AUGUST 2019 HEATHROW’S FLIGHT PLAN // p.4 • PLACEMAKING IN WALES // p.6 • RTPI PLANNING CONVENTION 2019 // p.18 • NATIONS & REGIONS: NORTH WEST // p.36 • WINDOWLESS IN WATFORD // p.40 • DEFINITIONS OF ‘DELIVERABLE’ // p.44
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
2019 RTPI PLANNING CONVENTION: WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR PLANNING
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CONTENTS
AU GU ST
10 NEWS 4 Heathrow’s flight plan causes turbulence 6 No more building slums for the future 8 The case for more centralised and local infrastructure planning 8 Victoria Hills reiterates calls for greater strategic local role and the return of chief planners
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“THOSE THINKING ABOUT 20 YEARS, 30 YEARS, AND SHOWING A SENSE OF VISION, CAN SATISFY MANY OF THE QUALMS ABOUT CHANGE THAT PEOPLE NATURALLY RESIST IN THEIR AREA”
28 OPINION
14 Louise BrookeSmith: Was №stradamus really a town planner? C O V E R I L L U S T R A T I O N | C H A R L I E D AV I S
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16 Kate Stewart: Is putting people and dignity back into planning disruptive? It shouldn’t be… 16 Phil Stevenson: To beekeep or not to beekeep: that’s the question for UK towns and cities 17 Tony Burton: Neighbourhood planning – the London experience 17 David Leslie: Scotland’s new Planning Bill: We need to collaborate
“RULE NUMBER ONE, DON’T TRY TO BOIL THE OCEAN. INSTEAD, LOOK FOR QUICK WINS.” CAPITA’S ANDY FOSTER ON HOW THE PLANNING PROFESSION AS A WHOLE SHOULD PROGRESS CAUTIOUSLY WHEN SEEKING TO ESTABLISH NEW DIGITAL WORKFLOWS
30 Tech landscape at the RTPI convention
18-33 RTPI Convention 2019: The future of planning: What's next?
35 Nations & Regions: North West
20 What’s next – for infrastructure? 22 What’s next – for working with communities? 24 What’s next – for quality of design? 26 What’s next – for the creation of successful 21st century cities? 28 What’s next – for housing?
QUOTE UNQUOTE
INSIGHT
FEATURES
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38 Cases & decisions: Development decisions, round-up and analysis
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44 Legal Landscape: Opinions, blogs and news from the legal side of planning 46 RTPI round-up: News and interviews from the institute 50 Plan B: Kanye West is creating houses themed around Star Wars, but which other light entertainers are providing dwellings based on sci-fi films?
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NEWS
Report { HEATHROW AIRPORT
Heathrow’s flight plan causes turbulence Expanding Heathrow Airport will be a mega project lasting nearly 30 years. Yet considerable obstacles could leave it grounded. Huw Morris reports If the masterplan for expanding Heathrow Airport delivers what it promises, many of those who first read it will either be retired, nearing retirement or dead. That’s if it is allowed to deliver. The scheme, staggered across four phases over 28 years, will not be completed until 2050. The scale of the disruption envisaged is enormous. Chief points in the masterplan include a new 3,500-metre runway, expanded and satellite terminals, hotels, car parks, offices, cargo facilities, public transport alongside rerouted rivers, an ultra-low emissions zone, a vehicle access charge and a 6.5-hour ban on night flights.
Under the plan, the UK’s busiest motorway, the M25, will be shifted up to 150 metres west and run through a tunnel under the new runway and taxiways. Terminal 5 will be expanded with a new satellite terminal. A second satellite will be built next to the runway. Terminal 2 will be expanded with two satellite terminals built to the east and west linked by a passenger transit system. Terminals 1 and 3 will be demolished. The new terminals are needed to allow Heathrow to accommodate as many as 142 million passengers a year by 2050 compared with 81 million today. Flights will increase from today’s
HEATHROW’S PLANNING PROCESS
Consultation on the masterplan ends on September 13. This will feed into Heathrow’s application for a development consent order (DCO) to be submitted next year. Heathrow plans to put its proposals before a planning inquiry next summer, and inspectors are expected to make a recommendation to the transport secretary in 2021. If permission is granted, work could 4
start by 2022 with the new runway open by 2026. The government granted Heathrow outline consent last summer, which was challenged by councils, environmental groups and London mayor Sadiq Khan. The High Court rejected this in May. A fresh challenge, likely to centre on pollution and noise, could be launched if or when a DCO is granted. Heathrow says it will
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pay the market value plus 25 per cent for properties in its compulsory purchase zone, as well as for some houses in surrounding areas. “This is a significant undertaking,” says Angus Walker of BDB Pitmans. “Heathrow will have to write to all landowners who may have a compensation claim against the project – expected to run into hundreds of thousands.”
The masterplan envisages that Heathrow Airport will need to accommodate up to 142 million passengers a year by 2050 compared with the 81 million it serves today
480,000 a year to 756,000 by 2050. Heathrow’s masterplan also envisages the two biggest car parks in the world. One car park, to be built to the north of the airport, will accommodate 24,000 cars. This will be bigger than the West Edmonton Mall car park in Edmonton, Canada, currently the largest in the world at 20,000 cars. A second car park to the south of Heathrow will have space for 22,000. Another 6,500 spaces will also be provided in a multistorey car park to the south of Terminal 4. Inevitably, opposition to the masterplan is intense. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan views it as “an environmental disaster, with even higher levels of toxic air, increased noise disruption and at least 40,000 additional vehicles on the roads every day”. Hacan (Heathrow Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise), a campaign group opposed to Heathrow’s expansion, denounced it as “a mega project with a mega impact on local communities”. Gareth Roberts, leader of the London Borough of Richmond, warned that “millions of people are going to be impacted by these proposals, there will be disruption for many years”, accusing the government of being “utterly hypocritical by talking about how committed it is about climate change and air quality one I M A G E S | H E AT H R O W A I R P O R T
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PLAN UPFRONT
partner Angus Walker notes that a legal challenge to the Airports National Policy Statement (NPS) earlier this year had grounds relating to climate change, but these were dismissed because such issues as the Paris agreement had not yet been translated into UK law. “The Climate Change Act 2008 target was the thing. Now that that target has been changed, presumably the conclusions of the NPS are vulnerable.” This does not mean carbon emissions will be impossible, Walker adds, but the UK will “have to have in place equivalent carbon capture technology to cancel it out” or alternatively plant a lot of trees. The law change has implications for other UK airports, according to Lord Debden, chair of the Committee on Climate Change. None of them will be able to have major expansions in the coming decades. “If Heathrow is built it Campaign group Hacan says has to be built within the the expansion would be “a envelope of emissions which mega project with a mega we have allowed for aviation,” impact on local communities” he said. “It has knock-on effects and means you can’t build similar things elsewhere in the country. “It is for the government to decide what we as a nation put our priorities in. But it has to realise that it can’t move outside those parameters.” This is not lost on members of Uttlesford District Council. They have referred Stansted Airport’s day, then supporting airport expansion at application for expansion back to its Heathrow on the next”. planning committee after provisionally approving it last year. The move, which Airside issues follows a change of administration in This points to a Gordian knot. Less than May’s election, was prompted by “new a week before the Heathrow masterplan material considerations that directly was unveiled, Parliament approved a relate to aviation”, among them the change to section 1(1) of the Climate recent alteration to climate change law. Change Act, enshrining in law a target Uttlesford’s leader of net zero-carbon John Lodge suggests emissions by 2050. The “IF HEATHROW IS BUILT that, should the airport’s previous target was at IT HAS TO BE BUILT owners seek to appeal least 80 per cent lower WITHIN THE ENVELOPE this decision, “it could than the 1990 baseline OF EMISSIONS WHICH well be the UK’s first or 155.6 million tonnes. test case for the new Now the target is 0 tonnes. WE HAVE ALLOWED carbon net zero 2050 BDB Pitmans’ planning FOR AVIATION. IT HAS KNOCKON EFFECTS” legislation”. and infrastructure
THE NUMBERS
£14bn The cost of a third runaway at Heathrow
£700m The amount Heathrow has allocated to noise insulation
25,000
The number of extra flights a year to the airport after expansion
3,500m The length of the proposed runway
761
The number of homes to be demolished, including the village of Longford and the southern part of Harmondsworth
142m
The number of passengers the expanded airport is expected to handle by 2050
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NEWS
Analysis { PLACEMAKING IN WALES
Quality homes are key, whatever the tenure
Julie James, Welsh minister for housing, emphasised the importance of local people understanding their role in developing the local development plan
By Laura Edgar
We must focus on outcomes rather than simply counting the number of homes we build – that was the message given by Julie James, minister for housing and local government at the Welsh Government, as presented to the 2019 RTPI Cymru conference. Quality as well as quantity is a message being repeated a lot as each country of the United Kingdom battles to create good-quality homes to meet the demand. James believes placemaking allows many factors to be considered together. It is at the heart of the 10th iteration of Planning Policy Wales (PPW), published in December 2018. The Welsh Government would, she pledged, use all of the tools available to it to monitor whether placemaking is being implemented through development plans and development management systems. The Welsh Government is committed to delivering 20,000 additional affordable homes, and to deliver them “we must squeeze every amount of value from the investment we make and use all the available policy leaders, including planning, to their full potential”, she said. Now that the UK Government has abolished the borrowing cap, local authorities can and must start building again, she added. This opportunity “to transform our communities is one that we really must harness”. Continually returning to the placemaking agenda, James said she is interested in the quality, variety and locations of homes. Whatever the tenure, communities deserve high-quality housing in the right locations. “I have seen too many properties that simply do not reap those most basic criteria. I have visited far too many major housebuilding sites across Wales where
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what we have effectively built is a slum of the future.” James is “seriously considering saying we cannot build houses in Wales unless we build them to social housing standards. I don’t see why we should be forcing people in the private sector to live in worse houses than we want people in our social sector to live in.” Ending on a positive note, the minister emphasised the importance of local communities, local people understanding the role they have in developing their local development plan. “Planning is absolutely at the heart of that.”
People power Richard Bacon MP pointed out that the housing crisis does not comprise one problem but in fact involves several. “Engaging the energy of the people
Richard Bacon MP told delegates that the housing crisis is not just one problem “but several”
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PLAN UPFRONT
PLANNING SERVICES ARE STRAINED, SAYS AUDITOR’S REPORT
who are going to be doing the living there is absolutely essential”, said Bacon. Throughout his speech on the advantages of self-build, Bacon emphasised architect Rod Hackney’s point. “It is a dangerous thing to underestimate human potential and the energy which can be generated when people have the opportunity to help themselves.” This is, he said, what self and custom-build are all about – people building for themselves and harnessing that energy. Currently, said Bacon, people feel that they don’t have a say on what gets built in their area, where it gets built, how it performs and who gets the first chance to live there. For development to be thought a good word, good development is needed, which means making great places for people. Further, he added, the business of placemaking should be separate from the business of homemaking, “which can be done “WE MUST SQUEEZE anywhere, including in factories”. EVERY AMOUNT OF It was necessary, said Bacon, to VALUE FROM THE facilitate a market for serviced plots of INVESTMENT WE MAKE” land to introduce greater choice. – JULIE JAMES
Planning officer capacity in Wales is stretched and skills are decreasing in key areas, a report has found. The number of trainees entering the profession has also fallen in recent years, which has raised concern about the long-term sustainability of services. Adrian Crompton, the Auditor General for Wales, who issued the report, said this is a result of the planning service having seen its budget cut by 50 per cent over the past 10 years. The Effectiveness of Local Planning Authorities in Wales, compiled by the Wales Audit Office, considers the results of a public survey. It found there is a “growing disconnect” between what people want from their planning authority and what it is able to deliver. The survey shows 67 per cent of local planning authorities are not effectively engaging with citizens about planning proposals, and many feel that planners are focused more on individual applications rather than the creation of a more sustainable society. Crompton said: “Good planning is essential for more vibrant and sustainable communities, but clear vision is needed in order for Wales to thrive. I am concerned that most local planning authorities have not clearly defined how planning services contribute to the wellbeing of people and communities.” He said his recommendations are designed to improve capacity, resillience and engaement, and set out how planning can help to improve well-being.” To improve involvement with stakeholders and ownership of decisions, Crompton suggests that local planning authorities should test current engagement practices and consider the full range of options available to them to ensure that involvement activities are fit for purpose. Local authorities should also use ‘Place Plans’ as a vehicle to engage and involve communities in planning choices and decision-making, he said. Roisin Willmott, director at RTPI Cymru, noted the importance of the Wales Audit Office recognising the need for more resources for the planning profession – something for which the institute has long campaigned. More resources are “essential” if local authorities are to deliver local plans, act in accordance with sustainable development principles and contribute to the well-being of people and communities, she said. “The RTPI has been taking measures to promote careers in planning which we hope will encourage an increased and more diverse entry into the profession. However, these developments will not be enough on their own, without proper resourcing.”
n The Effectiveness of Local Planning Authorities in Wales, launched at the RTPI Cymru conference, can be found on the Wales Audit Office website: bit.ly/planner0819-Wales
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NEWS
News { Adonis emphasises critical role of national infrastructure planning The former chair of the National Infrastructure Commission said that strong central government involvement is as important to addressing the UK’s infrastructure planning as any such activity devolved to the nations and regions. Speaking at the CIPFA Property Regeneration 2019 conference, Lord Andrew Adonis said that “every layer of government and public administration which involves a territory should have infrastructure planning. It’s as simple as that – and it’s interesting that most of them don’t have it”. Adonis, who served as transport secretary under Gordon Brown, said that the UK has never previously had a complete national infrastructure plan. He also bemoaned the lack of a strategic plan for developing the country’s coastal communities. Menrioning the Beeching cuts of the 1960s, Adonis said that “30 towns with a population of over 25,000 population lost their railways… and have gone into sharp decline because of it. There should be a systematic programme to address the issue, one which is led nationally - yet no one had examined the problem until this year.”
In his examination of the UK’s national infrastructure, Adonis claimed that “the only two plans we’ve had have been for transport infrastructure – the motorway network and HS2” both of which show how good UK transport infrastructure projects can be. Adonis also said that HS2 had the potential to “totally transform the connectivity and wider placemaking infrastructure of the West Midlands.
“I don’t think people quite understand how different things are going to be after HS2,” said Adonis, who suggested Birmingham New Street station be re-named ‘UK Central’. In respect of transport, the UK’s national infrastructure planning is, said Adonis, now better "than anything we’ve done in our recent history. But we don’t have an equivalent plan in respect of energy, and we do not have one in respect of housing.”
RTPI tells councils to put chief planners in charge of decision-making The RTPI has urged chief executives at local councils in England to ‘elevate’ their chief planning officer or head of planning to the most senior level of decision-making in the corporate structure. In its 2018 research, the institute found that just 23 per cent of the 212 local authorities it investigated in the UK had a head of planning who reported to the chief executive. Speaking to the Local Government Association, RTPI chief executive
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Victoria Hills MRTPI launched the second part of the study into the corporate and strategic influence of planning in local authorities. “Planning is the one function that can help deliver almost all the key areas within an authority’s corporate strategy,” said Hills. “We urge all council chiefs and portfolio holders to recognise this and put in the right structure so that leaders can make major decisions with full view and proper debate of
their spatial dimensions.” Hills also announced HOPE: ’Heads of Planning Everywhere’, an annual summit of heads of planning. “I’ll use the convening role of the RTPI to bring together the largest heads of planning chiefs from across England, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, in an annual meeting, commencing in 2020, following the launch of the RTPI’s 2020-2030 Corporate Strategy,” Hills explained.
