PFA Consulting

What PFA Consulting does

PFA Consulting Ltd is a Swindon-headquartered UK civil engineering and environmental consultancy founded in 1985, providing integrated development planning services to housebuilders, land developers, commercial operators, energy companies, local authorities, and government agencies. The firm operates through four core service lines: Transport Planning (assessments, travel plans, traffic modelling, accessibility audits), Highways and Infrastructure Design (S38/S278 agreements, detailed design, construction management), Flood Risk and Water Management (SuDS, drainage strategies, hydraulic modelling, NSIP support), and Expert Witness services for planning appeals and tribunals. Project engagements span single dwellings to strategic new settlements, with notable engagements including the 1,900-home Forge Wood development, the Innsworth Gateway infrastructure scheme, and a £4.5 million Local Growth Fund bid.

The business model is project-based professional services delivery, with fees structured around engagement scope and complexity. PFA employs approximately 11-50 staff, including a leadership team with 40-50+ years of individual industry experience and multiple Chartered Engineers affiliated with MICE, MCIHT, CIWEM, and CIWEM. The firm holds BS ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications, indicating mature operational governance. In 2023, PFA transitioned from founder-led ownership to an employee-owned structure, retaining founder Peter Finlayson as non-executive Chairman and confirming Gareth Lambert-Jones as Managing Director.

PFA's go-to-market is sales-led, relying on direct enterprise engagement, repeat client relationships, word-of-mouth referrals, and thought leadership via educational blog content on NPPF updates and SuDS. The client base includes some of the UK's largest housebuilders (Redrow, Persimmon, Taylor Wimpey, Bellway, Miller Homes, Robert Hitchins, Wyatt Homes), renewable energy developers (Lightsource BP, Bluefield), high-profile leisure and film clients (Soho House, Pinewood Studios), and rail infrastructure (GWR), all delivered through a single Swindon office serving projects across England.

Name

PFA Consulting

Legal name

PFA Consulting Ltd

Website

https://pfaplc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PFA Consulting is a UK-wide civil engineering and environmental consultancy founded in 1985, providing integrated transport planning, highway and infrastructure design, flood risk management, and expert witness services to housebuilders, land developers, renewable energy firms, commercial operators, and local authorities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Engineering Consultancy

NAICS

Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Water, Wastewater & Hydraulics Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainability & ESG Consulting (BPAHACAK), PFAS Assessment & Due Diligence (EUAHAEAL)

Keywords

• Transport planning services
• Highways infrastructure design
• Flood risk assessment
• Sustainable drainage systems
• Development planning consultancy

Headquarters

HQ city

Swindon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Consulting Services: Professional consulting services for development planning including transport planning, highways and infrastructure design, and flood risk and water management. Revenue is generated through project-based consultancy fees for private and public sector clients across residential, commercial, leisure, and renewable energy development sectors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PFA Consulting is a UK-based civil and environmental engineering consultancy founded in 1985 that delivers development and infrastructure planning services to housebuilders, commercial developers, energy firms, and local authorities. Its core offerings span transport planning, highways and infrastructure design, flood risk and water management (including SuDS), and expert witness services supporting planning applications, appeals, and site delivery.

Product overview

PFA Consulting is a UK-based engineering and environmental consultancy approaching 40 years in business, providing professional planning services to developers, local authorities, and government agencies. The company operates as a single unified consultancy offering four interconnected core service areas: Transport Planning Services (covering transport assessments, travel plans, traffic modelling, and accessibility planning), Highways and Infrastructure Design (including detailed highway design, S38 and S278 agreements, and construction supervision), Flood Risk and Water Management (encompassing Flood Risk Assessments, SuDS design, and drainage strategies), and Expert Witness Services (providing evidence for planning appeals and legal proceedings). These services are delivered through integrated multidisciplinary teams serving residential, commercial, leisure, and renewable energy development sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transport Planning Transport planning and traffic assessment services supporting planning applications, access strategy design, and site delivery for developers and local authorities across the UK.
• Highways and Infrastructure Design Design of highways, junctions, access roads, and associated infrastructure to support residential, commercial, and energy developments through Section 38, Section 278, and S104 processes.
• Flood Risk and Water Management Flood risk assessments, sustainable drainage system (SuDS) design, hydraulic modelling, and water management strategies to support planning consent for sites across the UK.
• Expert Witness Services Expert witness and technical advocacy services supporting planning appeals, public inquiries, and disputes relating to transport, highways, and flood risk matters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Fiddington Infrastructure Scheme awarded runner-up in Civils Project of the Year at Constructing Excellence South West Awards
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered supporting and core.

