Planning Officers Society president David Hackforth is to retire at the end of June as head of planning and transport at Milton Keynes Council.

He will be replaced by Stephen Tapper, who is currently planning head at the London Borough of Enfield.

Hackforth, who will continue working with the Society as immediate past president, will retire after 26 years as a planner. He has held senior planning posts in four local authorities, including South Bedfordshire, Chorley and Wigan.

He was named president of the Planning Officers Society in 2009, and has been an adviser to the Local Government Association on planning issues, as well as chair of its special interest group on new towns.

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