The Planner- February 2022

FEBRUARY 2022 CAREERS SURVEY RESULTS // p.4 • HANNAH HICKMAN: WHY DESIGN QUALITY SLIDES POST PERMISSION // p.18 • CHELTENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL, PLANNING’S PANDEMIC HEROES // p.32 • 100 EDITIONS OF THE PLANNER // p.26

T H E B U S I N ES S M O N T H LY FO R P L A N N I N G P R O F ES S IO N A LS

Remotely Good CAREERS SURVEY 2022: ALMOST THREE QUARTERS OF PLANNERS WOULD PREFER TO WORK MOST OF THE WEEK FROM HOME, FOREVER.

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CONTENTS

FEBRU ARY

7 NEWS 4 Remote working, resources and pay were the main topics in our 2021-22 careers survey.

6 Welsh budget boosts housing and green spending 7 Budget steps up lowcarbon investment and affordable housing 8 English councils to share £53.9 billion in funding 9 Done deal for Belfast city region 10 Two Scottish growth deals sanctioned 11 Newsmakers: 10 top stories appearing now on The Planner online

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20 22

“WORKPLACES NEED TO PROVIDE SCOPE FOR COLLABORATION, BUT THAT NEED NOT BE A DEDICATED OFFICE: WORK HUBS AND 'CAFÉ­STYLE’ ARRANGEMENTS ARE HELPING TO SECURE BETTER OUTCOMES”

OPINION

14 Louise BrookeSmith: Planning – is it a job for now or a career for life?

C O V E R I L L U S T R AT I O N | PAT R I C K G E O R G E

16 Peter French: Strategic planning will ease housing and infrastructure delivery 16 Araceli Camargo: We have the right to know about the pollutants that affect our health 17 Sonya Byers: Why mentoring matters 17 Robbie Calvert: NPF4 must give decisionmakers confidence

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QUOTE UNQUOTE

“YOU HAVE TO ASK, WILL WE STILL BE BUILDING NEW OFFICES FROM STEEL, GLASS AND CONCRETE IN THE FUTURE?” FRANCES BROWN OF ENGINEERING PRACTICE HOARE LEA BELIEVES THAT FUTURE WORKSPACES WILL ALLOW USERS TO DECIDE WHERE TO WORK AND WHAT’S BEST FOR THE PLANET ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS

FEATURES

INSIGHT

18 Hannah Hickman discusses the intersection of academia and practical planning with Simon Wicks

38 Cases & decisions: Development decisions, round-up and analysis 42 Legal Landscape: Opinions from the legal side of planning

22 What effects has the pandemic had on career development posibilities for planners?

26 100 print editions of The Planner celebrated through its cover images 32 Case study: How Cheltenham council has protected local businesses from the pressures created

by Covid-19

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44 RTPI round-up: News and interviews from the institute 50 What to read, what to watch and how to keep in touch

Make the most of The Planner by visiting our links for related content

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NEWS

Report {

Remotely appealing Forty-one per cent of planners are currently working five days a week from home, according to the survey. Another 21 per cent work four days a week from home and 15 per cent three days a week. Only 5 per cent of planners worked entirely from their workplace at the time of the survey.

Unsurprisingly, 83 per cent said this was more than they worked from home before the Covid-19 pandemic. Almost two-thirds – 65 per cent – saw their current arrangement continuing into the future, beyond Covid-19.

4

Yes

No

I’m easy either way

All remote

1 day remote, 4 days at work

2 days remote, 3 days at work

3 days remote, 2 days at work

4 days remote, 1 day at work

Overall, planners would prefer a hybrid working arrangement, but with a leaning towards working remotely. In fact, 73 per cent of planners expressed a preference for spending more than half their working week at home.

In comments, our respondents made it clear that they were well aware of the pros and cons of homeworking. Pros included

6%

2. WHAT’S YOUR IDEAL REMOTE WORKING/ WORKPLACE SPLIT (OR NEAREST APPROXIMATION) PER WEEK?

24%

Almost half of planners prefer working from home, compared with just a quarter who prefer the office, and twice as many would prefer to work their entire week from home as from the office.

The Planner’s annual careers survey also found that fewer than one in five public sector planners feel their team has the resources it needs to fulfil its goals, with staffing and IT proving major bugbears.

Moreover, almost as many public sector planners feel undervalued by their employer as valued – a perception significantly worse than before the Covid-19 pandemic hit. Private sector planners report a better scenario in terms of resources and value.

The Planner’s Careers Survey 2021-22 received 403 responses from RTPI members in November and December 2021. This year’s survey focused on remote working, resources, the value of planning and how plantech is changing the way planners work. We explore these topics in more detail on pages 22-25 and 28-31.

28%

34%

Remote working, resources and how valued planners feel by their employers – these were the key elements of our Careers Survey 2021-22.

47%

13%

By Simon Wicks

25%

When asked whether they preferred working remotely, we got a near-identical response to when we last asked this question at the height of the pandemic in November 2020. Almost half prefer it, compared with just over a quarter who do not.

6%

We’d rather be at home, say planners

1. DO YOU PREFER WORKING REMOTELY?

15%

CAREERS SURVEY 2021­22

All at the workplace

saving time and money spent commuting, environmental benefits of not commuting and a more relaxed and family-orientated way of life.

But planners also highlighted feelings of isolation, inadequate working conditions and technology and the problems caused by a lack of regular interaction with colleagues.

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PLAN UPFRONT

“Working from home is good for focus, it is also good for work-life balance But being home full-time would be isolating.

Working in the office is great for human contact, exchange of ideas, training of staff, building work relationships.”

Public sector planner, South East

4. DO YOU FEEL YOUR TEAM/DEPARTMENT HAS THE RESOURCES IT NEEDS TO DELIVER ITS GOALS?

33% %

“For those in the early stages of a planning career, working from home is very difficult as the support we need is not available as readily.” Public sector planner, Yorkshire “Better working environment; less travel to/from work; there is very little I can do at work that I can't do at home; greater flexibility in working hours and patterns; still maintain contact with all of the local, regional and national colleagues/groups that I work with.”

Public sector planner, South West

3. HOW VALUED IS YOUR TEAM OR DEPARTMENT WITHIN YOUR ORGANISATION?

33% My team or department this not valued by my organisation

53% My team or department is valued by my organisation

14% Other

An undervalued profession When we asked respondents whether they felt their team or department was valued, just over half (52 per cent) said it was – a fall from 58 per cent when we asked the same question in November 2019.

The decline among public sector planners was stark. In late 2019, 53 per cent of public sector planners told us they thought their team or department was valued. By late 2021, this had fallen to just 42 per cent. The fall among private sector planners was far smaller, from 71 per cent in 2019 to 68 per cent in 2021.

6 67% Only one in three planners feels their team or department has the resources it needs to deliver its goals. However, while two-thirds (68 per cent) of private sector planners answered positively, fewer than one in five (18 per cent) public sector planners feel the same.

“Current biggest challenge is recruitment – we have approval for new positions, but are struggling to fill them.” Private sector planner, London “High caseloads, no in-house ecologist, landscape architect or urban designer.”

Public sector planner, East of England “Insufficient planning officers to process ever more complex and labour intensive applications and pre-application enquiries. Admin duties previously undertaken by support staff now for officers to do.” Public sector planner, South West

“While the survey’s figures on underresourcing in the industry may appear shocking, they are reflective of the picture that we are hearing from planners on the ground,” said Richard Blyth, RTPI head of policy. “Not only is under-resourcing already putting severe strain on planners, who are experiencing critical difficulties and delays, but we are concerned that future cuts to local authority planning budgets will exacerbate the issue.

Who responded?

This year’s survey respondents were an even split of men and women (49 per cent and 51 per cent respectively), but with a substantial majority (73 per cent) from the public sector.

All UK regions are represented, albeit with a slight concentration in London and the South East (27 per cent of respondents). In terms of age and experience, it was a balanced cohort, with a bulge in the 25-54 age bracket (80 per cent of respondents) which likely reflects the profession as a whole.

This year’s respondents were slightly more ethnically diverse than previously. Ninety per cent identified as ‘white’ this time around, compared with 93 per cent in previous surveys and we saw marked increases in the proportion of planners taking the survey who identified as ‘mixed/ multiple’ (3 per cent) and Asian/Asian British (3 per cent).

“There must be a greater investment in the industry by the government to ensure planning departments are sufficiently well staffed and that ongoing investment in career development takes place. Without the £500 million in funding in the English planning department that we are continuing to call for, these critical difficulties will only get worse.”

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NEWS

News { Go-ahead for 2,000-plus homes in SW London A planning application for the regeneration of the Cambridge Road Estate in Kingston upon Thames has been granted permission.

Kingston Council and developer Countryside Properties are behind the joint venture and mixed-use regeneration masterplan.

Plans feature 2,170 homes, including flats, maisonettes and houses of various sizes.

Of the homes that have been designated as affordable – 941 (45 per cent) – (on a habitable room basis), 767 homes will be for social rent, 20 for shared ownership and 154 for intermediate tenure. The neighbourhood will also include a minimum of 114 new council homes.

In March 2020 the plans were the subject of a residents’ ballot, and received backing from local people.

A detailed planning application has been approved for the first phase of the regeneration. This comprises 452 homes, including 150 for social rent and 15 for shared ownership.

Also approved are 1,250 square

metres of community space, 290 square metres of office space, 395 square metres of retail/ commercial space and public open spaces.

Daniel King, managing director of Countryside for West London & Thames Valley, said: “Following the widespread support for our Cambridge Road Estate regeneration in the residents’ ballot, we are proud that our masterplan has been approved. We have put the community at the heart of these plans and so we are truly excited to begin delivering this vision.

“The regeneration of the Cambridge Road Estate is vitally important for local residents and the area as a whole, and so we are committed to working in partnership with the community and Kingston Council to deliver the regeneration for the benefit of existing residents and the wider community.”

Emily Davey, housing portfolio holder for housing at Kingston

Council, said: “In the residents’ ballot, on an 86 per cent turnout, 73 per cent of the residents said they wanted the estate rebuilt. Now we can put the residents’ call for change into action.

“This project will deliver a boost for Kingston. It puts us on the path to delivering on our priorities to tackle climate change and increase the number of affordable homes, new jobs and apprenticeship opportunities in the borough.

“Residents voted for safer, warmer, greener homes and that is what we can now deliver. We are looking forward to continuing working together with residents as we deliver on these ambitions.”

Construction is expected to begin in summer 2022.

Welsh budget boosts housing and green spending The Welsh Government’s latest three-year budget has committed the administration to spending £1.6 billion capital on providing goodquality housing, including £1 billion for social housing and £375 million for building safety.

The spending package also

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features additional green investment of £160 million to support the national forest initiative as well as biodiversity, active travel, the circular economy, renewable energy, flood prevention and decarbonising housing.

Finance and local government minister Rebecca Evans complained that the UK Government’s Spending

Review did not deliver for Wales.

“This budget is delivered in that context. Where the Spending Review was silent on the climate and nature emergency, we are taking action.

“Where it did not support coal tip safety, we are stepping up. And where it failed to address regional inequality, we are investing in every part of Wales and making meaningful investment in tackling inequality,” she insisted.

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PLAN UPFRONT

Major Belfast redevelopment scheme lodged Translink, Northern Ireland’s public transport provider, has submitted its outline planning application for the £400 million Weavers Cross development scheme in Belfast.

The project, which will incorporate the new £175 million Belfast Transport Hub, proposes the redevelopment of around 12 hectares between the Europa bus station and the West Link with a mixture of office, residential, hospitality, retail and leisure space.

Translink has already announced that it is looking for a private sector investment partner for the speculative elements of the project.

Translink chief executive Chris Conway said: “We have sought to bring forward proposals that set out a direction for inclusive regeneration, to be delivered by an appointed developer partner.

“Utilising the Belfast Transport Hub as a catalyst for transport ledregeneration, Weavers Cross is not just an opportunity to create new modern employment space and homes in the city but will generate long-term jobs and social value.”

I M AG E S |

I S T O C K / G E T T Y / C O U N T RY S I D E

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Budget steps up lowcarbon investment and affordable housing The Scottish Government has pledged to spend almost £2 billion on low-carbon capital investment in Scotland’s public infrastructure, as well as £831 million during 2022/23 towards delivering 111,000 affordable, energy-efficient homes over the next decade.

Finance secretary Kate Forbes also promised £205 million in capitalisation for the Scottish National Investment Bank, to help it deliver against its missions of supporting Scotland’s transition to net zero, building communities and promoting equality, and harnessing innovation.

Included in the list of climate change commitments were the first £20 million of the 10-year

£500 million Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray; £336 million for energy efficiency, and low-carbon and renewable heat including £60 million for large-scale heat decarbonisation projects; and £1.4 billion to maintain, improve and decarbonise Scotland’s rail network.

RTPI Scotland says it is disappointed that the budget “hasn’t recognised the important role that planning and planners can play in achieving net-zero carbon” and delivering a green recovery from Covid-19.

Read the full story: bit.ly/ planner0222-ScotsBudget

F EB R U AR Y 2 022 / THE PLA NNER

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NEWS

News { Land value sharing bill published The Irish Government has published legislation designed to ensure that communities get a greater share of increases in land value arising from local authority planning decisions and public investment in infrastructure.

The land value sharing and urban development zones bill 2021 is a key part of the government’s Housing for All Plan.

The proposed land value sharing measures would operate in conjunction with the new Residential Zoned Land Tax, which will generally apply to land zoned and serviced for housing on 31 December 2021 and be applicable from February 2024.

It is proposed that all or part of the contribution to be secured as a result of the planning permission may be facilitated by financial contributions, land transfer, and/or the undertaking of infrastructure works by the developer, “in a manner that will fund or provide for the necessary infrastructure to support the development of sustainable communities.”

Land value sharing will also apply to designated urban development zones, where significant potential for development including housing is identified.

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English councils to share £53.9bn in funding The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has announced that councils in England will receive £53.9 billion in funding for the 2022/23 financial year.

This includes £554 million through the New Homes Bonus.

The government said the packages represent the “largest cash-terms increase” in grant funding for 10 years.

An extra £3.5 billion is available compared with 2021/22.

The funding includes £822 million for councils to spend as they choose on local needs.

