SPG Annual Weekend 2021: The Palace of Westminster Restoration & and Renewal Programme: How might ‘restoration’ and ‘renewal’ take shape?

Liz Peace CBE, Chair, Sponsor Body, Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Programme

Liz Peace has more than 35 years’ experience in government and the property sector. She spent her early career in the Ministry of Defence. She subsequently served as Chief Executive of the British Property Federation (BPF) for thirteen years and was awarded a CBE in 2008 for services to the property industry. After retiring from the BPF at the end of 2014, Liz now has a portfolio career with a range of non-executive, advisory and charity roles, at Howard de Walden Estates, RPS Group plc, RDI REIT plc, the Churches Conservation Trust, Whiteley Village Trust and the Connected Places Catapult. She is Chairman of the Architectural Heritage Fund, Centre for London and Real Estate Balance and President of the Property Litigation Association. In 2017 Liz was appointed Chairman of the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) and in 2018 she became Chair of the Sponsor Body for the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal Programme. She is also a member of the Mayor of London’s Homes for Londoners Board.

Jennifer Garrett, (Director General, Centre Block Programme, Science and Parliamentary Infrastructure Branch, Public Services and Procurement Canada, Government of Canada)

Jennifer Garrett was appointed as the Director General of the Centre Block Rehabilitation Program in the Parliamentary Precinct Branch in May 2016. Her responsibilities include overseeing the rehabilitation of the Centre Block, Canada’s iconic symbol of democracy, as well as the construction of the new adjacent underground Parliament Welcome Centre.

Ms. Garrett has been working with the federal public service for over 20 years and has substantial program management experience in the management of large and complex programs of work in the real property and defence procurement domains. Ms. Garrett holds a Bachelor of Arts in Geography and a Major in Urban Studies. Ms. Garrett is currently working towards a Masters in Urban and Rural Planning at Dalhousie University.

Dr Alexandra Meakin (University of Manchester)

Alexandra Meakin is a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Manchester and Co-Convenor of the Political Studies Association Specialist Group on Parliaments. She was awarded her doctorate in 2019 from the University of Sheffield for her thesis ‘Understanding the Restoration and Renewal of the Palace of Westminster: An analysis of institutional change in the UK Parliament’.

Tom Healey (Commons Clerk, former Director of the Palace of Westminster Restoration and Renewal shadow Sponsor Body)

Tom Healey is a Principal Clerk of Select Committees in the House of Commons. A career Clerk, he was Parliamentary Adviser in the Cabinet Office from 2008–11 and Director of the Palace of Westminster Restoration & Renewal Programme from 2015–18.