Little did Sam Stafford know when recording Episode 14 in Manchester at the end of February 2020 that every episode for the rest of the year, and who knows how far beyond, would need to be recorded remotely.
This is the first of two episodes that feature reflections on 2020 from past contributors to the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast. It is hoped that it serves two purposes. More immediately, it is hoped that in taking the time to listen you get chance to reflect on what you might have been through this year. It might help you realise what you have actually achieved and, on the other side of the coin, that you might not have been the only one to have struggled at times. Looking ahead, it is hoped that these episodes serve as a kind of time capsule. Something to listen back on in the future, however it pans out, and remember just what an extraordinary year it has been.
Sam's only editorial stipulation was that recordings were about five minutes in length. Whatever people wanted to talk about was completely up to them, but as you will here, the themes that emerge are quite similar.
So in this episode you will hear erudite and insightful observations from…
- Sue Manley;
- Alistair Lomax;
- Vicky Payne;
- Hannah Hickman;
- Catriona Riddell;
- Mike Best; and
- Katie Wray.
Sue is a Director at Placemarque (@placemarque) and featured on Episode 28.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sue-manley-72542627
Alistair (@alistair_lomax) is a Director at the Arc Universities Group and featured on Episode 18.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alistair-lomax-13b00413
Vicky (@Victoria_Payne) is a planner and urbanist at URBED and is a regularly contributor to the podcast.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoria-payne-6b05b939
Hannah is a Director at Hannah Hickman Consulting and a Senior Research Fellow at the University of the West of England. She featured on Episode 24.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannahhickman1
Catriona (@CatrionaRiddel1) is a Director at Catriona Riddell Associate and featured on Episode 21.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/catriona-riddell-b418a322
Mike (@bestlaidplan) is a Senior Director at Turley and featured on Episode 9.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-best-083306b
Katie (@kluw) is an Assistant Director at Deloitte and featured on Episode 28.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-wray-mrtpi-a91a5827
Some accompanying reading.
A blog Sam wrote whilst on furlough leave in April.
https://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2020/04/memories-of-200809-career-advice-for-my.html
A plug for Sam's brother-in-law's audio visual business (in lieu of having to pay for some kit).
https://www.sight-n-sound.co.uk/index.html
50 Shades of Planning
Sam Stafford started posting on the 50 Shades of Planning blog in 2012 and in 2019 turned it into a podcast. 50 Shades of Planning is about the foibles of the English planning system and it's aim is 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 is 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. If you would like to feature on 'Hitting The High Notes', or know somebody that would make a great guest, please email [email protected].
If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast 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
Sam is on Bluesky (@samuelstafford.bsky.social) and Instagram (@samuel__stafford), and his blogs can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com.
As with the 50 Shades Blog, the 50 Shades Podcast is a platform for Sam's personal opinions, which may or may not represent the opinions of his past, present or future employers.
50 Shades of Planning is 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...