Alongside aiding councils to deliver vital services, the funding is intended to support councils in playing a “significant role” in the government’s levelling-up agenda. The government

also said the settlement will protect residents from “excessive” council tax increases. From next year, the amount council tax can be raised by without a vote has been set at 2 per cent, with an extra 1 per cent for councils with adult social care responsibilities.

The Provisional Finance Settlement includes £554 million through the New Homes Bonus for 2022/23. The government added that it remains committed to reforming the New Homes Bonus to improve how housing growth is incentivised. It will publish its response to the consultation on the New Homes Bonus “in the coming months”.

The £85 million Rural Service Delivery Grant will continue to be provided.

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PLAN UPFRONT

Past RTPI president awarded MBE Sue Manns FRTPI, the RTPI president for 2020, has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours list.

Manns, director of Sue Manns Associates, has been recognised for services to planning.

The same honour has been awarded to Ransford George Stewart, director of Stewart Management and Planning Solutions.

In other related awatds news, the chair of the independent review of HS2, Dr Douglas Edwin Oakervee FrEng CBE has been awarded a knighthood for services to transport and infrastructure delivery.

Fast-track replacement bill makes the grade Legislation designed to replace the existing fast-track regime for largescale housing developments has completed all its stages in both Houses of the Oireachtas.

The planning and development (amendment) (large-scale residential development) bill 2021 restores planning decision-making to local authorities.

Ministers insist that the measures will provide greater transparency and clarity and improved public participation in the process. They also claim that the new regime will retain some of the positive elements of the fast-track arrangements such as mandatory pre-application

consultation, quality of applications submitted and decision timelines.

The legislation requires local authorities to guarantee that home ownership as a tenure type is provided for and estimated in council housing strategies and includes measures designed to outlaw the bulk purchase of new homes by commercial institutional investors.

The new planning regime applies to a housing development of 100 or more units, student accommodation comprising 200 beds or more or a combination of the two where the threshold is met for either element.

Done deal for Belfast city region The first city deal for Northern Ireland has been signed off for the Belfast city region.

This formal agreement is designed to unlock £1 billion of investment, which will target growth sectors such as life and health sciences, digital and creative industries, and advanced manufacturing.

It will also support nextgeneration digital capabilities, boost tourism by creating worldclass visitor experiences and enable regeneration, underpinned by infrastructure developments and investment in skills to connect people to jobs and services. It is expected that up to 20,000 jobs will be created over 15 years.

The UK and Stormont governments have committed £350

I M AG E S | I STO C K / S H U T T E RSTO C K

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million each towards the agreement, which has been nearly three years in the making. Six councils where projects are being proposed, two universities and four colleges, are contributing to the fund as well.

About 20 major schemes are

being proposed with a focus on innovation, tourism and infrastructure. Work on the first projects could begin in April 2022.

The six local authorities involved in the initiative are: Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, Ards and North Down Borough Council, Belfast City Council, Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.

Deputy first minister Michelle O’Neill said the deal was “truly transformative for the regional economy and for the people of the area. The scale of the investment reflects the enormous ambition, potential and capability, which is present throughout this region”.

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NEWS

News { Two Scottish growth deals sanctioned Growth deals for Moray and Falkirk have been signed off by the councils and UK and Scottish governments.

An investment of more than £100 million was sought to drive innovation and growth in Moray to maximise its economic competitiveness. This breaks down to £32.5 million each from the Scottish Government and UK Government; the regional partners will contribute up to £35.8 million.

The deal has been arranged to draw in and retain young people and families in Moray by creating highquality jobs in existing sectors and support diversification into new high-value areas. It is also intended to address inequalities such as the gender pay gap.

An estimated 3,500 jobs will be created directly or indirectly, with 50,000 more tourists attracted to the area. And more than 300 affordable new homes are slated to be constructed and the growth of 450 businesses supported, which is expected to raise the value of Moray’s economy by £82 million.

includes £80 million investment from the UK and Scottish governments, £45 million from Falkirk Council, and £5.8 million from Scottish Canals to create an investment zone for Falkirk and Grangemouth.

Overall, the deal is expected to create up to 2,000 jobs and result in £1 billion worth of future investment.

The deal should help Grangemouth’s petrochemical complex to transition to net zero – it currently produces 10 per cent of Scotland’s carbon emissions. Long-term investment is intended to result in a number of achievements: n The creation of centres of excellence in carbon capture and utilisation, biotechnology, public transport technology, canal maintenance and operations, skills and innovation. n A Falkirk Central, multimodal transport hub and green, active travel network. n A new national outdoor art park. n A ‘Just Transition’ plan for Grangemouth, assisting the town and its industrial cluster to achieve net zero.

Falkirk deal will create 2,000 jobs

Read the full story: bit.ly/planner0222FalkirkandMoray

The Falkirk Growth Deal

Planning application statistics 56,448 the number of planning applications submitted in England and Wales to the Planning Portal in November 2021

This is 1.6 per cent higher than October 2021

The figure is 4.4 per cent lower than the 59,044 applications submitted in November 2020

The South West saw the greatest month-onmonth increase between October and November 2021, with a 6.2 per cent increase

Read the full story: bit.ly/planner0222PlanningPortalNov

372,200 the number of decisions granted by districtlevel planning authorities in England in the year ending September 2021 This is 19 per cent more than in the year ending September 2020

39,200 were for residential developments 114,400 applications were submitted between July and September 2021, up by 7 per cent compared with the same quarter in 2020 9,600 residential applications were granted between July and September 2021

Read the full story: bit.ly/planner0222-appsJulySept

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S O U R C E S : P L A N N I N G P O R TA L / D L U H C

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CATCH UP WITH THE PLANNER

Newsmakers N Newham estate regeneration scheme approved The redevelopment of the Carpenter’s Estate in Stratford, East London, has been approved in a residents’ ballot. The London Borough of Newham’s Populo Living is behind the scheme, alongside its multidisciplinary team led by the Tibbalds CampbellReith JV. bit.ly/planner0222Newhamscheme

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Network Rail has submitted a £2.7 million planning anning application to Mid Devon District Council to reduce flooding on the railway at Hele. bit.ly/planner0222-Hele

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Councils in Staffordshire to work on county deal Nine councils in Staffordshire have pledged to work together on a county deal with the government under its levelling-up agenda. bit.ly/planner0222countydeal

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New housing must produce a third less carbon The government has announced changes to building regulations that will mean that new homes and other buildings in England will have to produce “significantly” less CO2. bit.ly/planner0222-lesscarbon

I M AG E S | S H U T T E R S T O C K / G E T T Y / A L A M Y

bmits Network Rail submits lans Hele flooding plans

Ministers back green belt development near Dunblane Scottish ministers have approved long-running contentious proposals for a scheme to build a hotel, homes, a golf and tennis centre and a Sir Andy Murray museum on green belt land at m mu Park of Keir near Dunblane.

P bit.ly/planner0222-Dunblane b bit

Gove pressed to create clear link between climate and planning decisions Communities secretary Michael Gove has been urged to make “an urgent” announcement about the contribution the planning system can make to the climate agenda. bit.ly/planner0222-climate

Welsh Government tells Monmouthshire to cut housing g numbers to f conform with regional plan The Welsh Government has asked Monmouthshire Council to lower its housing targets amid concerns that it would conflict with the nation’s wider strategic growth plans. bit.ly/planner0222Monmouthshire

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Khan sets about rewilding London Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced a £600,000 Rewild London Fund that seeks to restore London’s mostt precious wildlife sites. bit.ly/planner0222RewildLondon

6 7 Heat networks to be expanded, says government

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The government has committed a £19 million cash boost to supply low-carbon heating for thousands of homes and buildings in the UK. bit.ly/planner0222-heatnetworks

M Major build-to-rent scheme llined up for Glasgow quay P Proposals to transform Glasgow’s Lancefield Quay G iinto a 730-home waterside community have been unveiled, c with build-to-rent specialist w Moda Living lined up to develop M and operate the scheme. a bit.ly/planner0222-Glasgowrent b

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12/01/2022 16:49

LEADER COMMENT

Event Rough edges yet to be smoothed in this remote work world For those whose working lives continue to be based mainly from their homes, it might seem curious to read of the economy returning to pre-pandemic levels. This is apparently the case despite so many of us continuing to work from the spare room, kitchen, study, etc.

Working from home (WFH) has become regularised, and for many a trip to the once-essential office is an exotic and exceptional event.

What’s more, as our careers survey tells us this month, plenty of RTPI members would like this state of affairs to become the norm for most of their working weeks.

The novelty of remote working continues to hold sway. Just under a third of our survey respondents are enjoying how their work has changed with ‘internal’ meetings, committee meetings, virtual site visits, hearings and events all more manageable with, of course,

Martin Read next to no travelling involved – and thus a much-reduced personal carbon footprint.

Yet for planning, as with all professions, emerging hybrid working models will need to accommodate both personal and team productivity.

In the past, matching an individual’s productivity drivers to the wider team’s productivity demands happened automatically; the requirement to attend an office meeting, event venue or site visit forced everyone to arrange their individual

agendas around these nonnegotiable destinations.

Actual proximity to colleagues also ensured a natural flow of information, discussion and decisionmaking that is difficult to fully replicate remotely.

(Tasks can take longer to process; there can be more back-and-forth admin.)

By contrast, the newly allowable but asynchronous working patterns of individuals can have a deleterious effect on team dynamics, with colleagues inevitably inconvenienced and new team members more difficult to integrate.

And yet, are these issues really that significant? One of the slow-burn surprises of this ongoing WFH experiment is just how many seemingly insoluble problems have in fact

“ASYNCHRONOUS WORKING CAN AFFECT TEAM DYNAMICS”

been solved. Planners have adapted, principally through use of enabling technologies.

The virtual planning committee, for example, would now, for many, be a perfectly acceptable state of affairs. Face-to-face interviews, for which many have always felt a physical meeting is essential, are seen by some to be actually better conducted over Zoom.

Nevertheless,, despite these past two years of adaptation there is a certain sense of lost social cohesion. Human nature will play a huge part in our emerging hybrid working arrangements, with planning no exception.

Make the most of The Planner – use the links to find out more online

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LO U I S E B R O O K E ­ S M I T H O B E

O Opinion

Planning – a job for now or a career for life?

Sitting on an inter-city train recently. I overheard two final-year students discussing their options.

It was quite surreal, but you know what it’s like when people chat on a train; they simply forget that the whole carriage can hear their comments.

I couldn’t help but pick up on their attitude and be taken aback by their confidence – or should I say, arrogance.

Perhaps the decisions people make today differ from those I made in the 1980s. Perhaps my choice of a career path then jarred with my elders, too.

But the startling thing to me, on that train, as a fly on the glass window, was their ‘live now, die tomorrow’ attitude.

Maybe it’s the impact of Covid and the explosion of the virtual world – but it’s more likely to be a case of basic supply-and-demand economics, and the everdwindling flow of people wanting to join any skilled workforce for the long haul.

These students weren’t planners, but I got to thinking whether a planning student would spout the same sort of thing. My travelling companions’ approach was simple: firms need them more than they need the firms. so they could name their price.

One of them was blatant and started to outline the package he had set out to the company he had just been interviewed by. After I picked my jaw off the train floor, his fellow traveller was equally confident in explaining what he had been offered by another firm.

14

They agreed that they were only looking at a job for a year, two at the most and loyalty was not on the horizon. These were not the major financial or legal institutions or the megabucks multinationals. No, they were talking of middle-sized engineering companies and provincial legal firms. Clearly, starting salaries and the perks to attract the best into those sectors have changed since my day. But if companies have to offer those packages to keep staff numbers topped up and attract new recruits to trainee programmes, even for a year, then business must be good.

There will always be jobs that people are ‘called to’ and where the pay is not the spur – teaching, social work and nursing. But what about a career in planning? Is that still the calling it used to be? Do people choose their A-levels and then a degree course or

“SETTING A BLUEPRINT OR GUIDANCE FOR A GIVEN AREA PRESENTS AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY TO SHAPE OUR ENVIRONMENT” an apprenticeship in planning because they want to spend their working lives making the world a better place?

Are they really interested in shaping the environment for their communities? Or is planning a choice because they happened to like human geography at school? Let’s be blunt – and apologies to all those development control bods reading this – but no matter how laudable your view of creating sustainable environments and making sure the best creations emerge,

development management in a standard local planning authority department can simply be the monotonous application of a set of rules plus a load of administration.

It takes an imaginative and brave planning officer to stand by their convictions and persuade a committee to see the bigger picture and be ‘flexible’ with those rules and red tape. How about planning policy? Setting a blueprint or guidance for a given area presents an amazing opportunity to shape our environment for the longer term. And I haven’t even touched on the design or environmental aspects.

Then there is the decision to work in the public sector or join the private sector’s ‘dark side’. There are the ambulancechasing planners who can make a fast buck defending indefensible schemes for gullible clients, but they don’t last long. Reputations in planning still stand or fall on ethics and professionalism.

But is planning a ‘calling’?

I like to think it is. For those with conviction who can see the bigger sustainable picture and persuade others to see the same to create attractive, viable, safe and liveable places, planning is absolutely a job, indeed a career, for life.

Dr Louise Brooke-Smith is a development and strategic planning consultant and a built environment non-executive director

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13/01/2022 15:36

Quote unquote FROM THE RTPI AND THE WEB

“It can’t be right that decisions made by local and national politicians can be disrupted and delayed to this extent through repeated legal challenges with little to no risk of costs sanctions” MERLIN ENTERTAINMENTS WELCOMES REFUSAL OF AN APPLICATION TO SEE DEVELOPMENT PLANS FOR LEGOLAND WINDSOR CONSIDERED BY THE SUPREME COURT

“It is ironic that it is easier to amend an application during examination when the principle of a project has not been approved, than to amend a scheme once the principle is agreed” THE INFRASTRUCTURE FORUM ON HOW THE PROCESS FOR MAKING AMENDMENTS TO CONSENTED DCOS IS NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE

“What is critical is ensuring that social landlords can deliver the affordable homes required.

We must see investment rising with increasing costs during this Parliament.”

AARON HILL OF THE SCOTTISH FEDERATION OF HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS ON THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT’S DRAFT RENTED SECTOR STRATEGY

“You have to ask, will we still be building new offices from steel, glass and concrete in the future?”

FRANCES BROWN OF ENGINEERING PRACTICE HOARE LEA BELIEVES THAT FUTURE WORKSPACES WILL ALLOW USERS TO DECIDE WHERE TO WORK AND WHAT’S BEST FOR THE PLANET ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS

“Appeals are often made as an emotional response to the perceived unfairness of CIL. This response is, however, not useful as retrospective action in CIL is fruitless and time-consuming.”

