The Planning Inspectorate announced on 28 September 2026 the permanent appointment of Tom Warth as Chief Operating Officer, following a competitive recruitment process. Warth had held the role on an interim basis for the previous eight months, overseeing the agency's five services.

He originally joined the Inspectorate as a case officer in enforcement and later held roles across planning and infrastructure casework. Before becoming interim COO, he was Head of the Planning and Environmental Appeals Service, leading the team responsible for processing and determining around 20,000 planning, enforcement and other appeals received each year.

Warth said he was honoured to take on the role permanently and looked forward to supporting staff and ensuring customers receive the best possible service. Chief Executive Graham Stallwood said he was pleased with the permanent appointment and described Warth as bringing steady, thoughtful leadership and a ground-up understanding of the Inspectorate.