Our candidates for the General Assembly

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position?

Like many, I know the potential that planning holds to address some of our most pressing challenges - from the housing crisis to climate change.

Our work is essential, but, still, the housing crisis worsens every year, and we are not on track to fulfil our commitments under the Paris Agreement.

These challenges are not for planners alone to solve, but we nevertheless have a responsibility to do our utmost.

I am optimistic that the government is now intent on empowering planners, and I would like to work with colleagues and key stakeholders to identify a clearer vision for the future of our profession.

I also see the value of further reflection within our profession. The insufficient outcomes we see at the national level are the aggregate of each individual policy, application, and decision.

I would be honoured to serve our profession and the public interest in this role.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

Empowering and improving the planning profession requires first-hand knowledge of planning as a practice. My experience includes the day-to-day practice of planning, which means that I can speak to the importance of our work and the ways it can improve.

I am a strong writer and public speaker, as demonstrated throughout my career, academic work, and guest lecturing. I am therefore well-equipped to communicate with colleagues and key stakeholders about our profession.

My academic training in both planning and political science gave me valuable perspectives on stakeholder incentives and the way that the structure of a process shapes the outcome of that process. These skillsets would be valuable to the mission of the Institute.

My lived experiences as a Millennial, as a Londoner, and as dual national afford me a personal lens through which I can view our profession’s clear challenges and enormous potential.

Qualifications:

Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute

Master of Science in City and Regional Planning

Master of Arts in Political Science

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

Guest lecturer on town planning at the London School of Economics (2023)

Guest lecturer on town planning at the University of Brighton (2022)

Active practitioner of town planning

Present post or occupation, and date commenced: I am a chartered town planner and director at Centro Planning Consultancy, in London. I joined Centro from another central London consultancy in February 2020, and I became a director in April 2023.

Past and present service to the Institute: If elected, this would be my first role serving the RTPI. I would be honoured by the opportunity to advance the Institute’s essential mission in the public interest.

Please tell us why you are standing for election. I am standing to empower planners and improve the effectiveness of the practice of planning.

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

As a passionate advocate for sustainable development and community well-being, I am eager to stand as a member of our General Assembly, holding the board to account and providing a voice to debates on the future of the Institute.

My vision is to help create vibrant, resilient communities that balance urban growth with environmental stewardship. Thoughtful planning can enhance quality of life, promote economic vitality, and support social inclusivity.

As a member of the debating chamber my goal is to ensure that our town grows sustainably, and equitably, making them thriving places for current and future generations. I will work to hold the board accountable to these principles and ensure transparency and responsibility in the Institute’s decision making.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

With extensive experience in the public sector and being a transport planner, I bring a wealth of skills, expertise and non-traditional experience to the General Assembly. Additionally in my role as a regional chair I sought to bring a spotlight to those unsung heroes of planning. This is something I am passionate about. For me it is the people who making planning a force for good. And so, making sure their voices are heard at the heart of the Institute is what I want to ensure.

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

We have a new UK government. The climate crisis is becoming ever more urgent. In the UK, planning has reached the tipping point from being a predominantly public sector to a predominantly private sector profession. Yet again, we are at a crucial moment where the role and contribution of planners needs to be critically examined and reinforced, both inside and outside the RTPI. 

I am running for General Assembly, because I want to be part of the conversation about what planners should do and how the Institute should support this. Throughout six years of RTPI involvement, both regionally and nationally, I have seen my role as providing a two-way link between practice and planning education; sometimes as a critical friend, sometimes by bringing people together through organising and chairing events, sometimes by working with others to recognise excellence. I want to bring this collaborative and holistic perspective to General Assembly.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

In combination with my enthusiasm for teamwork and the ideas this can generate, I will bring to this role a rounded experience and understanding of planning, and an enthusiasm for its potential. Having crossed back and forth between practice and academia in the first few years of my career and having continued to maintain links with practice whilst pursuing a career in planning education, I am well placed to offer a broad-based, critical perspective.

As a practitioner, I spent two years working on a new Local Plan from scratch. As a researcher, my interests are focused on how planning practice and theory should influence each other, including a longstanding interest in how the profession upholds it obligations to the public interest. As an academic I currently lead an RTPI-accredited programme and hold quality assurance roles for other planning schools, including internationally through work with the Association of European Planning Schools.