I M AG E S | G E T T Y / S H U T T E RSTO C K / A L A M Y

ALUN OLIVER OF E3 CONSULTING, WHOSE ANALYSIS OF PINS APPEALS SINCE JANUARY 2020 FOUND THE VAST MAJORITY UPHELD IN FAVOUR OF THE LPA

“While challenging to implement, the new regime will deliver a step change that the industry will ultimately recognise brings huge benefits for both their customers and them” NATALIE ELPHICKE, CHAIR OF THE NEW HOMES QUALITY BOARD, ON ITS NEW CODE OF PRACTICE FOR BUILDERS

“We are a welcoming nation and tourism is a major part of our economy. But we don’t want ghost villages in seasonal holiday spots – places where no one’s at home in the winter months.”

WELSH CLIMATE CHANGE MINISTER JULIE JAMES ON A PILOT SCHEME TO TACKLE THE IMPACT OF SECOND HOME OWNERSHIP ON WELSH COMMUNITIES

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B E S T O F T H E B LO G S

O Opinion

1

Peter French is senior policy officer for housing and planning at the County Councils Network (CCN)

Strategic planning will ease housing and infrastructure delivery

The latest impasse on reforms to the planning system is a chance for the County Councils Network (CCN) to put forward strategic planning as a solution to the challenges in housing and infrastructure delivery.

A CCN survey found most county authorities believed pressure on their local infrastructure was “excessive” owing to housing development.

This is in part because of the infrastructure funding gap.

There are also huge agendas that local authorities need to address across climate change, health integration and economic recovery. It is a bit like a jigsaw – connect all the pieces together and you have a coherent plan for growth. The fragmented and complex governance arrangements within the planning system, particularly in ‘two-tier’ county areas, do not lend themselves to best capturing these agendas to complete the puzzle.

The CCN’s report suggests accountable strategic planning bodies as a practical way of reintroducing strategic planning. These would comprise senior councillors in that county area who would be tasked with setting out a coherent vision for their area, including matching potential

Araceli Camargo is a neuroscientist and founder of Centric Lab

We have the right to know about the pollutants that affect our health

development with the right infrastructure.

Their ‘strategic growth plan’ would provide a framework for planning decisions, but it would not supersede councils’ local plans. Rather, it would act as a tool to influence them.

By providing a larger geographical canvas, we believe local leaders can plan for growth more effectively, ensuring homes are built in the right places and matched with adequate infrastructure, with a greater ability to finance these infrastructure additions.

Everyone on this body will have an equal vote: collaboration is at its core.

To capture health, economic and climate agendas we propose these bodies are scrutinised by local civic and business leaders who would advise the main body on whether the shared vision in the strategic growth plan is being delivered.

With a possible planning bill on the horizon, there is window of opportunity to implement these proposals.

Ministers will be missing a trick if they do not include a mechanism for truly strategic planning in their reforms.

“MINISTERS WILL BE MISSING A TRICK IF THEY DO NOT INCLUDE A MECHANISM TO ENABLE TRULY STRATEGIC PLANNING IN THEIR REFORMS PACKAGE”

16

2 BLOG

BLOG

n Read the full blog: bit.ly/ planner0222-planningpuzzle

Our relationship with our habitats is instinctive and evolutionary. Our senses take in information from our environments, which is passed on to our central nervous system so we can make cognitive sense of it.

This happens from moment to moment, even as we sleep.

The constant assessment and communication with our environment allows us to adapt to changes or stimuli. When we sense a change in temperature our body begins to adapt physically, but also mentally as we seek shade, water or warmth We also have the ability to assess more complex changes, such as an environmental pollutant which can be a threat to our bodies. The ability to sense, interact and adapt has been crucial for our survival.

However, too often, when we as citizens identify a pollutant, we are told that our evolutionary intelligence is not supported by data or that more data is needed. Without open access to data or the ability to analyse and make sense of it, many of us are left living with environmental pollutants.

One community in Newcastle-under-Lyme, who started a campaign called Stop The Stink, has been told that

toxic particles emitted by the local Walleys Quarry Landfill have no relation to poor health outcomes they experience, which include headaches, nausea, irritation of nose, eyes, and throat, poor sleep and symptoms of depression.

The community has rightly identified the threat to their health and understood how it is affecting them, yet they are being told that the data says otherwise. This is a failure of various organisations, including planners, to understand that the places we live affect our health.

We have the right to know this, but there is a data gap. So we created Right To Know, a digital community tool that allows anyone to enter their UK postcode and access data about the place they live and how it relates to their health.

Information covers heat, light and noise pollution, as well as deprivation levels.

It is a tool for citizens. But planners are citizens too. We encourage RTPI members to look at their postcode to learn more about how the places we create impact health and think more about how the decisions they make affect the health of the communities they serve.

“TOO OFTEN, WHEN WE IDENTIFY A POLLUTANT WE ARE TOLD THAT OUR EVOLUTIONARY INTELLIGENCE IS NOT SUPPORTED

BY DATA”

n Use the tool: bit.ly/ planner0222-righttoknow

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13/01/2022 15:37

Have your say Would you like to see yourself in these pages?

Get in touch by email – editorial@theplanner.co.uk Topical, inspirational, angry or amusing – we consider all relevant comment

3 BLOG

Sonya Byers is chief executive of Women in Transport

Why mentoring matters

Mentoring, at its heart, is an opportunity to learn from the experience of another individual. Now in its fifth year, Advance is a structured mentoring programme that I co-designed and co-deliver with Angela Gainsford for Women in Transport members.

Feedback from mentees and mentors helped us shape what Advance has become today.

Our experience provided the opportunity to support the RTPI with its pilot mentoring programme, NURTURE. For mid-career planners who applied for the NURTURE pilot there were some recurrent themes, from lack of confidence and self-esteem to the challenges of returning to work, post-parental leave and the impact of gaps on career growth.

The NURTURE pilot launched during lockdown; enforced homeworking created challenges for our mid-career planners. In particular, some mentioned challenges in integrating and joining new teams virtually. Among the motivations for our NURTURE mentors was supporting junior planners, who they felt were missing informal mentoring and coaching opportunities because of the pandemic.

4 BLOG

Robbie Calvert MRTPI, policy, practice and research officer at RTPI Scotland

NPF4 must give decision-makers confidence

There is incredible value in having an independent, critical friend to discuss your career ambitions with, overcoming professional challenges and navigating your career development whilst balancing your personal life and responsibilities.

Mentoring is a reciprocal relationship that benefits both parties. Advance mentors are passionate about sharing their knowledge and experience but beyond that they learn a huge amount from the experience of their mentees, gaining valuable experience from another. This ultimately has benefits for their organisations and teams.

In February, the NURTURE pilot will come to an end. Mentees and mentors have provided feedback on the application process, training.

This feedback will support the RTPI in shaping the future of the NURTURE programme.

What I have learned over the past five years is that every mentoring relationship is unique – each mentee and mentor bring their own skills, knowledge, background and expectations. Mentoring is a reciprocal partnership – it requires mutual trust, empathy and respect.

“THERE IS INCREDIBLE VALUE IN HAVING AN INDEPENDENT, CRITICAL FRIEND TO DISCUSS YOUR CAREER AMBITIONS WITH”

In November 2021, the Draft National Planning Framework 4 (Draft NPF4) was laid in Parliament, marking an important milestone in the long journey of reform for the Scottish planning system. Its publication now triggers the critical 120-day parliamentary and public scrutiny stage, with a final document due to be laid before Parliament by summer.

What has been feedback on the draft so far? What policy areas promoted? How will the draft framework be resourced and implemented in practice? There is a lot to unpack in the 131-page document.

Welcoming its publication, RTPI Scotland has broadly supported the new direction of travel, pleased to see the strong commitment to tackling the climate crisis and the importance being attached to place-based approaches, especially by embedding the 20-minute neighbourhood approach and having stronger presumption against out-oftown retail.

Throughout the engagement process, RTPI Scotland has been clear that the success of Draft NP4 will be its implementation, not preparation. Although we commend the ambition of the framework, it includes a number of new additional duties that will place a significant cumulative resource

burden on planning authorities already operating in an environment of severely diminished resources.

Extending this consideration of resourcing, RTPI Scotland believes a programme of capital investment should run alongside the plan to ensure resources are in place to deliver the development and infrastructure requirements set out. Yet to be published, and highly anticipated, are the corresponding delivery plan and monitoring programme, which we hope will provide a clear framework for stakeholders to engage with.

An important consideration is that the framework will now form part of the statutory development plan and will be used to determine planning applications. Therefore we have highlighted the need for every policy in the framework to provide clarity and certainty to give confidence to decisionmakers and help deliver the outcomes for NPF4 set out in the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. Beyond what is in the draft framework, much of its successful implementation relies on connected guidance, regulations, plans and strategies, some of which are being redrafted, with others out of date and in need of a refresh for this new policy context.

“RTPI SCOTLAND HAS BEEN CLEAR THAT SUCCESS WILL BE IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION, NOT ITS PREPARATION”

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INTERVIEW: HANNAH HICKMAN

PR ACTICAL PU RS U ITS A

s intense focus on housing numbers and the need to quickly get permissions through the planning system prevail, it’s easy to overlook the post-planning consent process. After all, what is submitted and approved gets built, right?

If only it were so simple. The reality, as Hannah Hickman and colleagues at the University of the West of England found in the West of England, is that the majority of projects have “significant elements” changed between consent and completion.

As their research revealed, finished projects often fall disappointingly short of the design-and-build quality anticipated at the point of permission. We’re not just talking about the choice of bricks here – though, as Hickman points out, this does vex many a local authority planning officer.

“We saw changes in density, affordable housing,” the associate professor of planning observes. “Landscaping schemes are often altered and don’t become what’s originally depicted. To us it was quite astonishing.

When you compare the original visionary depictions alongside the delivered scheme, you can see why there’s quite a strong element of disappointment at times. We saw extraordinary things like plastic chimneys, which I didn’t even know were a thing.”

Commissioned by West of England Combined Authority on behalf of local authority planners who “felt that something goes wrong in this process”, The Whittling Away of Wonderful Ideas: Post-consent and the Diminution of Design Quality won the RTPI’s Sir Peter Hall Award for Research Excellence 2021. Produced in the context

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HANNAH HICKMAN’S AWARD­ WINNING RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS WHY DESIGN QUALITY SLIDES POST­ PLANNING PERMISSION. BUT SHE’S EQUALLY INTERESTED IN THE INTERSECTION OF ACADEMIA AND PRACTICAL PLANNING, AS SHE TELLS SIMON WICKS

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INTERVIEW: HANNAH HICKMAN

“WHAT'S THE POINT IN RESEARCHING PLANNING PRACTICE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF EFFECTING CHANGE?”

schemes where some of the depictions could not be delivered because of the topography of the site.”

Small change England’s flexible planning system is, paradoxically, both a curse and a blessing. Permission can be given to outline schemes with detail to be filled in later; matters can be ‘reserved’, with detail to be filled in later. There is an incentive here for developers to be as persuasive as possible in their presentation of possible schemes.

Once consent is given, developers can make material and non-material amendments. These may, of course, improve the scheme. They may also be

I M A G E S : R A FA E L B A S T O S

of a government drive to raise design standards, the report offers insights into why these may be wanting. It suggests that design aspiration and policy are not themselves obstacles, but rather a dysfunctional system hamstrung by a paucity of resources.

“The policy expectations around the quality of delivered development are really clear,” Hickman elaborates. “You look at all four plans in the West of England and the quality expectations could not be more visible.”

Although diminution of quality depends “very much on the scheme, the context, the timescale”, the research found consents given for schemes that were literally undeliverable. “We did see

used to gradually degrade the scheme’s original promise in a way that saves the developer money.

“It was clear to us that, in and of themselves, an individual discharge of a condition or an individual amendment might not be seen as that impactful,” Hickman explains. “But it’s the cumulative impact of all of these steps that has a bearing on overall quality.”

Moreover, she says, the way the system works allows no means for planning officers to “look at all of those things in tandem”. The result: a relatively low-cost (per amendment) but high saving and qualitatively significant impact on a development.

There are other systemic issues: a lack of continuity between the people (such as architects and masterplanners) involved in pre- and post-consent processes, as well as structural weaknesses in post-consent scrutiny.

“We saw a very well-rehearsed set of frustrations around the resources of local authorities to actually deal with schemes at this point. All the effort is put into getting a scheme to the point of permission. Once granted, a lot of the executive focus within an authority will understandably be on getting houses delivered and the poor beleaguered urban design officer who’s got only half a day a week to deal with these things is trying their best to make sure they’ve got some of these important aspects of quality maintained.

“They may, at points, just have to put their hands up and say, ‘I’m exhausted by this. We’re just going to have to let those [materials] go through even though on balance I know that’s not the most optimum output’.”

When it comes to challenging unauthorised changes to schemes, a complaint needs to be made. But houses in the process of being built are by definition unoccupied. Who’s going to complain? And, once built and

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INTERVIEW: HANNAH HICKMAN CURRICULU M VITAE

occupied, is anyone really “BEING THE JACK about planning practice if you don’t have the going to tell a developer they OR JACQUELINE possibility of effecting need to change materials?

OF ALL TRADES change?” Hickman asks. “It's Besides, local authority IS A REALLY really important for us to enforcement teams are POSITIVE be doing practice-informed under-resourced, too, and ATTRIBUTE OF research that has the have to somehow bridge PLANNING” potential to impact practice the chasm between what positively.” is desired (for example, Her career encompasses ‘exceptional’ places) and these parallel streams. She what can actually be is both a private practitioner enforced against (‘harm’). and an academic. “I love the Hickman and her balance between academia and the space collaborators posit five potential solutions. this gives you to question and explore gaps “The first is really about trying to give in knowledge, and the research that I do attention to this part of the planning with my consultancy hat on that enables process, that it isn’t a forgotten add-on. me to focus on the needs of clients closely The second area of action was much more involved in shaping planning decisions. around the resourcing and confidence “It’s really important that we try to of officers. It’s very clear to us that local understand the realities of practice authorities do not have enough resources and what it feels like to be a planner.” to do this part of the process justice, with Citing her own university department’s urban design being absolutely key.” relationship with Bristol City Council, which sees the team sharing its findings at A feedback loop quarterly seminars, she says: “We are an Such solutions are ones a local authority academic discipline that has emerged out planning officer would also probably of practice, not the other way round.” cite. But the research feeds a positive Real-world experience also improves feedback loop that turns anecdote into the the education of young planners, says evidenced analysis of real-world practice Hickman, noting that her students perk up that can underpin change. when she talks about her own practice.

