The aims for the Planning Aid Group are:
- Supporting the activities and promotion of Planning Aid in the North East
- Offer support to neighbourhood groups, community group as well as local authorities
- Give assistance on a national level
The group mostly communicate via email although they do try to meet once/twice a year.
Planning Aid Steering Group
David Webb
PAE Chair
David Webb
PAE Chair
Dave is the current representative for the North East Region. He is a Senior Lecturer at Newcastle University and as well as co-ordinating planning aid work is keen to draw connections between advocacy, policy work and the community and voluntary sectors.
Jan Bessell
Strategic Planning Advisor for Pinsent Masons LLP
Jan Bessell
Strategic Planning Advisor for Pinsent Masons LLP
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 Panel. She is also on the Partnership Accreditation Board for Glasgow University and continues to be engaged with Planning Aid.
Chris Myers
Chris Myers
Teresa Strachan
Teresa Strachan
Prof Colin Haylock
Prof Colin Haylock
Colin Haylock is a Newcastle based architect-planner with over 40 years’ experience. He now provides consultancy services primarily in heritage and other sensitive environments. He led a multi-disciplinary Environmental Design Team for Newcastle City Council for over ten years with work ranging from Grainger Town to Newcastle Great Park and the East Quayside redevelopment. He was RTPI President in 2012 and since 2000 has been heavily involved in national work on planning and design through CABE and the Design Council. He is a Visiting Professor and Lecturer at UCL, a Member of Historic England’s Expert Advisory group, a High Streets Task Force Expert, a Member of the Design Review Panels for the North East and Yorkshire and of the Fabric Committee for Durham Cathedral. He has had recent past roles with Newcastle University, the London Mayor’s Design Advisory Group and the Planning Committee for the Old Oak and Park Royal Mayoral Development Corporation.
Andrew Dorrian
Senior Transport Planner at Transport NE Strategy Unit and RTPI NE Honorary Secretary & Treasurer
Andrew Dorrian
Senior Transport Planner at Transport NE Strategy Unit and RTPI NE Honorary Secretary & Treasurer
Andrew is a chartered Town Planner and member of the Transport Planning Society Andrew is a Senior Transport Planner at Transport North East. He works in Transport and Infrastructure planning managing a transport capital pipeline, preparing major funding bids and developing regional policy and strategy. Prior to joining Transport North East, Andrew spend six years in planning at Transport for London Whilst in London Andrew was Chair of the RTPI region in 2016 and was Honorary Secretary prior to that. He is now the Honorary Secretary and Treasurer for RTPI North East and is a Planning Aid England volunteer, part of a team providing advice through PAE’s advice line service.
Chris Anderson
Chris Anderson
Ifeanyi Chukwujekwu
EDI Champion
Ifeanyi Chukwujekwu
EDI Champion
Ifeanyi joined the Planning Inspectorate in 2019 as an Appeals Planning Officer and is currently on secondment to the Department of Levelling Up Housing and Communities as a Senior Planning Technical Officer. Prior to this, he worked with the Marine Management Organisation and Defra. His experience includes Marine Planning and Marine Licensing, Environmental Project Management, Planning Appeals, Habitats Regulation and Environmental Impact Assessment. Prior to his time in UK he also worked in Nigeria and experience includes Urban Design, Development Control and Higher Education (teaching Town Planning Courses).