On a mission to help our towns evolve and thrive...
"The places of Warwickshire are unique, individual, and far reaching...how they grow, respond to change and develop impacts on all aspects of our lives..."
The places in which we live and work are constantly changing – they are influenced by those who live there, those who work and run businesses there and those who choose to visit; and all of these places have been heavily impacted over the last few years by how we use them and the current economic picture.
Warwickshire County Council’s Regeneration and Place Shaping Team works with key partners and stakeholders to identify opportunities for physical regeneration and place shaping which will have a positive impact on people’s lives. This could be through enabling the redevelopment of un-used buildings in town centres, it could be looking for investment opportunities to help generate new jobs in the area, or it could be about creating new public open space to boost pride in the local area.
The places of Warwickshire are unique, individual, and far reaching. How they grow, respond to change and develop impacts on all aspects of our lives so the team looks to coordinate and facilitate place-based regeneration programmes in towns and places in Warwickshire which suit those individual locations.
An example of this is the Transforming Nuneaton programme which responds to the needs of the town and local area – a diversification of uses and opportunities to help address the impact and loss of retail and bring life into the town centre whilst also helping to address the need for training, jobs and access to services. It will see new leisure activities introduced to the town, bringing an increase in activity and supporting those businesses already there. Improved college facilities are enabling more people to access training and learning opportunities. New residential development means increased provision whilst also supporting footfall in the town.
The team covers the whole of the County and this presents a diverse array of opportunities. To maximise these opportunities the team works closely with internal and external partners and this can be no better demonstrated than by our work with the Stratford Strategic Partnership. This brings together key organisations from across the town, working towards a common goal of facilitating, through effective collaboration between local agencies and partners, a thriving town centre that is relevant to our residents and where everyone enjoys a good quality of life - environmentally, economically and socially.
Leamington Transformation, another key regeneration programme, looks to develop a refreshed vision for the town, being aspirational and transformative so that the residents and businesses of Leamington can thrive and grow. The delivery of the Creative Quarter, led by colleagues at Warwick District, shows a growing sector can be supported through the re-use, refurbishment and redevelopment of key buildings to help not only regenerate it but directly support the local economy.
The Team
Catherine Marks, Lead Commissioner, Regeneration & Place Shaping
Catherine has worked across local government over her 25-year career, spanning a variety of roles in regeneration, economic and community development and environmental management. She currently heads up the team leading regeneration and place shaping, focussing on town centre regeneration programmes, major sites feasibility, partnership development and capital investment and funding.
Catherine’s various jobs have always had a community and place basis, fitting with her desire to have a positive impact on people’s lives. Her current role presents this opportunity by looking at the places of Warwickshire and working with a wider variety of people to identify projects and initiatives which will support their future for the whole community.
Having moved to Warwickshire in 2000, Catherine has now settled in Rugby with her husband and son where they use it as a great base for indulging in all sorts of outdoor activities including fell walking, paddle boarding and kayaking, and cycling – their campervan providing the means to go off and explore new places across the country!
Aoife O’Gorman Regeneration & Place Programme Officer
Aoife was born and raised in the Republic of Ireland, before coming to the UK to study. Having worked as a teacher in Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, and Birmingham, she joined the County Council's Policy Unit in 2021, moving to the Regeneration and Place Team in January 2023.
She is enjoying her focus on Stratford and Bedworth, and making the most of the opportunities her role offers to get to know the towns of Warwickshire, connecting with those who live there, and hoping to support them in becoming better places for everyone.
Outside work, she loves baking, especially trying new kinds of bread, and considers chocolate an essential food group. Involved in theatre since she could remember lines, she's been really excited to get back to that world post-pandemic. One day she'll have a dog, but for now, looking after two young children is keeping her plenty busy!
Sandy Kaur Johal: Project Officer, Transforming Nuneaton
Sandy joined Warwickshire County Council in 2020 in a dual role across Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council. She has a huge passion for place making and regeneration, so working on Transforming Nuneaton, a large scale regeneration programme was a perfect fit for her.
Sandy has extensive experience in working in local government across regeneration, planning, regulatory, compliance and finance. This is complemented by experience in private sector auditing. Her previous roles include working at one of the largest unitary authorities in England, Durham County Council where she was part of the Strategic Development Management Team. This entailed dealing with major non-residential, proposals, large scale residential schemes, major retail and leisure proposals and all proposals by major partner organisations, transport and infrastructure works and enabling development schemes, minerals, waste and renewable energy schemes.
With previous experience working in strategic development, Sandy was keen to delve deeper into the world of regeneration from a project management and delivery perspective. Sandy has commended stakeholder relationships and thrives on partnership working. She is passionate about levelling up our local town centres, helping to put Nuneaton and Bedworth on the map as an experience destination where people choose to live, work and shop!
Outside work, Sandy is a total foodie and enjoys spending time with family and friends. She loves to travel and enjoys fitness through boxing and weight training. She also loves a good podcast.
Sarah James – Regeneration & Place Programme Officer
New to Warwickshire County Council, Sarah joined the team earlier this year, bringing with her, knowledge and experience of planning and place shaping, policy development and community engagement.
A qualified town planner, Sarah has a long background in planning at local authorities across the Midlands, but her career took a different turn in 2015, after which working for the national charity Civic Voice for seven years. In this role, she encouraged and supported community groups across England to foster civic pride in their local area and led on influencing national planning policy.
Coventry-born Sarah cares about improving places through high quality design and is delighted to bring her skills to Warwickshire, ensuring the county’s towns are the best they can be. “We spot opportunities across the county, which could improve places, and work hard with partners, funders and communities to help make positive change happen.”
Outside work, Sarah loves arts and music and is often found visiting an art gallery or enjoying gigs across the Midlands, with an occasional trip to a festival or two. Running keeps her active, having recently joined a running club, which has opened up a whole new world of cross-country races across Coventry and Warwickshire!