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PLAN UPFRONT
Scottish planning bill introduces chief planning officers The Scottish Parliament has passed the Scotland (Planning) Bill, which includes a provision for the introduction of statutory chief planning officers. The passing of the bill came after three days of discussion on the 223 amendments tabled in advance of stage 3. Planning minister Kevin Stewart was successful in changing the bill to include measures that set out a new approach to strategic planning designed to act as “a strong but flexible bridge between national and local planning”. RTPI Scotland has campaigned for the bill
to include statutory chief planning officers since the process began. Convenor Julia Frost said this shows Scotland is “leading the way in ensuring that decisions on development, communities and policy will be made in the long-term public interest”. The bill provides the right for communities to be able to prepare local place plans covering what will be done in their area. This could include addressing issues on housing, open space, community facilities, business and employment opportunities. Local
authorities would be legally required to take local place plans into account when preparing their development plans. Local authorities also now have a duty to work together to produce regional spatial strategies. These should provide longterm direction to large-scale development, matching local and national planning needs, outcomes and priorities.
The bill states that the National Planning Framework – Scotland’s long-term plan for future development – now needs to be approved by Parliament. It also includes new powers for local authorities to introduce control areas where planning permission will always be required if owners want to change the use of their property to short-term lets. Frost said that many details remained to be
thrashed out in taking forward secondary legislation and regulations. RTPI Scotland still has concerns that many additional duties have been placed on the Scottish Government and local authority planning departments that remain uncosted and unfunded. The institute says it will continue to highlight the need to bring additional resourcing into the planning system.
Belfast unveils ‘green and blue’ infrastructure blueprints Belfast City Council is consulting on two new strategies to shape its approach to planning, investment and management of the city’s parks, open spaces, rivers and lakes. The Green and Blue Infrastructure Plan (GBIP) and Belfast Open Spaces Strategy (BOSS) cover the period 2019 to 2035 It aims to ensure that
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vegetated areas (green infraatructure) and waterways (blue) are planned strategically to maximise economic, environmental and social benefits in and around the conurbation’s urban areas. The BOSS aims to protect, develop and improve access to open spaces to boost health and well-being, support urban wildlife
and biodiversity, and encourage investment. The strategies are seen as key to realising targets laid out in its community plan, and the local development plan. Both will support the proposed One Million Trees project, which sets out a treeplanting plan for Belfast over the next 15 years. The consultation closes on 6 September.
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NEWS
News { Stronger links needed between housing and planning The Welsh Government has accepted the need to strengthen the links between housing need and the planning process. Housing and local government minister Julie James told AMs that the government had either accepted, or accepted in principle, every recommendation from the affordable housing supply review – with the exception of proposals for the future of Help to Buy. She told a session of the Assembly’s Plenary: “The panel highlighted the importance of understanding housing need and some of the challenges local authorities face in this area.
“They highlighted the strong role government could and should play, and the importance of strengthening links between housing need and planning process. “I accept this critique and welcome their support for the work we have done assessing need at a national and regional level. Their suggestion that this be extended to a local level is one I intend to pursue.” “We need to be far more sophisticated in the way we use public land to support a wider range of objectives than simply generating the highest capital receipt. I want to see stronger joint working across organisations to help achieve this.”
Ireland publishes a climate change action plan The Irish Government has published its climate action plan designed to set the country on a trajectory to achieve net zero-carbon emissions by 2050. Ministers stressed the need to change how homes are heated, how the country is powered and the way the population travels. It commits government to establish a microgeneration scheme allowing homeowners to generate their own electricity and sell what they don’t use to the national grid. The plan includes policy shifts to enable a rapid decarbonisation of
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the country within 12 years, including targets for putting nearly a million electric vehicles on Irish roads as well as the retrofitting of 500,000 homes in a move that will see 400,000 heat pumps installed. By 2030, 70 per cent of power generation will be from renewable energy – doubling current capacity. The strategy will see a system of five-year carbon budgets and sector targets, underpinned bynew legislation. All major government investments and decisions will be carbon-proofed, pledged ministers.
Report calls for retail parks to be reimagined as mixed-use schemes Retail parks and supermarkets should be turned into mixed developments for communities served by public transport under wide-ranging recommendations from a government adviser on better design in the planning system. The interim report by the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission also demands that ‘great weight’ be placed on securing beauty in the planning system, with communities given an early and more effective voice in the planning process to help end identikit homes and “boxland” developments. The authors believe that communities should have a more effective say in their area’s housing plans rather than just fighting applications, with the public involved during masterplanning rather than engaging in “planning by appeal”. Local authorities should publicise “ugly” designs they have denied permission to, using them as examples to encourage beautiful design. High streets should be “beautiful, walkable, well-connected places for people to live and work with a greater mix of buildings” including smaller shops, businesses and homes. The commission also urges different layers of local government to work together and set out a vision for development that reflects “local geography, culture and economic priorities”. The commission has heard evidence from more than 120 stakeholders ranging from residents to housing professionals. Interim chairman, Create Streets founder Nicholas Boys-Smith, said: “We need to move democracy upstream from development control to plan-making.” RTPI president Ian Tant praised the commission for placing importance on “the planning system and planners to play a decisive role in changing the status quo”. I M AG E S | A L A M Y / I STO C K
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LEADER COMMENT
Opinion onn The fleeting nature of ‘universal’ tech – In the late 1990s the ‘universal serial bus’ was sold as the one true king of computer connections in a world infested with hundreds of incompatible cable types. For a while, manufacturers and consumers rushed to adopt it. But we’ve since had at least three different versions of the USB standard and a myriad physical USB connection types for phones, printers et al. That original ‘universal’ serial bus turned out not so 'universal’ after all. Still, that is perfectly understandable. If there’s one thing we all know from painful experience it’s that technology continually evolves. Any attempt to standardise on format runs into trouble sooner or later. The Adobe portable document format (PDF) is perhaps a more planningspecific case in point. PDFs brought a common digital format to the packaging of print content. Any print
Martin Read page could be exported into a format that anyone with any kind of computer could read. What’s more, PDFs could have searchable tags appended. But time moves on. Today, with artificial intelligence (AI) waiting in the wings, the message is that PDFs might themselves be poised to become yesterday’s tech. While much good work continues to go into bringing the planning data contained in PDFs to life – and there is plenty of such data tucked
away on local authority servers – the way PDFs can be interrogated remains limiting. As the potential for AI becomes clear, time spent looking back (annotating and tagging PDFs to bring existing content to life) may well become less important than time spent looking forwards (producing fresh policy content written as machine-readable code). One inescapable quote from the recent RTPI Convention is that “the language of planning needs to change before the technology can really do its stuff”. And yes, that’s quite the concept. It suggests a need to think and write in a data-first mindset. Like many other types of professional, planners are
“WILL PLANNERS REALLY BE ABLE TO AVOID BECOMING CODING ‘ENGINEERS’ OF A SORT?”
getting the seemingly mixed message that they need to be more people-friendly yet more tech-savvy at the same time; what was once an incongruous combination of personal qualities has become highly sought after. There may well be a Catch-22 ahead as planners, in order to hand off process work to computers, find they need to spend at least part of the time they get back learning the skills necessary to understand how best to write policy for machines first, humans second. And we haven’t even mentioned the potential for blockchain, which itself promises a ‘post-document’ world. Will planners really be able to avoid becoming coding ‘engineers’ of sorts, able to clamber ‘under the hood’ and understand at least some of what goes in to the critical linkages between policy and process? Who else should have oversight control of the data going into the decision-making? On that, there’s definitely no consensus just yet.
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£120 – UK £175 – Overseas To subscribe, call 01580 883844 or email subs@redactive.co.uk – alternatively, you can subscribe online at subs.theplanner. co.uk/subscribe © The Planner is published on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) by Redactive Publishing Ltd (RPL), 78 Chamber Street, London E1 8BL This magazine aims to include a broad range of opinion about planning issues and articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the RTPI nor should such opinions be relied upon as statements of fact. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any print or electronic format, including but not limited to any online service, any database or any part of the internet, or in any other format in whole or in part in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher. While all due care is taken in writing and producing this magazine, neither RTPI nor RPL accept any liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein. Printed by PCP Ltd.
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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
Was Nostradamus really a town planner? How many of us regularly read horoscopes and feel that the predictions really do come true? Or do we simply try to make events fit the predictions? Michel de Nostredame, the C16th French astrologer, might have foreseen the future, or might have simply been rather vague in his phraseology. Either way, predictions and crystal ball-gazing have preoccupied many of us for centuries. It would be fabulous to accurately predict the future. It would save so much time, energy and expense to be able to plan for future needs, anticipate new technology, have a skilled workforce in place and have all relevant regulations prepared in advance. But the best we can do is make intelligent guesses. What did the great and good of the planning world anticipate 50 years ago? And did we take their soothsaying seriously? The 1960s saw an economic boom in much of the West. But China was still gripped by Mao Tse Tung and there was war in Vietnam. Much of Africa, though, was waking up to independence. In the UK a building boom was turning bomb sites into new communities, the skyline was punching up to new heights. The baby boom era was taking hold. Comprehensive education was replacing the 11-plus, families started to have their own telephones, and slum clearances were seen as the answer to poor health and inadequate sanitation. These paved the way for a national roll-out of Le Corbusier’s dream. UK cities
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saw new suburban estates and tower blocks rise up – Sheffield’s Hyde Park flats were state of the art. Computerisation was in its infancy but was driving new industry, with manufacturing booming. Beeching cuts axed unproductive rail lines, air travel became more popular and motorways were seen as the panacea. New towns were springing up and planned retail centres such as in Coventry provided an award-winning model for others to follow. Fifty years on, many of those tower blocks, retail centres and settlements are still serving their communities. Most have had a makeover, but fundamentally they continue to serve a role. The intervening years have seen few periods as aspirational or build programmes as successful or far-reaching. There has been more of a ‘make do and mend’
“IT’S NOT JUST THE HOUSING PRESSURES THAT HAVE BECOME ACUTE; IT’S THE NATURE AND LOCATION OF OUR RETAIL AREAS” approach in terms of housing stock and infrastructure. Rarely since the end of the 1960s has the built environment sector had to, en masse, call for a radical rethink in what we need to build, where to build it, how to build it and how to travel between the things we build. But that is what’s happening now. It’s not just the housing pressures that have become acute; it’s the nature and location of our retail areas, it’s a global response to climate change and it’s an awareness
that digital technological change is happening quickly. We either embrace it or risk being left behind. Within the next 10 years all forms of ‘polluting activity’ or anything that has more than a zero-carbon impact are likely to be outlawed and that will affect not only how we will travel but also how we will construct. Sharing and renting will become the norm, rather than owning a ‘private’ vehicle or home. Transport for people or for goods will be by electric powered autonomous vehicles and drones. Modular build will address housing needs. Digital technology and 5G will have had a big impact on data transference. But by 2030, we are likely to have moved on to the next configuration anyway and so the means of connectivity between locations will be even more effective. Did Nostradamus see this? I’m sure someone will be able to translate his references to fit. Meanwhile, the Women’s Weekly horoscope for next week simply reads: “A blond leader will arrive on a zip wire advocating a brave new world”. Read into that what you will.
Dr Louise Brooke-Smith is a development and strategic planning consultant and a built environment non-executive director
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Quote unquote FROM THE RTPI PLANNING CONVENTION “The supply chain has got to be there. If we want to build 18,000 homes and you can only get the supply chain delivering you 500 roof frames or kitchen pods, it’s difficult.”
“Planning policy needs to be written in a way that both humans and machines can understand” ICENI PROJECTS’ CHARLOTTE ORRELL MRTPI SUGGESTS A NEW WAY OF LOOKING AT POLICY PREPARATION
PHILIP BARNES ON THE LACK OF SCALE IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN FOR MODERN METHODS OF CONSTRUCTION MMC
“These days, if we want to book a flight we can do so from our phones while sitting in the park. We need to bring that level of user experience into planning.” HELEN LAWRENCE OF OPEN SYSTEMS LAB ON ASPIRATIONS FOR A CONTEMPORARY PLANNING ‘UI’
“Planning as a profession can extract social media data and, with artificial intelligence, use it as a means of public engagement” SHROPSHIRE COUNCIL’S SHANNON FRANKLIN LOOKS AHEAD TO A 2040 IN WHICH GEO TAGGED CONTENT COULD INFLUENCE PLANNING DELIVERY
“We need to be realistic,, using tools which are practical and will ill help people with the systems we have in place now” LANDENHANCE’S GRACE MANNING MARSH H SUGGESTS A FOCUS ON DIGITAL TOOLS THAT CAN WORK WITH HOW DATA IS STORED ME IN THE FUTURE TODAY, NOT SOME INDETERMINATE TIME
ck to the “When I come back UK I am disappointed nted by the extent to which I see people using smart technologies nologies to pursue exceptionally onally stupid strategies” STRAIGHT TALKING DUNCAN MCLENNAN OF W THE UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW
“One of the perils is how we define community ... We need to better understand the different types of community so we can use more appropriate techniques” GAVAN RAFFERTY, LECTURER AT ULSTER UNIVERSITY
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I M AG E S | I S T O C K / K AT E DA R K I N S
“For early stage conception work we should embrace the role of charrettes; they can provide inclusive outcomes in a reasonably short period of time” MARK PRISK MP LOOKS TO BRING PLANNING’S CONSULTATION POSTER CHILD BACK INTO FASHION
“We think nothing of the cognitive dissonance between where we spend our leisure time and the crap we build in our own environments”
“You can argue there’s no such thing as an up-to-date local plan” CELINE MONIET SUGGESTS CONSTANTLY CHANGING DATA PUTS ‘UP TO DATE’ OUT OF SIGHT
NEW YORK ARCHITECT VISHAAN CHAKRABARTI TAKES ISSUE WITH THE UNIFORMITY OF CITY DESIGN
“You can have the best policies in the world for social and affordable housing, but if you don’t negotiate them on individual sites they’ll never happen” JANICE MORPHET, CHAIRING THE ‘SOLVING THE HOUSING CRISIS WHAT CAN LOCAL AUTHORITIES DO?’ SPECIAL INTEREST SESSION
“Rule number one: don’t try to boil the ocean. Instead, look for quick wins.” CAPITA’S ANDY FOSTER ON HOW THE PLANNING PROFESSION SHOULD PROGRESS CAUTIOUSLY WHEN SEEKING TO ESTABLISH NEW DIGITAL WORKFLOWS
“Developers do know which councils stick to their guns, and which will crumble at the first mention of viability” NICK MURPHY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, NOTTINGHAM CITY HOMES
“Community munity engagement ment and participation pation is intensive; ve; it is hard, it is not easy” SARAH JAMES, ES,, MEMBERSHIP NT OFFICER,, DEVELOPMENT E CIVIC VOICE
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B E S T O F T H E B LO G S
O Opinion
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Kate Stewart is chief executive of place-making and engagement specialist We Make Places
Is putting people and dignity back into planning disruptive? It shouldn’t be…
Having b been involved in urban regener regeneration, architecture and design for many years, I’ve seen changing trends and tactics in relation to community consultation. But all too often, the people who live in areas earmarked for regeneration are ignored and subsequently left behind. I get that regeneration has to mean positive change, and that investment is designed to jolt undervalued and underdeveloped places out of long-term deprivation, but where do existing communities fit in? Do developers see these people and their problems, as part of a failed past? Or are they a chance to better understand the true heart of what makes a place? We need to put dignity back into the planning process by ensuring that people’s stories are told. This view is shared by a growing number of developers, including our current clients Cheshire West & Chester Council (CWaC), ForHousing and Regenda Homes. In 2018 CWaC and housing partner ForHousing, submitted plans to regenerate Sutton Way, an estate in Ellesmere Port that included remodelling, demolishing and rebuilding new homes. Both knew that the usual methods of community consultation were not working. They needed new ideas. We Make Places won a competitive tender on the basis of our ‘disrupting the norm’ approach and a promise to engage with as
many residents as possible, not just as part of the planning and regeneration process, but to deliver positive and lasting change. We established a physical presence on Sutton Way, and visited residents’ homes, offering an open invitation to visit our newly created conversation space. The renewal plans were a lot for residents to take in, particularly those set to lose their homes, but we have kept people involved in aspects such as design decisions and understanding the process. The scheme has now has full planning permission and both clients credit We Make Places’ methods as being key to this outcome. We also identified a significant number of residents facing social and mental health challenges, and were able to work with the housing providers and various partners to develop community activities and referral routes that will continue beyond planning. These include ‘Meet Up Mondays’ drop-in sessions, local arts and social history projects, and our Urban Workbench programme, which tackles loneliness and isolation by teaching DIY skills. When developers are aware of issues that could prohibit proper engagement and ignore them we must ask why. Are they just kicking problems down the road and hoping for the best – or purposely undermining existing communities? Neither leads to truly sustainable development.
