Victoria Hills: A Defining Leader in UK Planning, Transport, and Sustainable Development
How Visionary Leadership Is Shaping the Future of the Built Environment
Victoria Hills is widely recognised as one of the most influential figures in the United Kingdom’s planning, transport, and sustainable development landscape. With more than twenty years of senior leadership experience, she has played a decisive role in shaping policy, guiding regeneration, and strengthening the professional standing of town planning at a national level. Her work sits at the intersection of governance, infrastructure, climate responsibility, and social equity, making her voice especially relevant in a time of rapid urban change.
Currently serving as Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, Victoria Hills has become a central figure in redefining how planning responds to housing demand, climate change, and economic renewal across the UK.
Academic Foundations That Shaped Strategic Thinking
Victoria Hills’ professional authority is grounded in strong academic foundations. She completed a BA (Hons) in Geography with Business Studies at the University of Wolverhampton in 1995, a combination that balanced environmental awareness with organisational and commercial insight. This dual perspective later became a hallmark of her leadership style.
In 1998, she earned a Master of Town Planning from Newcastle University, gaining the technical, legal, and ethical grounding required for professional practice. This qualification led to her becoming a Chartered Member of the RTPI, embedding her within the UK’s planning profession at an early stage of her career.
Her commitment to lifelong learning continued decades later when she completed the Executive Development Programme in Senior Leadership at Imperial College Business School in 2023, achieving a distinction. This experience strengthened her executive capability in strategic leadership, change management, and organisational performance at scale.
Early Career and Transport Policy Expertise
Victoria Hills began her career in public service as a Transport Policy Officer at Wycombe District Council in 1998. This role introduced her to the operational realities of local government, transport systems, and policy implementation. She then moved into consultancy, joining Steer Davies Gleave in 2000 as a Senior Consultant, where she worked on complex transport planning and infrastructure strategies.
A defining chapter began in 2002 when she joined the Greater London Authority. Over more than a decade, she held senior posts that placed her at the heart of London’s transport governance. Her responsibilities included transport relationships, governance frameworks, and programme leadership for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games city operations. These roles required coordination across government departments, agencies, and private partners, demonstrating her ability to manage complexity under intense public scrutiny.
Regeneration Leadership at Old Oak and Park Royal
In 2014, Victoria Hills took on one of the most challenging regeneration roles in the country when she became Director, and later Chief Executive, of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation. This development corporation was tasked with overseeing one of the largest regeneration programmes in the UK, spanning major rail infrastructure, industrial land, and new residential communities.
Between 2015 and 2018, she led the organisation through early masterplanning, stakeholder negotiation, and strategic vision-setting. Her leadership balanced housing delivery with employment protection, infrastructure integration, and long-term sustainability. This period cemented her reputation as a leader capable of delivering transformational place-based change.
Victoria Hills at the Royal Town Planning Institute
Victoria Hills was appointed Chief Executive of the RTPI in April 2018. The organisation represents more than 27,000 planning professionals and plays a critical role in setting standards, influencing policy, and supporting professional development.
Under her leadership, the RTPI has increased its visibility in national debates on housing supply, climate resilience, and infrastructure planning. She has positioned planning as a proactive force rather than a regulatory obstacle, highlighting its value in creating healthy, inclusive, and economically resilient places. Her tenure has also seen renewed focus on skills development, international engagement, and ethical professional practice.
National Influence Through Advisory and Board Roles
Beyond her executive role, Victoria Hills contributes to policy and practice through a range of advisory positions. She is a Board Member of the Greener Transport Council, where she helps guide the provision of evidence-based advice on the transition to low-carbon transport. She also serves as a Commissioner on the Essex Climate Action Commission, supporting strategies for net-zero emissions, biodiversity, and climate adaptation.
Her involvement with the BPIC Network reflects her commitment to diversity and inclusion within the built environment, helping to open pathways for underrepresented groups into senior professional roles.
Professional Recognition and Industry Standing
Victoria Hills holds multiple professional fellowships and chartered statuses that reflect her cross-disciplinary impact. These include Chartered Membership of the RTPI, Fellowship of the Institution of Civil Engineers, Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts, and Chartered Manager status with the Chartered Management Institute. Collectively, these honours recognise her influence across planning, engineering, leadership, and public policy.
Leadership Style and Long-Term Impact
Victoria Hills is known for a leadership style that blends strategic clarity with collaboration. She is respected for her ability to bridge political priorities, professional standards, and community outcomes. Her work consistently emphasises that good planning is not only about physical development, but also about social value, environmental stewardship, and long-term public benefit.
As pressures on land use, housing affordability, and climate resilience intensify, her influence continues to shape how the planning profession adapts and leads. Victoria Hills stands as a defining figure in ensuring that planning remains central to solving the UK’s most pressing urban challenges.
Conclusion
Victoria Hills represents a modern model of leadership in the UK’s built environment—one that combines technical expertise, strategic vision, and a deep commitment to public value. Her career trajectory, from transport policy and city-wide governance to leading major regeneration and the national planning profession, reflects both depth and breadth of influence.
As Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, she has elevated the role of planning in national conversations on housing delivery, climate action, infrastructure investment, and inclusive growth. Her work demonstrates that effective planning is not merely a regulatory function but a critical tool for shaping healthier, more resilient, and more equitable places.
Looking ahead, Victoria Hills’ continued leadership is likely to remain central to how the UK responds to urban challenges in a rapidly changing world. Through collaboration, evidence-based policy, and a strong ethical foundation, she continues to ensure that planning actively shapes a better future—rather than simply reacting to it.
(FAQs)
Who is Victoria Hills?
Victoria Hills is a UK-based planning and transport leader and the Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, with extensive experience in government, regeneration, and policy advisory roles.
What is Victoria Hills known for?
She is known for her leadership in urban planning, major regeneration projects, sustainable transport policy, and for strengthening the role of planning in addressing climate change and housing challenges.
What organisations has Victoria Hills led?
She has led the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation and currently leads the Royal Town Planning Institute, while also serving on several national advisory boards.
Why is Victoria Hills influential in UK planning?
Her influence comes from a rare combination of technical expertise, executive leadership, and national policy engagement, enabling her to shape both professional practice and public debate.
What is Victoria Hills’ impact on the future of cities?
Her work promotes sustainable, inclusive, and well-planned urban development, ensuring that planning plays a central role in creating resilient and equitable places for future generations.
