Regional Management Board

Victoria graduated from the University of Sheffield with a BA (Hons) in Urban Studies and Planning in 2006 and completed her masters between Sheffield Hallam University and Birmingham City University. She is a chartered planner with 14 years’ experience in the public and private sector having worked for various local authorities, private consultancies and housebuilders. She has worked as a Principal Planning Consultant with RCA Regeneration based in Worcestershire, working on a number of residential-led development schemes across the West Midlands region and for Keepmoat Homes. Victoria has a passion for dance, particularly salsa, and you can regularly find her out and about on weekends strutting her stuff on the dancefloor.

Maria is a chartered Town Planner with over 14 years’ experience in local government. Currently Head of Development Policy at Birmingham City Council, Maria was previously Planning Policy Team Leader at Worcester City Council, where she was responsible for leading all aspects of the City's planning policy work. Maria started her career at Wyre Forest District Council where she worked on a number of planning policy projects and Neighbourhood Plans. Maria was awarded the RTPI West Midlands Young Planner of the Year Award in 2013 and was shortlisted for the National Young Planner of the Year Award in 2014 and featured on The Planner’s Women of Influence list in 2019. Maria has been a Planning Aid Volunteer since 2005, she has been a member of the West Midlands Regional Activities Committee since 2013 and previous to that she was a member.  Maria was RTPI West Midlands Chair in 2018. In 2021, Maria was presented with the RTPI Outstanding Service Award recognising excellence in service to the industry, benefitting RTPI members at large.

Clare manages the planning policy team in Coventry, having joined the City Council at the start of 2021. Clare has extensive experience in planning policy both in consultancy and in managing policy teams at Lichfield and Cannock Chase Councils. Prior to this, Clare managed the Economic Development Service at North Warwickshire Borough Council, and spent over a decade working for Sandwell Council in the planning and regeneration services. She is especially passionate about community engagement, health and wellbeing and ensuring fairness and inclusion for all in the community.

Mark is a chartered Town Planner with over twenty two years' experience working in the public sector and advising clients in the private sector primarily in respect of minerals and waste development together with energy generation. He is a Planning Director at the Birmingham Office of WYG and is responsible for providing planning advice on development projects including minerals and waste development, retail, housing, regeneration, planning applications, appeals and environmental impact assessments. Mark has been a member of the West Midlands Regional Activities Committee since 2002 and was Chair of RTPI West Midlands in 2011. Mark was the Honorary Treasurer of RTPI West Midlands, a role he undertook from 2014-2019. Mark was previously Chair of West Midlands Planning Aid and a member of the RTPI Young Planners Panel.

Philippa has worked in local government for over 30 years and has extensive experience in the planning and regeneration sectors. Following a number of years working for Sandwell Council in the areas of planning policy and regeneration, Philippa moved to Worcester City Council to manage the economic development and planning functions. She worked for a short time at Wychavon and Malvern Hills Councils concentrating on the production of the South Worcestershire Development Plan before returning to the Black Country to take on the role of project manager for the Black Country Plan.

Ben joined National Highways in 2020 as a Spatial Planner for the Birmingham Motorway Box and Coventry & Warwickshire Patch, and was promoted to the position of Spatial Planning Manager in December 2021, overseeing the western side of the Midlands region.

Ben graduated from the University of Sheffield with a Masters in Urban Studies and Town and Regional Planning in 2008, and became a Chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute in 2013. Ben has 15 years’ experience in the private / public sector. He started his career working at JMP Consultants Limited  In 2011 he joined Coventry City Council as a Transport Planning Officer and joined Warwickshire County Council in 2014 as a Senior Development Management Engineer. Ben has experience in both highways development management and land-use and transport policy development regularly represented the represented his organisations at planning committee, examination in public and public inquiries.

Ben is an active member of the RTPI, having the regional chair for Young Planners West Midlands in 2012, the West Midlands Regional Chair in 2016 and a member of the Education and Life Long Learning Committee between 2017 and 2019.