“WE NEED TO PUT DIGNITY BACK INTO THE PLANNING PROCESS BY ENSURING THAT PEOPLE’S STORIES ARE TOLD”
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Phil Stevenson is professor of plant chemistry at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich
To beekeep or not to beekeep: that’s the question for UK towns and cities
Public concern c for bees has rpromp rprompted a surge in amateur beekeeping in towns and cities. The hives on the roof of the Department for the Environment Food & Rural Affairs’ own HQ, Nobel House, are vaunted by ministers showing they are ‘doing their bit for the environment’. But do 10,000 to 50,000 hungry bees on a city roof do anything for the environment? Or could they even be harmful? If we want to protect bees, we need to think beyond honeybees. There are about 275 bee species in the British Isles alone – all of which are important to food production or supporting natural habitats, including in towns and cities. Honeybees outcompete wild bees for food, especially where food is limited. Honeybees forage on many plants so adapt to most environments, but wild bees often specialise in just a few, relying on native species. The ivy bee collects only pollen from ivy flowers. Moreover, honeybees are so effective at collecting pollen they waste very little. The result is that they aren’t as good at pollinating as wild bees that typically carry pollen all over their hairier bodies. A recent study (bit.ly/ planner0819-honeybees) showed that honeybees spread disease to wild bees, finding that around 20 per cent of flowers, which are primary disease transmission sites
(bit.ly/planner0819-diseases), near honeybee hives were infested with bee viruses. The social media discourse is racking up among the expert beekeepers, too, especially in London. Concerns centre on the poor practice of amateurs, leading to disease proliferation that can affect other hives and more frequent swarming. There are now calls for rules similar to those in other big cities, including New York, Washington, D.C. and Paris. But we must not demonise beekeeping: honeybees are essential for many crops. But the conservation narrative needs to emphasise diversity. Attention to wild bees in urban planning must be encouraged through innovations such as bee-bricks and nest boxes, and allowing gardens and parks to become wilder. Reduced mowing in open spaces and parks permits proliferation of native flowers, and hedgerows and trees provide bees with masses of nectar and pollen. These measures should be included in city planning. Crucially, we need to keep the conservation conversation alive; the more we know, the better support we can give to nature in our urban landscapes. September’s issue of The Planner will be devoted to considering how planning can support biodiversity recovery, including through the notion of national park cities.
“ATTENTION TO WILD BEES MUST BE ENCOURAGED THROUGH BEE BRICKS AND NEST BOXES, AND ALLOWING GARDENS AND PARKS TO BECOME WILDER”
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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
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Tony Burton is convener of Neighbourhood Planners London
Neighbourhood planning – the London experience
It is eigh eight years since pioneering commu communities exercised their rights to produce neighbourhood plans. The strong take-up is testimony to the energy and commitment of local volunteers. London has played a strong role in the growth of the neighbourhood planning movement despite its complexity and the additional need to set up new neighbourhood forums to take on the task. As the volunteer-led network for neighbourhood planners in the capital, Neighbourhood Planners.London has published research by Publica on the experience, including the potential for less well-advantaged communities. More than 120 communities have explored n e ighb ou rh o o d planning and 79 n e ighb ou rh o o d forums have been designated; 13 forums have completed plans and the number of completed plans is accelerating. The success of plans at referendum is clear-cut. But there are still nine boroughs without registered forums and it is taking 49 months on average for forums to take a plan from designation to referendum. London faces a growing number of forums becoming stuck after designation and the number of new forums coming on stream has declined from a peak of 18 to two a year. The geography of neighbourhood planning in London presents a complex
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David Leslie MRTPI is chief planning officer at the City of Edinburgh Council and chair of Heads of Planning Scotland
Scotland’s new Planning Bill: We need to collaborate
picture. There is no clear correlation with levels of deprivation, home ownership or borough politics. Neighbourhood planning is proving its worth in a wide variety of places, including some of the least advantaged. Civic-minded volunteers are using neighbourhood planning to make a real difference but too often face obstacles and a lack of support from established institutions. There are lessons here for the mayor, London councils – and the government, whose support programme must adapt to make sure the funds it provides are adequate. The right of neighbourhood forums to access additional funds and support should be restored. Neighbourhood planning needs to be valued as much for how it brings people together and inspires projects and initiatives to improve the local quality of life as for the policies in a neighbourhood plan. Local communities need more incentives to support them at different stages on the road to producing a neighbourhood plan. They also need more direct influence over spending some of the funds generated by the community infrastructure levy on the development that follows. You can find our two reports undertaken with Publica and Trust for London here: www. neighbourhoodplanners.london
“NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING IS PROVING ITS WORTH IN A WIDE VARIETY OF PLACES, INCLUDING SOME OF THE LEAST ADVANTAGED”
Reform of the planning system is a continuo continuous journey. Heads of Pl Planning Scotland (HOPS) is clear about where that journey should take us and who should be travelling with us. We need a planning system that adds value to the development of our communities, engages people in forward planning and delivers its services in an efficient manner. So reform is as much about collaboration and behavioural change as it is about legislation. The Scottish Government cannot deliver reform alone and HOPS will continue to assist. Local planning authorities need to work with their communities to apply the new and amended provisions in the newly passed Planning (Scotland) Bill to ensure that they address local priorities. Stakeholders from all parts of the system need to understand their roles in bringing about change, to consider different ways of working and to commit the necessary resources. In passing a planning bill, the Scottish Parliament has taken us to the next milestone on the journey of reform. HOPS is now focusing on the implementation of new legislation. We enjoy a close working relationship with Scottish Government colleagues, which provides a good opportunity for collaborative working. As the service managers of Scotland’s local, national park and strategic development planning
authorities, HOPS members are sharing their operational experience. Our recent annual conference explored the theme of collaboration. and the importance of trust between stakeholders, of shared understanding of issues and of a willingness to listen. We want to achieve streamlining and to recognise the limited resources within which planners operate. This is important when the Scottish Government starts to prepare regulations, circulars and advice to implement the reforms. Where new legislative provisions are discretionary, planning authorities must decide whether such activities will be a beneficial use of local resources. Where they are mandatory, we need to find ways to minimise costs by reviewing our processes rather than adding tasks. As planning service managers, we must collaborate with other services within our councils to find solutions that fit our different service structures and work with community and industry representative bodies. The debate oabout reform of the Scottish planning system has raised awareness of what planning can deliver. In some areas these expectations have not been met by the new legislation. Stakeholders in the system need to collaborate to find ways to make the best use of the new legislation to deliver quality outcomes in placemaking.
“THE DEBATE ABOUT REFORM OF THE SCOTTISH PLANNING SYSTEM HAS RAISED AWARENESS OF WHAT PLANNING CAN DELIVER”
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The shape of things As every sci-fi film will illustrate, we view the future as we view the past – through the lens of the present. When we talk about what’s to come, what we’re mostly talking about, really, is what concerns us in the here and now, and how we should respond to that. A sense of challenge coursed through this year’s Planning Convention at County Hall; of problems that need to be raised and resolved now if we are to build a sustainable future. How do we transpose the verities of planning – social, economic and environmental – into our
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growing cities so that they become places where everyone can flourish? How do we adapt our historic infrastructure to a world with pressures more varied than the original builders anticipated? A world that is steeped in uncertainty – demographically, technologically, politically? How do we return town centres to relevance? Ensure that in meeting housing targets, we build homes and places that are attractive and worth living in? How do we integrate technology into planning? How, indeed, should planning respond to the
“THE FUTURE WILL DEMAND THE VERY BEST OF ENABLERS AND FACILITATORS” urgent challenge of climate change? Ian Tant MRTPI, the RTPI president, used his presidential address to call on government to take “radical” climate actions on buildings and transport. He appealed for planners to be given the resources to lever the potential of planning to aid this quest. “Without planners or adequate planning systems
and policies, there is no realistic way to progress to zero carbon,” he said, as he launched the RTPI’s Resource Planning for Climate Change campaign. “Now is the time for government to enable planners to take the lead to get things done.” If public planning is to shape the future that we want, it must be properly resourced. Victoria Hills MRTPI, the RTPI’s chief executive, unveiled research into the number of planners working in the UK that feeds into the institute’s campaign to secure more resources for the profession.
I M AG E S T H RO U G H O U T | RT P I
It was titled ‘The future of planning: What’s next?’. But, asks Simon Wicks, what did the Planning Convention 2019 tell us about the shape of things to come?
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The UK Planning Profession 2019 found that the balance of public to private sector planners had shifted markedly towards the private sector. This was bound to have an effect on the capability of local authorities to tackle the strategic issues that the conference highlighted, particularly the need to “rebalance” the UK’s regional economies. “We need commitment from all levels of government to reinvigorate the country’s planning system and make public sector planning an attractive and rewarding career again,” stressed Hills.
Future planning How will planning have to change to meet the demands of the future? For Mark Prisk MP, chair of the All Party Parliamentary
rediscover the art of longterm thinking. “I am urging local authorities not to think about five years, but 10, 15, 20 years, about what the strategic plan is for where we live. When you think that far ahead you can address all sorts of concerns about infrastructure and housing, and show your plans are not ad hoc and responsive to short-term political cycles.”
Future planners
Group on Planning, now convened by the RTPI, the future lay in public participation of the kind that gives local people a large measure of control. “We need to change the prevailing culture of how we plan,” he said in his keynote address. “But changing the form of public engagement from consultation to participation isn’t really about process. It’s about changing the mindset of both the scheme promoters and local authorities.” Significantly this would require planners to adjust
their skills. “It will demand the very best of enablers and facilitators; people who can bring a diverse range of stakeholders together.” His fellow Conservative MP, the housing minister Kit Malthouse MP, reserved much of his speech for the thorny issue of meeting housing need while also attending to safety, sustainability and design. To prepare for the future, he seemed to say, planning may need to draw on the best of the past. “Are we building the conservation areas of the future or are we building those estates like back in the 60s and 70s that are bulldozed?” Planning needed to
Given a 20-year horizon, how will the planning profession change? For one young planner, charged with imagining what planners would look like in 2040, the future of planning might not lie in planning at all. “In 20 years' time, the pace of change will be faster than our ability to adapt,” cautioned Aranvir Singh Gawera of Leicester City Council. “We are seeing a future where people who help make the decisions about how we shape our cities won’t be sitting at the table with planners. We might have to accept that planners will lose their ability to plan. We may have to learn to react.”
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Infrastructure stresses What’s going to shape our infrastructure planning and investment in coming decades? If the convention speakers are to be believed, it will be be moulded by unpredictable forces. For example, we know that population growth and climate change are exerting pressure on our choices, but we don’t know how, what and where. Then there are the impacts of technological progress and political shift. That’s not to mention the influence of infrastructure that is already planned but caught in years-long limbo, such as HS2. Speaking on the question
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of ‘What does future infrastructure look like?’ Laura Shoaf MRTPI, managing director of Transport for the West Midlands, stressed that her region would need to accommodate population growth equivalent to the city of Liverpool by 2030. This, she added, would require 215,000 new homes – the figure used as the basis for a housing support package from government. But where do we put these homes? How can we be sure that the assumptions on which we base current planning decisions will continue to hold true in a UK
“THERE HAS TO BE SIGNIFICANT REGIONAL GOVERNANCE CHANGE IN THE ENGLISH REGIONS TO MOVE FORWARD” being rapidly reshaped by digital technology? There is, said Shoaf, a “growing dependence on digitisation” and a “growing individualism” which, combined, seemed to be “affecting how people travel and get around”. Since the
West Midlands is a pilot region for the 5G connections which may make autonomous vehicles viable, could it become one of the first regions to attempt to address these changes? Will this require planners to rethink the relationship between housing and transport networks, housing and employment? Might it even affect how we design houses if demand for live/ work units increases with better digital connections? Other forces also exert influence on infrastructure choices, said Shoaf. In Birmingham, the impending Commonwealth Games presented an opportunity to align games infrastructure with the city’s needs. “We are looking at creating new communities, new suburbs and some of the bestconnected suburbs in the West Midlands,” she stressed. “The Commonwealth Games really helps to
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Future-proofing infrastructure amid the uncertainties of technology, population, climate and politics may prove to be a significant challenge, says Simon Wicks
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focus the mind.” But so, too, does mounting inequality in the United Kingdom, which is creating an accent on “inclusive growth” – and planners must grapple with the challenge of guaranteeing that new infrastructure benefits all. They must also attempt to plan around the uncertainty generated by huge infrastructure commitments (such as HS2) that may be in limbo for years. All are complicating factors in the West Midlands’ attempts to create a spatial plan for the region, Shoaf admitted.
Climate change It is not just new infrastructure that needs attention. Sue Illman, managing director of Illman Young Landscape Design, pointed out that much of our existing infrastructure is no longer fit for purpose. She was referring specifically to sewage and sanitation, and the wider issue of water management in our towns and cities. Climate change is already producing a disconcerting combination of extreme rainfall (thus flooding) and extreme heat (thus water shortages) – not to mention sea level rise. How do we adapt infrastructure to cope with ecosystem change? Many sewage systems are designed to carry surface water runoff, but they cannot cope with more people, more rain and more frequent flooding. How do we adjust what we have while future-proofing the new? For new settlements, suggested Illman, planners and
developers need to aim for the ‘right’ blend of ‘grey’ (i.e. water recycling) and ‘green’ (i.e. sustainable urban drainage systems) infrastructure. “The key thing at the start of process is to think about how we want to integrate water management as a matter of first principle,” she said, noting that there is “massive resistance among housing developers to integrate water properly”. We are likely to have to make “uncomfortable” decisions about reconfiguring our towns and cities – through land swaps and even demolition – to ensure that we are living, working, shopping and socialising in the most sustainable locations. Following this principle would also reboot rivers systems and natural processes of water management smothered by our settlements. It is clear there are significant spatial decisions to be made if the UK is to have the infrastructure it needs to cope with the massing forces of demography, technology, inequality, climate and economy. What is less clear is who is best positioned to be making these decisions. Duncan McLennan HonMRTPI, professor of public policy at Glasgow University, argued that infrastructure was best planned within a decentralised system. “There has to be significant regional governance change in the English regions to move forward,” he said. “The leaders in the devolved
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“THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES REALLY HELPS TO FOCUS THE MIND” English regions really have their moment now. What they say about what they want is almost identical to what Nicola Sturgeon says.” His case, broadly, was that the future is metropolitan. But metropolitan areas are “crippled” by centralised government control. Devolved tax-raising and spending powers would generate locally appropriate decisions around infrastructure. This in turn would revive regional economies and “rebalancing” a UK economy tilted towards London and the South East. But for this to happen “significant public sector intervention would be
required” since “left alone, the market will not deliver”. As with Shoaf, McLennan argued that housing and transport would need to be planned in alignment. Housing should be considered infrastructure and therefore “a social policy investment” rather than “a market product”. Land value had to be controlled and affordable housing for workers built closer to economic activity, negating the productivity cost of commuting. The infrastructure-associal-investment argument that will finally work is an economic one, said McLennan. Infrastructure is about increasing productivity and spreading economic opportunity and gain – and it includes housing, as well as transport. “In a more devolved future Britain, maybe we should have a department of ‘houseport’, not a department of transport,” he joked. “Sharpen up your economic perspectives and take on your critics because you can win the argument.”
