Members and public relations group

Joe is an Associate at Hedley Planning Services and Chairs the Member and Public Relations Sub-committee. He was the North East Region's youngest ever Chair in 2012, where he was keen to highlight the problems and opportunities faced by the rural areas of the Region. Joe has worked in Planning since 2007 in both public and private sector. His experience includes obtaining planning permission for a range of developments including mixed use development, major residential, commercial, retail, leisure and tourist projects; preparing site appraisals; engaging in the development plan process to promote land, including making representation at Examination in Public; and, advising in relation to highways issues including road closures.

Alastair joined the Defra Marine Planning and Licensing team in October 2019 as a Senior Policy Adviser. He advocates for ambitious marine planning and licensing policy and inputs into cross-government commissions on planning reforms, working with ministers and a variety of stakeholders. He previously worked at Natural England (NE) in the marine planning team where he was responsible for responding as a statutory consultee to Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects alongside development management, development plan and marine licencing casework along the coast. He also worked for the NE terrestrial planning team and for the planning team at the Environment Agency.

Alastair is a Chartered Member of the RTPI and is currently Vice Chair of the RTPI North East. Alastair previously served as Vice Chair of the Young Planners' Steering Group and on the Regional Activities and Policy Committee. He was North East Young Planner of the Year 2022.

Lucy is a Planner at Lichfields, having joined in 2023 following the completion of her Master’s degree in Urban Planning at Newcastle University. Prior to this, Lucy completed her undergraduate studies at Durham University where she studied Geography, graduating with a BA (Hons) degree in 2022. Lucy has a particular focus and interest in town centre regeneration and the built historic environment. She has experience assisting in the preparation, submission and management of planning applications for a range of minor and major developments and has experience across a variety of sectors including retail, leisure, commercial, residential, healthcare and infrastructure. Lucy is currently Vice Chair of the RTPI North East Young Planners’ Committee.’

With over 30 years diverse career experience in planning and the built environment, Jamie has worked in a wide range of roles, both in the private and public sectors.

As well as currently leading on the development of a High Streets Commission for the North East, Jamie manages investments into place-based regeneration schemes across the region. He is passionate about enabling transformative projects that will deliver long-lasting and meaningful change to our communities.

David Stovell is the principal of David Stovell and Millwater, an independent planning consultancy covering a wide range of planning matters, with particular regard to planning applications and appeals. David was previously been Chair of RTPI North East, he was for many years the Chair of the NE's Continuing Professional Development Steering Group, which is responsible for formulating and running the regions highly successful CPD Conference Programme. He graduated from the University of Aston in Birmingham and has held positions in the public and private sectors, working on development plans, compulsory purchase orders, implementation and retail planning.

Tim is a Chartered Engineer and is a highways and transportation consultant with more than 40 years’ experience.   He provides expert advice at all stages of development from feasibility to implementation, preparation of transport statements, transport assessments and travel plans, presentation of Proof of Evidence for planning appeal written representations, for informal hearings, for Public Inquiries and for Lands Tribunal, preparation of a Witness Statement for a High Court Judicial Review case. After being a Technical Director at national Fairhurst and at global WSP for a total of seven years, Tim set up his own successful highways and transportation consultancy business in 2010. He has expertise in all development types including residential, commercial, retail, leisure, education, health, student accommodation, community facilities and glamping sites.