Michael is a chartered town planner with a specialist interest in integrating public health outcomes into spatial planning and development processes.

He has experience working with UK-wide national and local authorities in advising on policy making and influencing, capacity building and training, and guidance development on planning topics including climate change, culture, arts and sport, green infrastructure, and health and wellbeing.

In his current role as the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (formerly Public Health England) Planning and Health lead, and previously leading the Town and Country Planning Association’s Reuniting Health with Planning initiative, he has worked with local authorities and developers in understanding the value of place and health, and helped to develop healthy planning frameworks to aid local planning. He champions the Essex Livewell Development Accreditation to ensure developments are high quality, well-designed and can support healthier living.

Michael co-founded the Health and Wellbeing in Planning Network in 2018, is a Visiting Fellow at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Healthy Urban Environments at the University of the West of England, member of the Urban Land Institute Health Leaders Network 2021, honorary member of the Faculty of Public Health and Fellow of the Royal Society of Public Health.