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The art of compromise Communities feel like they are not being listened to on planning matters. How can we move from a place of confrontation to one of collaboration? Laura Edgar reports
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victims of the planning system”. They feel like they are the least likely to be listened to. He was keen, he said, on neighbourhood plans to give communities a sense of control. “They should be able to dispose of their area as they see fit, because when you do
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“SHOW PEOPLE THAT YOUR PLANS ARE NOT AD HOC AND RESPONSIVE TO A SHORTTERM POLITICAL CYCLE”
that they relax.” Being involved leads communities to recognise that they do need housing because children and grandchildren are living at home, and they want the school to be full. “If they can see where it is, what it looks like, whether it is affordable, if they can control it through the neighbourhood plan, then acceptability rises.” MP Mark Prisk agreed, saying he is a “strong supporter” of neighbourhood planning and that it should be RK
hate to use the word compromise” – finding a way between “what the public think they want and need, against what they actually want and need, versus what you think they want and need”. If these things are poles apart, the system effectively collapses. “Politically it collapses, but from an acceptability point of view it collapses. But when the three combine it becomes incredibly powerful and a recipe for enormous success.” Malthouse noted that resistance to change happens because “far too often people feel like
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Housing and planning minister Kit Malthouse MP signalled his support for long-term strategic planning. He wants local authorities to think not just five years ahead, but to envisage 10, 15, or 20 years ahead. When thought is given to that far ahead, he said, “you can address all sorts of concerns about infrastructure [and] housing. Show people that your plans are not ad hoc and responsive to a short-term political cycle”. Malthouse said that during his tour of the country, he had noticed that it is those areas thinking about the next two or three years that are the ones running into trouble with local people. “But those thinking about 20 years, 30 years, and showing a sense of vision, can satisfy many of the qualms about change that people naturally resist in their area.” For Malthouse, planning is as much an art as it is a science. It’s the art of – “I
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strengthened.. He believed an important part of neighbourhood planning was that people needed the resources in order to be able to participate. “Where the community is engaged in complex masterplanning, funding their support should be an integral part of the process." The chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Housing and Planning also said the “old style” of consultation and inquiries should be replaced with a collaborative decisionmaking process. He had found the planning system to be quite closed off from people. Local plan consultations, for example, were increasingly done online “and I understand a need for that”. “But it is assumed that if it is up online then people will find it. Well, most do not. Or at least by the time they do it is too late.” Prisk added that it was rare that such consultation led to substantial change in a plan’s core policies. Large-
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scale exhibitions for large-scale developments lacked a substantive mechanism for people to participate in the big discussions, which “only adds to public cynicism”. He gave suggestions on how to change this: • An open data approach to the information that underpins the decisions. This does not mean just publishing it, but making sure that people are aware of it, know how to access it and also interpret it. He suggested that government and industry should jointly work with the Open Data Institute to establish best practice for future local plan-making and major developments. • Move away from what Prisk called passive consultation to participation. Communities should play an active role in framing the decisions and perhaps framing the questions, and having power to effect that change.
The community debate
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Speaking with communities and trying to explain really complicated things was not an easy process, Sarah James MRTPI, membership development officer at Civic Voice, told a session on the community debate. “I know what it is like to think you can’t win whatever you do.” Why would you want to engage with the angry wall at a public meeting? But she also said it can be collaborative, and she had
“BUT IT IS ASSUMED THAT IF IT IS UP ONLINE THEN PEOPLE WILL FIND IT. WELL, MOST DO NOT”
seen this as part of her work with Civic Voice. “Communities are in it for the same reasons we are,” she said. “They want to live in great places. A Civic Voice survey had found that making sure communities had the opportunity to understand proposals early was something community groups and civic societies wanted from their local authority. “In reality, having 200odd documents on an online planning portal – that’s great, that’s transparency, everything is out there – but how do we distil that into some key summary information?” Tony Burton, convenor, Neighbourhood Planners. London, noted that it was hard to recognise the contribution that people can make. There was so much that people could offer that was not being tapped into. “This is a convention of experts and yet the one thing they are not experts in is the local relationships that people have with their immediate surroundings, other than their own area.” Dr Gavan Rafferty MRTPI, lecturer at Ulster University, highlighted the public’s increased awareness about well-being and how that was shaping
local areas. “In Wales there is a lot of focus on the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act.. It does require us to rethink what is going on in the profession and its contribution towards wellbeing.” From planners, Rafferty argued communities wanted a better understanding of the relationship between well-being and place. Neighbourhood planning was the direct route into the planning system, said Abbie Miladinovic, planner at Leeds City Council. Speaking about neighbourhood planning in Leeds, she explained that people don’t realise they are engaging with the process by sending a tweet or having a conversation in the village shop about the plan. Miladinovic gave her top tips for neighbourhood planning, including the need to have belief. “I think that once you crack that, it shows a more honest side to your personality, a more honest side to your authority.” Getting that message across really helped to bring the community along with you, she added. Like Burton, she also questioned whether the planner always knows best. “What I am speaking about is trying to acknowledge the different types of knowledge and the equal value of those different types of knowledge. It is only when you get the local knowledge of a community and the technical knowledge of a planner; it is only that combination that is going to prove successful.”
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building those estates like back in the ’60s and ’70s that are bulldozed?” he asked. Good design, the minister continued, was associated with “humanity” (which would also include an emphasis on safety within design post-Grenfell). “Humans don’t want blank ubiquity. They want detail, they want soul, they want vernacular, a sense of belonging.” Nevertheless, it was also important to recognise that design is “separate to aesthetics” and both need to be acknowledged within planning. Yet the minister insisted that considerations of form should precede considerations of function. “Something like only 10 per cent of homes go anywhere near an architect. I think the architectural profession is going to have to wrestle with reversing
A matter of principles Talk of design is everywhere. But what do we actually mean by design and how do we make sure it’s ‘objectively’ good? asks Simon Wicks
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the equation that form follows function, because for the most popular buildings in this country it’s the other way round. The form comes first and the function generally manages to shoehorn itself in.”
Form or aesthetics? So are we talking about form or aesthetics when we talk about design? Vishaan Chakrabarti, the architectplanner who founded the PAU practice in New York, was clear about how each has a role to play in rejuvenating cities. He began with a macro view of spatial design and speculated on the impacts of technology on the way we design urban spaces. Autonomous mass-transit vehicles were likely to create opportunities to rethink the relationship between vehicles, people, buildings and streets.
“What does this mean spatially if you break down the traditional way in which streets and sidewalks are designed?” he asked. Chakrabarti posited a vision in which building form becomes important for its ‘porousness’ – its ability to aid the flow of people through cities. As for aesthetics, he decried the international style that is eliminating local distinctiveness. On this he was with Malthouse; buildings should reflect their local context. At Mongolia’s National Amusement Park, PAU had been commissioned to design a village of 41 buildings responsive to climate, culture and locality. These were built by local craftspeople with materials that were locally sourced. The result was a striking collection of buildings that
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Design is one of 2019’s major talking points, and the focus of much government rhetoric about how we can improve the nation’s housing offer. Indeed, its ‘Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission’, launched to counter the perception that new housing is uninspired, has recommended that great weight should be placed on securing ‘beauty’ within the planning system. But one person’s idea of ‘beauty’ is another’s aesthetic atrocity. Besides, when we talk about design, are we actually talking about form or appearance? Are we referring to buildings or places? How can ‘beauty’ – a subjective ideal – be accommodated within a system charged with delivering houses in volume and at speed? Kit Malthouse MP, the housing minister, dealt the first blow for beauty in his keynote speech. “Are we building the conservation areas of the future or are we
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balance form with function and modernity with tradition. Why can’t all buildings be like that? One of the issues we face in the UK – with housing, at least – is a stress on numbers and speed. Does this mean that design quality must be compromised? Malthouse insisted that “60-odd per cent” of buyers didn’t want new houses built by volume housebuilders because of the way they look.
Design vs volume? Philip Barnes FRTPI, group land and planning director for Barratt Developments, gave a stirring defence of his employer’s product. Every Barratt scheme, he explained, complies with the Building for Life Standard, which sets 12 quality criteria ranging from character to transport connections to landscaping. The standard offers a relatively objective measure by which a good-quality development is achieved. Its methodology, Barnes noted, was now embedded within the NPPF. So why do people rail against the quality of such
schemes and even describe them as soulless and lacking imagination? Is it their sameness? Barnes stressed that “repeatability” made meeting housing targets feasible. Repetition also minimises mistakes that arise when dealing with unfamiliar designs. “You might assume repeatability’s a bad thing. Our guys want to turn up on site and build this one that they built last week.” The proof of quality was plain: Barratt homes sell and 90 per cent of customers would recommend the firm’s homes to friends and family, emphasised Barnes. Andy von Bradsky, the Ministry of Housing’s head of architecture, adopted a similarly pragmatic view that we should focus on securing a minimum ‘good’ standard that can be applied universally. “It really is a question of how do we raise the average to be good rather than how do we raise the good to be exemplary,” he said. The ministry’s new design guidance for planners would provide a template for this, “visualising” the requirements of the NPPF. Its aim was not simply to build nicelooking houses, but rather to focus on the quality of places
The RTPI launched a new research paper at the convention, Planning and Design Quality: Creating Places Where We Want to Live, Work and Spend Time [itals]. The paper builds on research findings that consider design to be as important a factor in new housing schemes as affordability and the availability of infrastructure. The paper argues that a new definition of design should not include references to “style” or “beauty” but endeavour to find measurable criteria against which design
quality can be assessed. “Design quality should focus on problem-solving,” the authors write. “It should have regard to inclusivity, consider wider needs and impacts, and secure accessible, safe and usable development. It should result in contextual, deliverable buildings and spaces that draw on the qualities of a place, and that create new layers of history through contemporary solutions.” Read the paper: bit.ly/ planner0819DesignQuality
that are “well-connected, mixed neighbourhoods, visually attractive, [with] good environmental standards, inclusive, adaptable and resilient”. In this, it reflected the RTPI’s own understanding of design in its new research paper (see box). For Sue Morgan, director of architecture and built environment at the Design Council, user-friendliness was at the heart of good design. “Inclusivity” was essential, she said, and good design emerged from collaboration and seeing it from a “neighbourhood” point of view. How feasible is it to produce the ‘objectively’ good as a matter of course? Philip Barnes’ assertion was
hard to fault. “If you have the right local policy and a willing developer there shouldn’t be any problem delivering good design. If you want exemplar design, though, you need to have a willing landowner, too.”
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Time to take back the streets ”What we do with our cities will either make or break our species,” suggested New York architect Vishaan Chakrabarti in considering how to create future successful cities. Martin Read reports
Chakrabarti’s message was essentially that it is the time to “start over” in how we approach city design – and in particular we should be taking a major step away from car-first considerations.
Ditch the car Modernist architect Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe, said Vishaan Chakrabarti, had called architecture “the will of the epoch translated into space” – with the physical environment acting as both a mirror and window on our culture and the challenges we face. In considering the future success of 21st century cities, Chakrabarti spoke of three overriding concerns: climate change, social inequity and technological dislocation (the latter in terms of job displacement and the psychological
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“PLANNING IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROFESSIONS IN THE WORLD”. impact of smart devices). All are going to “play out on the platform of our cities and what we do with our cities”, and all are intrinsically linked making planning “one of the most important professions in the world”.
Chakrabarti suggested the most fundamental mistake of planners “has been our homage to the internal combustion engine, which has essentially destroyed our urban landscapes”. A push to break free of car-centric design, gaining an understanding of the spatial and cultural implications of a car-free future, is key. Indeed, it’s important to stop thinking of roads and streets from the perspective of cars. Street grids, for example, go back to the fundamental idea of people coming together; the grid in relation to the cosmos (China), to
democracy (Greece) or identity (Rome). In New York City, argued Chakrabarti, the grid introduced in the 1800s worked beautifully until the industrial revolution came along (“and now nothing works anymore”). Bending to the demands of cars has resulted in the same exclusionary demands informing city design across the planet, said Chakrabarti. “Is this really what we want to leave to our children?” Because there are some really interesting questions to be asked once the idea of a car-free city has been embraced. “If you break down the traditional way in which streets are structured, and if autonomous vehicles can really learn how not to hit people,
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how then do you take the space for cars and refashion it for people in public spaces that are tighter, smaller and more humane?” Taking away space for cars can mean space for what was already there. Stephen Willacy, chief city architect for Aarhus in Denmark, spoke of the river running through his city that was covered by road and opened up despite local resistance to losing this main thoroughfare to the harbour. “But look at what happened; it’s become the most popular thoroughfare in Aarhus. It was completely cut off from its heritage, but now it’s reconnected to the city.”
A sense of soul Chakrabarti noted the stark contrast between what we collectively accept as the uniformity of contemporary cityscape design and the type of unique places we as individuals seek out for holiday destinations. “Yet we think nothing of
this dichotomy; the cognitive dissonance between where we spend our time for leisure and the crap we build across the planet.” Still, this has been sacrificed in the interests of progress and productivity, right? Well actually, no. “Shanghai, Tokyo, these cities were incredibly productive - yet look at the charm of those places,” contended Chakrabarti. What we surely want, he suggested, are cities that promote diversity and difference, and that maximise the potential of chance encounter. Chakrabarti spoke with sadness of the short-lived cage elevator, the centrally located lift structure central to many US apartment buildings, the design of which allowed people to get to know neighbours as they crossed in and out. Such a design, today, is illegal under fire codes. It is far too easy for safety considerations to force a sense of complete alienation. “We know that urbanisation is the right idea in terms of climate change and that when people use mass transit or live in smaller units that heat and cool each other that their carbon footprint is dramatically lower. “We also have data that shows that when you bring people together in dense circumstances they innovate, they run into each other; there’s serendipity.” The Greek city planner
Village = people “WE THINK NOTHING OF THIS DICHOTOMY; THE COGNITIVE DISSONANCE BETWEEN WHERE WE SPEND OUR TIME FOR LEISURE AND THE CRAP WE BUILD ACROSS THE PLANET”
Doxiadis talked about how people in dense environments connect and innovate, allowing new ideas to form. It’s the opposite in many ways of what we’ve been doing. Cleaving to design standards “results in the same dull residential development happening again and again across six continents that is both mind numbing and soul crushing. And the suburbs are no better.” Underpinning this dulling of the environment is the mass production and globalisation of building materials. “You can go through an airport and then travel downtown but have no idea where you are.” And if the argument is that accessibility and safety rule out variety of design, consider that it would not be possible to plan a Venice these days. Chakrabarti was convinced that for the money we spend on providing accessiblity solutions “we could provide everyone in the world who needs it a wheelchair that climbs stairs.”
It’s not about being blind to technological progress. The difference between housing and office space is changing the way we use it as millennials blur the lines - and autonomous vehicles are set to add a crucial new dimension to mass transit. “So we need to start over with an understanding of what makes us humans; that we are bipeds; that we need shelter from inclement weather; we need light and air.” It’s about bringing the idea of villages back and the mixed usability and cultural connections that villages provide. One thing to guard against is how the attractiveness of newly walkable cities can make them less affordable and thus exclusionary something already an issue in the States, claimed Chakrabarti. What we’re also going to see is freedom to pursue new spatial approaches as a result of a loosening of another formerly fixed idea. “Most post-war city development has been based around the idea of a central business district, but that idea is breaking down,” said Chakrabarti. “Instead we’re seeing the multi-nodal city and with it the idea that within a 20 minute walk you can achieve your daily needs.” All of which also requires buildings which are ‘porous’, responsive to their specific environment in a way that creates a uniqueness to that particular place.
