Director
Alison Blom-Cooper has wide ranging experience of planning projects and the management of planning services, having worked in local government and the private sector. She has undertaken interim management for planning and regulatory functions; spent 15 years investigating complaints for the Local Government Ombudsman and 5 years as a consultant planning inspector determining appeals for the Planning Inspectorate.
Since joining Addison & Associates in 2002 she has worked on a number of projects for the ODPM/CLG including the review of planning fees, evaluation of the planning delivery grant, a review of performance on major applications and formulation of best practice guidance on the validation process. Recent projects include benchmarking the costs to applicants, a review of costs and fees and a review of the national planning performance indicator. Work has also been undertaken for individual local authorities e.g. review of their planning services or specific aspects such as compliance monitoring, enforcement policy, drafting planning protocols and reviewing decision making structures. Recent work for the Planning Advisory Service has included managing and delivering the direct support programme including member training, project management and developing a common spatial vision, the LDF Diagnostic process and managing the BVPI 109a diagnostic programme. Alison is an experience facilitator, trainer and speaker and has worked on regional seminar series including infrastructure planning and delivery, a development management seminar series and undertaken a wide range of member training.
Qualifications & Professional Associations
Part 1 MBA; MPhil Environmental Planning,
BSc Sociology/Social Administration,
Member of the RTPI since 1982
National Association of Planning Enforcement (NAPE) Executive 2007-2009
Voluntary interests
Chair of Community Land and Workspace Services (1987-1995)
Governor Tetherdown Primary School 2003-2008
Justice of the Peace 1995 -
Selected Publications
Best practice guidance on validation of planning applications: ODPM March 2005 and August 2007 (with Arup)