50 Shades of Planning

When we think of diversity, and the awareness and inclusion in public life of people of different identities, we perhaps instinctively think of ethnicity, sexuality and age. We perhaps do not think instinctively of neurodiversity. Sam Stafford's youngest boy’s school, for example, had made space in the calendar to raise awareness of ethnicity, sexuality and age discrimination, but not, until it was pointed out, neurodiversity. This despite the fact that around 1 in 7 people in the UK are neurodivergent. Neurodiversity, for anybody unfamiliar with the term, is the diversity of all human brains, which includes those with Dyslexia, Autism, ADHD, Dyspraxia and other neurological conditions. The movement is centred around the principle that there is no “normal” or “right” type of brain. This is manifestly important to planning because a system cannot be considered effective if it is not engaging with, and working for, 15% of the population. This means that we need to talk about neurodiversity within the profession and within the workplace; we need to talk about engaging the neurodiverse in planning; and we need to talk about designing and delivering for the neurodiverse. Sam discusses these three themes in this episode with Keeley Mitchell (Trainee Planning Officer at Dacorum Council), Krystian Groom (Associate Director at BECG), Jenny Offord (Senior Planning & Enabling Manager at Homes England) and Atefeh Motamedi (Strategic Planner at Atkins). The Neurodiversity in Planning group, which is mentioned throughout this episode, can be contacted via LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13908485/) or neurodiversityinplanning@outlook.com. Some accompanying reading. 'Why planning should be more neurodiverse' by Layla Vidal-Martin https://www.rtpi.org.uk/blog/2021/april/why-planning-should-be-more-neurodiverse/ BECG’s Neurodiversity in Planning Toolkit https://becg.com/neurodiversity-in-planning-toolkit-launched/ 'Why is housing for people with autism a failure?' by Deborah Smith https://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/insight/why-is-housing-for-people-with-autism-a-failure/#utm_source=Place+North+West&utm_campaign=INSIGHT___Latest_expert_tips___2021-07-30&utm_medium=email 'How cities can be redesigned for neurodiversity' by Elissaveta M Brandon https://www.fastcompany.com/90662691/how-cities-can-be-redesigned-for-neurodiversity First building design standard for sensory and neurological needs – BSI https://www.bsigroup.com/en-GB/about-bsi/media-centre/press-releases/2020/october/project-launch-first-building-design-standard-for-sensory-and-neurological-needs/ 'Planning with Autism in Mind: A Six Feelings Framework' by Kyle Ezell https://www.planning.org/blog/blogpost/9155086/ The Autism ASPECTSS Design Index https://www.autism.archi/aspectss '14 Patterns of Biophilic Design' by Terrapin Bright Green https://www.terrapinbrightgreen.com/reports/14-patterns/ Some accompanying viewing. RTPI Webinar Part 1. Designing for Neurodiversity - Autism Friendly Environments https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO3X1P4zYmc RTPI Webinar Part 2. Engagement https://www.bigmarker.com/rtpi-enterprise/Neurodiversity-in-Planning-Part-2-5c89d09112d3a1fe69ebe8d4 Paddy & Christine McGuiness – Our Family and Autism https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m00122vl Some accompanying listening. Wu Tang Clan – Think Differently (Instrumental) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxAT7W8i03k 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

Is planning for America anathema to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness? Is it true, as ideologues like Friedrich Von Hayek, Milton Friedman and Ayn Rand have claimed, that planning leads to dictatorship, that the state is wholly destructive, and that prosperity is owed entirely to the workings of a free market? This is the synopsis of 'No Little Plans', Ian Wray's 2019 book that goes in search of an America shaped by government, plans and bureaucrats, not by businesses, bankers and shareholders. Ian discusses 'No Little Plans' in this episode with Sam Stafford; Katie Wray; and, all of the way from the USA as the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast goes global, Karen Trapenberg Frick. Ian Wray is Honorary Professor and Fellow in the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy at Liverpool University. He was formerly Chief Planner at the North West Development Agency between 200 and 2010. Katie Wray (@kluw) is an Assistant Director at Deloitte. Karen Trapenberg Frick (@TrapenbergFrick) is an Associate Professor in City & Regional Planning, at the University of California. 