Meet our judges

Timothy Crawshaw MA MRTPI FRSA is an International Planning and Development Consultant in the areas of urban design, planning, green infrastructure, energy efficiency and sustainable transport. With experience in Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East, alongside an expanding UK practice, he has a specific interest in the role of the nature based approaches to addressing the climate emergency, alongside improving health and wellbeing outcomes and tackling inequality.

Timothy is an experienced lecturer, trainer and facilitator with a passion for community development, and he continues to champion the role of planning as a key part of the solution to the challenges of our times. Timothy is currently the Chair of the Tees Valley Nature Partnership and Chair of the Historic Towns and Villages Forum.

Jan has significant experience of examining (former Examining Inspector PINS) and advising on a wide range of nationally significant infrastructure and major development projects across the full range of sectors including new settlements and urban extensions, energy, water and waste water, transport, business and commercial, ports and airports dealing with a wide range of issues from development consent orders, strategic plans, EIA, biodiversity, design, Water Framework Regulations, Habitats Regulations Assessment, community engagement and compulsory purchase. Jan has been recognised as one of ‘the most influential women in UK planning’. She is Board Chair of the National Infrastructure Planning Association.

Jan is a Fellow of the Royal Town Planning Institute (FRTPI) and currently sits as Vice Chair of the RTPI English Policy Committee and is North East Regional Representative on General Assembly. She also continues to be engaged with Planning Aid.

Dominic joined Lichfields in 2016 and now works as a Senior Planner in their Newcastle office. His experience includes development appraisals, the preparation and submission of planning applications, provision of strategic advice on major development sites, preparing planning appeals, drafting development representations and effectively engaging with local communities and key stakeholders. Dominic's experience has also included small to large scale mixed-use applications, bespoke heritage and design orientated projects, 5-year housing land supply analysis and SHLAA / HELAA reviews. Dominic is currently Vice Chair of the RTPI North East.

Anneliese is a chartered town planner with over 30 years experience in local government.  She is immediate past president of the Planning Officers Society and a member of the Planning Officers Society Board. She started her planning career in London  Borough of Hillingdon and returned to her native North East around 20 years ago. With a background  in policy, development management and projects Anneliese currently works as the Service Director covering planning, transport, regulation and climate change at Gateshead Council. Outside of work Anneliese enjoys cycling and running. 

A chartered town planner with 30 years planning experience across 4 Local Authorities including rural, semi-rural and urban.  With a BTEC in Construction Management Andrew started his career as an assistant planning technician and worked through the varying roles in council’s planning departments, spending time working on projects with Local Authority teams including Architects, Highways and Economic Development which provided wide ranging insight into development and its many aspects.  In his current position Andrew manages the Council’s Development Control team and is focussed on the requirement for high quality development based on a depth of understanding around usability of all aspects of the built form and the impacts of both conscious and sub conscious interactions people have within the built and natural environment and the positive transformation of places through careful consideration and design. 

Kathy Verlander is a senior planning officer at Newcastle City Council with over 30 years’ experience in Planning and Policy. She joined the City Council in 2003 having 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 Kathy was the team leader responsible for progressing the local plan that included the Barking Riverside scheme – a 180ha former industrial site along the River Thames which is being transformed into a new London district for over 10,000 new homes. At the City Council Kathy is currently responsible for housing policy and helping to drive through digital planning efficiencies. She also enjoys mentoring planning students and guest lecturing at Newcastle University.

Darren has been a Chartered Town Planner for over 30 years and has worked in the public and private sector, latterly within the renewables industry developing onshore wind, solar, storage and hydrogen projects throughout the UK.  He lives and is based in the North East of England working for EDF Renewables out of their Sunderland office at Rainton Bridge.