Sam Stafford

Sam Stafford

Planning Director, HBF

Sam has been a Chartered Town Planner since 2002 and has accumulated skills and experiences from across the property sector during this time.

In the early stages of his career Sam worked for a housebuilder in South Yorkshire (Ben Bailey Homes), a planning and landscape consultancy in Lincolnshire (The Robert Doughty Consultancy), and, following a move to Ripponden, Calderdale Council's development control team.

The majority of Sam's experience between 2006 and 2014 was in development management as a planning consultant in multi-disciplinary environments.

In 2014 Sam joined Barratt Development and his work as a Regional Strategic Land Director involved working with the Divisional Barratt and David Wilson businesses in the North West and the West Midlands on their strategic land portfolios, engaging in so doing in local plans and national planning policy.

'I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the HBF', said Sam. 'There has arguably never been a more pressing need for a strong, confident planning system, but I am struggling to recall a time in my career when the system has conveyed the impression to the extent it is doing now as being the opposite of these things. I will relish representing the house building industry in discussions with partners about how we work towards getting more and better local plans adopted and more and better applications approved.'

The potential impact of Investment Zones on new homes delivery

Nov. 3, 2022

Samuel Stafford, HBF planning director, looks at the new Investment Zone initiative. Will they boost additional new home delivery?

NPPF changes may soothe rebels but will concern everyone else

Feb. 1, 2023

Samuel Stafford, HBF’s planning director, looks at proposed changes to the National Planning Policy Framework which may only placate "planning rebels"