RTPI President visits Harrogate where he was once Head of Planning
8 January 2010
Harrogate Council's planning achievements over the years were in the spotlight just before Christmas when Martin Willey President of the Royal Town Planning Institute (with
23,000 planners in the UK alone ) returned to Harrogate Borough Council where he was Chief Planning Officer from 1979 - 1984.
Following a comprehensive tour of the district, Martin commented:
"It was a huge pleasure to come back to the council where I had my first proper management job in planning and to meet so many excellent professionals still working hard for this wonderful part of North Yorkshire.
I visited Ripon, Knaresborough, the Nidd Valley and Harrogate itself and saw the results of some initiatives such as the Nidd Gorge Countryside Management Scheme that we started in the early 1980s still going from strength to strength.
I was very impressed with sustainability initiatives being promoted through the planning system such as Fodder at the Yorkshire showground
It was also a real pleasure to meet my erstwhile Chief Executive John Lovell and also be royally entertained by your current Mayor of the Borough Cllr Pat Jones to whom I am very grateful.
Harrogate Borough Council is blessed with some excellent professionals doing a fine job and I wish you all well for the future."
Councillor Don Mackenzie, Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport who was involved in the visit said: "The President's visit clearly demonstrated the strength of the planning policies and initiatives in place in the district.
It was good to hear from someone who both knows the local planning environment and the national picture that the council is performing an effective service for the local community".
Media contact:
Lynne Mee, Communications and Media Manager, 01423 556022 email
lynne.mee@harrogate.gov.uk or
mobile 07525 987921 or 07884 226409