Chair's Introduction 2025
Dominic Crowley, Associate Director at Lichfields 
It is a privilege and an honour to be elected as the RTPI North East Chair for 2025, having acted as the regional Vice Chair for the past two years.
The past year has seen a lot of change and we as planners play a pivotal role in ensuring these changes bring forward the best possible developments to meet the needs of those living and working in our region; supporting sustainable growth and delivering healthy, environmentally vibrant places which are essential to the physical and mental wellbeing of our communities.
Our ongoing work in the region demonstrates how planning is an essential profession for overcoming some of the most acute social, economic and environmental challenges that face the North East. We have a strong Membership that continues to embrace change to deliver new spatial identities; celebrating our diverse communities across the region and highlighting our internationally recognised ecology, heritage and culture, that make our region so special.
This year, my aim is to celebrate the individuals and their projects that have demonstrated excellence in delivering social value; improving the well-being of communities and building social capital through development. I will continue the excellent work of our previous regional Chairs, Tim Crawshaw and Jen Patterson, in championing collaboration across sectors, advocating for investment in skills and training in our region and promoting equality, equity and inclusivity within our profession.
I am looking forward to working with our Members over the coming year, and will hopefully see some of you (in person or virtually) at one our forthcoming events.