WSP appoints major projects director: consenting and risk insights for UK energy schemes
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell

First reported on The Construction Index
30 Second Briefing
WSP has appointed Alex Herbert as major projects director in its planning and consents business, signalling a push on complex energy infrastructure consenting. Herbert has led development consent order and environmental impact assessment work for RWE, Horizon Nuclear Power and Tidal Lagoon Power, covering large-scale nuclear and marine energy schemes. His experience with nationally significant infrastructure projects should strengthen WSP’s capability on early-stage permitting, stakeholder engagement and risk management for major UK energy and grid upgrades.
Technical Brief
- Background suggests capability in coordinating multi-volume EIAs, Habitats Regulations Assessments and associated technical appendices.
- For similar nationally significant infrastructure projects, early-stage consenting leadership can materially de-risk programme and land access.
Our Take
WSP features repeatedly in recent infrastructure coverage, from National Highways’ Water Quality Plan commissions to Sydney Metro West station design, signalling that the new major projects director will be stepping into a portfolio already weighted towards large, multidisciplinary transport and water programmes.
Our database shows WSP also advising on the restart of Ontario’s Kearney flake graphite mine for Global Battery Materials, so experience from mining and battery-materials projects is likely to inform how major projects are prioritised alongside traditional civil infrastructure work.
Across the 845 Infrastructure stories in our database, WSP appears as a recurring technical partner on government frameworks such as the Department for Education’s Technical Advisory Services 2025, suggesting the role will need strong public-sector stakeholder skills as much as project delivery expertise.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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