Chris Poulton Email and Phone Number

Leading the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Planning (NSIP) Reform Programme strategy function together with delivering reforms to planning for digital infrastructure.

Team leader responsible for initiating and leading one of the key workstreams on the National Shielding Service, protecting extremely clinically vulnerable people from Coronavirus. Responsible for leading work to assess the end to end shielding service and drive system improvements.

Developing a strategy for transformation of the management of social housing and improving resident experience. Leading a cross-department team to deliver the White Paper setting this out.

Team Leader on Community Infrastructure Levy and section 106 Planning Obligations, leading on CIL Review and policy reform, and changes to section 106 planning obligations to support wider government objectives.

Leading on strategic planning policy across England, including the Duty to Cooperate, joint strategic plans, English Devolution on planning matters and strategic planning in London. Also lead engagement between Local Plans and other policy areas within DCLG and other departments. Lead core Planning Guidance team, overseeing Government's Planning Guidance website.

I lead for the UK Government on territorial cohesion with European Union, coordinating international aspects of the department’s land-use planning function. I manage a European programme on behalf of the UK and lead on a variety of departmental and planning issues, often on a project basis, delivering through negotiation, writing, presentation and managing staff, consultancy services and contracts.Achievements include:- Leading negotiation on a political statement of planning objectives agreed across European countries;- Initiating and leading transnational stakeholder group influencing expert development of assessment process that influenced European Commission procedures and was published along with them;- Delivering Strategic Environmental Assessment statements that informed Ministerial decisions;- Managing a European research programme delivering over €3 million funding to UK partners.Further info: Key projects include policy-lead on Territorial Cohesion, negotiating Territorial Agenda (TA2020), Territorial Impact Assessment (TIA) strategy and research, managing the ESPON programme for the UK, leading stakeholder group for European research project on TIA.

I managed a team providing Government lead on strategic planning functions in London working closely with the office of the Mayor of London, stakeholders, Government departments and ministers. I identified and understood complex issues to influence regional policy through formal and informal negotiations.Achievements include:- Engaging with stakeholders and influencing ministers on key London planning issues;- Devising and managing projects to identify key policy concerns, develop and coordinate input and achieve agreement to respond to policy documents, delivering to tight timescales;- Leading for Government in responding to and appearing at Examination in Public on two revisions to the Mayor’s London Plan.

As Senior Planner I lead for the Mayor of London on planning for housing issues, and lead and input on planning for various aspect of economic development, coordinating and developing research, policy and guidance. I identified and worked closely with stakeholders across public and private sectors and managed consultancy services and contracts. I delivered advice on policy development and planning decisions and identified learning.Achievements include:- Developing unique a methodology while meeting policy requirements to identify capacity of housing land for delivery across London. Leading and managing a project to identify housing capacity across London working with central and local government, developers, business, other stakeholders and managing consultancy services to develop web-based systems;- Developing policy and guidance on housing and planning, advising Mayor and decisions team on planning for housing policy and viability.Before promotion to Senior Planner I worked on a planning for various aspect of economic development, coordinating and developing research, policy and guidance. I identified policy issues; working with stakeholders to deliver guidance documents and worked closely with stakeholders across public and private sectors. I managed consultancy services and contracts.Achievements include:- Managing consultancy research projects, ensuring deliveries aligned to and developing Mayoral policy, within specified timescales and budgets, including research on industrial land requirements, office development and tourism requirements.;- Working across regional organisations to influence strategies and policies on economic development, tourism and housing. - Working with stakeholders to develop guidance on unique and difficult issues with a planning dimension, cross-policy working with other teams in Mayoral organisations;- Providing policy advice on strategic planning matters to organisations and local government.