Adrian is a Chartered Town Planner with over three decades experience in Local Government. For the past 20 years he has led Planning Departments at District, Unitary and Metropolitan Councils as well has running other place based functions, including housing and regeneration. His current post is Director of Growth and Regulatory Services at Trafford Council where he has responsibility for built environment and public protection services.

Ben has been a member of RTPI NW since 2018, occupying the role of Treasurer for several years and Chair during 2025. He also served an elected Trustee of the wider RTPI during 2023. Ben’s career has predominantly been within the public sector, preparing plans for Camden, Cheshire East and South Ribble councils. His experience also extends to tutoring the next generation of planners for the University of the Built Environment and applications / appeals casework through his own independent consultancy.

Carolyn has over 20 years of experience in planning policy primarily in the North West, working across all 3 tiers of Local Government in this area. Whilst at Salford council working on behalf of the ten Greater Manchester Authorities, she was also involved with Urban Vision Partnership which included work supporting planning authorities across the Country. She also managed delivery of the Greater Manchester Waste Plan and Minerals Plan. Now at Preston Council, managing the planning policy team, she is involved with delivery of the Joint Central Lancashire Local Plan as well supporting delivery of a number of neighbourhood plans.

Chris is a planning and regeneration consultant with 20 years’ experience of working for BE Group, Warrington. Before that he completed a PhD at Manchester University which researched the role of community engagement in the Housing Market Renewal Programme of Pennine Lancashire. Chris has been on the RAC since 2002, making him one of the longest serving members. He is now the regional Treasurer and runs the Promotion of Planning Task Group, which publishes the Annual Review of the year. Chris’s personal interests include sailing, Geocaching  and hill walking. He is also keen sci-fi fan.

Darren is Senior Director at Pegasus Group in Liverpool. He comes from a multidisciplinary background having previously worked client-side in wind energy and residential development before moving into consultancy. He now advises public and private sector clients on a variety of developments across England, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man. He holds two master’s degrees – a Master of Town and Country Planning (Hons) degree from the University of Manchester, and a Master of Science in Design and Construction of Zero Carbon and Ultra-low Energy Buildings from the University of Dundee. Darren is Chair of the Planning Aid England North West Task Group and co-founder of the North West Neighbourhood Planning Network.

Georgina is an Associate at Asteer Planning LLP. Georgina has experience of advising clients across a range of sectors, including residential, commercial, student, and mixed-use developments. Georgina was elected as a Chartered Member of the RTPI in December 2020 and currently sits on the Regional Activities Committee for the RTPI North West and is part of the Education, Careers and Mentoring Task Group

Hannah Mitchell is a Senior Planning Policy Officer at Stockport Council, where she has worked since 2021. She leads on policy development for infrastructure and design. Hannah contributes to a wide range of planning initiatives, including significant input into the emerging Stockport Local Plan. 

Hannah graduated from the University of Manchester in 2017 with an Integrated Master’s degree in Geography and Town Planning. She began her career in private consultancy, specialising in development management and commercially focused projects. Hannah became a Chartered Member of the RTPI in November 2019. 

Hannah is passionate about sharing knowledge and strengthening the planning profession, particularly within local planning authorities. In 2025, she was appointed by MHCLG and the Planning Advisory Service as the Place Advocate for the North West. In this role, she chairs the North West Design and Placemaking Network, bringing together local authority planners to collaborate, learn, and champion high-quality place-making across the region. 

In 2025, Hannah was named as the RTPI North West Young Planner of Year and was subsequently commended at the National Planning Awards.

Holly is a Senior Planning and Enabling Manager at Homes England, with a background in both the public and private sectors.  She has experience of working on a range of complex residential projects. 

Holly graduated with a Masters in Planning from the University of Manchester in 2016 and became a Chartered member of the RTPI in 2018. She has been involved in the Awards Task Group for the RTPI NW Regional Activities Committee for the last three years and looks forward to the opportunity to celebrate the best plans, people and projects again this year.