'No Little Plans' was Ian's follow-up to 2016's 'Great British Plans', which Sam, Ian and Katie discuss in Episode 36. Some accompanying reading. No Little Plans - How Government Built America’s Wealth and Infrastructure https://www.routledge.com/No-Little-Plans-How-Government-Built-Americas-Wealth-and-Infrastructure/Wray/p/book/9781138594104 LEGO Can Build a Northern Overground https://journal.theaou.org/articles/lego-can-build-a-northern-overground/ The essential state - Pandemic, norms and values, and the new authoritarianism https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1473095220969626?journalCode=plta A Sure Bet: Megaprojects - Not on Time and Not on Budget https://www.alexandrinepress.co.uk/Oakland_Bay_Bridge Some accompanying listening. For UK Listeners Jimi Hendrix plays the Star Spangled banner at Woodstock in 1969 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3-b3ViNTMI For US listeners The Village Green Preservation Society -The Kinks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc7dmu4G8oc 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

Who are the people and the organisations that have had the most influence over planning during the past couple of years? One could make a case for Jack Airey and Policy Exchange. Airey, who joined Localis having graduated in geography, became Head of Housing at Policy Exchange before being appointed Downing Street’s special adviser on housing and planning. In the spirit of Dominic Cummings’ shake-up of government apparatus, the attraction of Airey could have been his Policy Exchange paper called ‘Rethinking the Planning System for the 21st Century’, some of which found it’s way into the albeit now seemingly-jettisoned ‘Planning for the Future’ White Paper. One could also make a case for Nicholas Boys-Smith and Create Streets. Boys-Smith, a history graduate, desk officer in the Conservative Research Department and banker, founded Create Streets in 2013; was a co-chair of the Build Better, Build Beautiful Commission; and was appointed by the previous Secretary of State as chair of an ‘Office for Place’. Conspicuously neither are planners... Could a case be made for present planning policy being influenced by Think Tanks to a degree not seen since the simplified planning promoted by right-leaning Think Tanks like the Centre for Policy Studies in the 1980s? Either way, it is a reminder of the influence of Think Tanks on the planning policy agenda, which makes it a topic worthy of conversation on a town planning-based podcast. Why and how do Think Tanks do what they do? Where do policy ideas come from? And how do bright ideas get turned into actual policy? Sam Stafford puts these questions to Samuel Hughes (@SCP_Hughes), Research Fellow at the University of Oxford and Senior Follow at Policy Exchange; Anya Martin (@AnyaMartin8), Director at PricedOut and a researcher in the social housing sector; and Matthew Lesh (@matthewlesh), Head of Public Policy at the IEA. Some accompanying reading. 'Rethinking the Planning System for the 21st Century' by Jack Airey https://policyexchange.org.uk/publication/rethinking-the-planning-system-for-the-21st-century/ ‘Beware of ‘Policy Intern Brain’ – the source of so many bad ideas’ by Anya Martin https://capx.co/beware-of-policy-intern-brain-the-source-of-so-many-bad-ideas/ ‘Build me up, level up: popular homebuilding while boosting local communities’ by Matthew Lesh https://www.adamsmith.org/research/build-me-up-level-up ‘Strong Suburbs’ by Samuel Hughes and Ben Southwood https://policyexchange.org.uk/publication/strong-suburbs/ ‘Living Tradition’ by Samuel Hughes https://www.createstreets.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Living-Tradition.pdf ‘Learning from History’ by Ben Southwood https://www.createstreets.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Tottenham-Paper-1.9.pdf ‘The Green Noose: An analysis of Green Belts and proposals for reform’ by Tom Papworth https://www.adamsmith.org/news/press-release-free-up-3-7-percent-of-londons-green-belt-to-build-one-million-new-homes-says-new-report ‘A place in the sun’ by Anya Martin https://www.worksinprogress.co/issue/a-place-in-the-sun/ ‘Housing Politics in the United Kingdom’ by Brian Lund https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/housing-politics-in-the-united-kingdom Some accompanying listening. Wah Wah (Think Tank) by Happy Mondays https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyERDM7cbSo Some accompanying viewing. How policy is formulated in Westminster (Part 2 - Please see episode 55 for Part 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZXpeH28MpM 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

