Ridge and Partners has acquired a transport consultant as part of plans to strengthen its multidisciplinary offer.
The built environment consultancy has bought Hub Transport Planning, the latest in a series of acquisitions since its own partial takeover by a private equity firm three years ago.
Horizon Capital pumped more than £40m into Ridge to take a “significant” stake in the business in 2023.
At the time, Ridge senior partner Adrian O’Hickey said this would “enable investment in people and acquisitions”, and what followed was the acquisition of cost consultant Concert, civils consultant Jubb and PM Adept Management.
With its latest purchase, Ridge brings onboard a firm with nearly two decades of experience in transport assessment, strategy and design.
Current clients of Hub Transport Planning include Richborough, Barratt West Midlands, Persimmons Homes, Severn Trent Water, Bellway Homes and Caddick.
Ridge said the acquisition would strengthen its ability to support new towns and other strategic growth sites. Hub’s 17-strong staff, which is based in Birmingham, brings Ridge’s transport planning team’s headcount to more than 40.
The team works across public and private sectors, working on early masterplanning and feasibility through to delivery, with clients such as Highways England and Transport for London.
Andy Cleevely, partner at Ridge, said: “We identified Hub because of its depth in transport strategy, its practical understanding of planning risk and its collaborative way of working.
“Transport increasingly plays a defining role in whether sites come forward and can be delivered to cost, particularly on large scale and long‑term proposals and strategic growth locations.”
Ridge has identified infrastructure and strategic land as key areas for further expansion.
“Joining Ridge is the right move at the right time,” said James Parker, director at Hub Transport Planning.
“We’re bringing our expertise into an environment where it can have far greater impact, and I’m excited about what that means for our people, our clients and the projects we’ll be part of.”