End of an era as Council head of planning services retires

South Norfolk Council's current Head of Planning Services, John Tomlinson, is retiring after over three decades.

His departure follows 34 years work as a planning officer at South Norfolk Council. His final day at the office is February 29.

He began his planning career in 1971 at Norfolk County Council, but joined what is now South Norfolk Council in 1974.

In 1975, he was appointed a district council Area Planning Officer and in 1990, became Assistant Chief Planning Officer, before becoming Head of Planning Services at South Norfolk Council in 2003.

In his career, he had a key role and influence in a great many residential, commercial and householder developments, including a number of significant developments like the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and the Norfolk Constabulary headquarters at Wymondham.

During his time at South Norfolk Council, around 73,000 planning applications have been dealt with.

In the late 1980s and 1990s, he was South Norfolk’s planning representative on the Broads Authority where he had significant input into the early planning issues of Whitlingham Country Park, a project which was subsequently given a national planning achievement award.

Over the last several years, South Norfolk’s planning service has been consistently rewarded by the Government for its performance, with substantial annual Planning Delivery Grants. It also played an important role in the Audit Commission’s rating of South Norfolk as an excellent council.

More recently, he has helped forge the Greater Norwich Development Partnership, between South Norfolk Council, Broadland District Council, Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council, laying the foundations for the management of future growth.

John Tomlinson said:

“The last three decades have seen changes within south Norfolk as the district has continued to experience significant development pressures. In this time I believe we have protected the area’s essential rural character.

“More change is, however, on the way with more housing, job and leisure opportunities and community facilities. For this to be successful and to help deliver sustainable growth for all, it will be critical to ensure that new development goes hand in hand with the essential infrastructure required to support it.”

The council has always made community consultation and engagement a very high priority, especially in planning, where it took its area planning committees out to local people giving them an opportunity to speak at meetings, held on or close to where they live or work.

He added:

“South Norfolk Council has always consulted its community on planning issues. Now, in the context future growth pressures, it is even more important for the public to ‘have their say’ and work with us to secure the benefits that growth and new development can bring, and shape the future of the area. “

John Tomlinson is now looking forward to having more freedom to travel here and abroad, and to taking on those jobs for which there has never been enough time.

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