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position. I'm eager to join the RTPI's general assembly to address critical challenges facing our built and natural environment.  Can we harness planning to drive long-term, sustainable economic growth, tackle housing shortages and lagging productivity? These issues trap people and places, hindering well-being and contribute to declining living standards. While climate change, biodiversity, and design remain crucial, I believe a strong economy and increased housing supply can co-exist with these goals. I believe together and through bold planning responses, we can make a real difference to these issues.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

My experience in producing an Area Action Plan for Regeneration in parts of the Black Country demonstrates my ability to analyse economic factors and propose planning policies and strategies that drive economic growth, whilst working with stakeholders to deliver realistic results.
Through my current line of work I've facilitated discussions and mediations between developers, residents and local authorities. These skills have been instrumental in achieving consensus on complex planning proposals and delivering results. I will apply these skills through the role to ensure I can deliver the objectives set out within the RTPI's corporate strategy.
My existing voluntary involvement of my local Civic Society showcases my strong voluntary commitment to planning and my ability to act independently, in this case, I will represent the interests of the RTPI.
The role requires speaking at engagements to promote the profession, I have presented client roundtable sessions previously.

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

Four years ago, I consciously reduced my engagement with the Institute to increase the space for new contributors. Prompted by the new government’s position on development being headlined as “It is not if we build but how we build!” I now feel the need contribute again at the heart of Institute activity.
How we build should surely be based on building sustainably, building with communities clearly engaged and, through this, the shaping of quality places. These principles have been the core of my work over the past forty years – in public and private sector practice, in advocacy with the previous Labour government’s CABE, with the Design Council and in my work in education.
The Institute is likely to be pressing the government for excellence in these aspects of how we build. I am keen to be able to do as much as I can to help and support in this.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

Growth and planning are headlined as key areas of activity under the new UK government.
We know very well that delivering in these areas will be far from straightforward and will involve extensive conflict including at the interface between numbers and quality. The Institute needs to be at the heart of work in these areas.
My extensive experience and skills in practice and advocacy in both policy and delivery will allow me to make a very strong contribution to the debating and establishment of Institute positions and policy through General Assembly and Committees - and in helping communicate and advocate these with governments and other interests.

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

There are two main reasons I want to become more involved with the RTPI.

1. At the end of 2003 the RTPI changed to try to listen to the voices of all its members. Newly qualified or Young Planners were welcomed to the Board of Trustees.

20 years on and I want to be able to check back in with the Institute to see if it is the RTPI we promised our members that we would create.

2. Planning is a broad church. I have worked across consultancy and client side. I often hear from colleagues they don't always feel represented by the Institute. I want people to see that you can be a Professional Planner, a Client, and an active member of the Institute.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

Having spent 20 years working across consultancy and client side organisations, I have seen planning from many different angles. My time with different organisations has allowed me to learn many different skill sets and apply those that are most effective for the job in hand.

Added to this, my two previous terms working with the RTPI through, firstly the board of trustees, and secondly the General Assembly, I believe I am a strong candidate to work within the RTPI.

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position. As a member of the RTPI since 1992, I want to apply for this position as I believe that I can bring significant skills and experience to the work of the RTPI in terms of leadership and governance.  I understand the challenges faced by the RTPI in terms of growing the membership as well the problems faced by planners in public and private sectors face on a day to day basis.   I feel that the next few years will be very important for the profession with planning front and center for the new government.  Planning as an art has changed as we have changed with planning being more complex and more data driven.  Overall, I am passionate about how planning can shape and manage the places we live, work, shop and have fun. 

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

I am a strong candidate for this position as I have extensive experience of the value of planning and the RTPI from a variety of different perspectives having worked in both the public and private sectors.  I have worked extensively across London and around London for various Local Authorities as well as a planning consultancy and a housebuilder.  This experience and knowledge gives me a useful perspective for taking the RTPI forward. 

My planning skills are extensive as can be demonstrated through the range of planning projects I have had the pleasure to have been involved in from taking members to the Big Brother house to acting as a planning consultant helping to make an objection to a new school on designated open space. Planning is about communication as well as understanding context in terms of who and what is important.

