Chairs and Speakers

Ian is Chief Planning and Housing Officer at Scottish Borders Council. He manages the Council’s planning, housing, building standards, roads planning and built and natural environment services. He has over 36 years of experience in the public sector planning in a variety of roles. Whilst he has worked for spells with Moray and Dover District Councils, the majority of his career has been in the Scottish Borders.

He is currently Chair of the Heads of Planning Scotland (HoPS) for 2023/24 and has been vice chair of the sub-committee on Climate Change, Energy and Resources. He was elected to the Executive Committee of HoPS in 2019. He has previously served on the RTPI Scotland Executive where he sought to help the Institute promote the benefits of planning and planners.

Ailsa graduated from Aberdeen University in 2010 with an MA with Honours in Rural Surveying and Spatial Planning. Ailsa secured a graduate position with Scottish Land & Estates before working as a Land Agent with Strutt & Parker LLP. Ailsa joined Aberdeenshire Council in 2014 working predominantly in Development Planning.  Ailsa now leads the Council’s Planning Information and Delivery Team. Ailsa qualified as a Chartered Surveyor in 2013 and as a Chartered Planner in 2016. She is also SP=EED Verified. Ailsa was commended at the 2019 RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence in the Young Planner of the Year category. Ailsa has previously sat on the RTPI SYPN Steering Group and is currently Convenor of the RTPI Grampian Chapter. Outwith planning, Ailsa can be found at the curling rink or at home on the farm with her young family.

Graduated with BA Hons in Social Policy 1998. With 25 years' experience in the Project Delivery and Business Change arena. Providing opportunities to work in both public and private initiatives from The Student Loans Company, Scottish Water, Atos, and the Scottish Government. Derek joined the Digital Planning Transformation Programme in October 22 with the focus on making digital available to all and the promotion of its capabilities across the planning and building sector.

Currently working on Mission 3: Ways of working in collaboration with RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute) to provide a platform and tools to allow users to see the benefits of digital and how they can improve their own understanding. Have been involved with Mission 4: People

Use digital tools to drive collaboration and engagement, to promote opportunities with new platforms and Mission 5: Innovation Embed a culture of digital innovation in the creation of an innovative, towards the development of PlaceTech a new and exciting planning initiative.

Pamela is Planning, Building Standards and Environmental Health Manager for West Dunbartonshire Council. She has worked for the Council for over 17 years and previously worked for East Ayrshire Council. Pamela studied Planning at Queens University Belfast. She has a strong interest and is passionate in creating high quality places and buildings. West Dunbartonshire is one of the smallest Councils in Scotland however it is one of the more ambitious Councils and the planning process is being used to assist in changing the prosperity and future prospects of the area by creating high quality places.  

She is responsible for pioneering the Place and Design Panel, the first time a Design Panel has been set up in a more deprived area. She was also responsible for setting up the award winning  elected member briefing at the pre application stage a process that  together with the Place and Design Panel has become embedded in the planning process.   

She is Senior Vice Convenor of Heads of Planning Scotland (HOPS) Executive Committee. She was  pleased to be recognised as a “Women of Influence  - The Planner” in terms of her role in encouraging teams to work collaboratively across local authority, NHS, private sector and local communities and being not afraid to do things differently.

Chris Cox is currently Assistant Director – Planning and Development at South Ayrshire Council. Prior to then she was Planning and Building Standards Manager at Stirling Council and Planning Manager at South Ayrshire Council. Chris is currently Junior Vice-Chair for Heads of Planning Scotland and Chairs the Digital Planning Sub-committee. Chris has been keenly involved in the Digital Planning Programme since its inception representing Heads of Planning Scotland.

As Development Plans Manager at Highland Council Scott leads a team of planners, technicians and project managers who, alongside the Council’s Development Plan, are shaping the next generation of place plans that aim to shape investment and community action across Highland’s sub-regions. He is a keen advocate of the enabling and coordinating role of planning and is heavily involved in projects that support the delivery of a wider collective vision, including jointly leading the Council’s role in setting up the Green Freeport in Inverness and the Cromarty Firth. He has worked mostly in the public sector in Scotland and England with a brief spell in the private sector. He chaired the Heads of Planning Scotland (HoPS) Development Plan Sub Committee in 2016/17.

Paul is Head of Infrastructure Technology and Improving Construction Delivery at Scottish Futures Trust. With a background as a chartered quantity surveyor he has over 20 years experience within the construction industry with an expertise in digital transformation and emerging technologies. 

Paul leads on national initiatives which seeks to improve the use of information and technology through the whole asset life cycle to deliver improved performance. This work includes leading the Building Information Modelling (BIM) programme on behalf of Scottish Government and he chairs Scotland’s public sector Digital Estate & Infrastructure working group.

