by My buddy Ken Burley was a town planner with a commitment to public service who passed away at the age of 80. He served in various volunteer and professional roles in local government and was a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute.
He was employed at Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council from 1974 to 2004, rising from assistant chief planner for research and development plans to head of planning services and acting head of strategic development before retiring.
As the local economy shifted away from coal mining and toward other options, his efforts assisted in guiding the borough through important land use and social changes. Ken oversaw the group that drafted the borough’s unitary development plan and established local and strategic planning guidelines.
Additionally, he oversaw the council’s early planning efforts to transform the former RAF Finningley into Doncaster Sheffield International Airport. There was strong interest in regional planning and coalfield regeneration. He understood the positive social and economic effects of well-designed spaces. He gained respect for his modest bravery, tenacity, and honesty, especially when he backed policy.
He made the difficult decision to become an internal “whistleblower” in 1995 after growing worried about inconsistencies in some of the planning committee’s decisions, with the help of a few coworkers and individuals outside the council. In a case referred to as “Donnygate,” this contributed to the revelation of corruption.
Ken was the senior planning witness in two victorious crown court prosecutions that followed a police investigation. In 2002, they came to an end. He summarized steps to increase planning’s probity in an article he produced for the journal Planning Theory & Practice.
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Ken was born in Sheffield and was the second son of Douglas, a newsagent, and Betty (née Hartley). He graduated from High Storrs Grammar School, the University of Sheffield with a degree in economics, and Leeds College of Art with a postgraduate diploma in town planning.
Prior to moving to Doncaster, he gained experience in strategic planning and development control through a series of positions at Sheffield City Council (1966–71) and Walsall County Borough Council (1971–74). He worked as a freelancer for private clients and the North Yorkshire district council of Hambleton after leaving Doncaster.
Ken chaired the branch committee, planning aid committee, and European network for the Yorkshire region during his decades of voluntary service to the Royal Town Planning Institute, both nationally and regionally. He was given an RTPI Outstanding Service Award in 2014.
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Friends of Cusworth Park, the Yorkshire chapter of the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, and the South Yorkshire Buildings Preservation Trust were other volunteer interests. Speaking excellent German, he traveled to Germany to assist town planners, planning students, and town twinning.
Along with being an active Methodist with his wife, Chris, he was also a dedicated Sunday school superintendent and group scout leader. Two of the 13 foster children they raised after getting married in 1966 are still with the family. They were strong advocates for the neighborhood, youth, and anyone who was homeless or in need.
Chris, his brother, and his sister, their kids, and eight grandchildren survive Ken.
