From Cape Town to Northamptonshire: New council officer hopes to help shape area's future
“The common thread that runs through all of them is the drive to improve people’s lives” – Pooja Agrawal, chief executive of Public Practice
West Northamptonshire Council has recruited a planning professional with 15 years of architectural experience in South Africa to help deliver major projects across the area.
Mary-Anne Constable has joined the authority as a major projects officer through the Public Practice Associate Programme, which places experienced professionals in local government roles.
She is one of 41 associates joining 28 authorities across England in the programme's autumn 2026 intake, with West Northamptonshire Council among five new participating councils.
Mary-Anne studied architecture in Cape Town, where she spent more than 15 years working on commercial, residential, heritage and regeneration projects.
Her experience includes leading architectural work on the Green Point Athletics Track redevelopment and Green Point Common public realm projects, part of Cape Town's legacy from the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
She also founded The Paper Architect, a consultancy specialising in sustainability communications, and has worked as an award-winning property journalist and magazine editor.
Now based in the UK, Mary-Anne hopes to use her experience to support sustainable development and community-focused planning in Northamptonshire, where she has family roots.
The Public Practice programme helps mid-career professionals move into public sector planning and placemaking, providing structured placements, professional development and a network of fellow associates.
Nearly half of the latest cohort's placements involve planning, reflecting pressures on councils to prepare local plans, process applications and support housing and infrastructure delivery.
Pooja Agrawal, chief executive of Public Practice, said: “The common thread that runs through all of them is the drive to improve people’s lives, whether in a community they know well or one that is entirely new to them.”
The organisation says the appointments will bring additional skills into local authority teams.