Associates and Presenters

Andrew Ashcroft is Head of Planning Services and Transportation at Herefordshire Council. Previously, he was Head of Planning Services at the Isle of Wight Council and both Development Control Manager and Planning Policy Manager at Harborough District Council. Andrew has a particular interest in Member training. In both Herefordshire and the Isle of Wight this has been extended to working with Town and Parish Councils on improving their understanding and engagement in the planning process.

Cath Ranson is Head of Strategic Policy and Plans with the Snowdonia National Park Authority. Cath has more than 30 years’ experience in planning, regeneration and economic development. She has worked for several local authorities in Wales and immediately prior to joining the National Park Authority she worked in Planning Policy Research for the Welsh Assembly Government. She has extensive experience of translating environmental, economic and social/community aspects of sustainability into practice through the delivery of regeneration, reclamation and remediation projects.

Chris Weetman is Senior Planning Consultant with Trevor Roberts Associates. Chris has 21 years of local government experience, primarily in development control. He was Development Control Manager at both Wigan and St Helens Councils, before becoming Development Services Manager at St Helens, with managerial responsibility for all planning and building control services. Before joining TRA, Chris spent 18 months working as a planning consultant. He has a post-graduate management diploma and considerable experience of improving service structure and delivery within local authorities.

Colin Blundel is a planning and environmental consultant with over 20 years' experience in planning, environmental and sustainability issues. Colin has broad experience of public sector working having worked for the Environment Agency, Worecestershire County Council, Countryside Commission, British Waterways and others, before becoming self-employed in February 2007. He has an MSc in Environmental Resources and is a member of the RTPI.

Colin Walker is Director of Environmental & Planning Services at Craven District Council. He has over 21 years' experience of working within the planning and development system, and has previously held posts at Rossendale, Wirral, Norwich, Chorley, and Manchester, working in and managing development control, policy, economic development, housing and regeneration. Colin has considerable experience in the development process, and how Councils can manage scarce resources and work across boundaries to facilitate regeneration.

Dan Roberts is Conservation & Urban Design Manager with Lichfield District Council. Before joining Lichfield, he was Regeneration Manager (Built Conservation and Urban Design) with Walsall MBC, where he had worked since 1989 in a number of posts covering local plans, policy and projects, area-based regeneration and development control. Dan is a visiting lecturer at both the University of Birmingham Centre for Urban and Regional Studies and Birmingham City University, and is a member of the West Midlands Design Review Panel.

David Fenton is a Planning Inspector with many years' experience of working both as a planning officer within local authorities and with the Planning Inspectorate. He was the Inspector at a number of the early DPD Examinations, including the second ever examination of a Core Strategy under the new system. Recently, he has been undertaking training for PINS, including training other Inspectors in the new system of examining development plan documents.

David Kaiserman (Senior Associate) is a freelance Planning Consultant engaged in a variety of professional work in the development control field. He was previously Acting Director of Planning and Environmental Health in the City of Manchester where he took a leading role in all aspects of planning practice, including development control, plan preparation and appeals. As a Senior Associate of TRA he has a great deal of experience in presenting workshops on a variety of subjects for both officers and Councillors.

David Rose is Head of the Disease Diagnostic & Advisory Service, based within the Forestry Commission Research Agency at Alice Holt in Surrey. He began his career with the Commission in 1971 as a Forest Manager in Scotland and has been a Forest Pathologist since 1981.

Frances McChlery (Associate) is a Partner of Simpson & Marwick, Solicitors, Glasgow, a Solicitor specialising in local government, planning and environmental law. She served as a Legal Officer for a number of years in Scottish local authorities, including North Lanarkshire, Strathclyde and Glasgow. She has extensive experience of planning procedures, advocacy, inquiries and planning related litigation including judicial review.

