Dr Emma J. Wells

A recognised expert in her field, Emma is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, a professional member of IHBC and CIfA, and actively contributes to various heritage committees, including serving as a Trustee for the Churches Conservation Trust.

PhD, Buildings Archaeology – Durham University

MA (Dist), Buildings Archaeology – University of York

BA (Hons), History of Art – University of York

Emma has over 15 years’ experience in the systematic research and assessment of the built environment and in providing design and conservation advice for planning and consent processes. She is currently Director of Heritage, heading up and developing our ever-growing Northern offering. She holds a PhD in Buildings Archaeology from Durham University and is a professional member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation and Chartered Institute for Archaeologists, a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries and sits on various committees, including a Trustee for the Churches Conservation Trust and formerly an elected guardian for SPAB. 

Emma is well versed in developing key partnerships and positions alongside priority stakeholders, local authorities, amenity bodies, developers, communities, and professionals across the UK. Championing innovative solutions and nuanced advice on the use, conservation, design and sustainability of heritage, her skills are broad-ranging and cover places of worship as well as the residential, commercial, industrial and renewables sectors. As such, she is now a regular expert witness.

Emma’s skillsets therefore lie in the reporting and processes from feasibility/due diligence stage to place-making/master-planning and EIA. She is a specialist in historic research, assessing impact and negotiating change overall, and is thus experienced in heritage statements/impact assessments, statements of significance, appraisals, ES Chapters, HEDBAs, LBCs, historic building recording, and, also, in the assessment of holistic approaches to improve energy efficiency (retrofitting) and sustainability solutions for historic environments, including assessing public benefits and heritage capital.   

Outside of the office, Emma can usually be found atop the hills of the North Yorkshire Dales or Moors, walking her beloved miniature schnauzer, Becket, behind the wheel of a supercar—Emma gained her racing licence at 18 and used to race for Formula Woman—or authoring her next non-fiction book.