Phil is Strategic Director for Sustainable Growth and Development in Cornwall Council. He has held this role since 2019. Phil has ongoing responsibility for planning, transport (now called connectivity), housing and economic development, and have latterly assumed responsibility for environmental strategy, carbon neutrality and environmental services. Prior to these roles Phil was the relevant Head of Service/Service Director for Planning and Housing from 2009 to 2019, including being the designated Chief Planning Officer of Cornwall Council for the same period. Prior to that, he held various senior roles, including being the Council’s Chief Planning Officer and latterly the Deputy Chief Executive in (what was then) Restormel Borough Council, before the Council became a unitary authority.

Phil has developed, led and maintained close working relationships with the Town and Country Planning Association over the last 14 or so years which has provided him with the opportunity to travel widely to see and experience best practice in large-scale urban design and renewal.

He has significant experience in strategic planning for the largest schemes in Cornwall. For the last 20 years, he has led, on behalf of the Council, the Duchy of Cornwall’s urban extension scheme at Nansledan, near Newquay. For the last 15 years, he has also led, on behalf of the Council, Cornwall’s other designated Garden Village, at West Carclaze, near St Austell. And as Chief Planning Officer, he also oversaw the granting of the original permissions in the area now known as Langarth, between 2012 and 2016, and witnessed the evolution in national planning policy, which ran alongside. He is leading the Council’s direct interventions to bring this scheme to delivery including investing Housing Infrastructure funding in the road, services and infrastructure.

Phil has retained responsibility for affordable housing delivery throughout the life of Cornwall Council, seeing the Council consistently being in the top 4 of all Council’s for delivery.

Phil in his personal voluntary capacity has been involved in school governance for 20 years, is a current trustee for a Multi Academy Trust of 21 schools in Cornwall, successfully leading as Chair the creation of a single school MAT, the growth of that MAT and then the merger with another MAT. Phil is responsible for the Council’s skills and Adult Education responsibility and has a passion for learning and skills as a foundation for people’s wellbeing and the economic growth of Cornwall.