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Homing instinct Discussion of the housing crisis – and what planners can do to fix it – again permeated the annual convention. The Planner sat in on panels focusing on specialist housing and the role of local authorities, as well as an address from the housing minister, writes Matt Moody In his ministerial address, housing and planning minister Kit Malthouse MP touched on the generational deficit in home ownership in the UK. “There is a whole generation excluded from the housing market, people in their teens, twenties, thirties and even forties, who feel they don’t have the same housing opportunities, both in terms of quality and availability, that the generations before them have had. “We need to inculcate to this generation that owns its homes the notion that they have an obligation to the next generation,” he said, stressing that “the greatest benefit of building
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more homes is that their kids will have somewhere to live”. He spoke of the “moral imperative” to fix this broken “generational contract”. Malthouse renewed his commitment to neighbourhood planning, suggesting that once smaller communities feel they have a sense of control over the process, they start to connect the needs of their children and grandchildren to supply in the area and the need to build. “They start to relax,” he added, and come to accept new housing. Keynote speaker Mark Prisk MP, chair of the AllParty Parliamentary Group for Housing and Planning,
echoed Malthouse’s support for the neighbourhood planning process. “People have become cynical about the way planning seems to operate, and too many people feel that it’s something being done to them, rather than something in which they have a say,” he said. This “confrontational approach” causes “a more sluggish and costly system that doesn’t work for anyone”. At one of the afternoon special interest sessions, a panel chaired by Professor Janice Morphet FRTPI considered what local planning authorities could do to tackle the housing crisis. One of the speakers was Nick Murphy, chief
executive of Nottingham City Council’s housing company, who presented three “practical ideas” for boosting housing delivery. First was the need for more creativity in terms of mixing uses. Murphy noted that lots of organisations “work on tramlines”, and only carry out a single type of development at a time. He cited supermarkets Aldi and Lidl as examples. “They have a standard template: single-storey sheds and land-hungry car parks. We could build on top of these retail areas, but they’ll only do it if planners tell them to,” he said. Moving on to the “desperate need” for more affordable housing, Murphy
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urged councils to “stick to your section 106 policies”. Developers “do know which councils stick to their guns, and which councils will crumble at the first mention of viability”, he said. “So stick to your guns and give your councillors the backbone they need to stick to their policies as well.” Murphy also extolled the benefits of modern methods of construction, or MMC, describing them as “the future” and urging planners not to let planning become another barrier to their use. Citing the demolition of homes built in the 1960s and 1970s, his “final plea” to local authorities was not to allow housebuilders to sacrifice quality for quantity.
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Defining affordability Aidan Culhane MRTPI, chief executive of housing association The Iveagh Trust, was also on hand to share his perspective from Ireland. He explained that Ireland is similar to England regarding there being “a very strong pull towards the Dublin region, as there is towards London” in terms of house prices. His presentation focused on the idea of affordability and how we define it. “The approach we have is often to say we need so many units of housing, rather than saying “how do we deliver housing that people can genuinely afford?” In Dublin, he explained, the median income is €45,000 (£40,457) a year.
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Therefore the average cost for the median earner, spending around a third of their income on housing, is around €15,000 (£13,484) a year – or €1,250 (£1,123) a month. Although “there will always be people who can afford more expensive homes and people who need subsidy”, he said, “the target should always be that median point”, and planners should “orient all instruments of policy” to achieve it. Morphet added some advice based on research funded by the RTPI, looking at how councils are providing housing. She stressed that good policies are no longer enough. “You can have the best policies in the world for social and affordable housing,” she said, “but if you don’t negotiate them on individual sites they’ll never happen. Councils that are delivering more housing are monitoring every site, and increasingly officers are acting as a single point of contact for each site.” Another after-lunch session focused on specialist housing, and its potential community benefits. The overriding theme of the session was the fast-growing demand for older people’s accommodation. Aimee Squires, associate director at Savills, presented research findings suggesting that despite predictions that the 65-plus age group is expected to increase faster than any other age group in the UK,
“WE NEED TO INCULCATE TO THIS GENERATION THAT OWNS ITS HOMES THE NOTION THAT THEY HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO THE NEXT GENERATION” existing accommodation does not even cater to current demand. Outlining the benefits of retirement communities, Rob Whetton, deputy CEO at St Monica Trust, explained that residents are less likely to be admitted to hospital, and the cost of social care for residents works out £1,200 lower per person than in wider society. Referring to findings that 33 per cent of people over retirement age want to downsize but feel limited by lack of choice, Whetton highlighted the fact that retirement communities free up family-sized housing. He also discussed the potential for these communities to act as central hubs that serve a wider range of people. He referred to the
Chocolate Quarter, a retirement development in Keynsham, Somerset, with facilities including a gym, swimming pool and cinema that serve the large housing schemes around the community as well as the retired people who live in the development itself, helping to tackle loneliness and social isolation. The speakers agreed that ambiguity over what use class this type of housing should fall under – and the resulting disagreement over whether affordable housing should be provided – made delivering it “a huge challenge”. David Williams, leader of Hertfordshire County Council and social care spokesperson for the County Council Network, argued for a new, separate use class.
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LANDSCAPE P30 TECH P35 REGIONS P38 DECISIONS P44 LEGAL P51 ACTIVITY
If it is to be deployed effectively, artificial intelligence will demand some game-changing disruption to the way planning is practised professionally and encountered by the public. We are, as several speakers noted, on the cusp of a potentially liberating world of ‘if-this-thenthat’ process automation, says Martin Read practical application of technology, while When Helen Lawrence of Open System the young planners in the final session of Labs presented her Venn diagram showing the day could not have leant more on the only the slightest of overlaps between extent to which technology will influence ‘planners’ and ‘people who code’, she ‘what planners will look like in 2040’. elicited the reaction she would surely have expected as a ripple of laughter swept across the County Hall auditorium. True Machine-readable policy is the enough, who wants to be both a planner coming thing and someone who understands computer Over recent years, access to open-source coding? Two very different things, right? application programming interfaces (APIs) Well, perhaps. But if this year’s RTPI has given software developers the ability Planning Convention alighted on one to present planning data as contextually overriding aspect of current technological relevant overlays on maps or associated development, it was the need for an to search criteria, and indeed the pages understanding of what and how different of The Planner attest to the great variety data streams interface to the benefit of of such solutions under development or planning practice. And it was difficult already offered. to escape the idea that at least some In England, as Webb explained: awareness of how this happens will “MHCLG is doing great work through its become an increasingly important skill for central data planning register with more planners to learn. and more experiments becoming real bits To what extent this means an of software for planning authorities.” understanding of actual coding remains In particular, companies have been up for debate, for sure; digitising millions of planning third parties, after all, will documents, all now referenced be increasingly contracted and tagged for search, making to do this work on your “A KEY PRODUCT them available for when behalf. But for planning professionals – and the public – OF DATA professionals to retain need access. BROKERS ARE control of the process, But digitised two-dimensional PREDICTIVE some aspect will surely documents are just that; they PROFILES OF become key. INDIVIDUALS AS lack the critical ‘third dimension’ And if nothing else, TO THEIR LIKELY necessary for them to be read as Connected Places by artificial intelligence (AI). TASTES AND Catapult’s Stefan Webb WHAT GOODS AND Accessible, yes; interpretable at machine-readable pace? Not explained: “The language SERVICES THEY yet. of planning will need ARE LIKELY But it is clear that the firms to change before the TO BUY" working on this profession’s technology can really do future requirements have as its stuff.” their goal the deployment The convention saw a of AI to allow more robust separate session on the
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TTech e {LANDSCAPE lawyers to do so on their behalf. Machineinterrogation of policy and precedent. readable content loosens such ties. In this brave new world, the way policy For now, though, “we’re locked into PDFs is written is set to become paramount. – and consultants will charge you again to Increasingly, it will benefit from being do the same thing in a year’s time”. structured in a way that makes it A “what you need when you need it” accessible and interpretable by AI. approach to presenting data will minimise This, of course, is no mean feat. But the ‘surprises’ encountered by applicants the good news is that this revolution has that make their project’s case either already started. “We can already see that problematic or entirely unworkable. certain policies can be written as machineThrough ‘front-loading’ readable code,” said Webb. application-specific data, “Where a policy is completely such issues as finding out quantifiable, you can write it in “WHERE A too late that an ecology a way that can be read by both POLICY IS report is required will human and machine.” COMPLETELY become things of the past. Lawrence agreed that turning QUANTIFIABLE, There is also a digitised documents into YOU CAN WRITE code data would benefit both IT IN A WAY THAT community engagement angle. Too often, said the professional and public CAN BE READ BY interpretation of planning data, BOTH HUMAN AND Webb, “local people do not know of their local plan”, not least by speeding up the MACHINE" and “local people don’t process. Despite their digitised know about a project until state, former print document a planning application PDFs need to be read through comes in. We need to in their entirety; but when they make those things work are converted into machinetogether”. readable code, “it means Commenting on the 50 years since first applicants only see information relevant to publication of the Skeffington Report, their specific application, while planners “things haven’t moved on,” he suggested. only see what’s relevant to their decision“Fifty years on from Skeffington, why making.” is it that the local plan is 300 pages of The issue is one of people not knowing impenetrable text?” what they don’t know, added Lawrence. “How can we explicitly link evidence“These days, if we want to book a flight based documents to specific policy we can do so from our phones while documents so that when the evidence sitting in the park,” she said. “We need to changes you can more easily update bring that same level of user experience to those policies? How can we more quickly the world of planning.” validate the documents that are provided? “At the moment people can find How can we better track planning themselves jumping around different sites, decisions after they have been made so going to the Planning Portal, looking at we can better track the implementability policy documents. What all this means is of applications? How do we validate the that you have to read everything yourself, models we use to forecast the impact of even if that information is repetitive, new developments? We’ve got to move on redundant or irrelevant to the application from PDFs.” under consideration – because people don’t know what they don’t know.” For Webb, a further benefit of machineSpeed of change and local plans first policy production will be a drop in Several speakers wondered whether, the reliance on professional intervention. with so many fresh and techno-logically Currently, where policy is too difficult to inspired reasons for revisiting the interpret, people rely on consultants and requirement, a local plan could ever be
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considered up to date. “For example,” said Webb, “how do we understand the impact of AirBnB on the local housing market?” There are going to be more and more things we need to plan for “that we need to more quickly understand and incorporate into our plans”. Andrew Foster, business development director at Capita, took this need for technological progress and described the financial necessity for it within local authorities. In a cost-focused public sector that is relentlessly challenging suppliers to do more with less, and with clients increasingly demanding greater flexibility and control, there is, he said, a “vibrant market” for ‘digital commissions'. Capita has spent the past nine months investigating the potential scope of machine learning across the breadth of the services it provides to local government, finding that while some things are harder than others, there is plenty of scope. “In local government there are thousands of transactions that follow a similar action,” said Foster. “There’s a trigger action – someone applies for a licence online, or there’s an application for something – and there is typically then a set of rules, policies or laws that govern how a decision should be made.” Capita continues to scope out the potential to automate planning validations and planning applications. “One of our site directors told us, ‘machine learning brings the most junior officer up to the skills level of the most senior officer’. That’s pretty powerful stuff.” Grace Manning-Marsh of LandEnhance spoke of the huge advantage in digitising existing local authority planning documents and
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putting them to work. “There are hundreds of millions of documents out there. Most local authorities have around 300,000 current and historic planning applications. Speeding up access to that has a massive knock-on effect for the rest of the planning process. “But we’re a long way from a revolution of the planning system,” warned ManningMarsh. “We need to be realistic, deploying tools which are practical and will help people with the systems in place now.” Interestingly, several of the themes raised in the practical tech session were echoed later in the presentations from young planners tasked with projecting forward to what planning would look like in 2040. Shannon Franklin, planning and enforcement officer, Shropshire Council, suggested that “theoretically, AI and other tech could basically take on all of what planning is, from conception to design and consultation right up into implementation”. But Franklin added social media firmly into the mix. “At least 71 per cent of you will be a planner by 2040,” she suggested. “In 2019 alone, it’s predicted that social
media use will increase 9 per cent. That’s 288 million users, each of whom will regularly tag their location and publish information about the places in which they live and work.” “If planning as a profession can extract social media data and pair it with artificial intelligence, we can use it as a means of public engagement. Every individual using social media will become a planner in some form. “The really provocative question I want to ask today is whether this use of data in this way is ethically acceptable,” Franklin continued. “By extracting data from social media profiles, be it on location, quality or the feel of the space, and using this with AI to form public engagement, individuals will be unconsciously influencing decisions on the world around them.” But are the 3.5 billion people with social media content to become planners? Should planning decisions rely on data potentially formed by only certain generations and demographics with access to social media? Will we become confident that AI can generate accurate responses about the feel of a place, comparable to direct human engagement?
Alexan, permit my application Celine Mionnet similarly described AI as a “game-changer”, with chatbots likely to free up planning professionals’ time. By shifting workload to machines, planners will become more strategic, able to do more work with communities and help to deliver growth. “Some aspects of our jobs will disappear and we’ll need new skills. We’re going to need to learn how to teach the machines.”
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But all this speed of technological change will, suggested Aranvir Singh Gawera, graduate planning policy officer at Leicester City Council, “happen at a pace faster than our ability to adapt”. Future planners may need as much to react as to initially plan, he suggested. “Be it from top down or bottom up, the scale and locations of developments will be redefined. We as planners will have to consider new models for how we might manage rapid change. “If we accept that we will have to react, we will all have to remind each other of the principles and values that we’re trying to achieve.” Charlotte Orrell MRTPI, a planner with Iceni Projects, considered how all of this might manifest itself to the typical consumer of 2040. Her suggested ‘Alexan’ service, a video avatar invoked by voice control, seemed the perfect distillation of what earlier speakers had described: quite literally a human face responding in real time to answers from applicants, using AI to breeze through potential policy roadblocks, and turning the planning process into a comfortable Q&A. Her suggested three takeaways were apposite. “To make all this happen, we need collaboration – public, private, local authority to local authority; we need to trust the data we’re putting in it, and we need to trust the AI systems that we’re using. And we also need to change our attitude around transparency and the culture on open data specifically within the planning industry.”
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H M GOVERNMENT OF GIBRALTAR TENDER FOR THE REVIEW AND REPLACEMENT OF GIBRALTAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN
The Government of Gibraltar wishes to carry out a review of its existing Development Plan published in 2009 with a view to publishing a new Plan. The new Plan will set out the planning policy for land use matters in Gibraltar. The work would involve an evaluation of the existing Development Plan; collection and analysis of relevant data from a variety of sources; preparation of a new Plan from draft stage through to wnal adoption (including presentation of the draft Plan for public exhibition and analysis of representations received). The Government of Gibraltar is inviting tenders from suitably qualiwed and experienced consultants to undertake this work.
Further details are available at www.procurement.gov.gi under the tenders> tender documents section. Documents are available for download from: www.procurement.gov.gi Type of Contract; Main CPV No:
p34_PLN.AUG19.indd Gov of Gibraltar FP.indd341
Services 71410000
Place of Performance:
NUTS Code – UKZ, Gibraltar
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N AT I O N S &REGIONS
You’ll always be able to find the latest information on your region at the Nations and regions gateway: bit.ly/PlannerGateway
Your new gateway to the nations and regions We’ve made some changes to our monthly ‘Nations and regions’ feature. In addition to what you read in print, you’ll be able to access local information from our new ‘Nations and regions gateway’ on The Planner’s website. This gives you... ALL of The Planner’s news, appeals and features that are relevant to the region. A regional overview, incorporating a description of the region, regional data and links to local plans.
N ti d Our annual Nations and regions feature, focusing on projects and events. This also appears in print.
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You’ll always be able to find the latest information on your region at the Nations and regions gateway: bit.ly/PlannerGateway.
