Following a recruitment drive in autumn 2011, Places Matter! has appointed a new Design Review Panel of built environment professionals, offering advice and support to new development in England’s Northwest.  The Panel  continues to be chaired by Martin Stockley but now includes three Vice Chairs appointed after interview.

• Matt Brook, Broadway Malyan
• Annie Coombs, Scousenous
• Nigel McGurk, Erimax Ltd

Matt Brook, Annie Coombs and Nigel McGurk join Places Matter! as Vice Chair(s) of the Places Matter! Design Review Panel, which offers an impartial service for local authorities, developers and designers. Before becoming Vice-Chair both Matt with a background in Architecture, and Annie in Landscape Architecture, were members of the Places Matter! Design Review Panel from its creation in 2007. Nigel is joining them with a background in Town Planning.  Like Annie he is also a member of the Design Council Cabe National Panel.

17 new appointments were made.  They are:

• Kate Bailey, Envision
• Ian Beaumont, MBLA Architects + Urbanists
• Chris Carroll, Wigan Council 
• Deborah Denner, Consultant
• Liz Ellis, Birmingham City Council
• Jonathan Ellis-Miller, EllisMIller LLP
• Kerri Farnsworth, Strategic Investment Board Ltd
• Lyn Fenton, Hawksview Limited
• Jaimie Ferguson, BDP
• Julian Gitsham, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios
• Mike Hayes, Michael Hayes Consulting Ltd
• Colin Haylock, Haylock Planning and Design
• Stephen Hodder, Hodder + Partners
• CJ  Lim, Studio 8 Architects Limited & UCL
• Kevin Logan, Maccreanor Lavington
• Ian McChesney, McChesney Architects
• Carolyn Primett, Blackpool Council
• David Roberts, igloo Regeneration
• Tony Skipper, John McAslan and Partners
• John Stonard, Sheffield City Council
• Peter Swift, Planit-IE Ltd

For full details of the 2012 panel please visit www.placesmatter.co.uk/designreview.

Places Matter! received over 180 applications from prospective panel members. The new members will add a fresh perspective representing a variety of expertise from the fields of urban design, architecture, sustainable design, accessibility, landscape architecture, the historic environment, engineering, the arts, planning, transport infrastructure, community planning, investment, development and many other disciplines.

Places Matter! has operated Northwest Design Review Panel since 2007.  It has reviewed over 230 schemes.  It is affiliated with National Design Review run by Design Council CABE and is part of a national network of design review panels, providing local planning authorities with access to independent practical design advice.

Annie Atkins, Places Matter! Programme Director, said: “We have always been committed to widening the hand-on experience of the design review process in the North West and are looking forward to working with the considerable body of talent and expertise that has emerged through the recruitment process.”

Martin Stockley, Chair of the Places Matter! Design Review Panel, said: “Design Review remains our most effective means of assisting developers and local planning authorities to improve the quality and value of developments.  Places Matter! is delighted to have appointed three new Vice Chairs and a refreshed group of panel members in order to continue to offer this service at the highest quality level.”