Helen Winter is Director of Planning at Tynedale District Council with responsibility for all planning and building control functions. Before taking up this post she was Head of Forward Planning and Conservation with the authority. Helen has worked for more than 30 years in District Councils. Primarily a policy planner she also has extensive experience of development control and working closely with elected members. She has a post graduate management diploma and represents the Northumberland Districts on the North East Regional Spatial Strategy management group.

Ian Bentley is Emeritus Professor at the Joint Centre for Urban Design, Oxford Brookes University. He has worked internationally as an urban designer and property developer, and has a firmly established reputation as someone who relates design concepts to the practical realities of planning and development. He was lead author of "Responsive Environments", the key urban design manual, and is a joint winner of the Times/ RIBA Community Initiatives Partnership award for urban regeneration consultancy in Brixton. Ian has run numerous urban design courses for planning practitioners.

Ian Kinloch (Senior Associate) is a Consultant with Aaron and Partners LLP, Solicitors in Chester, specialising in planning work. Before going into private practice he worked in local government for many years in North East England and North Wales. Ian is a Legal Member of the RTPI. He has extensive experience of public inquiry work in both the public and private sectors and is involved in TRA's in-house training for Public Inquiries and Local Plan Inquiries. He is also a member of the RTPI membership panel.

Jack Kenyon is a Course Team Leader and lecturer in arboriculture at the Merrist Wood Campus of Guildford College. His work involves both higher education for Higher National Certificate and Professional Diploma and craft training for tree surgery. He is a Fellow of the Arboricultural Association.

Jed Griffiths (Senior Associate) is Principal of Griffiths Environmental Planning. A specialist on environmental planning issues, he established his own consultancy following many years working for Hertfordshire County Council and East Sussex County Council. He is a member of the RTPI Council and Management Board; and was RTPI President in 1995. As a Senior Associate of TRA he is especially experienced in Councillor training.

John Bentley is a Senior Partner with Island Associates Consultancy and has extensive experience in corporate policy, organisational change, economic development and town planning. He previously worked for 28 years in local government, most recently as Head of Corporate Policy and Communications for the Isle of Wight Council. He has also worked at a senior level for the Isle of Wight Economic Partnership, a number of London Boroughs, a City Challenge project and a Training and Enterprise Council. John is involved in the delivery of a number of TRA programmes, including the TRA/Cambridge University certificated course in Management Concepts and Skills in Planning

Julie Carpenter (Senior Associate) is a freelance planning consultant. She was previously Planning Manager at Broadland District Council, where she managed both development control and administrative teams. She has almost 20 years' experience in local government planning, principally in development control, and joined TRA in 2005 to work on both procedural consultancy and training assignments. She is the main Course Tutor on the TRA/Cambridge University Certificated Course in Town Planning Support.

Kath Lawless is the Area Planning Group Manager for South Tyneside Council where she is responsible for managing the Development Control and Enforcement Service. She has 18 years' experience of working in local government planning and she has previously worked for Sunderland and Sefton Councils. Kath is also a qualified NVQ assessor for Town Planning Support. As part of the TRA team, she is involved in in-house training for Councillors.

Lee Prebble (Senior Associate) is Principal of Lee Prebble Associates Ltd, town planning and management consultants. Prior to establishing his own consultancy, Lee worked for over 25 years in local government planning, most recently as Head of Local Policy and Environment with Sevenoaks District Council. He has a great deal of experience in all aspects of development control, and has conducted TRA training assignments for Councillors and staff throughout the UK. He is involved in TRA's specialist training on planning agreements (s106/s75) and has extensive experience of handling the development control aspects of Housing Association schemes.

Les Round is Principal Consultant with TPO Services Ltd, and has a wealth of experience in the arboricultural field. He worked for 16 years in local government environmental and planning departments, before moving into the private sector in 1997, where he has specialised in the design and implementation of policy and best practice systems associated with landscape protection and risk management. He is also the technical co-ordinator for the workshops and annual Forum which TRA organises on behalf of the National Association of Tree Officers.

