Sheila Holden OBE
BSc MSc CEng MICE TPP MRTPI FCIHT
Sheila has been an independent consultant since 2006, following a successful career in local
government. In 2013/14 she was the first woman to serve as President of the Chartered Institution
of Highways and Transportation (CIHT).
Graduating from Bristol University with a degree in geography she developed a strong interest in
transport and its importance to the development of successful places. She went on to qualify as a
civil engineer (MICE) whilst working on road and traffic management schemes, including dealing
with the transport implications of development proposals. Her involvement in the planning process
at local, county and regional level resulted in her also qualifying as a town planner in 1994. After 18
years at East Sussex County Council, in 1997 she was appointed as an Assistant Director at Brighton
& Hove City Council where she was responsible for the integration of transport and planning. There
she oversaw the delivery of projects to promote sustainable transport, manage parking
enforcement and the initial planning of the new stadium. She went on to become Director of
Planning & Environment at the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead in 2002, where she led the
department with responsibility for a range of public services including transport planning, highway
maintenance, traffic management, planning and waste management.
Since 2006 she has been providing advice on planning policy, sustainable transport and
development management to a range of public sector clients. She co-authored the DfT’s guidance
on travel plans and was one of the team that advised businesses in London prior to the Games
about changing travel patterns. She undertakes management consultancy work for local
authorities, particularly in relation to the delivery of planning and transport services. Sheila is also a
non-salaried Inspector and has determined about 800 written-representation planning appeals in
the last nine years.
Sheila continues to serve on CIHT’s national council and is chair of the Professional Standards
Committee overseeing the Transport Planning Professional Qualification. She is a member of the
RTPI’s Policy and Practice Committee.
Sheila is married and lives in Sussex where she and David are involved in their local church.
Together they enjoy outdoor activities including hill-walking (especially in Scotland) and ski-ing.
They have travelled extensively in the USA visiting friends. Sheila also serves as a governor on her
village primary school and a large local secondary school.
She was awarded the OBE for services to transport planning in 1996.