Redefining the Narrative: Planners as Catalysts for Growth and Innovation

It’s refreshing to witness a positive shift in the conversation around the planning profession, especially given the support from government figures like the Minister for Housing and Planning (Letter from the Housing Minister to the President of the RTPI).

For far too long, planners have been unfairly labelled as blockers to growth, bearing the brunt of a blame culture that overlooks the complexities and challenges the profession faces. However, there’s a growing recognition that, far from being obstacles, planners are actually positive actors of change with a crucial role in delivering the housing, employment, and energy infrastructure that our country needs to grow.

Having worked in both public and private sectors, as well as for developers, I can confidently say that planning is an incredibly rewarding profession. It offers a unique opportunity to have a tangible, positive impact on the built environment and the communities we serve—a sentiment echoed in the Minister’s recent letter, which highlighted the critical contributions of planners in driving economic growth and addressing housing needs.

However, one of the most pressing challenges our profession faces today is the significant lack of skills and resources within Local Planning Authorities (LPAs). The disparity in pay between the public and private sectors only exacerbates this issue, making it difficult to attract and retain the talented planners needed to meet the increasing demands placed on LPAs.

Here are my thoughts on how we can address this:

1. Reintroducing Apprenticeship Programmes:

I was fortunate to enter the public sector through an apprenticeship-like scheme, where the authority funded my Master's in Town & Country Planning alongside my day job. It was an excellent initiative, and over two thirds of my peers at UWE at the time benefited from similar opportunities. Unfortunately, post-2011 austerity measures have drastically reduced these opportunities (probably eradicated them), cutting off a vital pipeline of talented young planners into local planning departments. Reinstating such schemes could be key to revitalising our profession. Perhaps the government could consider offering training bursaries similar to those provided for teachers?

2. Improving Pay and Career Progression in LPAs:

To retain skilled planners who can act as agents of change and drive growth, we must improve pay and working conditions—especially for young planners. Too often, promising planners leave the public sector because of limited career progression, with few opportunities for advancement until someone above them moves on. If we want to cultivate a healthy, motivated workforce of planning officers, we need to provide genuine opportunities for their growth and development through the public sector to rewarding leadership positions.

3. Reforming the Allocation of Planning Applications:

It's common for young planners to be assigned smaller householder and advertisement applications. While these applications are crucial for local economies, we should consider reforming permitted development rights to streamline these processes. Perhaps even licensing planning consultancies to handle these minor applications privately, similar to building regulations. This would free up planning officers' time to focus on plan-making and determining major residential, commercial, and energy infrastructure projects—work that is not only more critical for the UK economy but also more rewarding for planners.

4. Creating Regional Task Forces for Renewable Energy Planning:

As a planner in the renewables sector, I’m acutely aware of the unique skillset required to handle planning applications for solar and onshore wind projects. Most LPAs rarely, if ever, deal with these types of applications, leaving them underprepared for the complexities involved. Therefore, I would advocate for the creation of regional task forces comprised of specialist planners. These experts could provide dedicated support to local planning authorities, assisting not only in plan-making but also in the determination of major energy applications when they arise. Such a task force would ensure that renewable energy projects receive the expert attention they require, contributing to the UK’s broader energy goals.