Ian has taken an unconventional route to planning after running a Greater Manchester magazine whose cultural content increasingly considered planning issues. Now part of the Infrastructure Planning team at WSP, Ian has over 8 years' experience and is now the team’s Active Travel consents lead. He formerly worked at Wardell Armstrong preparing Planning, Crime Impact and Health Impact assessments, and was elected as a Chartered Town Planner in December 2019. Ian joined the RTPI NW Regional Activities Committee and the RTPI NW Young Planners Committee in January 2019 and has arranged and chaired various CPD events and webinars, including Participation in Planning, Reallocating Road Space, Planning for Healthy Communities, Planning for Gear Change, and EDI in Planning. In his spare time, Ian supports communities with enabling safer, more liveable streets.

Jade is a Principal Planning Officer at Salford City Council with over 20 years of experience in the planning sector.  Over the course of her career, she has led a wide range of planning submissions across the commercial, residential, renewable energy, and minerals and waste sectors, working in both public and private practice.  In addition to this work, Jade has served as a Community Planner, supporting a local community in addressing their specific needs, and has also volunteered with Planning Aid.  These diverse roles have equipped her with a comprehensive understanding of the planning system, including policy development and stakeholder engagement.  Jade is committed to placing placemaking at the heart of her professional practice, and she is currently a member of the Regional Activities Committee for the RTPI North West and actively participates on the LPA Engage and Awards task groups.

Jake is a Chartered Town Planner with over 10 years-experience working in the private sector. He graduated from the University of Manchester in 2013 and has worked in various private sector roles, including planning consultancy, multi-disciplinary practice and more recently the housebuilding sector. Jake joined the Regional Activities Committee in 2017 and has been involved in various Task Groups. He chaired the Education and Careers Task Group in 2018 with a focus on reaching out to schools to promote planning as a career and re-launching the annual school competition to give an insight into different aspects of the profession. Jake is currently Task Group Leader of the Awards, working alongside other committee members and judges to administer awards for planning excellence within the North West.

Joanne is the Deputy Head of Planning at Knowsley Council and is responsible for helping to bring forward the Local Plan for Knowsley. Joanne is an experienced policy planner with more than 20 years in the profession. After starting her career in the private sector at GVA Grimley, Joanne has worked within local government, contributing to planning policy for Stafford, Halton and Cheshire East and more recently representing the home building industry whilst working for Home Builders Federation. Joanne is strong supporter of the planning profession and has previously been the Honorary Sectary of the RTPI NW region and served as RTPI NW Chair and as a Trustee of the RTPI. Joanne is a member of the CPD Task Group and is keen to help to support our local members through professional development and other RTPI services and events.

Kate is the Strategic Planning Policy Lead for Scottish Power Energy Networks and has expertise in strategic infrastructure, having most recently been the Lead Consent Officer for two high voltage electricity links, EGL3 and 4, supplying 4GWs of energy for the UK in a tripartite between National Grid, SSE and SPT. She has a clear understanding of how planning supports communities, growth, and net zero.

Kate is committed to being a connector between members and the RTPI, ensuring local insights help to inform national decisions, and working collaboratively to promote an inclusive and forward-looking profession.

Kate joins the NW Regional Management Board in 2026 as Regional representative on the Nations and Regions Panel.

Kath has an extensive career in Local Authority Planning. She began her career in  Sefton Merseyside and has also worked for a number of Authorities in the North East. She was the Chief Planner for Newcastle City Council responsible for DM, Forward Planning, ecology, landscape, design and conservation. In 2020 Kath took up an Interim position at Wirral leading their planning services. Kath left Wirral in March 2025 after successfully seeing their Local Plan through to adoption.  

Laura is an Associate at Mosaic Town Planning with experience in both the private and public sectors. Her main areas of work are in the education, residential and care sectors. Laura enjoys project managing planning applications, running consultation events and connecting future generations with planning through school and university talks. 

Laura relocated back to the North West in 2025 and has held a number of roles with the RTPI including the Young Planner Trustee and chair of the RTPI South East region in 2024. Laura was awarded RTPI South East Young Planner of the Year in 2019 and featured on the Woman of Influence list for 2022. 