“What’s the point in doing research

Hannah Hickman Born: Sheffield Education: BA geography, University of Cambridge 1997; MSc society and space, University of Bristol 1998; MPhil town planning, The Bartlett 2001 Career highlights

1999­2002 Strategy adviser, Greater London Assembly

2002­2007 Deputy director, South West Regional Assembly

2007­2009 Assistant director, regional spatial strategy, Government Office for the South West

2010­present Director, Hannah Hickman Consulting

2011­2017 Visiting research fellow, University of the West of England (UWE)

2016­present, Chair, Heriot-Watt Planning School Partnership Board

2017­2021 Senior lecturer, planning practice, UWE

2022 Associate professor, UWE

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INTERVIEW: HANNAH HICKMAN

Her career has spanned public and private sectors and seen her take on senior managerial roles in large organisations, so Hickman has a rounded view of described it as “a valuable and a profession that is perhaps more Commissioned by the West of timely piece of work, which has multifaceted than many planning students England Combined Authority, The emerged from a fruitful dialogue realise. She is keen to communicate this to Whittling Away of Wonderful between practice and academia”. her students, but her work also draws on Ideas: Post-consent and the The report, by Hannah Hickman understanding their own drive.

Diminution of Design Quality was and her colleagues Nick Croft, In research that looked into the published in April 2021.

Dr Hooman Foroughmand-Araabi, motivations and expectations of 21stIn September Dr Katie McClymont and century planning students, Hickman 2021 it was Adam Sheppard, can be and colleagues found they were chiefly awarded the Sir S downloaded from the motivated by environmental concerns.

Peter Hall Award d down UWE’s website: Students also have a strong sense of ethical for Research UW bit.ly/planner0222values and public interest, though feared Excellence 2021. whittlingaway the reality of planning might be distant Award judges from their ideal, with a rigid, rules-based system that could stifle innovation. Though open to both private and public practice, the typical contemporary planning student expressed a marginal preference Art of the possible That’s not to say That’s sa that planning for working privately. always gets it right, of course.

What seems to impress Hickman “There’s little analysis of young planners Hickman is alive to the risks of most about a career in planning is its and their desires when it comes to study. an over-schematic approach to multiplicity of possibilities. There’s also Most noticeable is the environmental masterplanning, for example, of evidence, she adds, that planners move motivations of students. They're talking negating the “serendipity” that courses fluidly in other areas of practice within a lot about climate, environ-ment and into settlements almost organically organisations beyond pure planning. sustainable development, over time. She cites, too, a recent Place “There’s policy, whereas we suspect Alliance report that gave a “dispiriting” there’s research, previously it would have been account of built development. “Not there’s infrastructure, “WE SAW more public interest, social all plans are good, I guess is what I’m there’s environmental EXTRAORDINARY motivations and equality. saying,” she half laughs, half sighs. assessment… What a great THINGS LIKE “I’m passionate about “I think there’s a danger that career to choose. You’re PLASTIC understanding the mistakes replicate, and that’s the allowed to talk about CHIMNEYS, WHICH community engagement, experiences of planners of challenge of planning on a big scale.

I DIDN’T EVEN all kinds. The time I spend There’s a lot of that going on at social issues and health.

KNOW WERE A talking to planners about the moment in the garden village “You can get involved in THING” their experiences gives me programme, which I’ve sympathy and delivering major projects privileged insight into both an conceptual support for, but I worry – the Thames Tideway individual’s perspectives but that without the right people involved Tunnel, Sizewell B – but also planning more broadly. “ some of those outcomes won’t be as you could also be working When asked what she good as they could be.” with a community to bring would say is attractive about Hickman conveys a sense of forward the neighbourhood a career planning, Hickman planning as a continuous ebb and plan where they care alights instantly on a thing that we at flow, a series of negotiations that never deeply about preserving that green space The Planner find many planners decry actually finish, even when we say that or historic monument. as the thing they least like about their a development is done. It’s a study in “[Being] the Jack or Jacqueline of job: politics. context and compromise. all trades is,” she concludes, “a really “We have a democratically elected “Planning is about making good positive attribute of planning.” system in which planning is situated, and decisions in the context in which To understand the value of planning we also have a discretionary planning they’re made. And there may be a as a practical discipline, Hickman invites system,” she explains. “That’s what makes decision based on the economic vision students to imagine what places would it so, so interesting, and I’m sure that lots that a particular scheme makes in its be like without it. The research into of planners in local authorities will say context that may have some negative post-consent design quality reinforces that one of the most demanding but one unintended consequences, but that’s the point. “Some officers said ‘If only of the most interesting parts of their job the right thing to do.” we could see what the outcome might is the engagement with politicians and have been without the intervention of handling that. What kind of system would planning. But maybe we wouldn’t like n Simon Wicks is deputy editor of we have without it?” to know that’.”

The Planner

Whittling away

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“PLANNING IMPACTS JUST EVERY ASPECT OF THE COUNCIL, BUT THERE APPEARS TO BE A FAILURE TO RECOGNISE THIS”

WORKING

well?

WHAT SORT OF IMPACT HAS THE COVID­19 PANDEMIC HAD ON CAREER DEVELOPMENT, FEELINGS OF WORKPLACE WELLBEING AND PERCEPTIONS OF VALUE? SIMON WICKS DELVES INTO THE PLANNER CAREERS SURVEY 2021­22 TO FIND OUT

A

mong the constants in our careers surveys have been questions about salary, career development and the value of planning teams within organisations. Such repeated questions give us the opportunity to gauge changes as they occur over time: this year, we’ve been able to garner insights into how attitudes and perceptions in these areas have changed since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic – the last time we asked many of these questions was in late 2019.

As our news story on pages 4-5 illustrates, we’ve seen a decline in some indicators of workplace wellbeing since then, particularly among public sector planners (who made up 73 per cent of respondents, with 23 per cent being private sector planners).

Sense of value, opportunities for development, availability of resources and reward are major determinants of happiness

22

or wellbeing in any role. Our survey indicates that, among public sector planners at least, they have all declined significantly since the pandemic started and may now be critical in some quarters.

Here are the main findings of the workplace wellbeing/career development portion of our survey.

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C A R E E R S S U R V E Y : T H E V A LU E O F P L A N N I N G

ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH YOUR CAREER PATH?

50% 23.5% 26% Career development blues In 2019 we asked this as a simple yes/no question and 69 per cent of respondents said they were satisfied with their career path. We could postulate an overall decline.

But what is most marked is the difference between private and public sector planners.

Sixty-four per cent of private sector planners told us they were satisfied with their career path, with just 12 per cent dissatisfied.

By comparison, fewer than half of public sector planners (47 per cent) were satisfied with their career path and a concerning one in four (27 per cent) was actively dissatisfied.

The related questions ‘Are you satisfied with opportunities for development provided by your employer?’ and ‘Are you satisfied with your progress towards your development goals?’ produced similarly striking differences:

I am satisfied that my current employer provides me with good opportunities to develop as a planner and progress my career

I L L U S T R AT I O N | I S T O C K

Overall: 59% Private sector: 80% Public sector: 52%

I don’t feel that my current employer offers me enough opportunities to develop as a planner and progress my career Overall: 41% Private sector: 20% Public sector: 48%

Almost half of public sector planners do not feel their employer gives them enough career development opportunities, compared with just one in five private sector planners who feel the same way.

Are you satisfied with your progress towards your development goals?

Yes Overall: 69% Private sector 84% Public sector 65%

Again, this question reflects a slight downward trend overall since 2019 (when 74 per cent said they were satisfied). Again, it reinforces the sense that the gap between the private and public sector in feelings of career satisfaction is growing.

“I do undertake some exciting work but greater opportunity to progress would be more attractive to me.”

Private sector planner, Yorkshire “The training provided is great.

However, as with all employers, there is not a clear steer in terms of progression and at the end of the day it comes down to salary.”

Private sector planner, East of England “Been in post 12 months and not aware of any of the team being on any training, individuals seen as within very tight roles with no opportunities to advance.” Public sector planner, London “Having started as a business administration apprentice and working in the department I have received a lot of on-the-job training.

More recently my employer put me through an RTPI-accredited degree.” Public sector planner, South West “I have to search out and do my own training largely, with the help of my manager and colleagues.

There is no budget for training.”

Public sector planner, West Midlands

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C A R E E R S S U R V E Y : T H E V A LU E O F P L A N N I N G

HOW VALUED IS YOUR TEAM OR DEPARTMENT WITHIN YOUR ORGANISATION?

14%

“Planning impacts just about every aspect of the council, but there appears to be a failure to recognise this. This means there is a reluctance from other services to collaborate as they should or provide assistance where required to fulfil a council purpose.” Public sector planner, Scotland

Other

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“WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF MORE PLANNERS AND THE COMPETITION FOR GOOD, QUALIFIED PLANNERS IS FIERCE”

8%

11% %

3 3%

5%

5.5% %

3.5%

3% %

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT SALARY/ INCOME PER ANNUM?

Up to £20,925 £20,925-£25k

“Lack of awareness of the important role of planning and planning policy in delivering growth and corporate objectives such as addressing growth/ regeneration and climate change.” Public sector planner, London

6% %

Salary shift

“The plan-making team is not income

“I'm not really sure how the DM team is deemed within the authority as a whole. Officers in related teams (who we consult) are certainly respectful and work closely with us with mutual respect.

Councillors are generally respectful of our professional opinions and support us and have a good working relationship with us – both in and out of committee.” Public sector planner, North West

16%

My team or department is not valued by my organisation:

generating, and is therefore often overlooked in its ability to deliver value for the organisation.” Public sector planner, London

20%

My team or department is valued by my organisation

52%

16% %

33%

Perceptions of value The answer to this question represented a fall on 2019, when 58 per cent of respondents told us they felt their team or department was valued. The fall among public sector planners was particularly stark – from 53 per cent preCovid-19 to just 42 per cent in late 2021.

The fall among private sector planners was far smaller – from 71 per cent in 2019 to 68 per cent in 2021.

£25-30k

£30-35k

£35-40k

£40-45k

£45-50k

£50-55k

£55-60k

£60-70k

£70k +

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C A R E E R S S U R V E Y : T H E V A LU E O F P L A N N I N G

DO YOU FEEL YOUR TEAM/DEPARTMENT HAS THE RESOURCES IT NEEDS TO DELIVER ITS GOALS?

33% 67% %

This represents a big decline on 2019, when 43 per cent of planners told us they felt their teams had the resources needed. Looking more closely, we see that the fall is largely because of a substantial decline in perception in the public sector.

In 2019, 28 per cent of public sector planners told us they felt adequately resourced. In late 2021, that had fallen to an extremely low 18 per cent. In other words, fewer than one in five public sector planners feels the team has the resources it needs to deliver the service it should.

We carry a response from the RTPI on pages 4-5, but it’s worth reiterating that the institute is urging the government to provide an additional £500 million to local authority planning departments in England over the next four years.

Without it, the RTPI’s Richard Blyth told

“High caseloads, no in-house ecologist, landscape architect or urban designer.”

Public sector planner, East of England “Additional IT equipment has been provided to help with increased WFH.” Private sector planner, North East “We are a very small team of five with two staff members down, one of which is a manager. We are still expected to fulfil all our duties with very limited direction and a lack of resources. This is particularly difficult as Scottish planning reform places countless additional duties on the planning service.” Public sector planner, Scotland “There is a significant shortage of staff in the service, particularly in the Development Management team, where it is at a critical level. Difficulty with recruitment and retention of staff is a clear problem. This has a very negative impact on the morale of the team.”

Public sector planner, North East

HOW HAPPY ARE YOU WITH YOUR SALARY PROGRESSION? Planner salaries seem to be increasing at the low to mid-range. In late 2019, 26 per cent of planners earned £35,000 to £45,000; in late 2021, this had risen to 31 per cent. At the same time, the number of planners earning less than £30,000 fell from 18 per cent to 12 per cent.

Nevertheless, only slightly more than half of planners (51 per cent) believe they are paid what they should be, with very nearly half of planners (49 per cent) thinking they are underpaid for their position or level of responsibility.

As elsewhere, this figure hides a striking contrast between public and private sectors. The survey revealed six in 10 (59 per cent) of public sector planners believe they are underpaid, compared with just a third (33 per cent) of private sector planners.

us, “these critical difficulties will only get worse”.

Comments revealed a service under intense pressure, with complaints focusing particularly on a paucity of specialist expertise within departments, poor-performing IT, low staff numbers and struggles with recruitment.

51%

49%

“We are in dire need of more planners and the competition for good, qualified planners is fierce.” Private sector planner, South East “We are chronically under-resourced, my team has worked all the way through the pandemic with no let-up. No one was furloughed and everyone has been busy since the day we left the office. I am exhausted to the point of burnout.”

Public sector planner, South East “To put it bluntly – you must be kidding.” Public sector planner, East Midlands n Simon Wicks is deputy editor of The

Planner

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25

14/01/2022 12:58

100 EDITIONS OF THE PLANNER

DECEMBER 2014:

THE CHANGE AGENDA Our first themed edition in which we gave RTPI Young Planners a say in our content.

The annual Young Planners’ edition has since gone on to become a staple of our autumn schedule.

2

3

JULY 2014: JU

BIKE MINDED B W think this is a We particularly striking, p thematically strong cover th – and again, one linked to a topic that has risen up the agenda since we first th addressed it. a

1 OCTOBER 2013:

SEA OF CHANGE Our launch edition, and a declaration of intent with a cover feature topic, planning and the seaside economy, that has only grown in importance over the years.

Tale of the 4

Century MARCH 2017:

THE NORTH’S NEW DAWN We’ve used digital manipulation on many covers, but here it really paid off here with an iconic structure reimagined along thematic lines that really makes a point. And, of course, 'levelling up', too has only grown in prominence as a concept..

6 NOVEMBER 2016:

CREATIVE SPACES Is the planning system doing enough to help the creative economy? A good question, and one we could have illustrated in myriad ways. Naturally, we chose to have a cover knitted for us – by a planner.

