Press release: New Chairman of the Planning Inspectorate board appointed

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has today (22 March 2018) announced the appointment of Trudi Elliott as the new independent Chairman of the Planning Inspectorate board.

From Sunday 1 April, Trudi will work with other Non-Executive Directors to provide support to Chief Executive Sarah Richards and the management team through the advisory board for a period of 4 years.

Trudi, a Chartered Town Planner, has a wide-ranging and in-depth knowledge of planning, a sector where she has worked for 20 years.

She has been Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute since 2011 but will step down from that role at the end of March 2018.

Trudi takes over the role of Chairman at the Planning Inspectorate from Sara Weller who held the position from August 2014 to September 2017.

Commenting on her new role, Trudi said:

The Planning Inspectorate plays a vital function in the planning system and the future development of England and Wales.

I am absolutely delighted to have been appointed to help with that task and look forward to working with Sarah Richards and her executive management team to continue to shape this renowned organisation.

Trudi joins the Inspectorate at an exciting and crucial time with the recent launch of the revised draft National Planning Policy Framework.

Trudi’s previous roles include: Director of the Government Office for the West Midlands, Chief Executive of the West Midlands Regional Assembly, Director of Local Government Practice ODPM and Chief Executive of Bridgnorth District Council.

Prior to this, Trudi was a lawyer, practising in both the public and private sectors.

She currently chairs the Oxford Joint Planning Law Conference Committee and sits on the National Infrastructure Planning Association policy council and the University of Warwick Estates Committee.

Trudi was also a member of the Taylor Review into planning practice guidance and will become Patron of the Commonwealth Association of Planners from April.

Trudi Elliott’s appointment runs from 1 April 2018 for a period of 4 years. She will step down from her role as CEO of the Royal Town Planning Institute on 31 March 2018.

The post is held at the discretion of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Minister for Housing and Regeneration in Wales.

A photo of Trudi is available on request.

The Planning Inspectorate is the government agency for England and Wales responsible for handling approximately 20,000 appeals a year, including:

• national infrastructure planning
• planning and enforcement appeals
• examinations of local plans

See more information about the Planning Inspectorate.