Lesley is Directorate Admissions Lead for Built Environment, Architecture and Acoustics at the University of Salford and Programme Leader for the MSc Town and Country Planning. She made the transition to teaching in November 2019, following a successful career in practice, with 25 years’ experience in planning, development and asset management for The Boots Company, De Montford University, Network Rail and The Arch Company. As a chartered town planner and surveyor, Lesley is interested in promoting multi- disciplinary working and collaboration in the built environment and introducing the next generation of future town planners to the profession.

Matt is a Planning Director at Richborough, where he leads the promotion of strategic land for commercial development across the UK. His 19-year career spans both public and private sectors, including roles at West Lancashire Borough Council, St Helens Council, The Emerson Group, WSP (Indigo) and Nexus. A Chartered Member since 2011, Matt began volunteering for the RTPI in 2021, became North West Chair in 2024, and was elected to the General Assembly for 2025-26. He also serves on the RTPI Partnership Board at the University of Liverpool, where he earned a Distinction in the Master of Civic Design in 2007.

Melanie is an experienced chartered town planner who has worked across various public sector roles in Greater Manchester and the wider North West. She focuses on creating inclusive, sustainable, and resilient urban environments. 

A strong advocate for public sector planning, Melanie is particularly passionate about addressing climate change, reducing carbon emissions, and enhancing resilience to climate impacts. 

She is also skilled in infrastructure planning, housing, design, Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL), Section 106 negotiation, and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG). Additionally, she holds a qualification in project management and is certified as ‘carbon literate’.

Mike completed his MSc in Urban and Regional Planning at the University of Birmingham and graduated in 2020. Mike is a Senior Planner at Lichfields and has been a Chartered Member of the RTPI since May 2025. He has a broad range of experience across residential, commercial, sport and education sectors and is particularly passionate about delivering long-term regeneration benefits to local communities. He has a particular interest in the integration of renewable energy, sustainable development, and innovative architectural design. Mike sits on the Regional Activities Committee for the RTPI North West and is part of the Awards Task Force. 

Outside of planning, Mike plays hockey for Brooklands Hockey Club and enjoys running and cycling. 

Natalie is Senior Planning and Enabling Manager at Homes England working to unlock land for housing development across a range of projects including urban regeneration and large-scale urban extensions. Having focussed on Urban Design in her studies, Natalie is committed to securing high quality placemaking through planning and design.

Nayal is a Planner based in Manchester. He graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2022 where he was nominated for the RTPI Trust Bursary Award. In 2023, he joined the strategic land promotion arm of Barratt Redrow where he worked on the promotion of large-scale residential development sites. More recently, Nayal joined a multi-disciplinary consultancy, Stantec, where he has diversified his project range and been involved in commercial, public sector, and infrastructure projects. Currently, he is working towards his APC and looks to become an accredited member of the RTPI by early 2026. With a background in housing development, he is passionate about creating sustainable, well-designed communities that enhance quality of life and deliver long-term value for both people and nature.

Nia is a Chartered Associate Partner at Fisher German, and is the team lead for the North West and Wales region. She graduated with a First Class Masters from University of Liverpool in 2018 and became a Chartered Member of the RTPI in 2020. Nia recently won RTPI North West Young Planner of the Year 2022.  She is passionate about the rural sector and planning for rural communities and agricultural needs which can often be overlooked. Nia likes to promote careers within the industry and mentors a number of Licentiates through the APC process.

Oliver is a Chartered Town Planner at Pegasus Group. He joined Pegasus in June 2025, after two and a half years at LUC. Before which he graduated from University of Sheffield after completing his MSc in Urban and Regional Planning in 2022. Oliver advises on a range of large planning applications from pre to post submission in and around the Liverpool City Region across the residential, education, health and leisure sectors. Oliver is also part of the CPD Task Group helping provide training opportunities for Young planners to stay informed of current planning challenges. Oliver became a Chartered member of the RTPI in February 2025. He has a strong passion in how to better the built environment through sustainable design to contribute to the mental, physical, and social well-being of its users.