26

APRIL 2017

CAN WE TALK?

5

Then planning minister Gavin Barwell spoke to us of his desire for a meaningful dialogue to ensure a workable consensus around planning reform. Less than five years ago, but it already feels like an age.

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14/01/2022 09:14

Four more...

JUNE 2017 DIVERSITY CHALLENGE THE GLOBAL NEED FOR INCLUSIVE URBANISM // p.22 • SUPREME COURT SETTLES DISPUTE OVER NPPF // p.26 • FOCUS ENGLAND’S NORTH WEST // p.34 • CAREER DEVELOPMENT: STARTING A NEW JOB // p.38

T H E B U S I N ES S M O N T H LY FO R P L A N N I N G P R O F ES S IO N A LS

OCTOBER 2018:

MARCH 2019:

COUNTRY WOMAN

THE DIVERSITY ISSUE

A strong, atmospheric image that reflects our engagement with the issues surrounding rural planning that we addressed with our interviewee, Powys council leader Rosemarie Harris.

A simple, striking and colourful way of illustrating a theme that has become a staple for the magazine and which continues to influence our features agenda.

8

BLOCK CHANGE HOW BLOCKCHAIN COULD TRANSFORM PLANNING

JUNE 2017: BLOCK CHANGE Blockchain’s promise of unalterable records could revolutionise key aspects of the planning system, hence our bold cover.

JANUARY 2019:

SAY IT LOUD!

DECEMBER 2017 CHINESE WHISPERS: TAILORING THE NEW SILK ROAD // p.18 • CITIZENS IN PLANNING THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT // p.30 • NATIONS & REGIONS FOCUS EAST MIDLANDS // p.32 • CAREER DEVELOPMENT: BUILDING A CRACK TEAM // p.40 •

Incoming RTPI president Ian Tant challenged planners to shout about planning. In a crowded field of presidential interview covers, this just edged it for the fun factor. Never mind the alternatives…

7

9

This is the 100th edition of The Planner in print, and with it being a milestone of sorts we thought we’d pick out 12 front covers to paint a representative picture of the more than eight years in which we’ve been producing the title on your behalf. Here’s to the next 100…

DECEMBER 2017: HEARTS AND MINDS A bright and positive cover, much like our interviewee, the Planning Advisory Service’s Anna Rose APRIL 2020 RESHUFFLE: NEW FACES, NEW DIRECTION? // p.4 • HOUSING DELIVERY FAILURES // p.6 • BIODIVERSITY CHALLENGE // p.22 • AIRBNB BLUES // p.26 • DESIGNING IN SPACE FOR CYCLING // p.31 • NATIONS & REGIONS: YORKSHIRE // p.34

T H E B U S I N ES S M O N T H LY FO R P L A N N I N G P R O F ES S IO N A LS

N A T I O N A L CHARACTER

SEPTEMBER 2019:

SEPTEMBER 2021:

CAN PLANNING SAVE THE WORLD?

RUNNING OUT OF TIME

A striking front cover that introduces the visual cues that recur throughout this important themed edition. The answer to the question? Yes, naturally.

Our first print issue after our digital-only weathering of the Covid storm, and another striking approach to a topic that’s likely to lead the agenda for years…

11

12

10

APRIL 2020: THE PEOPLE’S ADVOCATE Actor and broadcaster Griff Rhys Jones, president of Civic Voice, discusses the need to put public participation at the heart of placemaking.

DECEMBER 2021 THE SCOTTISH PLANNER LIVE // p.4 • TAKING THE TEMPERATURE AT COP26 // p.18 • POWER TO THE PEOPLE? PLANNING REFORM PAUSED // p.30 • NORTH NORFOLK’S MIXED TENURE SUCCESS // p.34 • AGAINST PIECEMEAL POLICY // p.42

T H E B U S I N ES S M O N T H LY FO R P L A N N I N G P R O F ES S IO N A LS

MARCH 2020:

GENDER STUDIES An illustration worthy of a theme that demonstrates our commitment to engagement with our core audience. It connects to a piece written by an RTPI member that we presented in the best way we could.

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On the level WILL LEVELLING UP PROVE TO BE JUST AN ENORMOUSLY EXPENSIVE GAME OF SNAKES AND LADDERS?

DECEMBER 2021: ON THE LEVEL No, levelling up is not an easy subject to define. But yes, we can produce an illustration that conveys our story in an engaging way.

14/01/2022 09:14

Remote

POSSIBILITIES

REMOTE OR NOT REMOTE? A BIT OF EACH, PERHAPS? THAT WAS THE QUESTION AS WE SOUGHT TO UNDERSTAND PLANNERS’ ATTITUDES TO REMOTE WORKING MORE THAN A YEAR­AND­A­HALF INTO A WORKING WORLD OVERTURNED BY COVID­19

28

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14/01/2022 09:17

CAREERS SURVEY 2022: REMOTE WORKING

A

s our news report on pages 4-5 observes, almost half of planners prefer to work from home, although a majority (73 per cent) favour hybrid working with the greater portion of their week spent away from the office.

We asked a number of questions to probe attitudes towards remote working and how it has changed planner’s jobs. Comments given by respondents helped us to understand with more nuance how remote working is affecting their personal and professional lives and the extent to which they would like it to continue in future.

Here are the main findings:

arrangements being tied to seasons – “more of a 50/50 weekly split home and office or winter working at home and summers in the office”, said one public sector planner from the North West.

DO YOU PREFER WO RK I NG REMOTELY?

25% 47%

HOW OFTEN DO YOU CURRENTLY WORK FROM HOME/A THIRD SPACE, TYPICALLY?

28%

Yes

5% 7% 5% 15% 21% 41% 6%

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I L L U S T R AT I O N | PAT R I C K G E O R G E

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An overwhelming 83 per cent of respondents said they worked more from home now than pre-pandemic. For 14 per cent, this figure hadn’t changed, suggesting that for around one in seven planners remote working was already a fixed part of their routine.

Almost two-thirds – 65 per cent – see their current arrangement continuing into the future, beyond the Covid-19 pandemic. In some cases, employers had already changed their letting arrangements (“Our office has been sublet and we will have access to a much smaller office”); at least one planner raised the possibility of remote working

No

I’m easy either way

Although the largest proportion of respondents preferred remote working to office-based working, the most colourful comment illustrates the degree to which attitudes can be polarised.

“I find working remotely significantly worse than working from the office in almost every way,” a public sector planner from London told us. “It reduces the definition between work time and leisure time; encourages people to work longer hours; means teams communicate much less effectively; reduces opportunities for new members of staff to become involved in projects or pick up 'on-the-job' learning; requires that I essentially allow my employer to take over part of my house for their purposes with no reimbursement; requires me to fill my (fairly small) home with additional equipment such as monitors, or otherwise to try and do my work on nothing but a very small laptop screen. The idea that anybody thinks this is an efficient and equitable way to work, and one which should become normalised, is astounding to me.”

When we asked where they work remotely, 10 per cent of respondents told us they sometimes work somewhere other than home. Typically this was a café, but could also be relatives’ houses and, in one case, a car (albeit for short periods only).

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CAREERS SURVEY 2022: REMOTE WORKING

34%

24%

1 day remote, 4 days at work

2 days remote, 3 days at work

3 days remote, 2 days at work

4 days remote, 1 day at work

6%

13%

All remote

8%

15%

WHAT’S YOUR IDEAL REMOTE WORKING/ WORKPLACE SPLIT (OR NEAREST APPROXIM ATION) PER WEEK?

All at the workplace

Almost a third of respondents – 31 per cent – told us that their work had changed in some significant way as a result of remote working. In the main this appeared to concern virtual site visits, meetings, committee meetings, hearings and events (all virtual).

Planners were divided on the value of such changes. One commented that virtual committees had been “invaluable”, saving lengthy journeys, other that using Google Earth and photos of sites was a great time saver.

A planning inspector stressed that virtual hearings were “not the best way to run events”; a public sector planner from London observed that “No site visits, training events and networking have taken place. Takes up more hours to achieve the same result. Also longer hours and working over lunch to fit in with others working patterns... Harder to feel like a team.”

The future office – a place to pick and mix Every month since the first days of lockdown has seen a fresh take on what the future of formerly officebased knowledge work will ’look like’ post-pandemic. As time has gone on, certainty about which tasks definitely require an office in which to be done properly has eroded further.

Only in terms of equity has the message remained constant: with each individual’s home office environment varying in size and quality, team members can have varying abilities to perform effectively and shut off the outside world. This was rarely a prepandemic corporate concern.

Put aside this issue, however, and the list of which tasks can be achieved outside of the traditional office has only grown over time. Collaboration on focused work? Larger group meetings?

Gradually, we’re all evolving.

Indeed, it’s now come down to a handful of tasks that are better performed from an average office: hosting visitors, clients or customers is one, as is, naturally, ‘using technical/ specialist equipment or materials’.

For many, it’s this that will prove the

30

biggest reason to commute. Others are the nebulous yet critical concepts of ‘learning from others’ and ‘informal social interaction’.

These data points come from Leesman – a global consultancy that has been surveying the quality of workers’ interactions with their workplaces for a decade. Note the use of the term ‘average office’; Leesman and others now believe that the future lies in offering employees truly fabulous offices; those that, for example, offer ways of ‘collaboration on focused work’ that homes simply cannot; that provide luxurious meeting points, or comfortable class space for learning and truly separate space for focused work.

This, we are increasingly told, is where the competition for new generations of workers will be fought. But it’s far from certain how such workplaces will look. And, perhaps paradoxically, the most recent thoughts are that we will need to be teased out of our ever more personalised homeworking environments by revamped

offices that themselves have been personalised as much as possible to our individual requirements.

Allison English, deputy chief executive of Leesman, spoke in a recent webinar of one firm with a portfolio of more than 10 buildings, with user data indicating that each had a marginal yet potentially significant difference in user expectation. Meeting each employee’s hybrid working requirements is “hugely critical”, she says, and means doing more than offering departmental templates.

A word of caution, too, about assumptions made during the pandemic. After much talk about the

“ORGANISATIONS HAVE TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE MIX OF SPACES AVAILABLE, MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT EMPLOYEES COMING INTO THE OFFICE NEED”

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CAREERS SURVEY 2022: REMOTE WORKING

HAS REMOTE WORKING TECHNOLOGY MADE THE STANDARD OFFICE MODEL REDUNDANT?

DOES THE WORKPLACE NEED TO CH A NG E TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF A M O RE MOBILE/FLEXIBLE WORKING PO P U L ATI O N?

10.5%

51%

45.5% 44%

Yes

27% % No

?

2 22%

I don't know

office being principally a collaboration-first environment, Leesman is now warning organisations not to put too high a premium on the future office as principally a place to meet rather than perform “focus work”.

English calculates that just 5 per cent of office roles are “highly collaborative”.

Indeed, “most employees... are not going to come into the office and spend an eighthour day collaborating.

“Organisations have to be thinking about the mix of spaces available to employees, making sure that they understand what employees coming into the office need.”

The future office opportunity, says English, “is in sharing knowledge, collaboration, informal unplanned meetings, etc”. But beware, she says: no future plan for office occupation can be based on a standard extrapolation of requirements; not when the pandemic has entirely changed individuals’ personal drivers of productivity.

Different offices will have different user ‘mixes’ in terms of tasks and personalities, with employers needing to customise each site accordingly. “Blanket policies and strategies are not an option.” n Martin Read is editor of The Planner

The two questions above elicited a range of views about the value of both traditional office working and modern remote working.

Most respondents sought a middle ground that embraced the best of both.

In particular, they envisaged a future office with more collaborative working space and private spaces for video calls.

Some called for a change in working culture.

An RTPI spokesperson noted how “resilient” and adaptable planners had been to Covid-19.

“However, we are increasingly aware that prolonged home working has not proved suitable for parts of the profession, whether through lack of suitable facilities at home or insufficient opportunities for support from team members, especially where early career professionals are concerned. We came into this profession to be an outwardfocused group of professionals with a strong focus on team work and interaction with the environment.”

“The open-plan office concept needs radically reviewing.

Remote homeworking offers a much clearer space to focus and increase productivity where

that type of head-down work is needed. Workplaces need to provide scope for collaboration, but that need not be a dedicated office. Work hubs and ‘café-style’ arrangements are helping to secure better outcomes.” Public sector planner, New Zealand “Junior members require mentoring and quick feedback.

Remote working makes it incredibly difficult to learn from senior members through daily interactions. [It] has extremely high requirements on self-control and mental health management.

The office environment reduces these costs through boring yet effective management systems.”

Public sector planner, North West “Open-plan offices do not work when multiple video calls are happening. There will be the need for small meeting rooms.”

Private sector planner, North East “Need to accept that work doesn’t need to be conducted 9-5 every day and that meeting expectations as well as picking the kids up, walking the dog or going to the gym is a workable solution which generates happier and more motivated employees.”

Private sector planner, North East

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14/01/2022 09:18

CASE STUDY: PANDEMIC RESPONSE

Temporary easing of planning rules has allowed al fresco dining to thrive during the pandemic

PLANNING’S PANDEMIC HEROES CHELTENHAM BOROUGH COUNCIL RECEIVED A SPECIAL AWARD FROM THE RTPI FOR ITS SWIFT AND ENTERPRISING APPROACH TO PROTECTING BUSINESSES FROM THE PRESSURES CREATED BY COVID­19, AS RACHEL MASKER DISCOVERS Award: Planning Heroes in a Pandemic Winner: Cheltenham Borough Council

32

A relaxation of planning rules in the pandemic has spawned a new pop-up café culture in Cheltenham. Anticipating a lack of space to accommodate social distancing rules, the borough council eased planning regulations to allow temporary structures and buildings on private land, parks and Cheltenham Borough Council was pavements (where businesses already declared the winner of a special Planoperate from these spaces) without ning Heroes in a Pandemic Award at planning consent for up to 12 months. the RTPI Awards for Planning ExcelThe extension has made opening al lence 2021 for acting early and speedily fresco dining areas attractive for pubs, to temporarily relax planning controls hotels, restaurants and cultural venues, and for taking a creative approach to providing a new source of income. enforcement to support local busiIt isn’t only businesses that have nesses and guarantee public safety. The benefited – the NHS has too. Lack of judges said this was a “good demonspace and high patient numbers crestration of planning as an enabler and ated a real problem for use of temporary solutions Cheltenham General Hos- “THE to inform the long-term pital. A temporary off-site shaping of place”.