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N AT I O N S &REGIONS
W H AT ’ S H A P P E N I N G I N T H E N O R T H W E S T OF ENGLAND? HERE’S A ROUNDUP OF KEY PROJECTS AND EVENTS IN THE REGION IN 2019
The North West
Market Hall
IN THE PIPELINE
St Cuthbert’s Garden Village, Carlisle, Cumbria The largest designated garden village in the country, supported by £100 million from the Housing Infrastructure Fund to create a link road south of Carlisle that would connect the village with key transport networks. The stage one masterplan is complete. bit.ly/planner0819-StCuthberts
Handforth Garden Village, Cheshire An outline planning application has been submitted for the proposed garden village at Handforth in Cheshire, east of Manchester Airport. This application envisages 1,500 homes; 12 hectares of employment land; and a mixed-use village centre. bit.ly/planner0819Engine
RECENT SUCCESSES
The Ironworks
Botany Bay, Chorley, Lancashire This outlet village between the M61 and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal was given the go-ahead last August. It will see 288 houses and 27,000 square metres of leisure and retail space, and include refurbishment of the Botany Bay cotton mill. bit.ly/planner0819-BotanyBay
Northern Gateway, Manchester A 20-year urban renewal project along the Irk river valley, north of Manchester city centre. The project will develop 15,000 new homes across seven neighbourhoods, creating a ‘new town’. The framework was approved in February. bit.ly/planner0819NorthernGateway
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X1 The Quarter, Liverpool
Market Hall, Douglas, Isle of Man
Recently completed with the 24-storey residential X1 The Tower, this development in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle incorporates five residential blocks built since 2013. Overall, there are 694 apartments aimed at buy-to-let investors with an eye on the city’s student population. bit.ly/ planner0819-Baltic
The conversion of the late Victorian market hall into a cycle shop and café has given this registered building on the quayside in the island’s capital a new lease of life. The rejuvenation was shortlisted for the 2019 RIBA NW award. bit.ly/planner0819Horncastle
The Ironworks, Backbarrow, Cumbria The heritage and culture winner in the RTPI region’s 2018 awards, the Ironworks at Backbarrow is the conversion of a failed live/ work scheme into a viable residential development in the Lake District National Park. Crucially, the development has secured the long-term future of a scheduled ancient monument.
Whyndyke Garden Village Healthy New Town, Blackpool/Fylde, Lancashire An NHS healthy new town, Whyndyke Garden Village will eventually see 1,400 new homes on the Fylde coast, alongside 20 hectares of employment land. The scheme, designed to support health and well-being, won the RTPI regional housing delivery award in 2018. bit.ly/planner0819Whyndyke
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Regional contact details: northwest@rtpi.org.uk
See more on the North West of England at the Nations and regions gateway bit.ly/PlannerGateway
INSIGHT: PLANNING ON THE ISLE OF MAN
C a rl i s l e Sarah Corlett (SC) is principal planner in the Isle of Man’s Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture (read the full version of this interview at: bit.ly/planner0819-IsleOfMan) The Isle of Man is a Crown Dependency and planning is a devolved power. What’s the legislative framework within which you work? The planning legislation is currently based upon the Town and Country Planning Act 1999, with associated secondary legislation for its procedures and policies. It’s a plan-based system but is perhaps a much more simplified version of that in the UK in that, in the absence of political parties, the policy framework and its area plans tend to be in place for much longer periods without change. As we are not part of the EU, directives such as Environmental Impact Assessments and Habitat Regulations Assessment do not apply. We have an Island-wide Strategic Plan, but no equivalent of the NPPF. What are the key issues that planners are having to address on the island? Perhaps we have a greater need to promote sustainability because much of our food, fuel, and building products have to be imported. We are committed to preserving and protecting our heritage and operate a registered buildings system, rather than listing, and conservation areas, as well as scheduled ancient monuments – all of which play a part in determining development proposals. Historically, tourism played a large part in the local economy and that was severely affected by the rise of cheaper foreign travel. We’re rebuilding a different and successful tourist product based now upon what makes us different from other places – dark skies, UNESCO biosphere
I M AG E | I STO C K
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nation status and our natural flora and fauna, as well as our heritage. How are you planning for economic development? We work to attract investment that can be delivered in a way that complements the local economy and makes use of existing infrastructure. Although we have some previously developed land, this is limited. Housing or economic development can result in pressure to release greenfield sites but we try to work across government to unlock key sites, particularly in town centres. What’s it like to live and work as a planner on the island? The close working relationship with applicants and objectors alike hones our diplomacy, communication and impartiality skills. In a place where most people know each other, professional standards of behaviour are so important. As the island is so small it is easy to see the results of our work. Officers who have come from other parts of the UK indicate that the island gives them a better and healthier standard of living and work/ life balance. If anyone is interested in working on the island, we are always interested to hear from people. They should contact our director of planning, Jennifer.chance@gov.im
CUMBRIA ISLE OF MAN Douglas LANCS P re s to n L ive r p o o l M a n c h e s te r C h e s te r CHES COMING UP
Mental health in planning – 10 September 2019, Manchester A one-day event bringing together practitioners from planning and mental health to consider how the way we plan our environments affects mental health. bit.ly/planner0819-MentalHealth
Town centre regeneration – 17 September, Rochdale A one-day conference looking at the changing face of retail and the challenges this presents to town centres and the people who plan and manage them. bit.ly/planner0819-TownCentre
Planning and housing in 2019 – 25 September, Manchester A year from the new NPPF, standardised housing need assessments and the housing delivery test, this conference will discuss their effectiveness. bit.ly/planner0819-NWHousing
RTPI NW annual dinner – 8 October, Manchester bit.ly/planner0819-NWDinner All events: www.rtpi.org.uk/the-rtpinear-you/rtpi-north-west/events/ NEXT MONTH:
Scotland AU G MAY U S T 2 0 18 19 / THE PLA NNER
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CASES &DECISIONS
A N A LY S E D B Y M A T T M O O D Y / A P P E A L S @ T H E P L A N N E R . C O . U K
Inspector’s decision sets precedent on councils’ self-build provision An inspector has approved 30 self-build plots on land near Woodville, Derbyshire, citing the council’s failure to demonstrate that the 133 single dwellings it had already approved met the legal definition of self-build and custom housing.
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Andy Moger, associate director at Tetlow King Planning, said: ( “This appeal by Astill Planning on behalf of Lauren Land Developments provides clarification on the way in which local authorities should monitor selfbuild and custom housebuilding under their duty to meet demand on their Right to Build registers.
( “In the absence of clarity through primary legislation, the appeal sets a precedent for how this should be undertaken, placing the burden of proof upon local authorities.
( “This clearly demonstrates that
LOCATION: Woodville AUTHORITY: North West Leicestershire District Council
INSPECTOR: Harold Stephens PROCEDURE: Written submissions DECISION: Allowed REFERENCE: APP/ G2435/W/18/3214451
proposed plots would meet the definition. On this basis, Stephens ruled that only the four selfbuild permissions approved
by the council should count towards its total provision, which was therefore falling short of the level required by the 2016 legislation. Ruling that the proposal provided an opportunity to “comprehensively meet the majority of the current demand” for self-build housing in the area, and would represent sustainable development in general, he allowed the appeal. He also allowed another appeal concerning the same site, in which the same appellant had sought to discharge a 2004 planning obligation associated with a nearby housing development that required the appeal site to be used only for forestry.
local authorities must provide sufficient evidence to prove that there are provisions in place to ensure permissions that are being counted towards meeting demand on their register would be developed in a manner that accords with the legal definition of selfbuild and custom housebuilding in the SelfBuild and Custom Housebuilding Act 2015 (as amended).
( “In the absence of such evidence a site would not constitute the legal definition of selfbuild and custom housebuilding plots so should not be counted towards meeting demand on the register.
( “In local authority areas where no such evidence is provided the authority is likely to fall short of meeting demand on its register, which has the potential to increase the weight attributable to selfbuild and custom housebuilding in the planning balance.”
I M AG E S | I STO C K / S H U T T E RSTO C K / A L A M Y
The appeal concerned 1.9 hectares of land south-west of Swadlincote, a village in Derbyshire. The appellant sought permission for “a self and custom-build residential development” of 30 plots. Since the 2016 Housing and Planning Act, councils have been required to keep a register of people interested in self-build plots, and must grant enough permissions to meet this demand. If they fail to do so, more weight can be afforded to proposals for selfbuild housing in the planning balance. In its evidence, the council confirmed that in the relevant period it had 54 people on its register, and had permitted four self-build plots. However, it argued, it had also allowed 133 single dwellings across the district. Inspector Harold Stephens was not persuaded that these permissions should count towards the council’s provision of self-build plots, noting that there was no evidence that any of them would meet the legal definition of selfbuild housing. The appeal proposal, on the other hand, would include a section 106 agreement ensuring that the
EXPERT ANALYSIS
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These are just a few of the 40 or so appeal reports that we post each month on our website: www.theplanner.co.uk/decisions
Inspector sinks crowdfunded restoration plans for historic pier A group that raised money to buy a historic railway pier in Suffolk has seen its plans to build a café and visitor centre on the pier to fund its restoration rejected by an inspector because of a lack of planning obligation.
Brokenshire overrules inspector to throw out 471home Whitechapel plan The housing secretary has rejected a third attempt by Sainsbury’s to secure consent for 471 homes at the site of its existing store in Whitechapel, East London, citing heritage harm and inadequate light levels. The appeal concerned the existing Sainsbury’s store and its multistorey car park, close to the not-yet-open Whitechapel Crossrail station in East London. Sainsbury’s, the appellant, sought permission to build a new store on the site, with 471 flats, a learning facility, flexible floor space, and parking. Earlier plans for the site, which included a 28-storey tower, were twice rejected by the council because the setting of a group of grade I-listed almshouses nearby would be affected. The new plans reduced the scheme’s height to 14 storeys. But the council again rejected it, citing a cut in the proposed quantum of affordable housing compared with the first version. Inspector David Nicholson accepted that the scheme would provide the “maximum reasonable” amount of affordable housing and would be subject to a two-stage viability review mechanism. But he also noted that the social rent flats would be farthest away from public transport. Moreover, barriers would “not only divide the types of tenure, but also separate the amenity and play space areas”. LOCATION: Whitechapel Nicholson had found some “limited” tension AUTHORITY: Tower Hamlets Borough with development policies Council on heritage and light levels, but decided that the INSPECTOR: David Nicholson scheme was consistent with the development plan PROCEDURE: Recovered appeal when read as a whole. But housing secretary DECISION: Dismissed James Brokenshire ruled that the “limited tensions” REFERENCE: APP/ Nicholson had identified E5900/W/17/3190685 were in fact “clear conflicts ... of central importance”, and he dismissed the appeal.
The appeal concerned a Victorian railway pier in Shotley, Suffolk, built in 1894. Originally used to carry mail – and later munitions – out to sea, it extends 180 metres out into the Stour Estuary. In 2016, a community group was formed with the stated aim of buying the pier to restore it to public use. The group bought the pier in 2017 and submitted plans to the council in March 2018, proposing the addition of two buildings to the pier to support its restoration. The first building would be used as a workshop “to enable the ongoing repair and maintenance of the structure”. The other would provide a visitor centre and café. Inspector Robert Fallon said the contemporary design of the buildings was acceptable, but felt their “prominent siting and significant scale” would erode the existing “open outlook” towards the pier, changing its “isolated setting” and “concealing views of its attractive timber ... construction”.
LOCATION: Shotley, Suffolk AUTHORITY: Babergh District Council INSPECTOR: Robert Fallon PROCEDURE: Written submissions DECISION: Dismissed REFERENCE: APP/ D3505/W/18/3212782
He also raised concerns over the lack of planning obligation submitted, leaving him with no mechanism to ensure that income from the scheme would be invested in the pier’s restoration and no data supplied on how much cash the café would raise, nor any restoration timescales. Citing concerns that the proposed buildings could be constructed without the restoration being carried out, he decided that the scheme’s “harm to the character of the area” outweighed its benefits.
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C&D { C Flats with no windows allowed under permitted development An inspector has approved plans to convert an industrial building in Watford into 15 bedsits, seven of which would have no windows, ruling that the scheme met the requirements of the GPDO.
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( BEN DERBYSHIRE, president of RIBA: "Hopefully, the government that begat #BuildingBetterBuildingBeautiful cannot possibly have intended this hideous outcome: A planning inspector approves windowless apartments! We must get a debate in Parliament. Who will get up the necessary petition?"
( FIONA HOWIE, CEO of the TCPA: "The TCPA is calling for new primary legislation, a Healthy Homes Act, to raise the bar for homes."
( BEATRICE FRAENKEL, Design Council
outlook, daylight or even appropriate ventilation”, and that upper-floor units “would have no means of escape in case of fire”. This “oppressive environment” would have “a serious impact on the health of future occupiers”, it concluded. Inspector Steven Rennie acknowledged that the proposed units were small, and that “living without a window would not be a positive living environment”. However, he noted, “the provisions of the GPDO require the decision-maker to solely assess the impact of the proposed development in relation to the conditions given in paragraph PA.2”. “The size of individual dwellings to be formed by the change of use and whether they would have windows/ ventilation is not a condition of the GPDO” for the change of use proposed, he concluded. On this basis the appeal was allowed. Peter Taylor, elected Mayor
Trustee:: "This is a very damaging decision in terms of impact on human health and wellbeing. Living in a small space with no windows can cause and exacerbate mental health problems, and there are studies to show the damaging impact on human behaviour on living in such environments."
LOCATION: Watford AUTHORITY: Watford Borough Council
INSPECTOR: Steven Rennie PROCEDURE: Written
submissions
DECISION: Allowed REFERENCE: APP/ Y1945/W/19/3220904
( VICTORIA HILLS, CEO of the RTPI: “Not only do permitted development rights risk poorly designed and inappropriately located housing, but they also challenge local planning authorities' ability to deliver mixed and efficient land use and make it more difficult for communities to engage in development.”
( ELLI THOMAS, Lead advisor at the Design Council: I’m completely horrified at this, both in terms of PDR allowing conversions with no regulation or oversight on quality of life but also at the precedent this appeal decision will set."
of Watford said: “We are very disappointed by this decision. It is a disgrace that central government has set such a low bar for the homes people are expected to live in. "Councils should be given the powers to reject applications like these. They should not expect their decisions to be overturned by central government, who
are determined for councils to meet unrealistic housing targets at the expense of infrastructure and proper living conditions. "We will continue to reject these type of planning applications as we expect more for Watford. So should our government."
I M AG E S | I STO C K
The appeal concerned an industrial building, last in use as an upholstery workshop. The building is single-storey, with a high dual-pitched roof. It has a mezzanine level, but no roof insulation.The building has only small, highlevel windows at groundfloor level. The appellant sought permission to convert the building into 15 studio flats/ bedsits under schedule 2, part 3, class PA of the general permitted development order, which allows changes of use from use class B1(c) (industrial) to residential. The flats would each have an area of between 16.5 and 21 square metres, less than half the minimum standard for a 1-bed flat, which is 37sq m. All of the upstairs flats and one downstairs would not have any windows. The council refused permission on the grounds that the quality of the accommodation proposed was so poor that the units could not be considered “dwellings”, and therefore did not benefit from permitted development rights. The council officer’s report noted that the units “would not provide any meaningful
EXPERT ANALYSIS
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‘Predator experience’ expansion allowed in national park An inspector has approved expansion plans at a tourist attraction in the Lake District offering ‘wolf walks’ and other experiences despite harm to the area’s World Heritage Site designation. The appeal concerned a tourism business in the Lake District called Predator Experience. Established in 2010, it offers birds of prey displays and walks with the appellants’ two wolf hybrids. The site is in the designated Lake District National Park (NP) and UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS). The appellants explained that the wolf hybrids live with them in their nearby home. However, legal changes introduced in 2018 mean that the animals’ existing accommodation was no longer suitable, requiring them to
be rehoused. The appellants sought permission for a new ‘live/work unit’ at the site. The new building would include a conference room, animal viewing rooms, an office and staff room, an
animal hospital, wet weather flying room and animal accommodation, as well as improved disabled access, a reception area and toilets. The appellant estimated that these facilities would draw 7,000 visitors to the attraction each year. TThe inspector estimated that the business would contribute £1 million to the local economy. But, she noted: “It is essential that tourism
and economic development [at World Heritage Sites] is not at the expense of the special qualities of the landscape.” She found that the less than substantial harm identified was outweighed by the benefits to local business and tourism for the national park.
