‘Where are we now?’ asks Sam Stafford in this episode not in the manner of an exasperated child in the back of a hot car staring out at a traffic jam on the M5, but in the manner of an exasperated planning professional contemplating why, as we hurtle towards the end of the second year of this parliamentary term, the Government’s vision for the planning system, nay the country, remains, let’s say charitably, in embryonic form.
A good indication as to where we are now comes from the raft of reports and speeches published and delivered by politicians and think tanks recently, seemingly with the aim of getting things off their desk before the end of term.
July 2021 brought:
- A Robert Jenrick speech to the Local Government Association’s annual conference;
- A Boris Johnson speech on his vision to level up the United Kingdom;
- A Written Ministerial Statement from Robert Jenrick on building beautiful places alongside the revised NPPF and National Model Design Code;
- Place Alliance’s Design Deficit report;
- The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee’s report on Post-Pandemic Economic Growth and Levelling Up;
- The Department for Transport’s Plan for Decarbonising transport: a better, greener Britain; and
- Transparency International UK’s report: ‘House of Cards – Exploring access and influence in UK housing policy’.
Sam was joined by:
- Simon Ricketts, Partner, Town Legal
- Shelly Rouse, Principal Consultant, Planning Advisory Service
- Vicky Payne, Senior Consultant, URBED
- Paul Smith, Managing Director, Strategic Land Group
BECG proudly supports the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast from Samuel Stafford, Regional Strategic Land Director at Barratt Developments.
If you’d like to take part in the podcast or want help managing or launching your own podcast then please get in touch on 0161 359 4100 or email Kevin Whitmore.
