what gets built. He brings a practitioner's understanding to stories that other journalists treat as dry regulatory copy. He lives in Bristol, is a passionate advocate for better urban design and has been known to photograph planning notices for fun.