Hitting The High Notes is town planning’s equivalent of Desert Island Discs. In these episodes Sam Stafford chats to preeminent figures in the planning and property sectors about the six planning permissions or projects that helped to shape them as professionals. And, so that we can get to know people a little better personally, for every permission or project Sam asks his guests for a piece of music that reminds them of that period of their career. Unlike Desert Island Discs you will not hear any of that music during the episode because using commercially-licensed music without the copyright holders permission or a very expensive PRS licensing agreement could land Sam in hot water, so, when you have finished listening to this episode, you will have to make do with YouTube videos and a Spotify playlist, links to which you will find below. Sam's guest for this episode of Hitting The High Notes is Wayne Hemingway. In 1979 Wayne completed a degree in Geography & Town Planning at UCL, co-founding at the same time fashion business Red or Dead. In 1999, having sold the company, he co-founded Hemingway Design, which specialises in affordable and social design. Their conversation takes in squatters, hipsters and Gorillaz. Wayne's song selections. Me No Pop (12" version) by Coati Mundi https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPHN6wBm4sI (We don’t need this) Fascist Groove Thang (12" version) by Heaven 17 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lV5dbcOmw6I Harlem River Drive (album version) by Bobbi Humphrey https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVoWOSCkvQ0 Dare by Gorillaz https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAOR6ib95kQ  The light pours out of me by Magazine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nImOq_eWHEM Tees Happy (12" version) by North End https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRDUu96mzvw Wayne’s Spotify playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5cDgsrUij1o5Ktf412S6oZ?si=1MSBGIExT36jvU0sdZYAyg Wayne’s Mixcloud https://www.mixcloud.com/hemingwaywayne/ Some accompanying reading Hemingway Design https://www.hemingwaydesign.co.uk/ Go home to Wayne’s World https://www.independent.co.uk/property/house-and-home/property/go-home-to-wayne-s-world-9211553.html Staiths South Bank – A retrospective https://www.gateshead.gov.uk/media/3820/Staiths-South-Bank-a-retrospective/pdf/Staiths-Retrospective.pdf?m=636440213994870000  Barratt Developments’ ‘Great Places Initiative https://www.barrattdevelopments.co.uk/~/media/Files/B/Barratt-Developments/documents/gp-booklet-v1-2014.pdf Dreamland: Margate amusement park sold for £2.3m https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-56171446 Hipster-led Regeneration https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/hipster-led-regeneration-wayne-hemingway Incredible Edible Todmorden https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/09/incredible-edible-yorkshire-towns-food-growing-scheme-takes-root-worldwide East Point / First Light, Lowestoft https://firstlightlowestoft.com/east-point-pavilion/ Vintage-by-the-Sea, Morecambe https://www.decopublique.co.uk/vintage-by-the-sea-1 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

"Are you planning a 50 Shades on the local authority staffing crisis?" Sam Stafford usually likes it when people get in touch with him to suggest topics for 50 Shades episodes, but found this message from a team leader at a local authority striking and sobering. Is there a local authority staffing crisis? If so why and what can be done about it? Informed by equally striking and sobering responses to Episode 57's 'Call for Evidence' (see below a link to the 'Life on the Front Line' Blog), Sam puts these questions to Catriona Riddell, Peter Geraghty and Paul Brocklehurst, who try to do as much justice to this most weighty of topics as is possible within an hour or so. Catriona (@CatrionaRiddel1) is a Director at Catriona Riddell & Associates. https://www.linkedin.com/in/catriona-riddell-b418a322 Peter (@planitpres) is Executive Director at Hertsmere Borough Council and Chair of the Development Management Network at the Planning Officers Society, but contributes to this episode in a personal capacity. https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-geraghty-mciob-fcabe-frtpi-frsa-facss-5832899b Paul Brocklehurst is Chair of the Land Promoters & Developers Federation (@THELPDF) and a former Chief Executive of Catesby Estates. https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-brocklehurst-68827b6a Some accompanying reading. The Planning town hall resources survey  https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1720094/planning-town-hall-resources-survey?bulletin=planning-people&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=eNews%20Bulletin&utm_source=20210915&utm_content=Planning%20People%20(48)::&email_hash Three reasons for low morale at planning authorities, by Catriona Riddell https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1734244/three-reasons-low-morale-planning-authorities-catriona-riddell Life on the Front Line, Sam's Blog http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/12/life-on-front-line.html