Marie Fallon is Interim Director of Regeneration at the London Borough of Enfield. She was previously Director of Regeneration with Newcastle upon Tyne City Council, where she was responsible for the whole range of regeneration linked services. Marie has over 20 years of experience in the field of regeneration, and has previously been Group Director Environment in Cheltenham Borough Council and Assistant Director of Regeneration in Birmingham City Council.

Michael Hyde has worked for the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority since 2002. As Enforcement Planning Officer he was initially tasked with the development of the newly formed authority's enforcement and monitoring function, which he went on to manage. Although currently on temporary secondment to the position of Planning Service Improvement Officer, Mike maintains an ongoing interest in enforcement matters. He has more than 15 years' experience in development control and enforcement and previously worked for the Lake District National Park Authority and Eden District Council.

Mike Muston (Senior Associate) is Managing Director of Planning Services (UK) Ltd. Mike was previously Head of Development Services with Stroud District Council and worked in local government planning for over 25 years. Having established his own planning consultancy, he now undertakes a variety of professional work in the development control and development planning field. He is involved in presenting a range of training sessions for both Councillors and officers on behalf of TRA.

Nigel Eveleigh (Senior Associate) is a freelance planning consultant engaged in a variety of professional work in both the development control and development planning fields. Prior to establishing his own consultancy, Nigel worked for 30 years in local government planning, most recently as Head of Planning Services at Tunbridge Wells Borough Council.

Paul Allen has full professional membership of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) and is a member of the Arboricultural Association. Paul has worked for a private arboricultural company for seven years, managing local authority tree work contracts and as a consultant, writing reports and providing assistance with planning submissions for development sites. Paul has made written representations to the Secretary of State in respect of TPO’s and Planning Appeals and has been appointed Single Joint Expert on arboricultural issues at County Court.

Peter James is Managing Director of Peter James Consultants Ltd. Peter has undertaken interim management assignments for Housing Associations/ALMOs in Sheffield, Barnsley and Sandwell and for Doncaster MBC, where he developed and implemented improvement plans in the Building DLO and the Architects' Division. He was formerly Chief Officer (Technical, Leisure and Best Value) at Harborough District Council and has extensive experience of formulating and implementing customer care initiatives.

Peter Lerner (Senior Associate) is Director, Peter Lerner Consultancy Ltd. Before establishing his own consultancy he worked for the City and District of St Albans for many years, most recently as Head of Paid Service. In his previous post as the authority's Director of Planning and Heritage, he had responsibility for planning, economic development and tourism. His earlier career included positions with East Hertfordshire DC, Rugby BC and Warwickshire CC, specialising largely in development control.

Philip McCourt is a Solicitor and Chartered Secretary. He is Head of Legal Services and Monitoring Officer with Milton Keynes Council. Philip joined local government in 1988 and has worked for a number of local authorities including Corby BC and Harborough DC. He is an adviser to the Standards Board for England and the Audit Commission and is an active member of the Association of Council Secretaries and Solicitors (ACSeS).

Philippa Jarvis (Senior Associate) is a freelance Planning Consultant specialising in the development control field. She established her own consultancy following a 20 year career in local government planning. Her last post was with Wycombe District Council, where she led a Development Control team. As part of the TRA team, she is involved in a variety of training and consultancy assignments.

Rachel Bland is Planning and Affordable Housing Officer for South Hams District Council in Devon. Rachel has previously worked for the Lake District National Park Authority and Charnwood Borough Council. She has considerable experience of writing policies and defending them through planning policy and development control inquiries. She has written and adopted a supplementary planning document and is lead author of several emerging Development Plan Documents. In her current job she is involved in all aspects of affordable housing from policy making to delivery on the ground. She is currently studying for a PhD researching affordable housing delivery.

