About the author

Ruth Reed is an architect and academic with a distinguished reputation in planning issues. She has experience as a planning inspector and a lobbyist on planning matters for the RIBA. She is currently a partner at Green Planning Studio Limited, a planning consultancy with an enviable record in winning planning appeals. Ruth previously set up Reed Architects in 1992, where she rapidly won a reputation for gaining planning consents. Much of the practice’s work was in the self-build sector and Ruth joined and became a director of Associated Self-Build Architects.

Ruth was elected as the first female president of the RIBA in 2009. As president, her policy focus was on architectural education and on planning reform. Once her term had finished Ruth took over chairmanship of the Planning Group and continues to represent the profession to policymakers in this area. Since the presidency she has served on the RIBA Education Committee and the University of Cambridge Building Committee and is currently a vice-chair of the Construction Industry Council Board. As a previous RIBA council member she has also been Vice President of Membership and chair of the RIBA CPD Subcommittee, where she drafted the introduction of the core curriculum. Ruth has examined at the Welsh School of Architecture and also at Plymouth and Bath Universities. Most recently she was a professor and course director for the Postgraduate Diploma in Architecture Practice at Birmingham School of Architecture.