Rachel is a Lecturer in Urban Design at the University of Manchester, teaching on the RTPI accredited MSc Urban Design and International Planning course. She previously worked in practice, most recently as Associate Urban Designer at Tetra Tech, and she is a current member of the Salford City Council Design Review Forum. Rachel is the Outreach Coordinator at the Manchester Urban Design Lab, working to support the sharing of skills and experience between academia and practice. As a chartered planner, Rachel is committed to graduating students into urban design and planning careers with the skills and enthusiasm to successfully shape our built environments.

Rob is a Lecturer in Urban Planning & Placemaking at the University of Manchester. His research considers how planning shapes urban design quality, as well as wider public policy approaches to placemaking. His work is informed by close engagement with planning practice, including through a previous collaborative PhD with a Scottish local authority, studying the local implementation of Scottish Government placemaking policy, at the University of Glasgow. He currently teaches modules including International Urban Design and Placemaking on the University of Manchester’s RTPI-accredited degree programmes.

Ryan is Principal Planning Officer in Development Management at Rochdale Borough Council and has worked there since 2019. He graduated from his Masters in Town Planning and Real Estate at the University of Manchester in 2020 and is working towards becoming a chartered member of the RTPI. Ryan is passionate about securing high-quality design in new development and the role which placemaking has in the economic development of an area.

Sam is an Associate member of the RTPI with experience across development management and strategic planning. He currently works as a Project Manager in renewables with Wind2, and has a background in residential and mixed-use projects. Passionate about placemaking and planning education, Sam is committed to supporting early-career professionals and strengthening links between academia and practice. As a member of the RTPI North West’s Education, Careers and Mentoring Task Group, he helps promote planning as a dynamic and rewarding career.

Sophie is a Senior Planner at P4 Planning Ltd in Manchester. A Chartered Member of the RTPI since November 2023, Sophie was awarded RTPI North East Young Planner of the Year 2023 and recognised as one of The Planner’s Women of Influence 2025. She serves as Chair of the RTPI North West Young Planners Task Group, is a member of the RAC, and chairs the North West Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee. Sophie is passionate about promoting inclusive planning practices and has collaborated with North West organisations like LGBT Foundation to deliver projects that champion heritage, diversity and representation.

Steve has been involved in all aspects of planning since 1975 in many parts of the country. This has involved the full range of land uses, scale of development and issues.

Whilst many of his clients originate from the North West, he also has clients in other parts England.

Steve is regularly involved within multi-disciplinary teams, often leading them on planning matters. He deals with all types of application, appeals and representations on local plans etc with the exception of minerals and waste disposal. He maintains his interest in small scale schemes as well as large ones where they are in sensitive locations, faced with policy constraints or complex planning contexts, including the green belts and conservation areas.

Steve acts as an independent expert witness providing reports to the Courts on planning matters and is well known in his field and has long established and emerging working relationships with others in the profession and related disciplines.

Tom has worked as a Planner for eight years, initially in a rural practice in North Lincolnshire while studying part-time for a Masters in Town & Country Planning. Tom relocated to Manchester in 2016 to join the JLL Planning & Development team and provides advice to public and private sector clients across a range of sectors.

After his bachelor’s degree in urban and regional planning, Uche began his career in planning as a town planner and rose to a consultant in planning and architecture in November 1990. He managed a small firm in Lagos Nigeria for sixteen years until 2006 when he relocated to England working initially as a Development Control Officer for Eden District Council. He later became a planning director for Raymond-Schortz UK Ltd in December 2008, providing planning services to Local Authority including the Royal Borough of Hackney in London. Uche was seconded to the US where he worked in various capacities including as Director of Planning in a number of cities in Texas USA. He has been a member of the Policy Task Group for the RTPI RAC NW. He has also been RTPI Assessor for the APC (Assessment of Professional Competence). Uche is keen on selling planning knowledge globally and can assist with the RTPI IDN.