Richard Nicholson is Technical and Development Team Leader in Leisure Services with the Borough of Poole. He has been involved in local authority arboriculture for almost 20 years. He has written articles on statutory undertakers and trees, arboriculture in planning, and is author of the AA Guidance Note "Reviewing Tree Preservation Orders". He was chair of the BS5837 Review Group charged with updating this important document.

Rob Duff is Director, Town Planning, with the Pegasus Planning Group based in Bristol. He has almost 25 years' experience in planning, working in the local authority, private house-builder and planning consultancy sectors. Since joining Pegasus in 2004, his clients have included local planning authorities, private landowners, national and local developers, national retailers and public bodies. Rob has a specialist interest in planning enforcement and enforcement inquiry work in particular.

Sharon Hosegood is a professional member of the Arboricultural Association and an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) with eleven years' experience in local government as a tree and landscape officer. Sharon has managed and reviewed TPO’s, trees in conservation areas, and trees in the planning process. More recently, Sharon has been working as a Director in a private company with responsibility for developing arboriculture, ecology and landscape services.

Simon Rowberry (Senior Associate) is Managing Director of Simon Rowberry Consulting and Support Ltd, a public sector-only management and support consultancy. He was formerly Director of Policy and Review and then Director of Operations at Cannock Chase Council. Prior to that he was Chief Officer (Environment and Economic Development) with Harborough District Council. He has recently performed interim change management and leadership roles at Tunbridge Wells and Northampton Borough Councils and acted as Interim Leader of the West Midlands Chief Engineers and Planning Officers Group. A specialist in corporate policy, management and organisational development, he has been a member of TRA's team of presenters for a number of years.

Steve Leach (Associate) is Professor of Local Government at De Montford University, Leicester. Previously, Steve worked for 18 years at INLOGOV following a career in town planning. He is a specialist researcher, consultant and adviser on local government structure and management, the author of many publications in this field. Within TRA he concentrates on Councillor and chief/senior officer training on management in the new local government structures.

Stewart Glassar is Planning Manager with Trevor Roberts Associates. Prior to joining TRA, he worked on development control, enforcement and minerals and waste planning in County and District authorities in England and Wales for 13 years, during which time he was involved with many major proposals and developments. As part of his current role, Stewart is heavily involved in helping local planning authorities improve practice and performance through review of their DC procedures.

Sue Glover (Senior Associate) is Principal of UrbanplanningUK and part-time lecturer in environmental management and planning practice at Liverpool John Moores University. Having established as an independent planning consultant in 1986, Sue undertakes a full range of work relating to applications, appeals, inquiries, hearings etc. She previously worked for a variety of District and County authorities, specialising in development control.

Tim Crawshaw is an innovative designer with over fifteen years experience in both the public and private sectors. Formerly Conservation and Design Group Manager for Kirklees Metropolitan Council, he is now a freelance consultant working throughout the UK. He is qualified in Architecture and Urban Environmental Design and now operates as a multi-disciplinary consultant involved in masterplanning, development briefs, characterisation, wildlife, ecology and sustainability. Finding his true calling in urban design, Tim has a varied portfolio ranging from design marketing to award winning eco-buildings and he has specific interests in sustainability and community consultation.

Trevor Atkinson is Manager (Local Government and Management) with TRA. He has over 30 years' experience in local government and the private sector, where he has held a number of management positions. He has extensive experience of managing and developing people, improving teams and managing organisational change. He also has experience of managing projects and the procurement and management of consultants and contractors. Trevor delivers training and development in a range of management topics. He is also part of TRA's team involved in management and organisational consultancy, working with local authorities to improve the quality and efficiency of their service delivery.

Vivien Green (Senior Associate) is a freelance Planning Consultant with an extensive range of clients. Prior to establishing her consultancy in 1992, she worked for a number of local authorities, focusing primarily on development control and development plan work. Vivien has extensive experience of presenting training workshops on an in-house and inter-authority basis, and is responsible for the TRA certificated training programme on Planning Enforcement being run in conjunction with Cambridge University.