Caroline Harper is Director of Planning and Redevelopment and Deputy MD of BeFirst, Barking and Dagenham’s regeneration delivery vehicle.
Caroline was awarded “Inspirational Leader of the Year 2023” by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and her department was ranked joint first in the country by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) for on-time major and non-major decisions.
BeFirst’s proactive approach and emphasis on innovation and collaboration with developers, architects, and the community has helped streamline planning processes and attract significant investment to the borough. It provides a model for others to follow.
The planning consultancy provides advice on projects across London and the South East to make better places for all through a socially responsible model of urban regeneration. To date, the team has secured planning permission for 3,000 homes and 100,000sqm of employment space.
The talk is chaired by Peter Murray OBE, Chair, Temple Bar Trust.
The event includes a networking reception with the speaker and audience members following the talk.
Temple Bar, the venue for the evening, is a 350-year-old gateway to the City of London, designed by Sir Christopher Wren. It formerly stood in Fleet Street, and is the last surviving gateway to the City of London.
Accessibility
Temple Bar stands at the St Paul’s entrance to Paternoster Square – there are no steps so the entrance is easily accessible by wheelchair and fully accessible by lift and stair lift once inside.