Paul is a quantity surveyor by profession and began his career delivering cost management services on variety of public and private sector projects before joining Scottish Futures Trust in 2012. His expertise and experience are providing commercial, procurement and digital transformation support to improve whole life outcomes within the built environment. 

As a senior consultant based in Glasgow, Aaron specialises in strategic planning, urban strategy, regeneration, and stakeholder engagement. With extensive experience working with clients across both the public and private sector throughout the United Kingdom, he turns place-based solutions into reality. How? By developing innovative plans and strategies, preparing business cases, and providing advisory support.

Aaron is passionate about creating places for people and engaging with communities to drive successful outcomes—particularly as part of the masterplanning and visioning process. He builds strong, lasting client relationships by establishing a clear understanding of expectations and maintaining open communications. A chartered member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and a fellow of the Royal Society for Arts (RSA), he has also previously served on the executive committee of RTPI Scotland.

When he’s not working with stakeholders to create thriving communities and places, Aaron is a keen Scottish Rugby supporter. You’ll often find him at Murrayfield on matchdays.

Josh is an urban designer with a decade of experience working across architecture, urban design and planning.

As Placemaking Coordinator at West Dunbartonshire Council he supports multiple service areas with regard to all aspects of delivering high quality places. This involves developing guidance, managing the Council’s Place and Design Panel and providing advice on strategic development proposals. A key focus of his role is developing the Council's approach to 20 Minute Neighbourhoods and Local Living, employing an innovative process of using available data to measure residents’ access to critical services and infrastructure. His work is being developed to be tested across the Glasgow City Region and has underpinned a collaborative research bid with Glasgow University.

Ian joined the Scottish Government’s Digital Planning Team in November 2022 to take up a new role as Head of Digital Place and Innovation. Ian has responsibility for leading the work on Missions 4 (People and Place) and Mission 5 (Innovation) of the Digital Planning Strategy. Ian joined the Scottish Executive in 1999 initially working on the Scotland’s first policy on architecture published in 2001 and was Chief Architect in the Scottish Government from 2006 – 2022.

Dave leads the service design and delivery of Scotland’s ambitious programme to radically transform the planning system using digital principles and practice. The programme will put users at the heart of this change, working with them to introduce new ways of working alongside planning technology that better meets their needs.

Dave has a background in digital delivery, strategy and agile practice and has previously worked on several large-scale transformation programmes for government including the creation of the Social Security Agency for Scotland, devolving £2.8bn of expenditure from UK government to Scotland.

Dave has a keen interest in embedding digital thinking within large organisations; what works and, more importantly, what does not work.

Will works collaboratively in a key project management role to deliver tangible and sustained improvements across the Scottish public sector, namely in supporting the management of a service to enable Scottish Local Government to take a collective approach to managing geospatial information via the Spatial Hub.

Development projects Will is working on include the One Scotland Gazetteer (OSG), Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA), Spatial Hub, Data Standards in LG, and Digital Planning.

James graduated from the University of Aberdeen in 2013 (MA (Hons) in Geography and Spatial Planning) and is a Chartered Member of the RTPI. James is a Senior Planner with Aberdeenshire Council's Strategic Development Delivery Team, and works primarily on National and Major Energy and Transmission Developments. He has been a member of the SYPN since 2019 and is the current Chair for 2024.

Kirsty is the Programme Manager within RTPI for Digital technology, working alongside Scottish Government. Working on the Digital Mission for Scottish Government and developing the way forward for the digital space for planners to use.

Kirsty has over 10 years' experience within the digital space, working in different industries and brings a wealth of knowledge to the digital space. Kirsty brings out of the box solutions to the table and always likes to learn from others.

Cory is a Strategy Director, Service Design Leader and Educator with a strong background in digital, technology and user-centered design. Cory directs the strategic design practice at Perago and leads a team of service designers, user researchers and strategists. Perago help clients design the ‘why’ behind change, crafting decision making that sustainably improves services, products and experiences.

Cory has worked with leading digital transformation consultancies and experience design agencies in the UK, Asia and Australia to establish new business operations, grow user-centred design teams and deliver digital transformation for public, private and third sector organisations across these regions.

Kirsty Macari ​is Co-Head of Undergraduate Programmes in DJCAD at the University of Dundee with a remit across Architecture and Urban Planning along with Contemporary Art Practice.  Kirsty studied Town and Regional Planning and Urban Design combined with significant public service practice across Planning and Economic Development before joining the University of Dundee. She is also undertaking a Professional Doctorate in Education and integrates student learning with practical applications to inform future practice.  She is a Director in private practice, Board Member of Architecture & Design Scotland and an Academician with the Academy of Urbanism. A strategically focused planner who works across sectors to drive the integration and promotion of social place-making. Kirsty believes in engaging the full spectrum of people that make up our places through digital and transdisciplinary place-making to support wellbeing for resilient communities. She continues to be a member of the RTPI General Assembly and the Education and Lifelong Learning Committee. Kirsty has recently taken up the role as Vice Chair of Planning Schools Forum.

