BH Planning and Design’s director, Mark Ketley has been appointed as Chair of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) North East.

The RTPI is the leading membership organisation and a Chartered Institute responsible for maintaining professional standards and accrediting world class planning courses nationally and internationally.

Ketley, who is the director of BH Planning and Design, sister company to the award-winning chartered surveyors and estate agents, Bradley Hall said; “As a North East resident and someone who is enormously passionate about its people, places and culture, I am incredibly privileged to be chairing the RTPI North East.

“I started my career in planning in 2001 at North Tyneside Council as a year out student and since then I have moved
my career path throughout the region, significantly as Head of Planning at Northumberland County Council until March 2018, before then progressing to my current role as director of BH Planning and Design in April 2018.

“As Chair of the regional branch of the RTPI, I am aiming to improve RTPI North East and Local Authority engagement as well as breaking down some of the barriers we have in the planning industry between the public and private sectors.
This is going to involve, amongst other things, the launch of a two-year outreach project to Local Planning Authorities
across the region.

“I am also incredibly passionate about architecture and design, and therefore my theme for the year ahead will be based around the design agenda. The National Planning Policy Framework updated earlier this year has placed a strong emphasis on beautiful buildings and beautiful places being created through the planning profession and therefore it is essential that our industry puts in place the measures necessary to raise overall standards of design. I am very much looking forward to this new chapter in my career”.