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position. I currently serve as a Chartered Member of the General Assembly and I am a Member of the International Committee. I also represent the RTPI on  the Commonwealth Association of Planners Assembly. I would like to continue to contribute my ideas towards the achievement of the institute's goals, particularly in international outreach.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position. I have worked as a Chartered Planner in Nigeria and have knowledge of the planning system. Serving on the international committee and as CAP representative has also broadened my knowledge and network via interaction with planners from various countries.

Qualifications:

MRTPI
Full Member of Institute of Environmental Managers and Assessors (MIEMA)
Chartered Environmentalist

Present post or occupation, and date commenced: Appeals Planning Officer at Planning Inspectorate - 29 April 2019

Past and present service to the Institute:

Chartered Member of GA
Member of International Committee
RTPI Chartered CAP representative
Member of North East RAMB and EDI Champion

Please tell us why you are standing for election. I think it is inspiring when aspiring planners from BAME backgrounds see a familiar face.

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

I have long since believed in the power of planning to affect peoples lives.  In the past few years planning has  entered the  public consciousness in  a way it hasn't  before  during my career. With this has come  greater  scrutiny of  our profession and the role  planners  play in a number of  important areas  not least in terms  of the housing crisis. I would like to play  a role  alongside my fellow planning professionals to support the  profession in developing planning  policy and planning  practice.

Finally, I would also like to build  on the work of the Institute  in instilling a greater positivity towards the public perception of the profession by:
1) dispelling the  misconceptions about the role of planners  and;
2) pursuing ways of  working that ensure planners have the capacity to perform their roles in a way that does not negatively impact on their performance well-being.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

I have been a fully chartered member of the RTPI since 2000, since that time  I have  gained  wide ranging  skills and experience working  across planning  policy,  development  management  and planning appeals.

In my current  role  leading  a planning appeals  team I  have a particular  focus on ensuring I keep abreast of  the seemingly constant evolution of planning policy and  legislation.

In terms of the specific skills I  would bring as well a being a competent planning professional, I am an organised team player with good, listening,  communication  and presentation skills. Finally I am also  genuinely passionate about the planning system.

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

The planning profession is facing another period of reform as a result of the recent change in Government. The shift in leadership promises the opportunity to drive forward positive change which can have real life and tangible impacts on communities across the Country. The planning system needs to adapt and evolve to support the changing ways in which people wish to live, work and spend time. Looking to the future, it’s important to listen to all voices, not just those that shout loudest. I therefore, believe this is an important time for planning and would be honoured to be actively involved as a Chartered Member of the General Assembly in future discussions to help support the Institute’s 'Planifesto’. I believe in the importance of educating people around the merits of the planning system; and in particular I support the RTPI’s It Takes Planners and Us Campaign, myth-busting common misconceptions.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

Ever since I started my career in planning I have always shown enthusiasm and a passion for being a part of this industry (to which my colleagues would attest to!). As a consultant, I am dedicated to the profession, working with a variety of clients including; homeowners, housebuilders, site promoters, local businesses, schools and leisure operators, which has given me great insight into the breadth and depth of challenges different parties experience within the planning system. I am passionate as to championing the power planning has in supporting places and communities to thrive. Alongside this, as a mentor to Licentiates I provide support and guidance which means I am well placed to understand challenges facing Young Planners. I am a personable person who is willing to get stuck in and give things a go, as well as engage in important discussions and debates in relation to the Institute’s agenda. 

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

We have housing, climate and biodiversity crises. The are workforce shortages across planning and the built environment.  Facing all these issue at once requires clear leadership and action from our Institute. 
The planning system has a crucial role to play in addressing them.  I want the RTPI to be at the forefront of creating high quality, sustainable homes and places for people to live in; and in using new technology and thinking in how we plan, design and build homes.  I want to help the RTPI inspire young people to follow careers in the built environment and planning. 
We need to forcefully argue for the need for more homes, including social housing, and for well-planned places that improve people's lives; and we must inspire the next generation to work in and shape our built environment.  I will help the Institute ensure its voice is heard and that planning is valued.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position. I have nearly 40 years’ experience working in planning and the built and natural environments.  I have worked in local government, national government agencies and non-governmental organisations, and in roles including planning enforcement, development management, national policy development and advocacy, operations, and environmental assessment and policy.  I’ve been an RTPI Trustee and am currently on the General Assembly, so I have an understanding of the governance responsibilities that go with being a GA member.  I am Chief Executive of a charity so I understand charity law, policy and practice.  My current role is focussed on improving the quality of housing, engaging young people in the built environment and helping to provide them with modern skills, so I have a good understanding of the education sector and the RTPI's role in it.  I am a confident communicator and have appeared in print, radio and TV.

