Clive Dutton OBE, the former Olympic regeneration chief and director of planning and regeneration at Birmingham council, passed away this week aged 62.
Best known for his regeneration work in Birmingham, Belfast and the London borough of Newham and seen as a visionary in regeneration circles, Dutton lost a battle with cancer.
He retired as Newham council regeneration chief in May 2013 to set up his own consultancy, working in Belfast and London. In Belfast, he helped the Northern Irish Development Agency to accelerate the regeneration of the city’s Gaeltacht Quarter.
He joined Newham council in 2009 as an executive director of regeneration and inward investment and spearheaded plans to transform the area ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games.
While there, he oversaw the Stratford metropolitan masterplan and developments such as Westfield Stratford City and the upgrading of the town centre and was responsible for planning the Olympics site’s legacy.
In a joint statement, Newham mayor Sir Robin Wales and council chief executive Kim Bromley Derry said: “Clive was a man with real passion, vision and integrity. He helped deliver some of the biggest regeneration projects the borough has seen.”
He was previously director of planning and regeneration at Birmingham city council and spearheaded the redevelopment of New Street Station, the £190m Library of Birmingham and the Big City Plan.
Waheed Nazir, who worked with Dutton at Birmingham council and took over as head of planning and regeneration when Dutton moved to Newham, said: “Clive’s leadership and passion was instrumental to transforming the city. I credit much of my own personal development to Clive’s nurturing. I have lost a close friend and Birmingham a great ambassador.”
