Three Things (or 'The 50 Shades Manifesto For Sensible Planning Reform')
- E68
- 57:19
- May 21st 2022
Regular 50 Shades Listeners will know that Sam Stafford recently had dinner with a DLUHC Minister. The conversation during dessert turned, with a set piece Planning Bill off of the agenda, to the three most impactful things that Michael Gove could do to improve the planning system. Sam subsequently shared his thoughts on Twitter (see link below) and they provoked a bit of a discussion, which he thought worthy of exploring further in a 50 Shades episode.
This then is what prompted Episode 65’s 'Call for Evidence' in which Sam invited 50 Listeners to share their own suggestions for practical, pragmatic changes that, with little fuss and fanfare, could have a positive, meaningful impact on the planning system. Sam discusses the submissions, let's perhaps call them the '50 Shades Manifesto For Sensible Planning Reform', in this episode with Claire Petricca-Riding, Jonathan Easton and Paul Smith.
Claire (@PetriccaRiding) is a Partner and National Head of Planning & Environmental Law at Irwin Mitchell. Jonathan (@jonnye47) is full-time planning barrister at Kings Chambers and a part-time punster on Twitter. Paul (@paul_slg) is Managing Director at the Strategic Land Group.
Some accompanying reading.
Sam’s three areas for impactful planning reform
http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2022/03/three-things.html
Planning for the better future – RTPI Proposals for Planning Reform in England
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/policy/2021/march/planning-for-a-better-future/
Local development planning in Scotland - regulations and guidance consultation: part B - proposals for development planning regulations
The Future of Strategic Planning in England by the County Councils Network and Catriona Riddell Associates
RTPI South West Pilot Mentoring Programme for early career planners
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/swmentoring
'The Queen’s Speech – Levelling Up and Planning Reform, what can be legislated for?'
Government response to the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Select Committee report on The Future of the Planning System in England
The Levelling Up & Regeneration Bill: Highlights, Headlines and Henry the Eighth
Local Plans Expert Group: report to the Secretary of State
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/local-plans-expert-group-report-to-the-secretary-of-state
Sir Oliver Letwin’s independent review of build out
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-build-out-final-report
Some accompanying listening.
The Verve – Three Steps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFiM4FORyC8
50 Shades T-Shirts!
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
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...