RTPI President among design experts appointed as advisers to Boris

Outgoing RTPI President Colin Haylock has accepted an invitation to join the Mayor of London  Boris Johnson's Design Advisory Group. He joins other new members and established advisers including Sir Terry Farrell and past RIBA President Sunand Prassad in a 16 strong group of design experts.

The Group and its members will advise the Mayor through to 2016 and will play a significant role in shaping future developments which fall under the Mayor's responsibility through his regeneration, housing and land powers.

Colin is an architect-planner who has worked in regeneration throughout a career of over 35 years. He said in response to this new role: "As someone who grew up in London it is an honour to be invited back to join an exceptional group of advisers to the Mayor at a time when London faces great challenges of growth and change. I am looking forward particularly to working with the Mayor and his team on his aspirations to use the Olympic legacy and the planned eastwards growth of London to reduce the social, economic and environmental differences between East and West London."

Colin grew up in south west London but has been based in Newcastle throughout his working life and is the first North East based President of the RTPI since 1945.

He ran Environmental Design Services for Newcastle City Council for over 10 years before joining Ryder Architecture as Urban Design Director and working increasingly across the UK with them.

Since 2000 he has played a leading role in the national work of the former Government Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment - a role which he continue with through the Design Council.

He now runs a specialist consultancy, Haylock Planning and Design and is a visiting lecturer at University College London and Newcastle University.

• For more information about Colin, click here.