What is the role of planning in the rural areas? This event will look at the association between our ever-changing planning system and the future of the countryside. Speakers will explore the effective integration and balancing of economic, social and environmental factors in promoting sustainable development of our rural areas.

Speakers include:
  • Chair: Laura Archer, RTPI SE Junior Vice-Chair, Portsmouth City Council
  • Daniel Carter, Ashford Borough Council
  • Georgina Timmi, ECOSA
  • Tom Ogden, Bloomfields Chartered Town Planners
  • Kevin Leigh, 33 Bedford Row

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About the Speakers

1634901958-18ae0d2517a764b1 RTPI South East


1635761805-51aa594909efa71a Daniel Carter

Daniel is the Spatial Planning Manager at Ashford Borough Council, who has helped progress numerous Local Plans. These include focusing on the need to carefully manage change in the Borough’s expansive rural environment – which includes AONBs, areas at risk of flooding and several small historic settlements. Currently, Daniel and a team of dedicated individuals, are progressing a mitigation strategy which proposes the delivery of new strategic wetlands in the Borough. This is in response to Natural England Advice that new housing development needs to be ‘nutrient neutral’ on account of the water quality issues at the nearby Stodmarsh Lakes

1635508597-c8b6698fa736eec3 Tom Ogden

Tom is a Chartered Planning and Development Surveyor, a full member of the British Institute of Agricultural Consultants and an Associate Member of the RTPI. Tom has a degree in Rural Land Management from Cirencester and is on the National Fruit Show Committee. He is a Director at Lambert & Foster a firm of Chartered Surveyors with an Agency, Letting, Auction, Valuation and Professional services team and of Bloomfields Chartered Town Planners. He is an organised and meticulous consultant priding himself on dealing with particularly contentious rural planning cases. Tom is passionate about being a voice for rural communities

1634902839-25a7e3770169f977 Kevin Leigh

Barrister since 1986. Managed property development/construction companies (2007-8) and continues residential property development outside of professional work.

Kevin is a planning and land law specialist, appearing in court at all levels as well as at inquiries/hearings. His work covers residential to commercial and mixed-use schemes, from small to very large scale development.

He is a member of The Planning & Environment, The Chancery and The Property Bar Associations. He answers questions for LexisNexis on property, planning and litigation. He has extensive experience working directly with clients and experts via direct/licensed access. In 2020 he was appointed to the RTPI 'Conduct & Discipline Appeal Committee'.

Although many of his cases have been reported his 15 minutes of planning fame was for commencing the judicial review in Alconbury that ended up in the House of Lords (about Article 6 of European Convention on Human Rights and the call-in powers of the Secretary of State).

1634902867-e4027edad5868c19 Laura Archer

Laura is a Senior Planning Policy Officer at Portsmouth City Council, having previously worked in the private sector, and has a range of experience consisting of environmental impact assessments, large infrastructure projects, planning appeals and residential developments. Laura was awarded RTPI South East Young Planner of the Year in 2019 and was elected as the RTPI Young Planner Trustee in 2020. Her main passions at work include creating effective engagement strategies, digitalising the planing process, biodiversity and connecting with future generations. Outside of work Laura runs a Brownie unit where she goes by the name of Flamingo, is part of a choir, loves a book or a podcast and enjoys long walks and bike rides.

1634902817-bf294d036eb2484d Georgie Timmis

Georgina currently works as a Principal Ecologist at Ecological Survey and Assessment (ECOSA) Ltd and for the last eight years has delivered ecological solutions for schemes ranging from householder extensions to urban extensions. She is engaged in all aspects of project delivery, from early design, planning, site preparation and construction, through to post-construction monitoring. This has given her a comprehensive understanding of the lifespan of a project and a keen interest in helping planners and developers navigate the constraints posed by ecology to deliver ‘win-win’ solutions, achieving both desirable and profitable schemes and biodiversity gains.

1625235744-c14fd1f9b3a5c197 RTPI Regions


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