Congratulations to our Joint Director of Planning and Economic Development, Stephen Kelly, on being awarded an MBE for his outstanding services to town planning in the New Year Honours 2026.
Since taking on his role in 2016, Stephen has transformed the former planning departments at Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council into a single shared planning service, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning (GCSP).
Today, GCSP’s 160+ staff process more than 7,000 planning applications each year, delivering high‑quality, sustainable development across the region.
Under Stephen’s leadership, GCSP has significantly expanded its impact, working collaboratively with public and private sector partners and the communities of Greater Cambridge to shape exceptional places.
Stephen said: "Being awarded an MBE for Services to Planning is a very special moment. It was a surprise to hear that I was to be honoured but also a pleasure to know that a decision made decades ago in the sixth form to study Town and Regional Planning at Dundee University had finally paid off!
"I couldn't begin to list all of the amazing people and projects that I have had the good fortune to have encountered across the decades since then, and I am especially lucky to be working alongside some great people within the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning service and both partner councils in Cambridge and South Cambridgeshire.
"I am privileged to lead a service full of motivated and committed officers. With the support of our colleagues in other departments and members across both of the councils, GCSP has been able to lead and shape practice nationally, delivering innovative and effective solutions to the challenges facing the planning profession - including introducing ISO 9001, the development of PPA's, award winning community engagement, Biodiversity Net Gain, Climate adaption, the use of AI in Plan Making and an amazing new website. I could go on!
"Later in the year I will formally receive the award in full acknowledgement that it was made possible by everyone at GCSP and my colleagues across the Councils."