The Raynsford Review https://www.tcpa.org.uk/raynsford-review English Planning: The Fruits of 10 Years of Austerity and Reform, by Peter https://planning.org/blog/9189021/english-planning-fruits-of-10-years-of-austerity-and-reform/ Where the government’s review of local authority planning resources has got to, by Joey Gardiner https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1735446/governments-review-local-authority-planning-resources?bulletin=planning-weekly-edition&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=eNews%20Bulletin&utm_source=20211210&utm_content=Planning%20Email%20Edition%20(7)::&email_hash= We need to talk about Local Government: the levelling-up agenda, and the planning system, depends on it, by Nicola Gooch https://imbusiness.passle.net/post/102heht/we-need-to-talk-about-local-government-the-levelling-up-agenda-and-the-planning Some accompanying listening. Keep on keeping on by Curtis Mayfield https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-l91O9VxN0 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

Sam Stafford and friends are in Manchester for the 50 Shades Christmas night out, but, before hitting the town, there is the small matter of the Festive Christmas Quiz to attend to. It's the Final so quizmaster Sam tests the successful semi finalists Paul Smith, Vicky Payne, Claire Petricca-Riding and Jonathan Easton on more planning news stories from past twelve months. Paul (@Paul_SLG) is Managing Director at The Strategic Land Group. Vicky (@Vicky_Payne) is an Associate Principal at URBED. Claire (@PetriccaRiding) is a Partner and National Head of Planning and Environmental Law at Irwin Mitchell. Jonathan (@jonnye47) is a full-time Barrister at Kings Chambers and a part-time punster. Some accompanying reading. January https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-56023895 February https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1706331/authorities-permitted-development-conversions-made-highest-proportion-housing-delivery-2019-20 March https://www.theplanner.co.uk/news/fall-in-delivery-of-bungalows-as-demand-rises April https://imbusiness.passle.net/post/102gvw4/my-what-big-teeth-you-have-high-court-invalidates-cil-liability-notice-issued-2 May https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/delighted-leicester-family-told-can-5444379 June https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/boris-johnson-homes-plan-turning-off-tory-voters-chesham-amersham-by-election-loss-6ft6vtkdl July https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-planning-policy-framework--2 August https://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/news/7626005/michael-gove-aberdeen-nightclub-rave/ September https://www.adamsmith.org/research/build-me-up-level-up October https://one.welhat.gov.uk/article/12177/Local-Plan-meeting-put-on-hold November https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/tulip-rejected-over-embodied-carbon-and-heritage-concerns December https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/crime/fareham-luxury-homes-developer-knightsgate-fined-ps40000-after-destroying-habitat-of-rare-dormice-3478346 Some accompanying listening. Sam's Christmas Crackers - The Ultimate Festive Soundtrack https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Dn44yamtsjrzsYH4rzbld?si=AlBrDD3aQjib3VpLj-sHjg 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

Sam Stafford and friends are in Manchester for the 50 Shades Christmas night out, but, before hitting the town, there is the small matter of the Festive Christmas Quiz to attend to. In this second semi-final quizmaster Sam tests Tom Whitehead, Mike O'Brien, Jonathan Easton and Claire Petricca-Riding on their knowledge of twelve planning news stories from past twelve months. Tom (a Twitter Lurker) is Group Town Planning at Brookhouse. Mike (@O_B_1_Mike) is a Director at Pinnacle Planning. Jonathan (@jonnye47) is a full-time Barrister at Kings Chambers and a part-time punster. Claire (@PetriccaRiding) is a Partner and National Head of Planning and Environmental Law at Irwin Mitchell. Some accompanying reading. January https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-reforms-make-it-easier-and-cheaper-for-leaseholders-to-buy-their-homes February https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/planning-for-sustainable-growth-in-the-oxford-cambridge-arc-spatial-framework/planning-for-sustainable-growth-in-the-oxford-cambridge-arc-an-introduction-to-the-spatial-framework March https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-56359865 April https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-56945191 May  https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/jenrick-vows-to-stop-architects-imposing-their-visions-on-communities June