Qualifications:

BA Hons Geography
Bachelor of Town Planning (BTP)
Certificate in Ecology and Landscape
MRTPI

Present post or occupation, and date commenced:

Chief Executive, MOBIE (Ministry of Building Innovation and Education), November 2018 to present

Past and present service to the Institute:

Countryside and Natural Environment Panel (1997 – 2006)
Rural Planning Network core member (2006 – 2009)
RTPI Executive Board (2009 – 2010)
RTPI UWE Partnership Board – external employer representative (2016 – 2018)
GA member (Jan 2021 to present)
Education and Lifelong Learning Committee (2021)

Please tell us why you are standing for election.

Promoting well-planned, sustainable places that improve peoples' lives and inspiring the next generation into planning

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

Quite simply, I would like to help shape the future of planning in the ‘new dawn’ (post the General Election) and I am excited to be a part of the debate.

Becoming 2024 Chair of the RTPI NW has whetted my appetite to get more involved with the Institute; I have fresh new ideas to further the profession, for the benefit of our members. I would aim to do this by harnessing my unique experience and insight. I would challenge perceptions and seek to build stronger relationships between the public and private sectors, whilst ensuring there is more of a Northern and Midlands focus in the conversation.

I would also like to diversify my knowledge and increase my understanding and empathy for others working within the profession. In particular, I would like to connect with different planners working across the British Isles to share best practice and build relationships.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

As current Chair of the RTPI NW, I have a strong understanding of the RTPI’s Governance and an appreciation of its diverse membership.

I began volunteering for the RTPI NW in 2021 and progressed to Chair in 2024, providing leadership, building relationships and overseeing region-specific activities. Personal highlights include managing the Awards for Planning Excellence, visiting the Isle of Man, giving the President a tour of the region, representing the RTPI at UKREiiF and hosting the Annual Dinner. I have also been invited to join the University of Liverpool’s RTPI Partnership Board as a Practitioner Member.

Career-wise, I have 17+ years of public and private sector experience with 7.5 years in local government (West Lancashire BC; St.Helens Council) and a decade ‘client side’ (Emerson; Richborough) and in consultancy (WSP/Indigo; Nexus Planning). I have thorough knowledge of the profession and the challenges faced by those working within it.

Qualifications:

BA(Hons) Geography with Planning (Sheffield Hallam University, 2003-06) – 2:1

MCD Master of Civic Design (University of Liverpool, 2006-07) – Distinction

MRTPI Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute – 2011

FRGS Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society – 2021

Present post or occupation, and date commenced:

Divisional Planning Manager (Richborough, Birmingham) – March 2023

Past and present service to the Institute:

RTPI NW Regional Activities Committee – Committee Member (2021-current)

RTPI NW Awards Task Group – Member and Chair (2021-23)

RTPI NW Regional Management Board – Junior Vice Chair (2022), Senior Vice Chair (2023), Chair (2024)

University of Liverpool RTPI Partnership Board – Practitioner Member (2024-current)

Please tell us why you are standing for election.

To shape the future of planning in the ‘new dawn’ (post the General Election).

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

I have been actively involved with our Institute throughout my planning career, initially at regional level and more recently through Committees and Panels. I hope to continue the GA role I began in 2023 for a further term.

The broad professional experience and appreciation of the RTPI’s strategic priorities I have developed provide me with a strong basis for an effective role on the GA and I am well placed to make a valuable contribution to the work of the GA for the benefit of all.

As a ‘mid-career’ planner I appreciate the challenges and opportunities facing both new entrants into our profession and those with management responsibilities.

