Meet the Team
Our Board and LPDF team, supported by our member-led committees, champion our members’ views and help shape policy at both local and national level.
Paul Brocklehurst
Chairman
Paul has been Chairman of the LPDF since its foundation in 2018.
Paul was Chief Executive of Catesby Estates plc, which he steered to become one of the leading land promoters in the country, until May 2020. Since this time he has focussed more time on the development of the Federation and its influence in policy formation. However, he continues to ensure that he maintains his practical awareness of the operation of the planning system by promoting a small, select number of sites for residential development.
He believes passionately in the need for this country to boost housing delivery, deliver affordable housing and to begin to correct the generational unfairness which has developed over the last number of decades in housing.
Sam Stafford
Managing Director
Sam has been a Chartered Town Planner since 2002 and has accumulated skills and experiences from across the property sector during this time. In the early stages of his career Sam worked for a housebuilder in South Yorkshire, a planning and landscape consultancy in Lincolnshire and, following a move to Ripponden, Calderdale Council's development control team. The majority of Sam's experience between 2006 and 2014 was in development management as a planning consultant in multi-disciplinary environments in Leeds and Manchester.
In 2014 Sam joined Barratt Development and his work as a Regional Strategic Land Director involved working with the Divisional Barratt and David Wilson businesses in the North West and the West Midlands to increase the size and strength of their strategic land portfolios. Sam joined the HBF as a Planning Director in 2022 where he worked to influence national planning policy on behalf of the housebuilding industry before moving to the LPDF in 2025 as Managing Director.
Phill Bamford
Policy Director
Phill is Policy Director, after spending the last 27 years in both public and private sector planning roles.
Phill started his career in local government with Broxbourne Borough Council and worked for many years preparing development plans and other planning policy documents for Manchester City, Vale Royal, Tameside and Cheshire West and Chester Councils.
For the last 9 years Phill has worked for LPDF member Gladman Developments, leading their Planning Policy and Land Promotion team and learning quickly about the commercial and practical realities facing the development industry.
Outside of the planning world, Phill spends a lot of time with his family, living his failed sporting career through his son Thomas, who is a keen cricketer and footballer. He also spends time in the kitchen, and being an ex-chef it has allowed him to find a love of cooking as a form of relaxation (with a whisky in hand of course!!!)
Nicole Burnett
Senior Policy and Research Manager
Nicole started her career in local government, working in the Housing Team at Manchester City Council, followed by the Growth Point Team, part of Spatial Planning, at Cheshire West and Chester Council.
In 2012 Nicole made the move to the private sector joining Gladman Developments Ltd, where she spent 8 years developing her understanding of strategic land and the complexities of the planning system. Her work at Gladman was heavily focussed on planning policy and the promotion of sites through local plans.
Since leaving Gladman in 2020 Nicole has been working on a freelance basis for clients within strategic land promotion.
Hanad Darwish
Head of External Affairs
Hanad is an experienced political consultant with a strong track record across the UK and internationally. He began his campaigning career during the 2012 English mayoral
referendums and has since worked on a range of electoral and policy campaigns.
Most recently, he led the built environment practice at College Green Group, supporting a wide variety of clients including housebuilders, infrastructure providers, and regeneration
projects. He also managed the Policy Liaison Group on Housing Delivery & Growth, delivering several landmark campaigns.
Alongside consultancy, Hanad has held a number of policy and political advisory roles, including with the UN’s International Organisation for Migration and serving as a senior
adviser to the Government of Somaliland. He is also Director of the Labour Friends of Somaliland.
Hanad holds an LLB (Hons) in Law from Birkbeck, University of London.
Emma Howes
Finance Officer
Emma serves as the Finance Officer at LPDF, bringing over 27 years of experience in financial management and strategy. Known for her diligence and keen attention to detail, she ensures the organisation’s financial operations remain strong, transparent, and efficient.
Her deep expertise allows her to navigate complex challenges while supporting LPDF’s long-term growth and stability.
Beyond her professional role, Emma is a proud parent of four children and a dog, balancing her career with a vibrant family life that keeps her very busy outside of work.
Steve Quatermain
Chair - Planning and Technical Committee
After a career in Local government , during which time he managed all front line services including an award winning Planning and community planning team , Steve became Chief Planner for the government in 2008. Stepping down in 2020 after 12 years Steve could reflect back on a period that saw the planning system transformed; from the NPPF , the planning guidance suite , to PD rights and the design agenda. He championed the profession and pressed for greater diversity. A former President of the Planning Officers Society and an active RTPI member during his Local Government time, he now has a varied portfolio of activities, supporting the charity MOBIE, Women in Planning and the University of Kent, as well as giving strategic advice and support to Town Legal, Cratus, hgh planning consultancy and Popolo housing.
Lucy Ray
Marketing and Events Manager
Lucy is Marketing Manager having joined in 2020. Lucy is responsible for all marketing activities and the organisation and coordination of events, as well as supporting the LPDF team.
Prior to the LPDF Lucy worked on an asylum accommodation Home Office immigration contract as both an area manager and deputy regional manager.
Lucy is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing