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
50 Shades of Planning is Sam Stafford’s attempt to explore 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 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.
50 Shades episode also include the 'All Around the World' series, which is being led by friend of the podcast, Paul Smith.
Paul put it to Sam that debates about the planning system in England tend, for the most part, to focus solely on the planning system in England. Planners here very seldom look to other countries for inspiration and ideas. Paul wanted to remedy that and so in this series he chats with planning professionals and academics from a number of countries to find out what works well there, what works less well, and what can be learnt.
Sam is on Bluesky and Instagram, and his blogs can be found here (from where you can also sign up for his newsletter).
The 50 Shades platforms are expressions of Sam's personal opinions, which may or may not represent the opinions of his past, present or future employers.
50 Shades of Planning is by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use the podcast or the YouTube channel for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then do please feel free to get in touch with Sam via [email protected].
Why Fifty Shades? Well, town and country planning is very much not a black and white endeavour. There are at least fifty shades in between....