If elected, I will continue to contribute to the review and implementation of the Corporate Strategy, GROWPLAN and the Education for Everyone project. It is important to me that we continue to promote chartered membership and develop new pathways into the profession.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

As a Planning Director at Lichfields, I have worked throughout the UK on a wide range of projects in different spatial contexts. I maintain an up-to-date knowledge of current planning issues and would represent a range of professional views.

I have been actively involved in all aspects of the APC process and the Apprenticeship programme, including the assessment of individuals from a range of backgrounds. I have been involved in the preparation of GROWPLAN and other initiatives to support the RTPI’s Corporate Strategy. I have a good understanding of the RTPI’s processes and procedures.

While my career has principally been in the private sector, I have an appreciation of the pressures facing colleagues in local authority roles. Experience as an External Examiner at London South Bank University also gives me an academic perspective.

Overall, my skills and experience provide a strong basis for informed and constructive input into professional debates.

Qualifications:

BSc (Hons) City and Regional Planning (First Class), Cardiff University, 2000

Diploma in Town Planning (Distinction), Cardiff University, 2002

Chartered Town Planner (2003 - )

Present post or occupation, and date commenced:

Planning Director, Lichfields (London) since January 2012

(formerly Senior Associate Director, Associate Director and Senior Planner since joining Lichfields in April 2005)

Past and present service to the Institute:

Active GA Member (2023 - )
Membership and Ethics Committee (2019 - ) (Chair 2023 - )
Education for Everyone Oversight Group (2024 - )
MAAP (2017-2022) (Chair 2020-2022)
APC Advisory Panel (2012-2016)
Apprenticeship Professional Discussion Assessor (2021 - )
APC Appeal Panels
APC Assessor (All Routes) (2008 - )
ELLC
Young Planners’ Panel
South Wales Branch Committee
Chartered Town Planner (2003 - )

Please tell us why you are standing for election.

To support existing members and promote the future of the planning profession.

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position. I have more that 30 years' experience in planning education and research, including at senior level.  I believe that I can contribute to the work of the institute in the education and research domains, helping shape strategy and policy.  I have served on GA for the past 2 years and have become involved in two committees, Education and Life-long Learning (on which I am currently vice chair) and Policy, Practice and Research.  I wish to continue that involvement and contribution.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position. I have more than 30 years' experience in planning education and research, from which I have gained an extensive knowledge of the HE sector and the place of planning education therein.  During my 22 years as an RTPI member, I have been chair of the Partnership and Accreditation Panel, Vice Chair of Education and Life-long Learning Committee, and a member of the Policy, Practice and Research Committee.  My research experience is international in scope and I have previously been head of a planning school.  Therefore I feel that I have the skills and experience to contribution to the development of education policy, and also the Institute's research and international strategies

Present post or occupation, and date commenced:

Professor of Housing and Planning, UCL, commenced 1 September 1999

Past and present service to the Institute:

Member of PAP, from 2010 to 2019
Chairman of PAP, from 2018-19
Member of ELLC, from 2023-2024
Vice Chair of ELLC, from 2024
Member, PPRC, from 2024
Research Awards Judge, various dates

Please tell us why you are standing for election.

Building a stronger relationship between planning practice, the Institute, and the university sector

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

My passion for planning drives me to make a positive difference particularly to the value that planning, and planners demonstrate every day across the UK. I will positively consider and help shape RTPI policy and practice in a way that listens and responds to what RTPI Members need, whilst debating current issues and future challenges that require fresh policy responses.

Our profession is right up there in leading through difficult times, across the delivery of new homes, major infrastructure projects, tackling climate change and the nature crisis, and listening to communities to shape sustainable place change at a local level.

I don’t shy away from difficult discussions. I am believer in working together, cross sectors and professions, to achieve solutions. With recent political changes, the direction and focus of RTPI’s policy and practice needs shaped to respond to that agenda.

I will positively contribute to the General Assembly.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

I am an enthused public service leader with a successful track record of defining the vision, developing strategies and informing policies to create sustainable and thriving communities. A forward-thinking strategist, leveraging 33+ years in local government.

An influential Chief Planner in the national and regional landscape, recognised for contributing to critical dialogues. A past Convenor of RTPI Scotland and past Chair of Heads of Planning Scotland with experience in a range of RTPI roles, in addition to various roles on national advisory groups. I have led cross UK collaboration with a focus in advancing the quality of the planning system.

