Gordon Chard, Director of Planning & City Development at Westminster City Council, is stepping down from his high-profile role, Property Week has learned.

Chard, who has worked at Westminster Council for 19 years, will take retirement from March this year.

Property Week understands the council will begin its search for Chard’s successor in the coming weeks.

Chard was assistant planning officer at Brent Council before joining Westminster, where he became head of planning services. He was appointed Director of Planning & City Development in early 2004 and has overseen more than a dozen of London’s biggest development schemes including Cardinal Place in Victoria and the regeneration of Paddington.