https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1720094/planning-town-hall-resources-survey July https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2021/07/tory-blue-wall-nimby-Labour-planning-housing-yimby-Greens-Lib-Dems August https://srpinventories.co.uk/how-landlords-can-take-advantage-of-new-permitted-development-rights/ September  https://planning.warrington.gov.uk/swiftlg/apas/run/WPHAPPDETAIL.DisplayUrl?theApnID=2020/36311&theTabNo=4&backURL=%3Ca%20href=wphappcriteria.display%3ESearch%20Criteria%3C/a%3E%20%3E%20%3Ca%20href=%27wphappsearchres.displayResultsURL?ResultID=2584094%26StartIndex=0%26SortOrder=APNID%26DispResultsAs=WPHAPPSEARCHRES%26BackURL=%3Ca%20href=wphappcriteria.display%3ESearch%20Criteria%3C/a%3E%27%3ESearch%20Results%3C/a%3E October https://localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/property/404-property-news/48549-major-provider-of-social-housing-loses-3m-high-court-battle-with-council-over-application-of-community-infrastructure-levy November https://www.gov.uk/government/news/world-leading-environment-act-becomes-law December  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-59580929 Some accompanying listening. Sam's Christmas Crackers - The Ultimate Festive Soundtrack https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Dn44yamtsjrzsYH4rzbld?si=AlBrDD3aQjib3VpLj-sHjg 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

Sam Stafford and friends are in Manchester for the 50 Shades Christmas night out, but, before hitting the town, there is the small matter of the Festive Christmas Quiz to attend to. In this first semi-final quizmaster Sam tests Katie Wray, Greg Dickson, Vicky Payne and Paul Smith on their knowledge of twelve planning news stories from past twelve months. Katie (@kluw) is an Assistant Director at Deloitte Real Assets Advisory. Greg (@GregDickson1) is a Partner at Barton Willmore. Vicky (@Vicky_Payne) is an Associate Principal at URBED. Paul (@Paul_SLG) is Managing Director at The Strategic Land Group. Some accompanying reading. January https://www.gov.uk/government/news/right-to-regenerate-to-turn-derelict-buildings-into-homes-and-community-assets February https://www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/news/councils-hit-out-at-governments-unrealistic-new-planning-formula-69616 March https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/budget/budget-2021-rishi-sunak-failed-mention-northern-powerhouse-george-osborne-2014-899302 April https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9486617/Race-retail-parks-town-shopping-areas-footfall-near-EQUAL-level-2019.html May https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2021-05-18/uk-property-wealth-data-2021-show-big-gap-between-black-and-white-homeowners June https://www.itv.com/news/2021-06-08/nearly-80-of-towns-getting-share-of-725m-of-government-funding-represented-by-conservative-mps July https://placealliance.org.uk/research/design-deficit/ August https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1725416/number-enforcement-notices-drops-lowest-level-ever September https://www.centreforcities.org/blog/what-does-the-public-think-about-levelling-up/ October https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/24/the-word-crazy-is-associated-with-the-wrong-kind-of-golf November https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politics/yorkshire-to-get-just-two-miles-of-high-speed-track-under-boris-johnsons-integrated-rail-plan-3463377 December https://lichfields.uk/content/insights/feeding-the-pipeline Some accompanying listening. Sam's Christmas Crackers - The Ultimate Festive Soundtrack https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3Dn44yamtsjrzsYH4rzbld?si=AlBrDD3aQjib3VpLj-sHjg 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

"Are you planning a 50 Shades on the local authority staffing crisis?" Sam Stafford usually likes it when people get in touch with him to suggest topics for 50 Shades episodes, but found this message from a team leader at a local authority striking and sobering. In a subsequent conversation this person confided in Sam that their team is virtually in crisis mode. It is probably fair to say that the planning system is in crisis, but then it is also probably fair to say that the planning system is always in crisis… There is, of course, the issue of resources. Whilst according to a Planning magazine survey slightly more LPAs are predicting growth in planning department budgets (25%) rather than a contraction (22%), this has to be seen in the context of a 38% real-terms fall in net current expenditure on planning functions between 2010–11 and 2017–18. Beyond resources though the current crisis feels more like an existential crisis of confidence. Catriona Riddell has written in Planning Magazine about low morale in local planning authorities, citing hostility towards planners and the