LOCATION: Ayside AUTHORITY: Lake District National Park
INSPECTOR: Siobhan Watson PROCEDURE: Inquiry DECISION: Allowed REFERENCE: APP/ Q9495/W/18/3217157
RECRUITMENT ADVERTISEMENT
Planning/Senior Planning Oflcer (Development Management) Roles Due to some changes within the team, we have openings to join our dynamic Development Management team at Lichleld District Council, and would welcome applications on a full time, part time or job share basis. Ideally situated in the heart of the Midlands, with our oflces based in the historic centre of Lichleld, we are within easy reach of Birmingham and the District includes beautiful countryside including an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This presents a broad range of development opportunities, challenges and pressures for the District. Also, the Council has a signilcant growth agenda and a strong emphasis on quality design. We are looking for enthusiastic individuals who can contribute towards this. You will ideally be a qualiled planner (MRTPI) or working towards this, with post qualilcation experience in development management, including within a Local Planning Authority. You should have a good knowledge of the planning system, excellent organisational and time management skills and be a good team player with the ability to negotiate on complex schemes and have good written and verbal communication skills. An appreciation and understanding of urban design principles would also be very useful in this role. We are looking for people to work in a senior planning oflcer capacity within our busy development management team and so your work will include dealing with minor and major applications, with an emphasis on contributing towards the Council’s committed development team approach and high quality service. You will also be required to present at Planning Committee (evening meetings). For an informal discussion please contact Claire Billings, Planning Development Manager on 01543 308171 or email Claire.billings@lichlelddc.gov.uk Closing date for applications is Sunday 4 August, with interviews likely week commencing 19th August. Please state on your application your preference – if any – for full time, part time or job share working arrangements. All applications need to be made online by visiting www.wmjobs.co.uk/job/59248/planning-senior-planning-oflcer/ AUGUST 2019 / THE PLANNER
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DECISIONS DIGEST{
SUBSCRIBE to our appeals digest:
https://subs.theplanner. co.uk/register
Tower that could ‘constrain regeneration plans’ allowed wed An inspector has refused retrospective permission for an “immersive theatre experience” involving the installation of a train carriage in an East London railway arch, citing a loss of employment space and harm to town centre vitality. bit.ly/planner0819-Theatre
An inspector has approved plans for 43 new parking spaces at a centre for disabled people in Surrey, concluding that “very special circumstances” outweighed any harm to green belt openness. bit.ly/planner0819-Disability
The housing secretary has refused plans to build 1,500 homes between Braintree and Rayne, a nearby village, ruling that the scheme would “appreciably diminish the sense of separation” between the settlements. bit.ly/ planner0819-Braintree
Pub demolition blocked after more than 1,000 objections
227 more homes allowed with no new access
An inspector has blocked plans to replace a popular 1930s pub in Orpington with a new building comprising 11 flats, a shop and a new pub, after more than 1,000 people objected to the scheme. bit.ly/planner0819-Pub
An inspector has allowed plans for 227 homes in Stoke-on-Trent that would be accessed through an existing housing estate, ruling that off-site road improvements proposed as part of the scheme meant it would improve road safety in the area overall. bit.ly/planner0819-Stoke
‘Gramp condition’ is necessary ‘Grampian for quarry expansion
I New home would not harm gradeI listed religious paintings
i An inspector has approved plans to e expand a quarry in Somerset subject to a negatively worded su condition, ruling that the need to protect the water table and a nearby ancient monument amounted to “clear justification”. bit.ly/ planner0819-Quarry
An inspector has approved plans for a three-bedroom home in Hertfordshire, rejecting the council’s argument that the scheme could damage a row of nearby medieval cottages containing rare religious wall gious paintings. bit.ly/planner0819-Religious
Private 16,500sq m lake would harm AONB
Next phase of Tottenham Hotspur regeneration plans approved
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North London football club Tottenham Hotspur has won permission to build 316 new homes and a community library, as part of a wider project to regenerate the area around its new £1 billion stadium. bit.ly/planner0819-Spurs
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An inspector has rejected plans to create an artificial private lake in Kent with a footprint of more than 16,500 square metres, citing harm to the special qualities of the High Weald AONB. bit.ly/planner0819-Lake
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I M AG E S | I STO C K / S H U T T E RSTO C K / A L A M Y
Brokenshire blocks 1,500 homes near Braintree
Parking need at disability centre forms ‘very special circumstances’
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Help shape our future DIRECTOR â&#x20AC;&#x201C; GROWTH AND INFRASTRUCTURE Salary up to ÂŁ90,000 (including essential car allowance) Full time (37 hours) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; permanent position Employer â&#x20AC;&#x201C; East Northamptonshire Council Now is the time to join the local partnership in this newly created Director post, where your experience and influence can help shape the future of North Northamptonshire. Working for three Councils and with key stakeholders, you will help turn vision into reality through smart strategic leadership.
You will also provide strategic oversight of our joint planning policy and delivery team, and of the local planning, building control and local policy teams in each of the three Councils. At East Northamptonshire, you will also have oversight of Environmental Services
We need someone with demonstrable experience of working collaboratively with partners, with the ability to work on multiple projects and who is as comfortable engaging with government ministers as they are with local residents and lobby groups.
Personal qualities are just as important as professional skills. The successful candidate will be persuasive whilst respecting the views of others, possess tact and diplomacy, be resilient and handle stressful situations well. Full RTPI membership is preferred but not essential.
You will be the strategic lead responsible for the promotion and delivery of the growth agenda across North Northamptonshire. You will lead for us on the development of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc, on the creation of arc wide plans, on the development of funding packages and growth deals with government and you will work closely with our SEMLEP and the sub regional transport body. You will lead on growth related projects across the area.
S ea rc h j ob s . t h e pla n n e r .co .u k fo r t h e b e s t v a canci e s
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To find our more about this exciting opportunity please visit www.shapeourfuture.co.uk Closing date for applications: 19th August 2019
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Take five: The housing delivery test The more rigorous definition of “deliverable” in the revised NPPF makes it harder for councils to put together a five-year housing supply, says Sarah Reid
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was first published in 2012, and represented a step change in the government’s approach to housing delivery. It was there that the now well-known national policy imperative to secure a “significant boost to the supply of housing” was first articulated. However, five years later, the government continued to report that the housing market was “broken”. The revised NPPF reiterates the government’s commitment to significantly boosting housing supply. Whilst that aspiration is laudable, in practical terms, how will this be delivered? Perhaps one of the answers lies in the new definition of “deliverable” tucked away in the glossary to the revised NPPF. That new definition requires that, in order for certain sites to be included in an authority’s five-year supply, there must be “clear evidence” that completions will begin within five years. This effectively switches the presumption contained in the 2012 NPPF that all sites with planning permission were deliverable (unless there was clear evidence to the contrary).
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in the annual assessment through the appeal process have likewise been found to be “wholly inadequate”. The revised PPG provides an increased emphasis on public consultation and on testing deliverability assumptions with developers, and seeking to provide retrospective The onus is now very justification for the inclusion clearly on the local planning of sites through the appeal authority to justify the process arguably sidesteps inclusion of these sites, that process. and appeal decisions have In any event, the confirmed that the new test fundamental point is that goes “significantly further” sites should not be included than the 2012 NPPF , and in the council’s supply at “raises the bar” for the test of all unless there is “clear deliverability . evidence” justifying their The Planning Practice inclusion, in Guidance (PPG) accordance with gives examples “APPEAL of what might DECISIONS HAVE the requirements constitute “clear CONFIRMED THAT of national policy, at the point of evidence” of THE NEW TEST delivery – for RAISES THE BAR assessment. Significantly, example, a FOR THE TEST OF statement of DELIVERABILITY” inspectors also appear to be common ground treating the types between the of sites that local planning are referenced authority and the in the new definition of developer confirming delivery deliverable as a “closed intentions and anticipated list”. That is, inspectors have start and build out rates. specifically declined to count The examples in the PPG emerging allocations and are not exhaustive and other sites with resolutions to grant evidence of a similar quality permission on the basis might suffice. However, the that these types of sites are first wave of appeal decisions not mentioned in the new following the publication of definition of deliverable, even the revised NPPF indicate where those sites had in fact that inspectors are adopting received planning permission a relatively strict approach, by the time of the inquiry. and attempts to rely on Historically, these sites “unsupported assertions” as have been an important to deliverability have been component of supply, and the robustly rejected at appeal. indication that they should Attempts to plug the gap
not be included as a matter of principle is likely to have a very significant effect on the ability of many local planning authorities to demonstrate a five-year supply. Where a five-year supply cannot be demonstrated, there is a presumption in favour of granting planning permission. Requiring sites to meet a higher hurdle to be included in the five-year supply was presumably intentional, and is perhaps one way in which a boost to housing delivery will be realised. Sarah Reid is a barrister with Kings Chambers specialising in planning and environment, and one of The Planner’s Women of Influence
In brief The revised NPPF’s new definition of ‘deliverable’ puts the onus on councils to show that completions on a site will begin within five years This sets a stricter bar for justification of inclusion of sites in the five-year housing supply determination Inspectors are applying the NPPF definition rigorously This means authorities may struggle to demonstrate a five-year supply In that case the presumption in favour of development kicks in and sites outside the allocation may get permission
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Landlord fined £60k fine for ill-treating tenants A Brent landlord has been found guilty of licensing breaches that made tenants’ lives a misery and has been ordered to pay a £60,170 fine. Hugo Pulqueiro sent in people to change the locks to kick a female tenant out of the flat she shared with six other tenants because she complained about the deteriorating conditions. The victim was left homeless and her belongings were dumped outside the four-bedroom flat in High Road, Willesden, in February. Pulqueiro, of Park Avenue, Willesden Green, had created a partition wall down the middle of two single rooms to create two illegal micro rooms that he rented out. He did not provide written agreements and sent over strangers to collect their rent in cash at irregular times. He neglected to protect his tenants’ deposits, failed to meet fire safety regulations and ignored his responsibility to maintain the property to a liveable standard. The fire brigade was called to the property to put out a fire a week before the enforcement officers' raid. Pulqueiro was found guilty of the breaches at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on 13 June. He was ordered to pay £6,000 in costs on top of the fine.
Llanelli judge says shed on wheels is still a shed A Milford Haven man who fitted wheels to his garden shed in a bid to avoid planning regulations has been fined £700 by Pembrokeshire County Council. James Kershaw of Pill Priory, Lower Priory, claimed that with wheels added, the shed was no longer a building but a chattel placed on land and therefore not subject to planning regulations. District Judge Chris James of Llanelli Magistrates’ Court did not believe claims that the shed was intended to move around the yard or that this was possible. In 2015, Kershaw had erected the wooden shed on his land at Pill Priory without planning permission. Judge James noted the wheels were an attempt to evade further planning authority control. He argued that his actions were not for personal gain and that most people were entitled to a garden shed – he needed it to store his business tools. The council argued that the shed remained a building. But Judge James noted the harm could be amended and that the defendant had no previous record of failing to comply with planning law. In addition to the fine, Kershaw was ordered to pay a £70 victim’s surcharge and costs of £2,244.04.
Council sports centre denied consent twice The High Court says Elmbridge Borough Council’s sports centre was built and opened two years ago without planning permission. The Xcel Sports Hub facility in Walton-on-Thames has been operational since September 2017. Planning permission for the sports hub was initially quashed by the High Court in January 2017, because of concerns about harm to the openness and purpose of green belt land. But the council approved its own plans for the development for the second time just a day later, suggesting that the impact would be limited. However, this consent was quashed again by the High Court in June, after a challenge was submitted to the council’s decision. Mrs Justice Thornton said that although the council had the right to change its view on the potential environmental impact, it had not given any valid reason as to why this had changed from the first planning application. A council spokesperson said: “We feel strongly that this is a highly arguable decision and we will be making an immediate application to the Court of Appeal for permission to appeal.” Use of the sports hub can continue pending the outcome of the appeal.
LEGAL BRI EFS Planning Law Update – North West This event, to be held in Manchester on Monday 14th October, is entitled ‘Is the broken system being fixed?’ Speakers will look at legal and policy changes over the past 18 months, touching on areas including housing delivery, town centres and viability. bit.ly/planner0819-NWLaw
Sale of piers case bound for Supreme Court The Supreme Court has given the owner of a grade II-listed house permission to appeal in a dispute concerning a council’s enforcement action over the sale of two early 18th century limestone piers, Local Government Lawyer reports. bit.ly/planner0819-Pier
Ground Rents (Leasehold Properties) Bill 2017-19 On 25th June, Conservative MP Eddie Hughes introduced a private member’s bill that would introduce a cap on ground rents. bit.ly/planner0819-GroundRent
SoS decision blocking Milton Keynes development quashed The High Court has quashed a decision by housing secretary James Brokenshire that had overturned an inspector’s recommendation to allow a large residential development in Milton Keynes, reports Local Government Lawyer. bit.ly/planner0819-MiltonKeynes
How to demonstrate very special circumstances Christopher Young QC of No5 Chambers assesses a successful appeal against Bromley Council’s rejection of plans for 151 homes on green belt land. bit.ly/planner0819-GreenBelt
Development Management and Planning Law Update This seminar, on 1st October in Bristol, will focus on the legal aspects of development management, taking into account recent case law and revisions to national policy. bit.ly/planner0819-DevManagement
Beware noisy neighbours in the flat next door… Martin Edwards of Shakespeare Martineau assesses recent case law concerning landlords’ responsibility for noise and nuisance caused by their tenants. bit.ly/planner0819-Neighbours
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RTPI {
RTPI news pages are edited by Will Finch at the RTPI, 41 Botolph Lane, London EC3R 8DL
Volunteers key to Planning Aid England’s continued success, says RTPI A recent Planning Aid England (PAE) event has built on the vital contribution played by volunteers to the organisation’s success. PAE, funded by the RTPI, provides independent and impartial planning advice and support to help individuals and communities engage with the planning system and get involved in planning in their local area. The event, held in Birmingham in May, was attended by 20 of PAE’s most engaged volunteers as well as staff and invited guests, including RTPI Vice-President Sue Manns. PAE Manager Chris Pagdin said: “Involving volunteers in our efforts to improve and develop PAE services is integral to their ongoing success. Volunteers have always been at the heart of PAE’s work to help people engage with the planning system and it is important that we draw upon their knowledge and experience to best effect.” The aim of the event was to review PAE’s current service offer and to develop ideas for extending the advice and support that PAE provides to both individuals and communities across England. Workshops generated a range of suggestions to be implemented over the coming months for maximising the efficiency and reach of PAE’s volunteer-led email advice service, and for ensuring that PAE’s website is as engaging and accessible as possible for a non-planning audience. There was also lively discussion on how to reach communities in more deprived areas that may benefit from PAE support – it was agreed that part of the answer may lie in strengthening connections with relevant third sector organisations as well as further work to raise awareness of PAE services WE NEED YOUR HELP Are you an RTPI member interested in getting involved in regional PAE activity? We are particularly keen to hear from Chartered members based in those regions that do not currently have active PAE task groups: East of England, East Midlands, London and South East. Please contact volunteers@planningaid.rtpi.org.uk
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RTPI Vice-President Sue Manns leads the discussion at the recent Planning Aid England event
within local planning authorities. Volunteers currently deliver a range of PAE activities – as well as the free email advice service, caseworkers are able to provide more in-depth planning support, and there is also a website advisory panel that provides specialist planning knowledge and reviews website content on a regular basis. Additionally, PAE task groups in several RTPI regions lead on a range of outreach and
engagement activities using local knowledge to identify where free professional planning advice will be of most benefit. n For more information on Planning Aid England, visit www.rtpi.org.uk/planning-aid/
PAE IN NUMBERS
450 180 9000
PAE volunteers across England
email advice enquiries answered by PAE volunteers each month
hits a month at www.planningaid.co.uk
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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
MY VIEW ON… PLANTECH Planner Charlotte Orrell believes that the ‘PlanTech’ revolution isn’t a fad – it’s happening right now, and it’s here to stay The use of new digital technology for planning – or ‘PlanTech’ – in both the public and private sectors is increasing, but its use within our day-to-day work is still minimal compared with our real estate counterparts and planners abroad. I believe that, as planners, we must all adapt to this new way of thinking or we will soon be watching our industry get left behind. Collectively we need to drive the process and embrace the change. We need to open our minds to a more transparent system, in which data and emerging artificial intelligence (AI) systems are trusted more. We must cooperate better with one another, whether across public and private sectors or across national borders. Recent progress in the PlanTech sector should be celebrated, but together as an industry we should certainly be driving innovation further. In fact, by doing so, we’ll be future-proofing our industry. n Charlotte is a Senior Planner at Iceni Projects sitting within its
Central London Team. As part of the ‘Iceni Futures’ sector group, she has a particular interest in the role technology can play within the planning industry and the built environment as a whole.
