Helen Walker

Helen is an urban planner and built environment strategic policy analyst, focusing on practical delivery of sustainable communities and places - and development of the skills required to achieve these.

She previously held senior posts at DCLG and the Environment Agency. As senior adviser for the government’s Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, she was responsible for professional support for neighbourhood regeneration, Housing Market Renewal Areas and local authorities. Helen developed new protocols for community engagement and design quality in sustainable communities and created learning support for design-based economic objectives, as national advisor at the Local Government Association.

National commissions have included specialist advisor to two House of Commons Select Committees, production of the National Competency Framework for local authority planners for the Department of Communities and Local Government and design support for several Highways England projects. Helen is a former local authority team leader working in planning, community engagement, economic regeneration, sustainable development and conservation. Previously Chair of urban development and regeneration at the University of Westminster, she is currently course leader of the MSc Town Planning course at University of Brighton. Helen is a Civic Trust Awards national panel judge; she sits on Brighton and Hove City Council’s Sustainability Partnership.