• Crouch WaterfallsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerStructural engineering consultancy engaged by PFA for structural design aspects of infrastructure projects. Worked with PFA on the A46(T) & M5 J9 improvement schemes including sheet piled retaining wall design.
• Aspect Traffic SolutionssupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTraffic signals consultancy engaged by PFA for traffic signal design aspects of highway improvement schemes. Worked with PFA on A46(T) & M5 J9 improvement schemes.
• National HighwayscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment-owned company responsible for motorways and major A-roads in England. PFA works with National Highways on S278 agreements for trunk road improvements supporting development sites, including A46(T) scheme technical approval stages.
• Highways England (now National Highways)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPFA negotiated with Highways England as part of the Crawley NES: Forge Wood project involving trunk road improvements. Regular progress meetings established for approvals and construction works.
• Gloucestershire County CouncilcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal highway authority. PFA worked with GCC on Innsworth Gateway development including S-Paramics traffic modelling approved by GCC and Highways England, and £4.5M Local Growth Fund bid for infrastructure.
• TRICS (Trip Rate Information Computer System)coreTechnology or IntegrationPFA sponsored the fifth annual TRICS Training & Development Forum. TRICS is the essential system for the transport planning industry used for trip rate data. PFA staff represented the company at the event networking with TRICS community.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Curtins: UK-headquartered civil and structural engineering consultancy offering integrated transport planning, infrastructure design, and flood risk / drainage services to housebuilders, developers, and public sector clients — a near-direct mid-sized analogue of PFA Consulting's service mix.
• Waterman Group: UK-based engineering and environmental consultancy providing transport planning, infrastructure design, and flood risk / water management to residential, commercial, and public sector clients across England — comparable services and client base to PFA, though somewhat larger and publicly listed.
• Hydrock (now part of Stantec): UK-origin multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy (acquired by Stantec) with strong transport planning, flood risk, and infrastructure design offerings for residential and commercial developers — historically a close UK peer to PFA in size, services, and client mix.
• Robinson Low Francis LLP (Robinson Lowes): UK-based chartered planning and development consultancy delivering planning application, infrastructure, and environmental services to residential developers and housebuilders, comparable to PFA's integrated development planning offer.
• CampbellReith: UK-headquartered independent civil and structural engineering consultancy providing transport planning, infrastructure, and environmental services to housebuilders, developers, and local authorities — very comparable boutique-to-mid-tier positioning to PFA Consulting.
• Mayer Brown Ltd (planning consultancy): Independent town planning consultancy serving housebuilders, developers, and public sector clients with planning application and development infrastructure support — a UK direct peer in development planning advisory.

Broad incumbents

• WSP UK: Global multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy with major UK transport planning, highways design, and flood risk practices serving many of the same housebuilder and government clients as PFA — represents the scaled incumbent that PFA competes against for larger schemes.
• SLR Consulting: Global environmental and engineering consultancy with strong UK transport planning, flood risk, and infrastructure advisory services to developers and housebuilders — broader incumbent peer with overlap on water management and planning advisory.
• Mott MacDonald: Global engineering, management, and development consultancy with substantial UK transport, highways, and environmental teams serving many of the same residential, infrastructure, and public sector clients — broader incumbent competitor.

Emerging players

• Tyler Grange: Independent UK consultancy focused on planning, ecology, and arboriculture for development projects — smaller, more specialist competitor with partial overlap on the planning and environmental side of PFA's offer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PFA_Consulting
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles25 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PFA Consulting