I have 30 years’ experience at the top level in local government and Whitehall. I was the Deputy Chief Executive of the London Borough of Barnet from 2000 to 2010, where I was responsible for regeneration, housing, planning, environment and adult social care. I established Barnet Homes, the Council’s ALMO, and the council’s estate regeneration programme that transformed the three big mono-tenure housing estates at Grahame Park, West Hendon, and Stonegrove into thriving new neighbourhoods.
Establishing the One Public Estate Programme
In 2010 I joined the Local Government Association (LGA), and a year later with the Cabinet Office set up the One Public Estate Programme (OPE). OPE worked across Whitehall Departments to make more efficient use of public land and property.
Starting with a pilot 12 councils across the country, I left it covering over 90% of English Local Authorities with a budget of over £30m. Some notable successes were the seed funding of York Central, and the viability assessment for the new Whipps Cross Hospital in North East London.
My role with NEAT
I started working part time for NEAT Developments in 2015, securing a consent on a former Homebase site in The Hyde, Hendon, for a redevelopment of 386 new homes and workspace.
In September 2020 I secured an 1,800 home Consent for BlackRock on an ageing retail park in Enfield, along with 5,500 sqm of commercial and employment space. It is Enfield’s largest ever private sector development and will include their tallest building at 29 storeys.
