Planning policy at pace (part one) - Foundation around planning reform

Katherine Verlander is a senior officer at Newcastle City Council with over 30 years’ experience in Planning and Policy. She has worked previously in local authorities in the north east, Essex and London. Her public sector experience is focussed on local plans and social policy, including: regeneration; growth and viability; partnership working; core cities; community cohesion and engagement projects.  At the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Katherine was the team leader responsible for progressing the local plan that included Barking Riverside–transforming the area into a new London district for over 10,000 new homes. Katherine is currently responsible for housing policy for both Newcastle and joint local plan partner Gateshead Council and contributes to regional planning by leading an interim NE housing group of local authorities. Her other interests include driving forward with digital planning efficiencies, mentoring planning students and guest lecturing at Newcastle University.

Richard is  an independent consultant with 37 years of planning, infrastructure and management experience gained from working in the public, private and partnership sectors, including as a Chief Officer in local government.  At a national level Richard has recently been part of the small team preparing a Spatial Development Strategy (SDS) Readiness Toolkit and Guide for the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) to support Strategic Planning Authorities and partners across England. He is also a member of the national expert Strategic Planning Group founded by Prior + Partners which has been helping MHCLG shape the approach to developing SDSs. In 2024 Richard  co-authored the RTPI’s influential research report 'Strategic Planning in England – Current Practice and Future Directions', alongside Catriona Riddell and the University of the West of England. Richard has previously provided support to PAS as a strategic planning advisor working with local and county councils.  He is a member of the TCPA’s Policy Council and past Chair and Policy Advisor for RTPI Yorkshire, which included supporting the RTPI Ambitions for the North report. As a strategic planning practitioner Richard is providing strategic advice and direct support to Strategic Planning Authorities on SDS scoping exercises and preparation approaches. This is complemented by support to Local Planning Authorities on Local Plan  and Infrastructure Delivery Plan preparation. Richard’s track record of producing strategic plans includes a non-statutory Spatial Framework, a Regional Spatial Strategy and a Structure Plan. 

Bio coming soon.

Ian is a former RTPI North East Chair (twice) and has worked in the North-east all his career.  He spent around 12 years working in and then leading Local Authority planning policy teams preparing Local Development Frameworks, Local Plans and other policies.  Since moving into consultancy 19 years ago, Ian has continued to assist Local Authorities with plan preparation and advising a broad range of public and private sector clients on development strategy, promotion of sites and securing consent for a range of schemes across sectors.  Ian now is the Newcastle office lead ay Axis – Planning, Environmental and Transport Consultants.  

An experienced Planner, Hannah started her career at Kirklees Council before moving to the private sector, advising on large-scale developments across a range of uses as well as leading on planning policy development. Hannah is a chartered member of both the RTPI and RICS ensuring she is able to apply commercial understanding when developing planning policy and development strategy across a range of sites and projects. Hannah currently leads the Spatial Planning Team at West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA). With regional planning evolving rapidly, the Spatial Planning team’s role is expanding from a focus on driving regeneration across key strategic sites within West Yorkshire, towards a more proactive role, leading on developing an Infrastructure Strategy and Spatial Development Strategy alongside working with constituent authorities on a Joint Development Plan document to support Mass Transit delivery. 

Nicki has been a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute since 2013 and has worked in a variety of planning roles at district and county councils in the UK. As the Associate Director of DAC Planning, Nicki has extensive experience in managing a wide range of projects, relating to the production of Local Plans, infrastructure planning, viability and developer contributions. Nicki is highly motivated by the positive impact that collaborative working can have on creating high quality outcomes in the built environment. Nicki is also a committee member of Women in Planning Sussex.

Hugo is a Director of Urban Initiatives with over 30 years experience of urban design, masterplanning and public realm design. Hugo has a passion for cities as dynamic, complex, and living environments, constantly changing, evolving, and reinventing themselves and works to guide and shape positive change that is good for people, place and the planet.

Hugo has considerable experience working for local authorities to plan their growth. This includes preparation of characterisation and building heights studies and the preparation of design codes. He is currently leading Urban Initiatives work in preparing a Building Heights Study for Newcastle / Gateshead.  

Hugo sits on several design panels and acts as an expert advisor for a number of clients. He is a visiting lecturer at the Bartlett and University of Westminster and a tutor on the Bartlett Major Research Projects programme.