Matthew Vaughan

My day job is as an architect, specialising in conservation and I have worked on many historic buildings across the city including St Philip’s Cathedral, the former Municipal Bank, Moseley Road Baths and the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Before this I worked in a contemporary design led practice, working on tall buildings, schools and social housing. I believe this has given me a broad base for the work I do at the Birmingham Civic Society.

My role on the Planning Committee is as the Planning Applications Secretary – I receive the applications we are consulted on and collate the response back to planners for the committee. I also take part in pre-application consultations, including advising developers on their proposals. It is really important that we support development in the city – which can improve it, create jobs and provide the things we need – while also demanding the highest quality and making sure development works for the city as a whole, not just making profit.

In connection with this, I also do work for Birmingham City Council’s Conservation & Heritage Panel. These roles make good use of my professional skills, and I have also learned a lot through them. I grew up in Leicestershire, and have worked around Derby, moving to Birmingham fifteen years ago having studied here – this role has given me a chance to learn a great deal about the city and to help do something practical to change my community for the better.

I do some voluntary work for other charities, including the Twentieth Century Society and the Victorian Society, again making use of the skills I have, but I also support in a modest way SIFA Fireside, St Basils, BAB and Stirchley Food Bank because of the great things that they do for the city and the area that I live in.