Steering Group

The steering group reflects the regional structure of the Network, and has one member from each Region and Nation, as well as the young planner on the RTPI's Executive Board.  

Diana Thompson MRTPI, Northern Ireland
Associate, Michael Burroughs Associates 

Diana is the last surviving member of the Young Planners’ Panel, which she joined in August 2004. She has helped to guide the transition of the Panel into a Network in April 2005 and became Chair of the group in January 2006. She also sits on the Irish Branch (Northern Section) Executive Committee and takes a keen interest in the organisation of CPD events, particularly those involving Young Planners. Diana graduated from Queens University in 2003, and joined Michael Burroughs Associates’ Belfast Office as a planning consultant. She has since worked for many of the major developers in Northern Ireland.

James Holbrook MRTPI, South West
Planner, Arup

James is a Chartered Town Planner with over 4 years experience in the public and private sector. In his current role he carries out work throughout the South West region. He has experience of advising on planning consent procedures and has managed the submission of planning application material for a diverse range of development projects (including residential, commercial and mixed use schemes). Prior to joining Arup in 2005, James worked for Caradon District Council in South East Cornwall, as a Development Control Planning Officer and as a Planning Consultant for Nash Partnership, an architectural practice in Bath. In 2006, James became the Young Planners' Representative for the South West Region and in that time has organised a number of social and CPD events in Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth and Truro. In 2008, he also became a member of the RTPI South West Regional Activities Committee.

Jamie Birtles, North West
Regeneration and Sustainable Transport Consultant, Faber Maunsell

Jamie completed his Master of Planning course at the University of Manchester in 2005 and has worked at Faber Maunsell since completing his degree. In this time, he has been involved in transport strategy, regeneration and public transport planning across Greater Manchester, most recently supporting the team bidding for funding through the Department for Transport’s Transport Innovation Fund (TIF). Jamie is also a key member of the Sustainable Transport Group, contributing to the development of low carbon transport solutions. He is currently a licentiate of the Institute and an active member of both North West Planning Aid and the RTPI North West Regional Activities Committee.

Bhupinder S Dev MRTPI, Yorkshire
Senior Planning Officer, City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council

Bhupinder is an MRTPI Chartered Senior Planning Officer at the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, responsible for delivering the Bradford City Centre Area Action Plan as part of the LDF. Bhupinder graduated from the University of Manchester in 2000 with a Master of Town & Country Planning Degree with Honours. In 2001, Bhupinder graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University with a Post Graduate MA in Urban Design. He has experience of working in town planning and urban design practice in the public and private sectors, having previously worked for White Young Green PLC and Gillespies LLP. Bhupinder is the RTPI Yorkshire Young Planners Co-ordinator and founding member of YORnet – the network for young built environment professionals in Yorkshire.

Fiona Clandillon MRTPI, Scotland
Senior Consultant, Ryden

Originally from Dublin, Fiona graduated from Heriot Watt in 2003 and got involved with the Scottish Young Planners Group the following year. She has seen it develop from a small group into a busy and influential organisation that develops and organises a range of events for Scotland's young planners while communicating their point of view to the RTPI and the Scottish Government and more.  

Andrew J Taylor MRTPI, Executive Board
Development Control Team Leader, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council

Andrew started working as a Planning Technician in 1997 and after completing a day-release MA at Westminster graduated in 2001. Committed to continuing education and career development (working up from Planning Technician to Development Control Team Leader), he has developed strong knowledge and enthusiasm for planning. Working for a range of planning authorities in the South-East has developed his knowledge base and understanding of the public sector. As a Member of the RTPI General Assembly (2003-present) and Executive Board and past member of Membership and Ethics Committee (2003-2006) and Audit Committee (2005-2007) Andrew has demonstrated his dedication to the profession. Andrew also seeks to develop other individuals through being a career mentor for RTPI’s Assessment of Professional Competence, supporting applicants for RTPI Technical, Student and Licentiate membership, successfully led application for Tunbridge Wells BC to become an RTPI Learning Partner and led appointment of trainee planner under ‘Tomorrows Planner’ initiative.

