Sam Stafford was in London this week and managed to catch up with some of the 50 Shades crew for a conversation about another turbulent few weeks in the fast-paced, ever-changing, rock and roll world of town and country planning.
Sam met Andrew Taylor, Gilian Macinnes, Simon Ricketts and Nicola Gooch at Soho Radio Studios for a wide-ranging, whistle-stop catch-up that took in application fees in the context of wider local authority funding challenges; a new local plan consultation in the context of the ongoing crisis in local plan-making; and NSIPs in the context of Labour’s possible proposals for a new wave of new towns. The gang also touch on Green Belt, PD rights and BNG. Michael Gove’s "Long-term plan for housing" also gets a cursory mention.
Some accompanying reading.
Long-term plan for housing: Secretary of State's speech
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/long-term-plan-for-housing-secretary-of-states-speech
Plan-making reforms: consultation on implementation
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/plan-making-reforms-consultation-on-implementation
Permitted development rights
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/permitted-development-rights
Operational reforms to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) consenting process
Six in ten people in England would keep the Green Belt as it is
https://www.ipsos.com/en-uk/six-in-ten-people-in-england-would-keep-green-belt-as-it-is
Statement: Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds
https://www.woking.gov.uk/news/statement-community-infrastructure-levy-cil-funds
Technical consultation: Stronger performance of local planning authorities supported through an increase in planning fees: government response
New towns are building blocks of Labour’s plan for UK growth
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/url-labour-party-new-towns-uk-house-building-plan-2023-d8gp3zkj2
The Golf Belt
https://golfbelt.russellcurtis.co.uk/
Sussex Section 106 agreement marks key moment for developers in Biodiversity Net Gain provision
The Government’s Big Move On Nutrient Neutrality – Now We Have Seen The Government’s LURB Amendment
LURB Watch 2: The nutrient amendments have landed
https://imbusiness.passle.net/post/102imu5/lurb-watch-2-the-nutrient-amendments-have-landed
Summer madness: what have you missed?
https://www.planoraks.com/posts-1/summer-madness-what-have-you-missed
Some accompanying viewing.
Three Blokes in a Bath
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80sSbLzSuak
Some accompanying listening.
Higher Ground - Stevie Wonder
https://youtu.be/I1_uU9eIZRo?si=W8d-tYxQUKcq8Zh_
50 Shades T-Shirts!
If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning you will have heard Clive Betts say that...
'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'.
Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/07/50-shades-of-planning-t-shirts.html
50 Shades of Planning
50 Shades of Planning was Sam Stafford’s attempt between April 2019 and October 2024 to explore the foibles of the English planning system and it's aim was to cover the breadth of the sector both in terms of topics of conversation and in terms of guests with different experiences and perspectives.
50 Shades episodes include 'Hitting The High Notes', which are a series of conversations with leading planning and property figures. The conversations take in the six milestone planning permissions or projects within a contributor’s career and for every project guests are invited to choose a piece of music that they were listening to at that time. Think Desert Island Discs, but for planners.
Sam is on Bluesky (@samuelstafford.bsky.social) and Instagram (@samuel__stafford), and his blogs can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com (from where you can also sign up for his newsletter).
The 50 Shades platforms were expressions of Sam's personal opinions, which may or may not represent the opinions of his past, present or future employers.
The 50 Shades of Planning Podcast and YouTube channels were produced in partnership with Cratus Group.
Why Fifty Shades? Well, planning is not a black and white endeavour. There are at least fifty shades in between....