ENTERPRISING portacabin enabled the PLANNING Gloucestershire diabetic A NEW FLEXIBILITY TEAM ASKED eye screening programme “One issue that became FOR MINIMAL to continue to run while clear for us in Cheltenham INFORMATION maintaining social disfrom the outset of CovidAND PROMISED tancing. The portable 19 was the need to provide TO ASSESS building meant 3,000 PROPOSALS WITHIN local businesses with patients were still seen. flexibility to adapt with FIVE DAYS”

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13/01/2022 17:34

“THEY COULD SEE HOW SMALL HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES WERE BEING IMPACTED AND THEY WORKED QUICKLY AND EFFICIENTLY TO ALLOW US TO DO WHAT WE NEEDED TO SURVIVE”

COV I D C A S E ST U DY : M E A D OW CAFÉ

as little red tape as possible,” says Tracey Crews, Cheltenham’s director of planning.

“We acknowledged early that some businesses need additional space and quickly," explains Crews.

“Rather than making those businesses apply for planning permission or fall foul of planning restrictions, we invited businesses to approach us with their ideas.”

The enterprising planning team asked for minimal information: business name and address, a site plan and a photo or basic drawing of the proposal and promised to assess proposals within five days.

Other council departments and partners were quickly consulted – for instance, licensing for pubs or the county council’s highways team for projects on public footpaths.

I M AG E | A L A M Y

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Other Covid-19 planning initiatives included allowing temporary changes of use of businesses and relaxed hours of operation without the need to apply for planning consent. Similarly, work at building sites could start at 8am on Saturday and continue until 8pm on Monday to Friday under eased construction conditions.

The new light-touch planning regime came as the Regency town saw an estimated £120 million wiped off the value of its visitor economy in 2020. Cheltenham plays host to more than 25 festivals every year, but many were cancelled or held behind closed doors because of coronavirus curbs.

Cheltenham Festival 2020 was the last major racing event to go ahead before the pandemic

When the first national lockdown hit in March 2020, the future looked bleak for Meadow Café in Cheltenham.

The family-run venue reluctantly closed its doors and put all 15 employees on furlough. Owner Jo Baker explains that without a new takeaway service and outdoor seating her business would not have been able to reopen: the tiny café lacked space to guarantee social distancing.

Cheltenham’s relaxed rules meant that she could more than double capacity and sit 56 customers on new pop-up style outside benches. A roof structure provides shelter. In addition, the café now has a licence for another 26 chairs and tables on a meadow opposite, up from the original 24 inside seats.

“It made a huge difference to our business,” recalls Baker of the experience.

“By July 7 when the public was allowed to meet outside for the first time, albeit in small groups, we had the perfect setting. To have managed such a build in this short space of time was amazing and we would not have been able to achieve this without the cooperation of the council. They could see how small hospitality businesses were being impacted and they worked quickly and efficiently to allow us to do what we needed to survive.”

FE B R U AR Y 2 0 22 / THE PLA NNER

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14/01/2022 09:56

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12/01/2022 16:50

CASE STUDY: PANDEMIC RESPONSE

A new café culture has been the result of Cheltenham Borough Council’s dynamic response to the pandemic

swept across Britain. trust are the Wil“I THINK THE The four-day extravason Art Gallery and PANDEMIC HAS ganza usually attracts Museum, the Prince REMINDED US AS crowds of more than of Wales Stadium and A COUNCIL HOW 60,000 each day but at Cheltenham.

PIVOTAL OUR ROLE Leisure the grandstands were Chief executive officer IS IN SUPPORTING Laurie Bell says the empty in 2021.

OUR LOCAL Visitor spending isn’t faced insolvency COMMUNITIES AND trust expected to return to within six weeks of the BUSINESSES” pre-pandemic levels venues being forced to of £220 million before close in March 2020.

2023/24. Meanwhile, Immediate action was the temporary relaxaneeded to pivot the tion of rules has been business and protect extended to 2022 to cash flow. deal with the Omicron threat.

Working with the council, the trust opened two new cafés at Pittville Pump Room and the Garden HOW THE TRUST SAVED Bar, next to Cheltenham Town PITTVILLE Hall in summer 2020. The café at The Cheltenham Trust manages the Pump Room in Pittville Park the town hall and Pittville Pump operated under the portico of the Room. Other venues run by the I M AG E | A L A M Y

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grade 1 listed building and a marquee was erected at the Garden Bar to provide additional all-weather seating.

“It was the first time since 1930 there had been a café at the pump room and at the Garden Bar there had only been a kiosk for ice cream and beer,” observes Bell.

The cafés were an immediate success, pulling in more than 750,000 customers in their first 12 months.

They proved to be “a lifeline” for many, explains Bell. “Both cafés became and continue to be a vital income stream that helped to mitigate the loss of £4.2 million in the first year as a result of the venue closures. This was new income.”

Using the cafés as the focal point, a programme of free live music and dance was introduced, including choirs at Christmas. “Both cafés are

F EB R U AR Y 2 0 22 / THE PLA NNER

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13/01/2022 17:35

CASE STUDY: PANDEMIC RESPONSE

now permanent, following capital investment funding from the council and are currently operating in temporary orangery structures that have replaced the marquee and mobile kiosks.”

Cheltenham Trust aims to provide permanent orangeries as popular go-to destinations and to boost civic coffers.

In response to the Omicron variant, the relaxation of rules in Cheltenham has been extended into this year.

A TESTBED FOR NEW IDEAS The relaxed planning rules have enabled the trust to remain solvent, supported the local economy and allowed a new café culture, Bell explains. “The ongoing council support recognises that culture and leisure play a huge role in regenerating the visitor economy and that café culture is a huge draw in bringing footfall into the high street and parks.”

Council chiefs say the planning initiatives have allowed it to test new ideas for Cheltenham, including promoting outdoor socialising and greater use of

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its parks and gardens, supported by outdoor dining. A new vision for the town centre is in the pipeline and this insight will inform decision-making.

Andrew Robbins, interim head of planning, stresses that the council is very aware of its role in placemaking.

“I think the pandemic has reminded us as a council how pivotal our role is in supporting our local communities and businesses. It has also helped us sharpen up our decision-making by

forcing us to action things quickly without necessarily going through the traditional checks and balances in perhaps the same detail.

I think that we have learnt lessons that will improve our decision making going forward.”

Rachel Masker is a freelance journalist specialising in planning and the built environment I M AG E S | A L A M Y

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CASES &DECISIONS

A N A LY S E D B Y H U W M O R R I S / A P P E A L S @ T H E P L A N N E R . C O . U K

Housing minister Christopher Pincher has backed an inspector’s recommendations and dismissed two linked appeals for major developments in Woking, Surrey.

GolDev Woking had appealed against the refusals of its plans for a 9,000-capacity replacement stadium for Woking FC, with retail, hospitality, community spaces, a medical centre and 1,048 homes within five buildings of between three and 10 storeys in height.

The second appeal concerned the redevelopment of a site near a school following demolition of a building to provide a health club with external swimming pool and tennis and sports courts as well as 36 affordable homes in a development of up to three storeys high.

This facility would be a David Lloyd Centre following the move of its health club from the first appeal site. Both applications were refused by Woking Borough Council and inspector David Wildsmith had recommended that the appeals should be dismissed.

Acting on behalf of levelling-up and communities secretary Michael Gove, Pincher agreed with the inspector that in the first appeal the prevailing policy framework offers no support in principle for tall buildings outside the town centre. The very tall buildings in the local context would fail to respect the character and nature of

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LOCATION Woking AUTHORITY Woking Borough Council INSPECTOR David Wildsmith PROCEDURE Recovered appeal DECISION Dismissed REFERENCE APP/ A3655/W/20/3265969 and APP/ A3655/W/20/3265974

surrounding development and the proposal would materially change the character of the appeal site.

The scheme would also appear as “a large, bulky and – for this location – somewhat incongruous high-rise housing development”, said Pincher, and would not satisfy the requirements of core strategy policy. Although he agreed with the inspector that the proposal is well designed, he was not persuaded that “such a tall and bulky development could be said to reasonably be in keeping with the character and appearance of the surrounding area”, conflicting with local policy.

The minister added that there is no adopted development plan policy support and no convincing justification for such high

residential density at the location, and that the proposal would conflict with paragraph 130 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Although the development would provide “a substantial amount of very much needed affordable housing” with 45 per cent of the homes, overall, the scheme did not accord with development plan policies for tall buildings, residential density at an outof-centre location and for its impact on the appearance of the street-scene and surrounding area.

In the second appeal, Pincher concurred that the removal of about 25 per cent of the protected canopy area of woodland would be a significant loss with an adverse impact on the character and appearance of the surrounding area, contrary to core strategy and development policies.

Although the scheme’s 36 affordable homes would be a clear benefit, “there is nothing out of the ordinary or special in affordable housing units being provided as part of a development providing housing”. The provision of a health club and the scheme’s economic benefits attracted modest and moderate weight respectively.

However, the scheme did not accord with the development plan overall and the material considerations in the case indicated a refusal.

Housing minister Christopher Pincher therefore agreed with the inspector and dismissed both appeals.

I M AG E S | A L A M Y

Pincher backs inspector to reject Woking stadium, sports club and homes

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40 or so appeal reports are posted each month on our website: www.theplanner.co.uk/decisions. Our Decisions Digest newsletter, sponsored by Landmark Chambers, is sent out every Monday. Sign up: bit.ly/planner-newsletters

Demand justifies conditions change for Bletchley landfill Two appeals against conditions on a landfill scheme in Bletchley have been allowed after an inspector found an ongoing demand for such facilities to dispose of waste LOCATION Bletchley, Milton Keynes AUTHORITY Milton Keynes Council

Land-raising plan secures Somerset homes in flood zone Outline planning permission for up to 40 homes at a Somerset site with a high probability of flooding has been granted after an inspector accepted the appellant’s proposals to mitigate risk by raising land and a surface water management plan.

Sedgemoor District Council had refused the application by East Brent LVA LLP. The 2.8-hectare site, next to East Brent’s settlement boundary, is in Flood Zone 3a. To mitigate risk, the land would be raised with 20,000 cubic metres of additional material compacted to form a finished floor level 5.93 metres above sea level.

Inspector Liam Page said the sequential test demonstrated no other reasonably available sites for the proposal with a lower risk of flooding and this was in accordance with NPPF paragraph 162. Paragraph 163 sets out that if it is not possible for development to be located in such areas, the exception test may have to be applied.

In this case, the proposal would require land-raising to bring finished floor levels of proposed homes to a height at which occupiers would be safe from flooding. In addition, surface water would be directed to Brocks Pill Rhyne, a local river, with an on-site attenuation scheme to LOCATION East Brent, Somerset accommodate severe storms and allow for AUTHORITY Sedgemoor District climate change.

Council The inspector ruled that with this mitigation any INSPECTOR Liam Page residual flood risk would be limited and would PROCEDURE Written be outweighed by the representations contribution the proposal would make to wider DECISION Allowed sustainable development objectives. The plan passed REFERENCE APP/ the exception test and the V3310/W/20/3264473 appeal was allowed.

INSPECTOR Nick Palmer PROCEDURE Inquiry DECISION Allowed REFERENCE APP/ Y0435/W/21/3271410 and APP/ Y0435/W/21/3273179

The first appeal concerned an application to recontour the Bletchley landfill site without complying with three conditions on an original 2002 permission.

These restricted importing waste into the site to within 20 years; required that recontouring be carried out to an approved site restoration sequence; and that restoration be completed within a year of the end of operations. The second appeal concerned the construction of a surface water lagoon.

The appeals proposed a 15-year extension on use of the landfill, with two years for restoration. They also

requested a change to the restoration sequence and amendments to the profile of the restored land, with retention of a lagoon which housed great crested newts.

Despite the imperative to divert biodegradable waste from landfill, the need for such facilities continued, said inspector Nick Palmer.

Capacity in the South East was likely to be exhausted by 2039 and, with remaining void space of nine million cubic metres, the site was of regional importance. It was not feasible for the operator to comply with the condition requiring end of use by February 2022, he added.

Both parties agreed that it was impossible to restore the site within the period required by one condition, while restoration that had already taken place was different to that specified in another. Those conditions no longer met the tests of being necessary, reasonable and enforceable, said Palmer.

The proposals would accord with the development plan as a whole and the inspector granted planning permission.

Read the full story: bit.ly/planner0222-bletchley

Read the full story: bit.ly/planner0222-flood

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C&D { C Poor design and living conditions scupper Crawley car park scheme

appeal building would occupy nearly all of the application site, leaving little space for landscape works that could integrate it into its surroundings. It would appear “a very dominant structure, creating an enclosed and uncomfortable environment for pedestrians”; its eastern flank would be a “blank” elevation next to the road, “unrelieved” by windows or architectural detail.

Prentis noted two groundfloor flats would have main windows looking onto a footway to the station with

Emerging plan allocation secures Shrewsbury homes scheme Outline planning permission has been granted for 150 homes in Shrewsbury after an inspector noted the appeal site’s allocation for residential development in an emerging local plan.

Diageo Pension Trust had appealed against the refusal

by Shropshire Council for a housing scheme on a field with a road running through it, located between a retail park and a park-and-ride.

The council’s core strategy sets out a housing requirement of 27,500 homes by 2026 and highlights Shrewsbury as the focus for growth to accommodate about 25 per cent of Shropshire’s residential development. Inspector M Aqbal said the proposal did not conflict with the strategic aims of this policy.

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The inspector noted that the appeal site was next to, but outside, the southern development boundary for Shrewsbury, and therefore in the countryside. The site was

LOCATION Crawley, West Sussex AUTHORITY Crawley Borough Council

INSPECTOR David Prentis PROCEDURE Written representations DECISION Dismissed REFERENCE APP/ Q3820/W/21/3273511

almost no space between windows and pedestrians.

An on-street loading bay would not allow enough passing space for wheelchair users, Prentis noted, and flat orientation would fail to maximise opportunities for natural lighting. The plan would be neither attractive nor create fair living conditions for occupiers, and would conflict with local policies on amenity. He dismissed the appeal.

Read the full story: bit.ly/planner0222-crawley

not in a suitable location for housing – conflicting with the core strategy and site allocation plan.

However, it had a stronger physical relationship to built development than open countryside, with transport infrastructure or development on all sides and the park-andride access running through it.

