Unlock the Future of Planning and Development with EDI

Formerly, Head of Planning and Transportation and member of the Corporate Management Team at Watford Council, Ransford Stewart MBE now runs Stewart Management & Planning Solutions, a town planning and management consultancy in west London.

In a career of more than 40 years, Ransford has worked with 17 Council’s, 3 Quangos, a National Park and 2 of the Big Four global accounting and management consultancies. He has an extensive knowledge of local government processes and procedures, especially in relation to the built environment, and is an experienced regeneration practitioner. 

Ransford has a keen interest in equality, diversity and inclusion matters and has guided a number of community-led development schemes through the planning process. Ransford is a founding member of the BAME Planners Network and was awarded an MBE for planning in the community in the Queen’s 2022 New Year’s Honours List.

Imogen Clark was a lawyer for many years, before moving across to work in the not-for-profit sector, and was one of the co-founders of Make Space for Girls in 2020. Make Space for Girls campaigns to reduce the disadvantage that teenage girls and young women face when accessing the benefits of parks and similar places, and so make parks more welcoming to more young people of all genders. Tackling the systemic barriers to change (including those in the planning system) is crucial to what we do and to do this we need to engage effectively with the young people who currently struggle to have their voices heard in planning decisions. Imogen is looking forward to discussing these issues at the event.

Joan Rutherford MRTPI (Rtd.) qualified in 1968 with a degree in Town & Regional Planning from Sheffield University.

Joan has worked at the GLC and for Sheffield and Manchester City Councils, and was the first Town Planner to do Voluntary Service Overseas (in Barbados).

She managed Manchester City Council’s Access Team for seven years (2000 – 2007) and developed an interest in accessible urban design.  During this time the Access Team produced Design for Access 2, which is still Manchester’s manual of inclusive design guidance. 

Joan is currently the Chair of the national network of Older People’s Housing Champions (OPHC), Treasurer of High Peak Access Group, a member of Greater Manchester Coalition of Disabled People, Manchester Disabled People’s Access Group and Greater Manchester’s Older People’s Forum.

She is the OPHC representative on the Housing and Ageing Alliance, which lobbies for better housing for older people.

Joan currently campaigns for accessible and wheelchair accessible housing.  In particular, trying to persuade the government that its proposed ‘1.5 million new homes within five years’ should meet the Building Regulation accessible housing standard M4(2), both to meet current shortfalls and to plan for an ageing population.

Terri Balon has over 20 years’ experience of working in the voluntary sector and in her current role as RNIB’s (Royal National Institute of Blind people) Regional Campaigns Officer she works collaboratively with public, voluntary and private sector organisations etc along with people with lived experience, around access and accessibility, and improvements in a variety of areas including the built environment. She facilitated RNIB’s Key Principles of Inclusive Street Design informing TFGM’s Streets for All Design Guide and that it is included in the suite of guidance used by a variety of organisations. The ‘Glade of Light’ memorial and train station improvements including Maps for All are further examples of collaborative work.

She is dedicated and passionate about empowering people to make informed decisions and the resourcing of staff with appropriate knowledge and services to facilitate this. Experience as a Trustee and volunteer with national and local disabled people’s organisations and charities has also shown the benefits such collaborative working brings to everyone which is enhanced by her lived experience.

Adam Preston is Housing Development Manager at LGBT Foundation, a national LGBTQ+ health and wellbeing charity based in Manchester. Since March 2023, Adam has been leading on the development of Russell Road, the LGBTQ+ majority Extra Care scheme being developed alongside Manchester City Council and Great Places Housing Group. The scheme is being co-produced with a Community Steering Group of older LGBTQ+ people and local residents, ensuring lived experience is at the heart of the scheme’s development. The vision for Russell Road is to create a safe, secure and affirming environment where older LGBTQ+ people and allies can age independently, happily and with pride.

Martin Jeffrey is a Legal Director in the Planning and Infrastructure Consenting Team at Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP with a particular expertise in advising on compulsory purchase order (CPO) aspects relating to major planning and infrastructure schemes as well as on CPO compensation. 

Martin was previously Head Property Counsel at High Speed Two Limited where he advised on all aspects of CPO relating to the HS2 Project, and has also worked in house at Milton Keynes Council, Birmingham City Council and Staffordshire County Council. Martin has worked with property, legal and EDI specialists on how the Equality Act 2010 affects compulsory acquisition and property schemes. He has also  advised numerous local authorities on how to take their public sector equality duty into account in making compulsory purchase orders.

• Tarisiro Fundira is an Incorporated Engineer at Mott MacDonald with over four years of experience in flood-risk mitigation, drainage design, and sustainable drainage systems. As the Vice-Chair for the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Fairness, Inclusion, and Respect Committee, Tarisiro plays a pivotal role in fostering an equitable and inclusive environment within the engineering community. His dedication to EDI is further exemplified by his leadership as the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion lead at Mott MacDonald, where he oversees initiatives for a unit of over 2,000 people. Tarisiro's commitment to creating a fair workplace free from harassment and discrimination makes him a key voice in discussions on the challenges and opportunities in promoting EDI across planning policy and practice.

Sophie Stanton is a Chartered Planner at P4 Planning with a passionate commitment to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in the built environment. Since joining the profession in 2021, Sophie has made significant strides in championing inclusivity, both in her professional role and her extensive voluntary work. As the Chair of the RTPI North West EDI Action Group, and a member of the RTPI Young Planners and Regional Activities Committee (RAC), Sophie is at the forefront of driving positive change in the planning industry and was awarded The Planner’s Woman of Influence 2025.

Sophie’s academic achievements further highlight her dedication to inclusivity, having graduated with a Masters in Urban Planning (MSc) from Newcastle University, where her dissertation, ‘Rainbow Regeneration’ in Newcastle Upon Tyne’s LGBTQ* Scene: Working Towards Sustainable Inclusivity and Representation, earned the David Lock Award. Her research, which focused on LGBTQI* representation and sustainable inclusivity in urban spaces, was published in Cities Forum Urban Action Avenue and continues to shape her professional work. Sophie’s commitment was recognised in 2023 when she was awarded Young Planner of the Year (North East) by the RTPI for her EDI contributions.

Sophie is currently leading collaborative efforts with LGBT Foundation, Manchester Pride and Manchester City Council to deliver an LGBTQI* Heritage Tour and LGBTQI* heritage signage in Manchester's Gay Village. This project highlights Sophie’s dedication to preserving and celebrating LGBTQI* history while advocating for greater representation in urban spaces. Her current research on Equality Impact Assessments (EqIA) further strengthens her commitment to ensuring inclusivity is integral to planning decisions. Sophie's tireless advocacy, mentorship and leadership are shaping the future of urban planning, ensuring that diversity and inclusion remain central to the development process.