OSDC Board approves the appointment of five independent members to the OSDC Planning Committee

The Oxford Street Development Corporation (OSDC) Board has today approved the appointment of five independent members to the OSDC Planning Committee, subject to the completion of any final due diligence and declarations of interest checks.

These appointments mark a key step in moving Oxford Street’s transformation into delivery, with the Planning Committee playing a central role in shaping and approving future designs and developments.

The OSDC Planning Committee is responsible for ensuring that decisions on planning applications within the OSDC area are made in an open, transparent, impartial and legally robust manner, in accordance with the relevant planning framework and the Committee’s approved Terms of Reference.

The OSDC Planning Committee consists of eight OSDC Planning Committee Member positions and is chaired by Margaret Casely-Hayford, an OSDC Board Member.

Two of the members are directly appointed representatives from OSDC’s local boroughs, Westminster City and Camden Councils. The five appointed today have been recruited through an open competitive process, which sought candidates with experience in planning, urban design, regeneration, development and planning law.

The five appointments to the Committee are as follows:

Dushyant Karnik, Technical Director specialising in Building Physics, with expertise in Passivhaus and low-carbon retrofits, with strong leadership experience across multidisciplinary teams, and extensive advisory work for councils, universities and major developers on high-performance buildings. He will act as sustainability expert on the Committee.

Esther Everett, Director of Placemaking at LLDC with more than 25 years’ experience in architecture and place shaping, high quality inclusive design, and as a key leader in the evolution of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. She will provide placemaking, design and commercial investment expertise to the Committee.

James Fennell, Chief Executive of Lichfields, with more than 35 years’ experience of delivering major London developments and with extensive board-level and planning committee experience. He will provide Planning and Regeneration expertise to the Committee.

Kathryn Firth, Partner in Urban Design and Master planning at FP Design.  She will act as Architect/Design leader for the Committee, building on her urban design expertise combining academic leadership, design review and delivery of complex regeneration and public realm projects.

Marie Pye, TfL Board member and former Local Councillor for the London Borough of Waltham Forest.  She is also a former member of the LLDC Planning Committee. She will bring inclusion and disability expertise as well as her experience in inclusive growth, equality, regeneration and governance.

Margaret Casely-Hayford, Chair of the OSDC Planning Committee said: “I am delighted to welcome these new members to the OSDC Planning Committee. Their breadth of experience in major schemes and urban planning and their commitment to high-quality, inclusive design will be critical in shaping the future of Oxford Street.”

“We are committed to ensuring that planning decisions are taken in a transparent, fair and rigorous way, supporting the creation of a safer, greener and more accessible street for everyone.”

Nabeel Khan, CEO, OSDC said: “This is an important milestone as we move from strategy into delivery on Oxford Street. The appointment of five highly experienced independent members will only strengthen the Planning Committee, ensuring we have the right expertise in place to support high-quality, well-informed decision-making that will provide the best outcomes for everyone on Oxford Street.”