The site was also accessible to services by means of travel other than private motor vehicles and, Aqbal noted, the site was allocated for residential development as part of the emerging Shropshire local plan.

The inspector said there would be substantial economic benefits and the revised access to the parkand-ride would provide a more effective alternative to driving into the town centre.

Although there was conflict

I M AG E S |

Simco Homes had appealed against Crawley Borough Council‘s refusal of its scheme within a gyratory system beside the town centre. A multistorey car park and a residential block lies opposite; to its south is a narrow tree-covered plot next to rail lines; open land to the east is used for car parking.

This open land has been granted outline permission for flats and a station building, with the tree covered plot to become a communal garden.

Inspector David Prentis noted that the five-storey

SHUTTERSTOCK / ALAMY / ISTOCK

An outline application to redevelop a Crawley car park into a mixed-use residential and commercial scheme has been rejected for its poor design and impact on living conditions of future occupiers.

with the development plan’s settlement strategy, the site’s allocation in the emerging local plan for residential development weighed in favour of the proposal. The inspector allowed the appeal.

Read the full story: bit.ly/ planner0222-shrewsbury

LOCATION Shrewsbury, Shropshire AUTHORITY Shropshire Council INSPECTOR M Aqbal PROCEDURE Hearing DECISION Allowed REFERENCE APP/ L3245/W/21/3267148

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DECISIONS DIGEST{

SUBSCRIBE to our appeals digest:

https://subs.theplanner. co.uk/register g

Inspector rejects bid to demolishh Liverpool IBS buildingg

Waterr storage Wate conversion conv rejected for rejec impact on World impa Heritage Site Herit

A proposal to demolish the former er IBS Building in Liverpool has been n dismissed because an inspector or was unconvinced that the proposed d works would be the safest option. n. bit.ly/planner0222-ibs bit.ly/planner0 yp bs

Plans to convert a water storage building to a house near Truro have been refused for failing to maintain historic character of a World Heritage Site the h bit.ly/planner0222-water l d landscape. lands yp

Inspector approves Islington gaming centre’s change of use Planning permission has been granted for the change of use of an empty betting shop to an adult gaming centre in North London after an inspector conclude concluded that it would not harm a local area. bit.ly/planner0222-gaming shopping a

Outline consent for Essex village scheme despite plan conflict Outline planning permission for 45 45 homes in an Essex village has been granted ted after the proposal triggered the ‘tilted balance’ balance’ and an inspector found its benefi fits outweighed conflict with the development velopment plan. bit.ly/planner0222-tilt

Shooting school misses target in appeal for security plan An appeal to provide security accommodation at a Dorset shooting school has been rejected after an inspector criticised its design and impact on the area and countryside. bit.ly/planner0222-shoot

Norfolk retirement community approved to meet sheltered housing need Planning permission has been granted for a retirement community nity in Norfolk after an inspector ruled d that the scheme would meet unmet met demand for sheltered housing. bit.ly/planner0222-sheltered bit.ly/planner0222-shelt yp

Electricity generation plant approved as benefits outweigh harm A proposal for a flexible electricity generation plant in Essex has secured planning permission after an inspector concluded that its benefits outweighed any harm to nondesignated heritage assets. bit.ly/planner0222-electricity

All­night ht gantry cranes allowed despite noise complaints by neighbours

Inspector allows appeal in Herefordshire hospital contribution row

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Outline planning permission for 18 homes has been granted in the Wye Valley amid a dispute over section 106 contributions to healthcare services at a local hospital. bit.ly/planner0222-hospital

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An appeal has been granted allowing gantry cranes to work around the clock on a marine and off-shore construction and fabrication plant in the North East after an inspector varied conditions imposed to protect neighbours from noise. bit.ly/planner0222-crane

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LLegal landscape OPINION

Biodiversity net gain is coming, but big questions remain Biodiversity net gain forms a central plank of the Environment Act 2021 and will have a profound impact on new development. But there are still many unanswered questions about how it will work, says Nina Pindham Biodiversity net gain will be introduced as a legal requirement for planning permission in England by Part 6 of the Environment Act 2021.

This inserts a new section (90A), as well as a new schedule (7A), into the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Schedule 7A will automatically impose a condition stopping development from starting until a biodiversity gain plan has been approved by the planning authority.

This will have to demonstrate a 10 per cent (using Defra’s Metric 3.0) biodiversity increase, whether on-site or off.

Importantly, part 6 of the Environment Act will only come into force on a date specified by the secretary of state in subsequent regulations. Defra envisages a two-year transition period, bringing the earliest implementation date to late autumn 2023.

Because the substance of nearly all of part 6 of the act is to be brought into effect by subsequent regulations, the final biodiversity net gain legal framework is unknown.

With so little detail and the knowledge that two years comprises a long time for the

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manipulation of Defra’s present government, lawyers Metric 3.0: for example, it and planning practitioners is possible to allocate land have a lot of questions. There for a high scoring “postare no easy answers. development” habitat where Questions range from the that habitat is obviously simple (but challenging) to environmentally unfeasible. the profound. At the simple • Will authorities know how end of the spectrum, the to apply the regime to the issue is how local planning right permissions, or are authorities will obtain the reserved matters resources applications to perform “PLANNERS ARE about to become technical and ABOUT TO BE PUT very messy? demanding AT THE HEART OF • Over the long legal duties. term, where will Looking at this SOME OF THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL AND the resources to over time, we FAR­REACHING monitor these cannot avoid QUESTIONS OF LAND sites come from? the following USE TO FACE THIS The issue also questions: COUNTRY” raises profound • Right now, questions about do planning incentives authorities and land use have the priorities in this resources tightly packed nation: to think about this issue • What will the effect in relation to unconsented of offsite net gain (a local plan allocations, where conservation covenant biodiversity net gain may pertaining to agricultural force a revision of planned land is an example) be on the quantum of development? nation’s ability to produce the • Can local authorities apply food it needs in a way that the principle to new planning communities will accept? Or, applications before part 6 as displayed in the Oxford enters into force?

Farming Conference, is more • When this happens, intensive farming the goal? are planning authorities • How will biodiversity going to have the expertise gain interact with schemes to to adequately scrutinise compensate farmers? biodiversity gain plans? There • Can this all be joined is huge scope for improper

at a national scale to deliver a coherent ecological network that makes sense and delivers the necessary biodiversity improvements and development where needed, while maintaining high agricultural standards?

The legal landscape pertaining to biodiversity net gain remains uncertain, but what is certain is that planners are about to be put at the heart of some of the most fundamental and farreaching questions of land use to face this country in at least a generation.

Nina Pindham is a barrister with No.5 Barristers’ Chambers specialising in planning and the environment. Nina will be speaking about the Environment Act 2021 as part of a Planner webinar sponsored by The Environment Bank in February.

In brief Biodiversity net gain will be introduced as a legal requirement by the Environment Act 2021 Its exact framework remains unknown at present, however This means that fundamental questions remain around how local planning authorities approach BNG.

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EVENTS

CASES

LEGISLATION

NEWS

NEWS

Thurrock Council secures £500,000 from confiscation order Thurrock Council has secured a confiscation order totalling £553,772 after a man failed to comply with an enforcement notice.

Paul Ballard, formerly of Theydon Bois, Essex, set up a selfstorage business in 2014 with Kevin Flack fronting the business, without planning permission.

They did not comply with an enforcement notice that required them to close the business and return the land to its original state.

Both were served with a confiscation order.

After a hearing that took place on 6 December 2021 at Basildon Crown Court, Ballard was ordered to pay back the money made from the business and the sale of the land at Burrows Farm, Brentwood Road, Bulphan.

Ballard was not ordered to pay costs or a fine. A statement on the council website said: “The judge thought there was no reasonable prospect of him paying because he is currently serving a 19-year prison sentence for causing death by dangerous driving, rape, attempted rape, assault, criminal damage and threats to kill.”

Farmer £18,000 fined after ancient cairn is destroyed Duncan MacInnes has been fined £18,000 after using the earth from Upper Tote Cairn in the north of Skye to help with a building project elsewhere on his land.

The 59-year-old pleaded guilty in August last year to damaging the protected monument when he appeared at Portree Sheriff Court. In December 2021, he was fined £18,000.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) said it wrote to MacInnes on three separate occasions about the existence of the cairn. The most recent letter was sent in 2015. HES also carried out routine site visits every 10 years.

MacInnes owns the land next to the A855 near Upper Tote on Skye, where the Upper Tote Cairn stands. He excavated part of the ancient monument between 1 and 12 December 2018. He was building a shed elsewhere on his land and needed topsoil.

High Court to hear Southampton Airport expansion challenge Campaign group GOESA has been granted a judicial review challenge by the High Court over Eastleigh Borough Council’s decision to grant planning permission for an extension to the runway at Southampton Airport.

The group had initially been refused permission but made a renewed application.

GOESA contends that the council wrongly concluded that the airport would not be viable without the extension and that it failed to assess the effects of greenhouse gas emissions caused by the runway in the context of UK aviation as a whole.

The group also asserts that the council breached residents’ legitimate expectation that it would not grant planning permission until the communities secretary had had time to rule on various requests to call in the application for a public inquiry. GOESA points to a public statement on the council website explaining that it would not issue consent until the secretary of state had made a determination.

ANALYSIS

LEGAL BRIEFS Proposals on gigabit-capable connections for new builds detailed The government is consultating on its plans to ensure gigabit-capable connections for all new-build developments, following on from its launch last March of Project Gigabit. https://bit.ly/planner0222-Gigabit

Supreme Court to hear Swindon’s dedication of highways case The Supreme Court has given Swindon Borough Council permission to appeal in a case about whether a planning condition can require the dedication of a highway. https://bit.ly/planner0222-Swindon

Consultation opens on biodiversity net gain regulations DEFRA is consulting on its proposals for applying biodiversity net gain to Town and Country Planning Act developments and on Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). https://bit.ly/planner0222-Biodiversity

Hillingdon fails in judicial review over 11-storey tower permission Justice Lang noted at least three decisions, prior to and since the case, in which Hillingdon planners had interpreted tall buildings policy in the same way as the London mayor Sadiq Khan. https://bit.ly/planner0222-Hillingdon

Fast-track flats under fire The High Court in Ireland has cleared the way for a local group to bring a legal challenge over An Bord Pleanála’s fasttrack approval for 114 build-to-rent flats in Rathfarnham, Dublin. https://bit.ly/planner0222-Dublin

Croydon London Borough Council vs Chipo Kalonga For a high court case centred around a landlord’s ability to terminate a flexible tenancy agreement, Landmark Chambers’ barrister Justin Bates has explained the arguments in this seven-minute video. https://bit.ly/planner0222-Croydon

Barry Waterfront School row The Vale of Glamorgan Council is threatening to go to court over the failure of the companies behind the Barry Waterfront development to provide a school, a key element of the approval for the residentialled project. https://bit.ly/planner0222-Barry

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NEWS RTPI news pages are edited

by Dominic Brady at the RTPI, 41 Botolph Lane, London EC3R 8DL

AWARDS

Left to right: RTPI CEO Victoria Hills, Abraham Laker, Chartered Town Planning Consultant, Olafiyin Taiwo, Convener at the Commonwealth Association of Planners, and Wei Yang, outgoing RTPI President

RTPI wins Best Industry Institute in the inaugural BPIC awards We are delighted to announce that the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has won Best Industry Institute in the inaugural Black Professionals in Construction (BPIC) awards.

The BPIC Network, host of the BPIC awards, works with industry organisations to improve ethnic minority representation and retention.

Having recently launched our CHANGE action plan in February 2020 it is a pleasure to gain recognition for our commitment to improving diverse representation and the advancement of Black and ethnic minority professionals.

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Noting how honoured the RTPI is to to have received the inaugural award, Machel Bogues, RTPI’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Manager, said: “It is a testament to all the hard work that we, the RTPI, have been doing over the last 12 to 18 months, from successfully launching our Degree Apprenticeship programme, our award-winning Plan the World We Need campaign that encourages planning to think not just about climate change but also climate justice, and the strides we have made in terms of the diversity of our

boards capped by the election of President Wei Yang, the first president of Black or Asian heritage in our 107-year history.”

As 2020 and 2021 were unusual periods, BPIC judges scored nominees on work completed throughout 2020 and 2021, with merits based on an institute or academy's commitment to their programme; evidence of individuals improvement as a result of this institute; work around diversity and inclusion and any other standout performance that particularly merits this award – what the

BPIC Network calls the ‘BPIC’ factor.

Within the past year to 18 months, we have constantly strived to engage with the big issues of the day, and encouraged our members to do the same. Campaigns such as our Plan the World We Need, Five Reasons for Climate Justice in Spatial Planning, and Women and Planning (Part II) showed the BPIC judges that the RTPI is driving change on subjects that matter today.

Bogues noted that, although it is with great pride that the work of colleagues and teams across the institute is recognised, it would not have been possible without help of our network partners, BAME Planners Network, Women in Planning, Neurodiversity in Planning and Planning Out. “Whilst we celebrate, we know that there is still much work to be done and this award will inspire us to continue that work for a truly inclusive, diverse and equitable profession,” said Bogues.

As if to reflect the progression of our values, we’ve seen a 3 per cent rise in year-on-year membership growth within the past year, with the majority of members coming through pipeline classes such as student, licentiate and affiliates. We are constantly striving to improve access to the profession by securing government approval for a new Level 4 Town Planning Assistant Apprenticeship.

It is with great pride that we move into 2022 with such an important accolade under our belts. We look forward to the forthcoming year, with BPIC 2022 set firmly in our sights.

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Editorial E: rtpinews@rtpi.org.uk

RTPI (switchboard) T: 020 7929 9494

Registered charity no.

262865 Registered charity in Scotland SCO37841

MEMBERSHIP

RTPI REACHES 27,000 MEMBERS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN INSTITUTE’S HISTORY As we came to the end of another difficult year, it was a pleasure to see some good, record-breaking news. Despite the international impact of Covid-19, for the first time in the institute’s history, the RTPI reached 27,000 members, retaining more than 90 per cent of its members and seeing a 4 per cent rise in year-on-year membership growth.

Victoria Hills, RTPI Chief Executive, explained the role that this historic high would have, not only on the institute, but serving the community.

“At a time when the planning profession is so vital in helping communities tackle the major existential issues of our day such as Covid recovery, climate change and providing healthy happy places for all, it’s great to see so many people choosing it as a career path,” said Hills.