I am passionate about developing future Planners. I mentor through RTPI Chief Planners of Tomorrow programme and led Scottish research into Future Planners, influencing change. I take time to promote our profession and support people.

I have the collaborative leadership experience to advise and shape strategic policy and practice.

Qualifications:

BA (Hons) MRTPI
MBA

Present post or occupation, and date commenced:

Head of Planning & Chief Planner, Fife Council
September 2015

Past and present service to the Institute:

* RTPI Chartered Corporate Member since 1993
* RTPI Scotland Executive c2014/18
* RTPI Policy, Practice & Research Committee c2014/15
* RTPI Scotland Convenor 2015
* RTPI General Assembly c2015-19
* RTPI Membership & Ethics Committee Vice Chair c2017

Please tell us why you are standing for election.

To listen, critique, inform and shape RTPI policy and practice on behalf of Members

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

I am passionate about sustainable development issues and the work of the RTPI, therefore I am keen to contrite to the running and progress of the Institute at a national level. Having been Chair for RTPI Yorkshire Young Planners, regional Honorary Secretary and now Chair for the region, I see this as this right time for me to apply for a national RTPI position and to enhance my experience with the Institute further.
My appreciation of the work of the RTPI around the world and its importance has been increased by my experience at global conferences such as WUF 10, CHOGM 2022, and COP 27 and 28. Working with the Commonwealth Association of Planners has also provided me with a useful perspective on the importance of a multi-disciplinary and inclusive approach to sustainable urbanisation, which I think would help me to add value as part of the General Assembly.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

Having been Chair for the Yorkshire Young Planners, regional Secretary and now Chair, I have an in-depth understanding of how the RTPI works at a regional level, including the interaction between the regional and national levels.
I have been a member of the CAP Young Planners steering committee since 2020 and helped to set up and grow the multi-disciplinary Commonwealth Youth for Sustainable Urbanisation network. This has included participating in CHOGM 2022, COP 27 and COP 28. This experience has developed my communication skills as well as my understanding of the global development context within which planning sits.
My voluntary and professional experience has included working in partnership with other organisations and professions. I work for the multi-disciplinary AtkinsRéalis, having previously worked as a Planner in the real estate industry and public sector. This experience will help me to contribute to developing the RTPI in collaboration with other professions.

Qualifications:

MRTPI, MSc in Town Planning from Newcastle University and BA Hons in Geography from Newcastle University.

Present post or occupation, and date commenced:

Planning consultant for AtkinsRéalis, which commenced in July 2018.

Past and present service to the Institute:

I am currently Chair for RTPI Yorkshire, having previously been regional Secretary and Chair for the Yorkshire Young Planners. I also liaise with RTPI International whilst pursuing my CAP activities, for example accompanying the RTPI President in the Blue Zone at COP 28.

Please tell us why you are standing for election.

Promoting and developing the role of Planning as a key driver of sustainable development.

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

I have enjoyed being a member of the General Assembly as Scottish RTPI Convenor 2024 and  it is a real privilege to represent RTPI members and help to make a real difference to the Planning Profession.

I have been able to share the good work happening in Scotland such as the Chief Planning Guidance and NPF4.  I want to continue to promote this excellent work and to continue to learn from the work undertaken in other Regions and Nations.

The spotlight on Planning has never been greater and I believe with my wealth of experience and skills I could assist to  influence the outcomes around placemaking and more efficient and effective planning system.

I like to inspire and encourage planners of the benefits of RTPI membership and help to shape a new generation of planners, encouraging them to perform at their best and to gain knowledge, confidence and planning skills.  

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

I am a very experienced Chief Planning Officer and I have developed a  strong and diverse network of contacts with the aim to deliver the most robust and beneficial planning outcomes.  I provide strong strategic leadership and encourage collaboration between professionals. I influence and inspire other Planning Professionals and those outwith the profession.   I am passion about quality placemaking and I am actively sharing this wealth of experience to encourage others to take a place based approach .

I am an excellent communicator and advocate the benefits of a collaborative approach to planning  at a wide range of conferences and events. I embrace and advocate a place based approach and deliver on the outcomes of NPF4 in achieving health and wellbeing, reducing inequality and creating well designed quality places.