POSITION POINT New report calls for smart energy to be at the core of planning for new homes
SMART ENERGY CHERYL HILES, ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT SECTOR DIRECTOR AT PELL FRISCHMANN, ON BEHALF OF THE RTPI SW PLANNING FOR SMART ENERGY PROJECT TEAM Hidden amid the torrent of political activity this summer was the government’s noteworthy commitment to halting the UK’s contribution to climate change by 2050. That this can only be achieved with strengthened policy to cut emissions across all levels and departments of government with a drastic step up in the speed of decarbonisation across the whole economy, was spelt out by the Committee on Climate Change in its report on the need to achieve netzero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. It is within this context that RTPI South West has shone a spotlight on the role of planning as a key facilitator in delivering a cornerstone of this transition – a smart energy system. This national research, published in July, drew heavily on the experience of planning professionals and practice in south-west England. Recognising that significant strides have already been taken to support lower emissions, the study found that action to date and existing planning tools take us only part of the way to achieving the legal commitment to decarbonise. The report acknowledges the important role of every planning professional in supporting the transition to a smart energy system, and calls upon the government to recognise the need for smart energy to be at the core of planning for new homes, jobs, transport and infrastructure. Technologies and infrastructure are changing rapidly, but so also are the ways in which people will access energy and mobility services. This research makes a number of recommendations on how spatial planning can be used more effectively in the fight to cut emissions and harness the business benefits that will be generated from transition to a zerocarbon economy. It makes no sense, economically, socially or environmentally, to continue to plan and deliver new homes, buildings and infrastructure today in a form, or in places, that will require costly retrofitting tomorrow. To download RTPI’s Smart Energy report, visit www.rtpi.org.uk/smartenergy
n RTPI’s Policy team has published a range of reports in recent months on topics including the planning profession, design quality and the Great North Plan. To view all the publications, visit bit.ly/planner0819-publications
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RTPI { RTPI N E W S
President cuts ribbon at new RTPI Cymru office The RTPI Cymru’s new office in Cardiff has been opened at a reception attended by RTPI President Ian Tant, Chief Executive Victoria Hills and RTPI Cymru Chair Huw Evans. The new office is the RTPI’s first ‘bricks-and-mortar’ presence in Wales, and will provide working space for RTPI Cymru’s three members of staff – Director Roisin Willmott, Policy Officer Rhian Brimble and Administrative Assistant Georgina Roberts. The office is in Cardiff’s Creative Quarter, a design-led community environment in a historic landmark location above the Morgan Quarter in the Welsh capital’s city centre. After cutting the ceremonial ribbon, Ian Tant said: “This is a really exciting development for RTPI Cymru, which for many years has championed the power of planning in Wales while building links with other built environment professions and organisations. “The office is in such a
dynamic part of Cardiff and I’m sure it will be a great place to work for all our staff – not only the team at RTPI Cymru itself but also other staff visiting from around the UK.” The opening of the new office came the day before the 2019 edition of the Wales Planning Conference which featured speakers including Minister for Housing and Local Government Julie James AM, Richard Bacon MP, Rory Brooke from Savills and Nick Selwyn from the Wales Audit Office.
Richard Bacon MP addresses the Wales Planning Conference
(below) President Ian Tant opens the new RTPI Cymru office with (l-r) Roisin Willmott, Victoria Hills and Huw Evans
Conduct and Discipline decisions The RTPI Conduct and Discipline Panel has found three members of the Institute to be in breach of the RTPI Code of Professional Conduct. The first complaint concerned a local authority planner circulating confidential information to those acting for a developer. The panel found that this amounted to a lack of due care and diligence (paragraph 14 of the Code of Professional Conduct) but found no evidence of it being
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a deliberate act. As a result the member received a warning as to his future conduct. The second complaint involved a planning consultant member who withdrew a planning application without his client’s consent. This was also found to be contrary to paragraph 14. In addition he failed to retain his files in order to explain his actions adequately. As a result he received a reprimand. The last complaint concerned
a planning consultant who provided initial terms of engagement but failed to issue these for subsequent work. This resulted in confusion as to what work would be completed and whether any payment was due. This was found to be contrary to paragraph 15 and the member was warned as to her future conduct. For further queries concerning the Code of Professional Conduct, email ruth.richards@rtpi.org.uk
PLANNERS NAMED IN QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY HONOURS LIST 2019 Congratulations to four members of the RTPI whose work was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Ray Colbourne MRTPI Rtd, Team Leader in the Planning Casework Unit at MHCLG and an active member of the West Midlands Regional Activities Committee, was awarded an MBE for public service. Sue Percy MRTPI, former Director of Professional Services at the RTPI, was awarded a CBE for services to transport. Sue is currently Chief Executive of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation. Mike Galloway OBE MRTPI Rtd, a former member of the RTPI’s Dundee University Partnership Board, was awarded a CBE for services to Architecture and City Regeneration. Mike is a former member of the RTPI’s Dundee University Partnership Board and has lately worked as Executive Director, City Development at Dundee City Council. Dr Louise BrookeSmith MRTPI, UK Head of Development and Strategic Planning at Arcadis LLP, was awarded an OBE for services to the Built Environment and Diversity and Inclusion.
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G PLANNIN AHEAD MEMBER NEWS
Key dates for 2019 Join us in Newcastle for a masterclass on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), delivered by Fellow of IEMA and Chartered Environmentalist Josh SEPT Fothergill. The class is built around the procedural steps that a local planning authority undertakes in enabling and reviewing the EIA process, and will enable you to identify which developments need an EIA, the topics to be scoped and covered, and how to identify and assess significant environmental effects of the proposals.
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n To book your place visit bit.ly/planner0819-IEA
For good planning outcomes, planners increasingly need good project management skills. ‘Project Management for Planners’, an RTPI OCT Training Masterclass in Plymouth, given by Dr Mike Clayton, addresses the major stages of project management specifically for planning and gives you the tools, methods and techniques you need to manage your projects successfully.
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n To buy your ticket, visit bit.ly/planner0819-projects
Tickets for the RTPI Young Planners’ Conference 2019 are now on sale. Hosted by the North East Young Planners, this year’s conference at Hilton Newcastle Gateshead will NOV focus on ‘A Sense of Place: Planning and Identity’. The conference programme will offer something for everyone, no matter where you are based or what sector you work in. Among the highlights will be the opportunity to attend a series of workshops to engage with your peers, broaden your understanding of the topic, develop your skills and apply them to your everyday work. A wide range of study tours are also being organised so that delegates can experience first-hand the very best examples of planning in the North East. Tickets for the gala dinner are also on sale now.
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n For more details, visit bit.ly/planner0819-YPC2019
NEW CHARTERED MEMBERS East of England John Fairlie David Lomas East Midlands David Gray Richard Leonard Ian Long Ebbony Mattley Jamie Townsend East of England Ashleigh Audley James Collister Sam Dicocco Tom Donovan Michael Jenner Piotr Kulik Brian Parker Robert Preston London Elizabeth Appiah Victoria Bates Georgina Betts Lee Douglas Oliver Enticott Daniel Hyde Lucy Morris Riette Oosthuizen Laura Peplow Alice Raggett Lee Si Wai Dennis Toomey Oscar Wong North West Richard Dimsianos Idris Gulfraz Conor Healy Danielle Kitchen Sean McBride Daniel Russell Ben Thornley Northern Ireland Hayley Dallas Ronan Kelly Overseas Yue Cai Connie Chan Ronald Chan Alicia Lai Jenny Lai Ian Mak Jianfa Shen
Joe Tam Scotland Katie Britton Charlotte Brown Lorna Clark Claire FarmerMcEwen Michael Harvey Sarah Kyle Martin Mackey Erika Pryde South East Thij Bax Natasha Bullen Emer Cunningham Ashley Hayden Karen Hingley Bethany Lennon Gary Magee Megan Osborn Kimberley Parry Garry Thornton South West Lydia Dunne L (nee Jones) Chris Fleming Matt Harris Stephen Holloway Maria Raquel Leonardo Adam Rabone Robert Ranger Rebecca Verhaeg Steph Wade Frances Wadsley Peter Walters Yvonne Wilday Wales Chad Collins Kelly CollinsThomas Dylan Green Ross Irvine West Midlands Josh Coldicott Dominic Cooney Grace Lockley Reena Mehta Yorkshire Senan Seaton Kelly
Many congratulations to Prof Brian Mark Evans, who has been elected Fellow of the RTPI in recognition of his strong thought leadership in landscape planning and urban design. Prof Evans’ work has had a direct impact on the development of several UK cities, including Sheffield, Glasgow and Newcastle.
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'INSIGHT'
Plan B P News reaches Plan B that Kanye West, described by Wikipedia as “rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, and fashion designer”, can now add housebuilder to his swelling list of accomplishments. Apparently, the MAGA-supporting, Bohemian Rhapsodising ray of sunshine is dedicating his considerable gifts to solving the West’s affordable housing and homelessness crisis. With houses inspired by Star Wars. Now, we shouldn’t knock this, as the line between sci-fi and reality has become perilously thin of late (just think of Donald Trump’s ‘Space Force’). According to Forbes magazine, the prototypes owe a considerable design debt to the h home of Luke Skywalker on the planet Tatooine. lanet T That is, they’re they’r a bit like igloos. Giant igloos – according to the magazine’s description, d descript iiption some “dozens of feet” tall. Marvellous. M Obviously we Obvio commend the com
eternally smiling philanthropist for his,er philanthropy and we hope it all works out well for him. But it turns out that Yeezy is not the first famous name to turn to fantasy to solve the housing problem. Indeed, it seems that celebrities are practically queuing up to provide cinematically inspired solutions to everyday problems – as Plan B discovered when we looked into the issue. Robbie Williams, Alien Robbie Williams is a huge fan of the Alien franchise. It’s even said that it was a disagreement over which of the Alien films is best that is the real reason for the supposed ‘planning’ dispute between Williams and his neighbour in Holland Park, celebrity occultist Jimmy Page. Anyway, back in the late 90s, his career on the up, the ex Take That songster launched a range of pod-like prefab houses inspired by the eggs in the alien’s nest. Said eggs could be handily rolled into city centres, offering temporary shelter to homeless people until they could get back on their feet. Sadly, the “RobbiePod” never took off and, rather like Williams’ career,
disappeared into the realm of things that we once thought quite good but we’re now a bit embarrassed about. Dame Judi Dench, Flash G Gordon d Her role as spymaster M in the Bond movies may be telling us a little more e about Dame Judi Dench than would at first be apparent. For it turns out that the lifelong Quaker is a huge fan of the problem-solving potential of technology – in this case, social problems. She’s a major investor in a company developing a prototype of an airborne co-living community for young professionals based loosely on the flying city of the Hawkmen from 1980’s Flash Gordon. A keen environmentalist, the grande dame of British theatre (and film) is partly inspired by the fact that the community will be powered entirely by recycled carbon dioxide, captured from the atmosphere. It’s thought a prototype may be at least ten years away. Joe Pasquale, The Dark Crystal As a young tyro trying to make his way in the industry, the squeaky-voiced funnyman prefigured his later acting career by voicing a minor character in Jim Henson’s dark puppet fantasy The Dark Crystal. It must have ignited something in the trainee welder’s mind – some 30 years later, between performances of The b Sleeping Beauty at Plymouth’s Theatre B Royal, the I’m a Celebrity… winner drew up plans for a Gothic castle with turrets t iin the shape of eagle’s beaks and claws. claw Pasquale Palace, a retirement community for Devon’s elderly, would com mm sit a atop High Willhays, the rocky tor t r considered the highest point on Dartmoor. Sadly, the proposal fell foul of Da National Park planning rules and never Na N rreached application stage. We're unable to confirm rumours that Bob B Dylan has invested in the residential conversion of a shopping mall next to Highway 61, inspired by George A Romero’s Dawn of the Dead. But we’d love to hear about more of your sci-fi and fantasy inspired celebrity housing schemes. Tweet us.
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CLUTCHING AT STARS
n Reach for the stars Tweet us - @ThePlanner_RTPI 17/07/2019 12:35
LANDSCAPE
THE MONTH IN PLANNING The best and most interesting reads, websites, films and events that we’ve encountered this month WHAT WE'RE READING 1... Smart Cities: Introducing Digital Innovation to Cities
WHAT WE'LL SOON BE WATCHING... Coming soon… Channel 4’s George Clarke (above right, with Graeme Bell MRTPI) has been commissioned to present three one-hour long programmes to mark the centenary of the Addison Act, which promoted ‘homes for heroes’. We’re told the programmes are to be shown on Channel 4 in August, so check the TV listings.
Oliver Gassmann, Jonas Bohm and Maximilian Palmie offer this ‘roadmap for creating ‘smart cities’, exploring how the ‘Smart City’ concept promises to solve pressing urban issues including mobility, energy, water supply, security, pollution, housing deprivation, and inclusion. Several case studies are discussed – Barcelona, Munich, Lyon, London and Vienna all lead the way, apparently.
WHAT WE'RE READING 2... Climax City Masterplanning & the complexity of urban growth
WHERE WE'RE GOING... Each month the RTPI runs a range of free or low-cost events up and down the UK. Here’s our pick for the next few weeks. See the full calendar here: bit.ly/planner0819-Calendar Challenges of waste management 5 September, Maple House, Birmingham Waste management has become an important consideration on the planning agenda. This explores legal updates and the role of planners in bringing forward waste development and how to overcome challenges. bit.ly/planner0819-Waste
David Rudlin and Shruti Hemani present this wellillustrated and instructive exploration of the growth of cities and masterplanning. It focuses on three key themes: the spontaneous city, the designed city and the unruly city.
Project management for planners 10 September, Nottingham Conference Centre A masterclass designed to meet the needs of everyone who has to manage projects or plans tasks and deliver results under time pressure. bit.ly/planner0819-Projects
Mental health in planning 10 September, Innside, Manchester Mental health practitioners consider how the way we plan affects mental health and how workers can play a positive role in creating conditions for better mental health. bit.ly/planner0819-MentalHealth
13th biennial of European towns and town planners 11 to 13 September, University of Plymouth ECSP’s signature event investigates planning in places that are defined by their location between two or more boundaries. It also offers a chance to discuss planning for coastal sustainable development. bit.ly/planner0819-13thBiennial
Trees, People and the Built Environment 4 (TPBE4) 22 – 23 April 2020
WHAT WE’RE PLANNING Septem September sees us addressing environmental issues including the 70th anniversary of national parks, includi while in October Mark Prisk MP, chair of the all-party parliamentary group on housing and planning, is our parliam interview subject. Contact editorial@theplanner. intervie co.uk k to suggest stories of themes you think we should be working on in future features.
The fourth international, crossdisciplinary urban tree research conference – with a focus on both research and practice – to be held in the UK. bit.ly/planner0819-Trees
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If undelivered please return to: The Royal Town Planning Institute 41 Botolph Lane, London EC3R 8DL
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