Meet the speakers: SFHA Planning and Land Reform Conference

The availability of land and an effective planning system have a major impact on the ability of housing associations to deliver quality affordable homes and create high quality environments and communities where people choose to live.

SFHA’s Planning and Land Reform Conference, taking place on the 21 March at RICS in Edinburgh, will examine the opportunities that the new Planning Bill and land reform provide to increase the supply of affordable housing both now and in the future.

Here are just some of our speakers for this new event:

Petra Biberbach, PAS

Petra Biberbach is Chief Executive of award-winning national charity, PAS. With a career spanning public, private and third sector, Petra brings a wealth of expertise to the post in the fields of planning, sustainable development, renewable energy, community engagement and research.

Petra is serving her second term as a board member of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority and was elected as Convenor of the Planning Committee. She is a trustee of the Scottish Civic Trust, a board member of LINK Group, and a non-executive director at Zero Waste Scotland.

Sarah Boyack, SFHA

Sarah is Head of Public Affairs at the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations. She started her professional life working as a Town Planner in the London Borough of Brent, then as Senior Planner in Central Regional Council. 

From 1999 to 2016, Sarah was an elected Member of the Scottish Parliament. She served in Donald Dewar’s first Cabinet as Minister for Planning, Transport and the Environment. Sarah was Convenor of the Environment and Rural Committee in the second term of the parliament and was a member of Scottish Labour’s Shadow Cabinet for Environment and Rural, Local Government and Planning and then Environmental Justice.

Ivan Clark, Scottish Natural Heritage

Ivan Clark is the Placemaking Team Manager at Scottish Natural Heritage. As an Ecologist and a Charted Town Planner since 2006, Ivan has held several roles within SNH and on secondment with local authorities. For many years he led SNH’s contribution to local development plans and in 2016, on secondment, was responsible for the preparation and publication of the South-east Scotland Proposed Strategic Development Plan. He is currently responsible for co-ordinating SNH’s contribution to place-based approaches such as development frameworks and large-scale urban renewal projects.

The conference will look at supporting affordable housing and increased equality, green infrastructure and healthy communities, planning for the future, Planning Bill, and land reform.

the event takes place on the 21 March at the RICS in Edinburgh. Delegate fees start at £219 for SFHA members or £299 for non-members. You can take advantage of the SFHA’s offer and book three places to get a fourth free.

For more information or to book your place, please visit www.sfha.co.uk/whats-on