Charles leads JTP’s dedicated community planning team engaging communities and stakeholder in co-designing Visions for a range of projects including garden communities, urban regeneration and whole town Visions.

He practices hybrid online and in-person engagement techniques to ensure that everyone is able to participate.

In 2021 Charles worked with Guildford Borough Council to run one of the DLUHC Pilots to evaluate the application of the new National Model Design Code to the planning of Weyside Urban Village. In 2019 he led the Liskeard Cattle Market Charrette for Cornwall Council, sponsored by MHCLG as part of their exemplar charrette initiative.

He also recently led: The Nicholson Quarter co-design process to create a Vision for the transformation of Maidenhead town centre for Areli; the Vision for Kendal whole town charrette for Kendal Futures; the Vision for Tampere West+ city centre e-charrette for Tampere City Council, Finland, and; the online co-design and consultation process on Bailrigg Garden Village masterplan for Lancaster City Council.

Charles’ recent book ’20/20 Visions: Collaborative Planning and Placemaking’ (RIBA Publishing) is an inspiring and visually stimulating introduction to charrette processes. As well as being a Design Council Expert, Charles is a Glasgow Place Commissioner and a member of Lancaster University Soils in Planning and Construction Task Force. In 2009 he travelled to San Diego to accept the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Project of the Year Award for Scarborough’s Renaissance.