The latest figures for RTPI membership indicate that the main areas of growth are from pipeline classes such as student, licentiate and affiliates, which should indicate a healthy sustainable future for the planning profession. The younger generation has been key in spurring the institute’s growth, with a 5 per cent increase in planning graduates in 2020-21.

Recognising the importance of new blood to the profession, the RTPI is preparing to see the first chartered town planner apprentices undertaking their end-point assessments in 2022, as well as launching the RTPI 2022 Training Programme to help more young planners to develop their careers.

Despite uncertainty about potential records in England and challenges surrounding recruitment, Hills highlighted how encouraging it was to see such strong representation from pipeline classes who represent the future of the profession.

“Seeing young people choose planning and choose the RTPI shows there may still be a bright future ahead of us,” added Hills.

I M AG E S | RT P I

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PERSPECTIVE

Frances Summers: Inspiring the next generation of planners When I was young I wanted to be an English teacher. I worked in schools and taught in after school clubs. But one thing led to another and before I knew it, I had started a temporary maternity cover position in the local council’s planning department. I found I was good at it and was offered a permanent contract and my employer’s support through a master’s degree in urban and rural planning. I was 32.

I want to make sure that subsequent generations are made aware of planning as a career well before they’re 32. So, when Speakers for Schools and Dorset’s Local Enterprise Partnership asked me to host some virtual work experience, I jumped at the chance. It was an opportunity to help secondary schoolchildren across the country who had missed out on work experience owing to Covid-19 lockdowns.

I involved a few of my colleagues to help design and present the day. We wanted to create interesting content that consisted of the students ‘doing’ planning; something simple that would work in a virtual environment. To help the students get a good overview of what planning is, we asked them to design an extension to #YourTown, a make-believe town with considerable flood risks, conservation areas and beautiful landscapes.

To help them start thinking like planners and develop decisionmaking skills, we spoke to them about the three pillars of sustainability and the concept of balanced decision-making. We also produced a pretend Landscape and Heritage study for the town and some fake public and statutory consultee responses.

We asked them to consider the design of their extension around the key ideas presented in ‘Building for a Healthy Life’, a design tool by Homes England that aims to create places that foster strong outcomes for people and nature. This knowledge prompted them to think about transport methods, green and blue infrastructure, the design of homes, healthy streets and spaces and facilities for their town extension.

We then set up a fake planning committee and asked our students to present to some of Dorset’s councillors to help the students to practise their public speaking. The students used the supporting documents and the ideas for design to support their decisions. Then they presented their ideas to councillors, who asked questions about each group’s extension, encouraging students to think about how their design would work in the real world and prompting interesting discussions.

FE B R U AR Y 2 0 22 / THE PLA NNER

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NEWS

NEW REPORT

Location of Development The new report released in December by the RTPI is the third in a series of Location of Development reports that share the same name. This time, the RTPI examined the disconnect between major housing sites and key amenities, showing the widening gap between London and the rest of England which threatens to affect the government’s levelling-up and environmental agendas.

Using data related to new major residential housing in England, as provided by the National Audit Office (NAO) and LandTech, Sam Spencer, Policy and Data Analyst at the RTPI, and his colleagues at the RTPI highlighted how new housing developments would force residents to rely on cars over public transport, particularly in areas outside of London.

“Much has been said about building greener homes and even the environmental impact of new construction projects,” said Spencer.

“However, our new analysis shows that the location of developments in relation

to key amenities is a factor that is often overlooked. This is particularly an issue in the regions outside of London where long travel times by public transport mean it is far more convenient to travel by car.”

The RTPI found that these new housing projects could push travel time to large employment centres, secondary schools and hospital trusts in areas outside of London to up to an hour, opposed to roughly half that time in the capital.

When comparing that travel time between public transport and cars, the RTPI found that the same journey would take 15 minutes in London, 33.6 minutes in the East of England and 36.8 minutes in the South West.

“In order to build greener communities and to deliver on the government’s levelling-up agenda, the government should strongly support developments that promote easy access by methods other than car travel,” said Spencer. n To download the full report, visit: bit.ly/planner0222-lod

Beginners’ Guide to Planning Enforcement December marked the launch of the RTPI’s first edition of the Beginners’ Guide to Planning Enforcement, an invaluable resource aimed at those who are new to planning enforcement.

Enforcement officers are the backbone of the planning system; it is a tough but rewarding job. Equally as important as the plan makers and the development managers, planning enforcement is there to preserve the integrity of – and public confidence in – the planning system by ensuring that

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development accords with the rules.

The skills and knowledge required to develop as an enforcement officer are wide-ranging and will inform how important decisions are made.

It might be that a member of the public wants to know why their neighbour’s extension is a permitted development, or action in relation to a breach of planning control needs to be expedited, each decision made will require a thorough investigation. This guide is a starting reference point on how to undertake those investigations.

Funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, the guide is full of helpful information aimed at anyone starting a job as an enforcement officer at a local planning authority, with no previous experience of investigating an alleged breach of planning control. This guide will continue to be reviewed and updated by the NAPE Management Committee. n To download the full guide, visit: bit.ly/planner0222-enforcement

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CAREER DEVELOPMENT

NEW MEMBERS

Kick off 2022 with the RTPI’s CPD Masterclass Programme

New chartered members

2022 offers the perfect chance for anyone working within the planning industry to take the next step in their careers

London n Alice Bennett n Alice Young-Lee n Amy Lomath n Andrew Tuohy n Daniel Doris n Gabriella Bexson n Helen Young n Jack Conroy n James Ainsworth n Lachlan Anderson-Frank n Mark Sleigh n Nancy Stuart n Nathan Cheung n Rowan Gilbert n Zoe Smythe

n Owain Williams

South East n Jordan Johnson n Mykena Mortimer-Davies n Rebecca Pullinger n Robert Neville n Sophia Rainsford

n Bryony

Built to enhance the tailored education offerings for 2022, the RTPI’s CPD Masterclass Training programme offers more than 30 online courses, bringing together the best elements of our training expertise for all professionals, and those who aspire to develop their careers in the planning sector.

Our programme of CPD Masterclasses is designed and delivered by our team of industry experts to support your learning and keep you up to date with the latest developments. With masterclasses delivered online via RTPI Learn, it is our goal to give everyone an opportunity to participate wherever they live or work.

CPD Masterclasses are delivered via two webinars over eight weeks. Supporting resources, activities and materials are introduced to the course over this time frame. CPD Masterclasses are limited to 30 delegates to enhance learning outcomes.

A range of topics will be covered, with climate action, equity, diversity and inclusivity remaining consistent themes throughout every course.

New topics for 2022 include Applied Urban Design Analysis and Planning for Elected Members. We also welcome the return of masterclasses on Environmental Impact Assessments, Sustainability Appraisals, and Implementing Carbon Net Zero Locally.

Anyone hoping to enhance their professional career skills, build industry knowledge and expertise, share good practice and network with other professionals and progress CPD objectives should consider signing up to one of our many CPD Masterclasses in 2022.

Alongside our CPD Masterclasses we also offer our eAcademy.

These include a variety of professional topics, and Health and Wellbeing modules to further your development. n To find out more, visit: bit.ly/planner0222-rtpitraining

Congratulations to the following planners who were recently elected to Chartered membership of the RTPI.

East of England n Matthew Lang

North East n Joseph McElhone n Thomas Gibbons n Eilidh Paul

North West n Elizabeth Slater n Christian Orr n Jemma Brabroo n Joe Hobbs n Jordan Clark

Yorkshire

South West n Alexandra Howe n Mahsa Khaneghah n David MacFadyen n Natalie Atkinson n Leonie Stoate

East Midlands n Megan Simpson n Peter Langton n Lauren May

Verena Clement n Joshua Woollard n Sam Ruthven

Wales /Cymru n Georgina Iliff n Gwen Rhys Thomas n Owain George n Ruth Potts n Sion Roberts

Scotland n Jemma Tasker n John Kennedy n Jamie Penman

Northern Ireland n Catriona Blair n Ciaran Devlin

West Midlands n Adam Ford n George Fairlie n Mark Singer

International n Lili Abou Hamad

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Here is a selection of the most recent opportunities from a few of those organisations working with The Planner to recruit the best quality candidates in the marketplace.

Principal Enforcement Of cer

Salary: £40,669 to £43,032 pa Location: West Hertfordshire

Senior Planner/Planner Specialist (Level 1) Development Management (Town Planning Of cer) Salary: £29,268 £33,770 pa Location: Flexible

Salary: £25,000 to £40,000 pa + bene ts Location: Warrington, Cheshire

Planner, Senior or Prinicipal Planner

Salary: Competitive starting salary (up to £53,000) Location: Winchester/Homeworking

Strategic Infrastructure Of cer Historic Buildings Of cer Salary: Career Grade £23,080 £33,782 pa Location: Stockton on Tees, Durham

Salary: £29,577 £34,728 pa Location: Suffolk

To advertis e pl ea se ema i l : t heplan n e r j o b s @ r e d act i v e . co . u k o r c a l l 0 2 0 7 8 80 6 2 32

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With membership of the RTPI at its highest level at the end of 2021 along with a new advertising opportunity for organisations to advertise on the RTPI Linkedin Company Page, theplannerjobs offers organisations engagement with one of the largest and widest audiences throughout the UK and beyond when recruiting for planners across all disciplines and sectors.

Principal Planning Of cer

Salary: Grade M4 £47,961 Location: Surrey

Scheme Consultant Salary: Competitive Location: London

Prinicpal Planning Of cer

Salary: dependent on quali cations and experience Location: West Sussex

Planning Policy Of cer

Section 106 Monitoring and Compliance Salary: £28,690 to £33,885 pa Location: Godalming, Surrey

Strategic Planning Policy Team vacancies

Salary: £21,989 £41,830 pa Location: York, North Yorkshire

Assistant Planner/Planner/ / Senior Planner – Birmingham m

Salary: Excellent remuneration and exible bene tss Location: Birmingham, West Midlands

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Activities

Click where you see this icon

CONTENT THAT'S WORTH CHECKING OUT

A digest of planning-related material. Each month our work takes us around the internet in search of additional detail for our stories, meaning we invariably come across links to items we think you’ll find educational, entertaining, useful or simply amusing. Here’s our latest batch.

What’s caught our eye RTPI Governance change explained

RTPI Urban Design Network event 2021 Chaired by RTPI Urban Design Network chair Justin Webber, this session sees some of the most influential speakers on the design dimension of planning discussing everything from the government’s design agenda, design codes, heritage and building performance through to updates from the nations. A word of warning, mind – there’s two hours and 30 minutes of it! bit.ly/planner0222urbandesign

Here, RTPI Board of Trustees chair Sue Bridge FRTPI is interviewed by recently elected Young Planners Trustee Jeffrey Ng about the January 2022 process of balloting members on a series of important changes to the institute’s governance structure. A neat format for getting up to speed quickly on what’s happening and why. bit.ly/planner0222-governance yp g

‘Average Working Day of a Chartered Town Planner’ Evelyn Jones, associate at Freeths LLP, is a prodigious user of YouTube where, through her Plan It Property channel, she’s chronicled her h progress towards becoming a chartered town planner.

With a keen eye for the camera, she’s even p been in the BBC’s Question Time audience discussing b housing. Plenty to think about here, including Evelyn’s h ttake on how to become a town planner and what the average working day of a town planner entails. a bit.ly/planner0222-planit b

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Metabolism in Transportation and Urbanism Author and retired planner Ikuo Ando considers how town planning in Japan has dealt with the necessary coexistence of people and cars following the country’s shift away from the ‘motoring first’ mentality dominant across the western world in the latter stages of the 20th century. And he suggests lessons that can be applied to British projects.

ASIN: B09DKKTGL8 Publisher: 22nd CENTURY ART

Michael Heizer’s “City” sculpture American ‘land artist’ Heizer’s extraordinary sculpture, built in the Nevada desert and adjacent to a US air force base, is apparently a mile-and-aquarter long and a quarter-of-amile wide. After a full 50 years in development, “City” is set to be made accessible to the public this spring. bit.ly/planner0222-heizer

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LANDSCAPE

WarringtonRuncorn New Town Development Plan Emerging from last month’s research into songs inspired by town planning, Gordon ChapmanFox’s work under the title ‘WarringtonRuncorn New Town Development Plan’ is electronic music that’s powerfully evocative of the turn of the 1980s. In his album Interim Report, March 1979 (we’re not kidding) the full hauntingly cold yet somehow soothing 1970s synthesiser experience is in full effect.

“1979 marked k d a change h in the political and wider culture of British society. The Warrington-Runcorn development marks the swansong of post-war urban planning in the UK,” says Chapman-Fox of his perhaps unlikely inspiration. bit.ly/planner0222warringtonruncorn

The Race to Net Zero – Why We Need to Plan the World “If we are to deliver net-zero carbon we need to make plans. These must be holistic, integrated, and resourced for delivery.” That was rallying cry from this RTPI event, delivered during COP26 in partnership with the Global Planners Network, Commonwealth Association of Planners and International Society of City and Regional Planners.

RTPI CEO Victoria Hills (pictured) introduces the event, with representatives from all those mentioned above as well as the UN Human Settlements Programme and the American, Canadian, South African and Australian planning associations. bit.ly/planner0222-racetonetzero

Book: Shift Change – Scenes from a Post-Industrial Revolution Author Stephen Dale writes here about how Hamilton, the steel capital of Canada, is undergoing an urban renaissance. The question he considers is this: “Is it possible to lift a downtrodden, post-industrial city out of poverty in a way that benefits people across the social spectrum, not just a wealthy elite?”

A case study aimed at anyone interested in equitable redevelopment, housing activism, and social justice.

ISBN: 9781771135535

Town planning – Cognitive Engineering (SoundCloud) London-based analytical consultancy Aleph Insights offers this 30-minute ‘what’s the point of planning?’ podcast, with some pithy takes on the evolution of urban planning and whether new cities still have lessons to learn from old towns.

They also consider the ways in which town planning can affect people’s happiness. bit.ly/planner0222-aleph

What we’re planning In our March issue, we’ll be mainly thinking about the issues relating to diversity, equality, fairness and representation that surround planning.

As we announce our annual Women of Influence list, we’ll also be looking at the impact of second homes on Welsh culture and language, for example; and considering how well planning listens to the needs and voices of different groups.

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