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Tom Warth appointed as Chief Operating Officer

The Planning Inspectorate has today announced the permanent appointment of Tom Warth as Chief Operating Officer (COO), following a competitive recruitment process.

Tom Warth, Chief Operating Officer - Planning Inspectorate

Tom has held the role of interim COO for the past eight months, overseeing our five services using the skills and experience he has built in his many years with the Inspectorate taking on a variety of key roles. 

He originally joined as a case officer in enforcement and succeeded in a number of roles across planning and infrastructure casework. Before stepping into the interim COO role, Tom was Head of the Planning and Environmental Appeals Service, where he led the team responsible for processing and determining around 20,000 planning, enforcement and other appeals we receive each year. 

Tom Warth said: 

I’m honoured to take on the role of Chief Operating Officer permanently. Having worked across multiple parts of the Inspectorate over many years, I’ve seen first-hand the dedication our teams bring to every case we handle. I’m looking forward to continuing that work, supporting our people and making sure customers get the very best service.

Graham Stallwood, Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate, said: 

I’m really pleased Tom has been appointed permanently and I know he will bring the same steady, thoughtful leadership to the role of COO that has defined his years with us. 

His appointment means we are gaining a leader who genuinely understands the Inspectorate from the ground up.