planning system from what can feel like every quarter. That low morale is manifesting itself in the ability of LPAs to attract and retain staff. “The biggest headaches surround securing the services of more experienced planners with 10 to 15 years under their belt”, said one head of service to Planning magazine. “There is only so long that vacancies can remain unfilled without a severe knock-on consequences for the delivery of services”. This then is a 'Call for Evidence' to inform an episode that Sam is planning on the local authority staffing crisis with Catriona Riddell, Peter Geraghty and Paul Brocklehurst. What is life actually like on the front line? Are you a junior officer sat at home physically and operationally distant from your line manager, drowning in files that you have absolutely no chance of dealing with on your own? Are you a planning consultant being pushed by your client to get a scheme to committee being told by a senior officer that they’re already writing one report this month and couldn’t possible write two? Are you a Head of Service desperately trying to find somebody, anybody to help wade through tens of thousands of objections to your local plan consultation? Do you know people that have left the profession altogether? You might be considering that too? What would make you reconsider? If you have any thoughts that you would like to share, either anonymously or publicly, please email Sam, if you can before the end of December, at samstafford@hotmail.com. All responses will be posted on the 50 Shades blog. How widespread is the local authority staffing crisis and what can be done about it? Some accompanying reading. Planning Magazine's Town Hall Resources Survey https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1720094/planning-town-hall-resources-survey?bulletin=planning-people&utm_medium=EMAIL&utm_campaign=eNews%20Bulletin&utm_source=20210915&utm_content=Planning%20People%20(48)::&email_hash Catriona's Planning Magazine piece on LPA morale https://www.planningresource.co.uk/article/1734244/three-reasons-low-morale-planning-authorities-catriona-riddell 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

Sam Stafford gets back to 50 Shades basics and enjoys in this episode a gently meandering conversation with some of his friends about planning. Sam could not though resist a typically verbose introduction... ""It is commonly observed”, said Samuel Johnson, “that when two Englishmen meet, their first talk is of the weather; they are in haste to tell each other, what each must already know, that it is hot or cold, bright or cloudy, windy or calm." One could make a case that when two English planners meet, their first talk is of planning reform. In the former case, it is perhaps that, whilst the weather is changeable, the English temperament is not, and passing the time with such platitudinous pleasantries avoids, heaven forbid, the need to have a conversation about anything important.  In the latter case, constant talk of reform seems almost like a similar communal comfort blanket. It relegates responsibility for meaningful change to a higher power to enact at some point in the future, absolving the individual, be that an individual political or an individual planner, of responsibility for change in the here and now. And what would Dr Johnson make of the language of reform? ‘Fixing’ or ‘solving’ something are absolutist terms being applied to something that is not only manifestly subjective, but also, in the case, of housing and the built environment, a function of an entire culture rather than a single regulatory regime. One supposes though that there is not many votes in ‘improving’ the planning system or ‘alleviating’ the housing crisis… We need to talk about reform, but not for what it might mean in the future. For the impact that incessant talk of it is having in the present…" Shelly Rouse, Principal Consultant at PAS (@Rouse_Shelly); Vicky Payne, planner and urban designer at URBED (@Victoria_Payne); and Paul Smith, Managing Director at Strategic Land Group (@Paul_SLG) try to make sense of that. Some accompanying reading. Vicky's report of the first Common Good event https://journal.theaou.org/news-and-reviews/review-common-good-design-and-sustainability-in-the-north/ The RTPI's recent consultation responses https://www.rtpi.org.uk/new-from-the-rtpi/?contentType=Consultations 'Beware of ‘Policy Intern Brain’ – the source of so many bad ideas' by Anya Martin https://capx.co/beware-of-policy-intern-brain-the-source-of-so-many-bad-ideas/ Some accompanying listening. Round and Round by King Creosote and Michael Johnston https://soundcloud.com/m-j-789958593/02-round-and-round Some accompanying viewing. How policy is formulated in Westminster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_AM1W5rHGA 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