Sharon Woodruff is a Principal Officer in the Strategy Directorate at Natural England, where she leads on planning policy and strategy for terrestrial infrastructure.  Her team also covers marine and coastal infrastructure, as well as non-infrastructure planning.  Sharon plays a key role in advising and influencing government, regulators, and stakeholders on planning and nature recovery.  She works closely with colleagues across Natural England to build evidence and shape planning casework, supporting the delivery of government objectives on nature recovery, growth and climate change.

Before joining Natural England in early 2024, Sharon spent 17 years as an environmental consultant at Jacobs, where she coordinated environmental assessments for a wide range of infrastructure projects, including several Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). Earlier in her career, she held environmental management roles in industry.

Sharon is a Chartered Environmentalist and has a master’s degree in Environmental Impact Assessment and Management.