Planning Aid Scotland has been helping people to navigate the planning system for over 30 years. Through its specialist volunteer network, it provides advice, training and support for members of the public, community groups, planners, elected members and public bodies.

David is Planning Aid Scotland’s Communications Manager, promoting the work of the organisation nationally, supporting the delivery of local projects and leading on digital engagement. He has led a number of projects over the years to bring issues such as climate adaptation and the voices of seldom-heard groups into the planning process.

In 2014, David and Jenny Wood (of ‘A Place In Childhood’) took participatory planning to the Edinburgh Fringe. Part of the ‘Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas’ organised by the Beltane Public Engagement Network, ‘Keep The Kids Out!’ took a playful but serious look at the role of young people in shaping and experiencing their built environment.

Ross McFarlane graduated with a first-class MA (Hons) Urban Planning degree from the University of Dundee on 22 June 2023, and is currently undertaking an MSc in Spatial Planning with Sustainable Urban Design at the same University. He has a strong passion for urban planning as a key tool in the sustainable development of the worlds places and sees it as key in engaging with others and improving people's lives. Ross was this year’s recipient of the RTPI (Scotland) and RTPI Student Award.

Daniel is a Chartered Landscape Architect and Geographer, with 30 years experience in the private and public sectors on a variety of complex projects, involving transportation, carbon conscious urban design, community planning, town-centre management, and the governance of place-making. He leads on networks and events at Scotland's Design Champions, Architecture and Design Scotland.

http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/daniel-mckendry/25/7b9/607

Euan is an urban designer and digital specialist.  He is a co-founder of Blocktype, a technology company that helps planners and developers better understand land capacity and advises the Scottish government on digital planning. 

He helped set up the UK’s multi million pound programme of digital transformation of the planning system, working closely with politicians, senior civil servants and policy leads to shape a vision and strategy, build technology, and write legislation for the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill.

Prior to this Euan spent 16 years working as an urban designer, including six years as design advisor to the Mayor of London and his planning team, contributing towards a number of key planning policy and research documents and negotiating major development proposals on behalf of the Mayor.

Peter Noad BSc(Hons) MA DMS DipM PGDip(Surv) PGCertFin(Open) MRTPI, has been a chartered planner since 1986. His career has included work within local authorities, as well as consultancy. He currently works part time as Project Manager (Innovation and Place) with Scottish Enterprise and is a part time postgraduate researcher at Dundee University. He is the Convener of the East of Scotland Branch of the Royal Town Planning Institute.    

Alastair Parvin is a systems designer and civic entrepreneur. He is co-founder of Open Systems Lab, a non-profit R&D company developing digital technologies to transform housing, planning, construction and development in the 21st century. Their current projects include WikiHouse, Plan✕ and Fairhold. He also writes, speaks and advises widely on housing, property, digital innovation, and role of design and innovation in overcoming social and economic challenges, including 'A Right to Build' (RIBA Award for research 2011) and 'Scaling the Citizen Sector' (2016), and sits on the Scottish Government Task force for Digital Planning.

@AlastairParvin

Liz has a background in geography and remote sensing and initially used those skills and knowledge as a Geographic Information (GI) Analyst first at Nature Scot and then Scottish Government. Since 2008 Liz has been focused on creating, designing, and delivering early manifestations of a digital planning service as project manager within the ePlanning programme. In 2010, Liz became Head of ePlanning and led the evolution and expansion of that into the current eDevelopment national digital service which has operated since 2016, recently passing the 1 and half millionth submission milestone.

For the past 5 years as Scottish Government’s Head of Digital Planning, Liz has led the development and 2020 publication of Transforming Places Together – Scotland’s Digital Strategy for Planning. Since 2021 Liz’s focus is to successfully deliver the Scotland wide digital transformation programme and realise the strategic ambition of digitally transforming Scotland’s planning system. It is a complex and ambitious programme with a budget of £35m, a broad and diverse stakeholder group and with the appetite to lead the digital way in planning.

Liz was pleased to be recognised as a Women of Influence 2023 -The Planner - “Transformation never ends – a stimulus to continue embedding a culture of digital innovation and improvement”. 

Sarah is a Chartered Planner working in Fife Council's Planning Service. She joined Fife Council as a Trainee Planning Assistant after high school and progressed within various roles, before joining the Major Business & Priority Team. She worked part-time whilst studying and graduated from the University of Dundee in 2020 with a First-Class Honours Degree in Urban Planning. She is a keen advocate for non-standard entry into the planning profession and enjoys supporting colleagues through the RTPI Assessment of Professional Competence process. Sarah was recently awarded Scottish Young Planner of the Year.