Qualifications:

BA(HONS) Geography
MSC Town and Country Planning
MRTPI - Corporate Member 1992
Quantum Leadership  Certificate - May 2022

Present post or occupation, and date commenced:

Chief Planning Officer - East Ayrshire Council - April 2024
Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health Manager - West Dunbartonshire Council - December 2012

Past and present service to the Institute:

Scottish Convenor 2024

Please tell us why you are standing for election.

Making a difference through the Quality of Place 

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position. As Planners, we are used to being adaptable and flexible in the face of change.  The coming years will likely see a further raft of policy and procedure changes for our people - including challenges around housing delivery, digitalisation and plan making.  After gaining both private and public sector experience across the planning sphere, I would like to both bring my knowledge and know how to help support the RTPI and learn from those already part of the Assembly in order that we can keep the feedback loop between practitioners and the RTPI as fresh, open and honest as it will undoubtedly need to be during these tricky times.  With a change in Government, we have an opportunity to grasp and change the narrative around planners and planning and I would welcome the chance to be a part of this.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

I have  managerial and professional experience in the private and public sector, across all aspects of spatial planning – policy and development management as well as enforcement etc.  I want to share my skills through providing advice, training and support to help others deliver on their potential.

I have demonstrable leadership and management experience supported by technical planning knowledge and abilities and I am excited about opportunities to enable all those involved in planning to drive the best possible outcomes for their communities – ready to meet the challenges of the future.

A General Assembly role would enable me to use my communication and analysis skills to help the institute increase its relevance and influence as Planning continues to face changes and challenges intellectually and institutionally.

Qualifications: MTCP (hons) from the University of Manchester (2000).

Present post or occupation, and date commenced:

I am a self-employed planning consultant, with a focus on delivering training and support to the Planning industry whilst also assisting clients with knotty Development Management and Policy matters.  Immediately prior to this I headed up a District Council Development Management Team in South West England.

Past and present service to the Institute:

I have not held any formal posts with the Institute, work and family commitments precluded this to date.

I have delivered training sessions for my Branch.

I am keen to assist with training and awards matters and will consider further opportunities as they arise.

Please tell us why you are standing for election.

To maximise Institute impact, relevance and connectivity for its Members

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

I’m a planning barrister who’s also worked in senior positions in local government and consultancy. What interests me is making planning practical and relevant, and improving its reputation and profile with government. To me that means better communicating and demonstrating how planning delivers, improves quality and adds value, and challenging the rhetoric that the profession is about blocking and needless red tape. The change of government and its mission to achieve a step change in sustainable growth is a massive opportunity for us to prove our worth by shaping practice and policy. That’s a big part of what the General Assembly does. I’d be glad to help do it.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

Skills and experience wise, I have practised for 20 years as a planning barrister, acting mainly for local authorities. I have also worked in local government for 12 years at chief officer level, including in planning and economic development, and as an Associate in what used to be GVA Grimley. That mix has given me a hands on and rounded view of the profession, current policy issues, the impact of politics on delivery and (especially) the resource constraints that impact the profession in local government, and the recruitment and retention difficulties that causes. In terms of the current policy agenda,  I’ve worked extensively on local plans and housing land supply, and flooding issues. I’d hope that background would equip me well for the position.

Qualifications:

BSc (Hons) Geography (Univ of Birmingham)
MA Town & Regional Planning (Univ of Sheffield)
MPA Univ Warwick Business School
Common Professional Examination in Law (Birmingham City University)
Barrister at Law (Middle Temple)
MRTPI (since 1988)

Present post or occupation, and date commenced:

Barrister St John’s Chambers, Bristol since 2016

Past and present service to the Institute:

None

Please tell us why you are standing for election.

Raising our profile and proving our worth in by delivering growth

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

I will offer a fresh perspective if elected to my first position within the RTPI. I achieved Chartered membership in 2022, which has strengthened my perception of myself as a professional. I share the view held by many Licentiate members that the Assessment of Professional Competence can feel excessive and worry this is preventing more planners from achieving Chartered membership. I want to be a voice for this issue.