Lucie Taylor MRTPI, Wales
Planning Policy Liaison Officer, Newport City Council

Lucie is a chartered town planner with over 10 years experience in the field of planning, working in England and in Wales. She graduated from Reading University in 2001 with a Masters Degree in Town and Country Planning. Her main area of expertise is Community Involvement in the planning process. Having spent two years at Planning Aid Wales working to empower seldom heard individuals and groups, she now works at Newport City Council as Planning Policy Liaison Officer. Previous experience includes working in private practice consultancy for four years and in development control planning for four years. Lucie is Junior Vice Chair of RTPI Cymru and represents Wales on the YPN steering group.  

Robert Hobbs, East of England
Planner, Norwich City Council

Rob completed an MSc in Environmental Planning at Liverpool John Moores University in 2006 and has worked at Norwich City Council in the Planning Policy & Projects team since the completion of his studies. He became East of England Young Planners Representative in September 2006 and has overseen Young Planner events in Hertford, Ipswich and Norwich. He has been a member of the RTPI East of England Regional Activities Committee since 2007 and was co-opted as a student member of the RTPI General Assembly for 2008. Rob is currently a licentiate member of the RTPI.

Laura Smith, London
Senior Planner, The Landscape Partnership

Laura obtained a BSc (hons) Environmental Science from the University of Greenwich in 2001, and then worked as an Assistant Planner with the Planning, Policy and Information team at St Edmundsbury Borough Council, prior to joining The Landscape Partnership in 2003. She currently works with The Landscape Partnership as a Senior Planner and recently completed the Joint Distance Learning MA Town and Country Planning with the University of the West of England. Laura is a full member of IEEM and is in her Licentiate year working towards professional accreditation with the RTPI.  She is involved in all aspects of the planning application process and has had input to planning policy at all levels. Her role at The Landscape Partnership involves working with a diverse range of clients, project stakeholders and the public. She has experience of Environmental Impact Assessment, Strategic Environmental Assessment, Sustainability Appraisal, PPG17 Assessments, Green Infrastructure Strategies, green belt planning and strategies for recreation and tourism. Laura became the London Young Planners' Representative when she moved from the RTPI East of England Regional Advisory Committee last year.

Charlie Collins MRTPI, South East
Planner, Savills

Charlie has over four years planning experience working in both the public and private sectors. As a Planner with one of the UK's top property consultants he is involved in a range of planning, regeneration and strategic land promotion roles across the South. Charlie founded the South Coast Young Planners' Network (SCYPN) in November 2006 and was the 2007 'Convenor' of the Network. SCYPN had five successful events in 2007, a website and six newsletters informing younger planners of events, CPD opportunities and for licentiates help with their APC. Charlie also assisted with enhancing the involvement of young planners in the South East being a member of the South East RAC, including help with the establishment of the Thames Valley Young Planners' Network (TVYPN). The South East RAC now has five younger planner representatives (up four on 2006!). His aim is to ensure that younger planners are well represented within the RTPI and that the views of the future of the profession are heard. One of his key tasks in 2008 will be to arrange and coordinate the task group for the RTPI National Young Planners' Conference, which this year is coming to the South East in Brighton.

Jo Hooper MRTPI, West Midlands
Planner, Drivers Jonas

Joanne studied for a BA(Hons) in Geography at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth followed by an MSc in Spatial Planning at Oxford Brookes University. Joanne has gained a variety of planning experience working for public and private sector clients, including planning appraisals, planning applications for a variety of land uses, providing planning advice on major projects, making representations to development plans, and employment land reviews. She has been involved in YPwestmids activities since 2005 and is also the Editor of the Young Planners' Page in Planning magazine, a position she has held since January 2007.

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Author:

Catherine Middleton

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

27-May-08

Categories:

Networks & Associations 

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