Alasdair Rae is the founder of Automatic Knowledge Ltd, a UK-based spatial data, analysis and training company. Before that, he was Professor of Urban Studies and Planning at the University of Sheffield, where he worked for 14 years on urban, regional and neighbourhood analysis, often with a focus on digital and data. He has conducted research on urban and regional data analysis for a wide range of organisations across the world, from Google, the UNDP and the Scottish Government, to a wide variety of local authorities, planning consultancies and charities. He blogs at statsmapsnpix.com and shares his ongoing map and data work at @undertheraedar.

Laura is Senior Planner in the Masterplanning, Design and Conservation Team at Aberdeen City Council. She has worked at the Council for over 12 years and prior to this worked across the North East in Local Development Planning, Strategic Planning as well as in a  Development Management role.  Laura’s interests are in Masterplanning, Placemaking, Conservation and the reuse and redevelopment of historic buildings. She has been involved in a variety of projects and developments across the City, but most recently the fantastic redevelopment of Union Terrace Gardens. 

Laura enjoys working closely with colleagues and knows the importance of peer support and the continued engagement with colleagues and other RTPI members.  She also thoroughly enjoys a little planning debate between Colleagues on a Friday afternoon. Finally Laura is also a member of the General Assembly and the Chair of the Communication, Education and Lifelong Learning Sub-committee.

Tom Sharples is a data scientist who has spent the past 10 years helping organisations across the public and third sector to use data and evidence to ask better questions.

Within Digital Planning, Tom is supporting the programme to develop the analytical capability of a transformed planning sector, which has included developing the NPF4 (National Planning Framework 4) Data Atlas, the Clyde Mission Data Viewer, as well as supporting wider Scottish Government work including the covid vaccine centre location analysis.

Prior to this Tom worked with a variety of organisations including sportscotland, eLimu Kenya, and the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies. He is also the founder of Insight Data, a data science-led consultancy which specialises in helping organisations in the public and third sectors to make use of very messy data, using multi-disciplinary techniques to create genuine insight.

33 years' experience delivering Digital Transformation to the Public Sector covering Planning and Building Standards, Justice, Social Work, NHS, Education, Housing, Defence and Utilities.

Expertise includes managing Stakeholders, Suppliers, Agile software development, moving back-office Council functions to the front office to improve the citizens experience and deliver efficiencies using Contact Centres, One Stop Shops, Web sites, data, and integration.

Fiona Simpson, Scottish Government Chief Planner has worked for the Scottish Government for over 15 years. She has overall responsibility for the work of Planning, Architecture and Regeneration Division, including national planning policy, national planning decisions, regeneration programmes and the digital transformation of the planning system.  Fiona provided secretariat to the independent review of the planning system in 2016, played a key role in planning reform including the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, and led the preparation of National Planning Framework 3 (adopted 2014) and 4 (2023). Prior to that Fiona was Head of Environmental Assessment and worked across Government to provide technical advice on a wide range of planning, energy, marine and environmental policies and programmes.  

Susie works within the Digital Transformation Team where her focus is on Digital-Innovation-Place and Comms. Her qualifications include a BA (Hons) and Civic Design (Masters) followed by achieving a Certificate (First) in Environmental Law (UK and EU) from the University of Strathclyde. She is a Chartered Member of the RTPI and Member of the Academy of Urbanism. As well as working to help create Scotland’s first design policy statement called ‘Designing Places’ she has been responsible for working with Ministers on policy and advice together with local authorities, housebuilders, stakeholders and communities to deliver, both, urban and rural design outcomes. In doing so, she has worked at all scales of design - spanning from a strategic city region, whilst working for the First Minister’s Champions Group to deliver the Borders railway (£350m investment) corridor, down to the more detailed level of improving the ‘feel’ of a town’s streets/spaces. 

Through her specialism in design, she has always sought to simplify placemaking. One area of this involved leading and developing the Scottish Government’s Drawing Places workshops which helped planners think more visually about the components of place. Alongside this, she has always championed young talent and ran the Student Design Competition, for all Scottish Universities, spanning 10 years. Plus, after working on the Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning she received a Special Recognition Award.  

Overall, with her new focus on the digital agenda, she continues to be inspired by how both efficiency and creativity, within planning, can work together to raise the quality of people’s experiences of both processes and places. Out with work, Susie loves inventions – this led her to create her own innovation project, with Strathclyde University students, resulting in winning the top Design Award. 

Fiona has 20+ years' experience of designing and successfully implementing Digital Services for the Public Sector in Scotland and the wider UK. As a Senior Stakeholder, she has overall responsibility for the delivery of the Digital Transformation ‘Pay’ Project, working alongside StormID.