Photo, L-R: John Somers, Joe Turner, Tim Webb, Caroline Hedger, Jo Hooper 

Jo Hooper MRTPI

Title and role/responsibilities within YPwestmids
Chair – Lead contact for YPwestmids. Representing YPwestmids at RTPI West Midlands meetings and on the Young Planners' Network Steering Group. Helping to organise YPwestmids events including seminars and social events.

Employer and Role

• Planner, Drivers Jonas, since December 2007
• Assistant Planner, King Sturge, (2005 - 2007)
• Part time research project at Sustainability West Midlands (2005), and work experience placements at King Sturge (2004) and Malcolm Scott Consultants (2004). 

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.

Education
MSc Spatial Planning , Oxford Brookes University, 2004-2005
BA (Hons) Geography, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, 2001-2004

Experience in RTPI activities
Involved in YPwestmids activities since 2005. Member of Young Planners' Network Steering Group at national level since 2005, which has involved helping to organise the Annual Young Planners' Conferences; Editor of the Young Planners' Page in Planning magazine since January 2007.

Interests in Planning
Sustainability, urban design, regeneration, residential planning.

Tim Webb MRTPI

Title and role/responsibilities within YPwestmids
Secretary & Treasurer – (Producing Meeting Agendas/Minutes / Monitoring Group Budget / Drafting articles / Advising on Group decisions).

Employer and Role

• Planner, GVA Grimley (2008-)
• Graduate Planner, GVA Grimley (2005-2007)
• Work Experience Placements at Cardiff Council (2005), Advantage West Midlands (2003), Solihull MBC (2000)

Tim has gained a variety of planning experience working for public and private sector clients, tasks including:

• Advising on and Submitting Planning Applications and other land use applications
• Planning Policy Site Appraisals
• Planning Due Diligence Work
• Assisting the Project Management of Development Projects
• Making representations to emerging development plans
• Development/Regeneration site identification
• Planning policy and development updates
• Preparing Maps and Photos Plans using a variety of software
• Numerous planning related research jobs 

Education
MSc Planning, Practice and Research, Cardiff University, 2004-2005
BA (Hons) Geography, University of Nottingham, 2001-2004

Interests in Planning
Planning and development.

Joe Turner

Title and role/responsibilities within YPwestmids

Events Co-ordinator

Employer and Role

• Planner, Turley Associates, Birmingham 2007-
• Planning Officer, London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham, 2001-2007
• Licentiate Member of the RTPI

Extensive experience of handling major planning applications in both public and private sectors – including negotiation of planning obligations and affordable housing provision – across a wide variety of development sectors including residential, commercial, leisure and education.

Education
MA Town Planning, London South Bank University, 2002-2006.
BSocSc (Joint Hons) Geography & Planning, University of Birmingham 1997-2000.

Experience in RTPI activities
Involved in YPwestmids activities since 2007.

Interests in Planning
Listed buildings and heritage; sustainability; affordable housing; education.

Caroline Hedger

Title and role/responsibilities within YPwestmids
Events Assistant

Employer and Role

• Senior Transport Planner, JMP Consulting, Lichfield, 2006 – Present
• Transport Planner, JMP Consulting, Lichfield, 2003 - 2006
• Member of the Institution of Highways and Transportation
• RTPI Licentiate
• Working as part of JMP’s Highways Agency Call-on Consultancy team for the Spatial Planning Framework Commission, which is responsible for assessing the impact of developments on the Midlands trunk road network.
• Writing and auditing Travel Plans and Transport Assessments.
• Reviewing Development Plans and providing representations on behalf of the Highways Agency.
• Leading the ‘Influencing Travel Behaviour Programme’ for the West Midlands as part of the Highways Agency Commission. This involves developing Area Travel Plans for appropriate sites as a way of encouraging people to change their travel habits and reduce single occupancy vehicles.

Education
MA Town Planning , University of Central England
BSocSc (Joint Hons) Town Planning & Social Policy, University of Birmingham

Experience in RTPI activities
Involved in YPwestmids activities since 2007.

Interests in Planning
Sustainability, transport (in particular Travel Planning), responding to climate change, regional issues, regeneration.

Catherine Pettipiece

Title and role/responsibilities within YPwestmids
Student Liaison

Employer and Role
Planner, DTZ

Education
MA Spatial Planning , Birmingham City University (currently undertaking)
BA (Hons) Geography, University of Birmingham

Involved in:

Planning applications and appeals, representations, various retail impact and capacity assessments

Samirah Bhagatte

Title and role/responsibilities within YPwestmids
Working with other members of the Core Group to plan and deliver social events, meetings and other activities.

Education
Samirah is currently an Undergraduate Student at University of Birmingham undertaking (BA) Urban Planning, Public Policy and Government Management (2006-2009).  Samirah has a broad understanding of the Planning Process and the implementation of Public Policy. She has completed Several Modules in Urban Regional Planning, some of which are:

• Urban Regional Economy,
• Rural Policy and Planning issues,
• Managing European Cities,
• Urban Poverty and issues Rebuilt,
• Human Resource Management,
• Making and Managing Public Policy,
• Public choice and Ideas and Institutions.
• Planning, Sustainable Development and Urban Regeneration.

Interests
Planning, Sustainable Development and Urban Regeneration.

Author:

Catherine Middleton

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

14-May-08

Categories:

Networks & Associations 

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