Positive planning is too often restrained by local government underfunding and politics. From Local Plans taking too long to prepare and examine, to speculative planning consents undermining public confidence, our profession loses when the environment we operate within is not effective. I want to contribute to the RTPI’s role in influencing planning reform, especially in advocating for the everyday issues that local authority planners grapple with, as the new Government sets out on delivering its change agenda.

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

I have been employed as a policy planner within four local authorities in the East Midlands since 2016. I have supported the preparation and examination of Local Plans, supported communities in developing their Neighbourhood Plans and been involved in a range of standalone policy projects. I have also processed development management caseloads. My diverse professional experience ensures that I have working knowledge of the opportunities and challenges of local government planning and can offer informed, practical views.

I have been a trade union representative for several years, advising and representing colleagues and leading workplace policy negotiations. In this role I have supported planners through personal and workplace issues. This transferrable experience of accountability and advocacy will help me contribute effectively to the role.

Qualifications:

Urban and Regional Planning MSc, University of Birmingham, 2015-17, Distinction.

Geography BA (Hons), University of Nottingham, 2011-14, 2:1.

Present post or occupation, and date commenced:

Senior Planning Policy Officer, Melton Borough Council (commenced August 2023).

Past and present service to the Institute:

I have not held a position in the RTPI. I actively support colleagues to achieve Chartered membership.

Please tell us why you are standing for election.

I will represent the views of public sector planning professionals including younger planners.

Please state briefly why you wish to apply for this position.

With a new UK Government determined to tackle many challenges, from housing delivery, infrastructure, place-making, energy transition and rapid technological change, planning is firmly back on the agenda and central to wider policy ambitions.

But this is happening during a period of socio-economic, environmental and climatic volatility and uncertainty; against a backdrop of scarce resources across all sectors – public, private, third and academic.

We must therefore collectively stand up for planning during this time of transition. It is time to make a difference through collaboration, creativity and commitment.

I believe strongly in the RTPI and the work it does in championing the profession. Joining the RTPI presidential team as Vice President presents an exciting opportunity to drive positive change within our profession and contribute to shaping the future of planning. It is a vital role in proclaiming the importance of planning and representing and supporting all our members globally. 

Please detail the skills and experience you have that would make you a strong candidate for this position.

Extensive RTPI experience - including RTPI Board Trustee for the past 6 years (2018 to present), Chair/Member of several RTPI Committees. Also, RTPI Scotland Convenor (2017), Member of SEC and Future Ambassador.

Shaped and informed the RTPI Corporate Strategy 2020 – 2030, and currently emerging ‘reset’ of the CS 2025 to 2030, providing RTPI with a sound basis to achieve its vision and mission and framework to address challenges for the profession.

Real experience and understanding of key RTPI matters, including financial and governance structures, from a Nations and Regions perspective.

Professional experience - as a leader of multi-disciplinary teams, and currently a planning practitioner of an Independent consultancy, provides a depth and breadth of experience to the challenges we face today. Including advocating for planning, technological innovation and resources. 

I have the necessary skills, experience and relationships to ‘hit the ground running’ and be a strong effective ambassador for the profession.

Qualifications:

MSc Urban Analytics                                    
University of Glasgow, Glasgow
(November 2022)

Post-graduate Diploma in Urban Design  
University of Westminster, London
(December 1993)

BSc (Hons) Town Planning                          
Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh
(July 1988)

Fellow of RTPI (FRTPI)
(September 2017)                                           

Fellow RSA (FRSA)                                       
(September 2022)

Present post or occupation, and date commenced:

Founding Director of independent planning consultancy Stefano Smith Planning established February 2018 – www.stefanosmithplanning.com

Over 35 years leading planning services within international/national multidisciplinary consultancies including WYG, PBA, Amec, Halcrow, RPS Consultants, Spawforths and Barton Willmore Partnership.

Public sector experience in NE England and international planning experience in Australia.
Past and present service to the Institute:

6 years on the Board of Trustees (recently as Nations Trustee), Chair of Nations & Regions Panel and PPRC, and previously Chair of Education & Lifelong Learning and Member of Audit Committee and Nominations Sub-Committee, as well as Member of the Governance Working Group.

Past RTPI Scotland Convenor (2017) and SEC Member.

Please tell us why you are standing for election. A passionate planner driven to contribute and add real value when debating critical Institute matters.