He holds a Bachelor of Arts (with Hons) in Architecture and Environmental Design and a Bachelor of Architecture (with Hons), both from Nottingham University. He also has the RICS Post Graduate Diploma in Historic Building Conservation and is a Member of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation. As well as working as a practicing architect, David spent 4 years as a Lecturer in Architecture at the Welsh School of Architecture, and in 2004 was appointed Historic Areas Adviser with English Heritage.