Graham Thomas

Graham was a founder member of the national Strategic Planning Group. He is the  chair of the East of England SDS directors Group and Greater Essex SDS Steering Group. He has also worked with the Design Council’s roundtable Taskforce on New Towns. He is a strategic leader with a wealth of “placed based” experience, holding senior leadership roles in planning, housing, economic growth, and environment at both County and District Councils. In his role as chair of the Essex Planning Officers Association, he led the work on the RTPI award winning Essex Design Guide (2018) and in 2019 established the Essex Quality Review Panel. For the past six working with Essex Climate Action Commissioners, he has led the Built Environment workstream working with partner authorities to establish a healthy, energy efficient new home standard, which is being adopted through-out Greater Essex. In his role of the County Planner for Essex, he leads on strategic developments including the Chelmsford and Dunton Hills Garden Communities, and Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects. Prior to joining ECC, in his role of Head of Growth and Economy at Cambridgeshire County Council, he led on the New Settlement programme of work, including Northstowe and Alconbury Weald. Graham is passionate about health and quality place-making, he brings a wealth of insight with regards to public sector capacity building and strategic planning.