RTPI Annual Review 2016

Aberaeron, Wales, winner of Walesʼ Best Places 2016

RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
An introduction from
our 2016 President
Phil Williams
My theme as President for 2016 was
placing planning and planners at
the centre of the debate. Planning
has a relationship with people in
the communities that we serve, and
politicians who are democratically
elected by those communities. My
hope for the year was to improve
our relationship with politicians at
national, regional and local levels, and
to listen to communities and better
engage with people within them.
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From Belfast in Northern Ireland, to Wales’ Best Place in
Aberaeron, and Brisbane in Australia, my year as President
took me à all around the globe to witness the impact of
planning. I visited all of the à RTPI Nations and Regions,
and learned from them about the positive influences
planning and planners are making to their communities.
Seeing examples of good practice on the ground was an
important and tremendously rewarding learning tool.
My visits were not restricted to the UK agenda; the
RTPI was actively engaged in influencing the debate
with our global partners in the run up to, and during
Habitat III in Quito, Ecuador, and during a visit to New
Zealand I was able to witness how good quality urban
design has transformed the waterfront in Auckland.
The housing crisis has surfaced wherever I have been, but
after my visit to Quito, Ecuador for Habitat III and to launch
the UK Built Environment Advisory Group, my perspective
changed: whilst the UK and Ireland have significant
challenges themselves regarding the housing crisis, in
Ecuador the challenge relates to primary shelter and not
even housing per se. It was a humbling experience.
I also met many young planners throughout the year.
Meeting university students demonstrated that the future
of planning is in good hands – the next generation of
planners was a recurring theme throughout my visits.
The year was both a challenging and rewarding one. We
saw dramatic changes in the political climate, with the UK’s
referendum decision to leave the EU and the Government’s
new agenda to tackle the escalating housing crisis.
Throughout the year the RTPI has been fully engaged with
the Westminster Government in the run up to the 2016
Housing and Planning Bill and with the new government on
the Neighbourhood Planning Bill to promote the positive role
planners play in creating successful communities around
the UK, and highlight the need for increased resourcing
to planning departments throughout the country.
Board of Trustees 2016
Ian Angus MRTPI
Trustee – Scotland and Vice Chair of the Board
Janet Askew MRTPI
Trustee – Immediate Past President
Samer Bagaeen MRTPI Trustee – Corporate
Marion Chalmers MRTPI Trustee – Corporate
Tony Crook FRTPI Trustee – Corporate
Peter Geraghty FRTPI Trustee – Corporate
Vincent Goodstadt MRTPI Trustee – Corporate
Colin Haylock MRTPI Trustee – Corporate
I emphasised the value of the planning profession in
my address at the 2016 Planning Convention. We also
had huge media success with the Value of Planning
report and Wales’ Best Places competition.
Despite the referendum result to leave, the planning
profession will continue to be international in its outlook.
Our Institute reflects this with members in over 80
countries. There is a long tradition of sharing best practice
between professionals in the UK and Europe and the
Institute will continue to encourage and support this.
I am a firm believer in how planning makes a difference.
Planning should play a more central and influencing role in
delivering improvements to society. Planners think differently to
all other professions, more holistically, more laterally and always
balancing the options of choice in a measured and objective
way, and the greater our numbers, the stronger we are.
As an Institute, 2016 was the year we did everything we
could to support and build our membership. In June we
launched guidance on our three streamlined routes to
membership. The three routes are all competency based
and follow a consistent structure, while allowing candidates
with different educational backgrounds and experience
to be eligible. Whichever route a candidate takes, the
destination is Chartered membership — MRTPI — the
most highly valued professional status for planners.
I want to thank the members whom I met throughout the year
and who shared their experiences with me, and to planners
everywhere, who continue to deliver solutions to key challenges
that face society, and communities within society, at every level.
Phil Williams MRTPI
RTPI President 2016
Lucy Seymour-Bowdery MRTPI
Trustee – Young Planners
Graham Stallwood FRTPI
Trustee – Honorary Treasurer
Andrew Taylor MRTPI
Trustee – Chair of the Board
Pat Thomas LARTPI
Trustee – Honorary Solicitor and Secretary
Tom Venables MRTPI
Trustee – Nations and Regions
Stephen Wilkinson MRTPI Trustee – Vice President
Phil Williams MRTPI Trustee – President
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Supporting and growing
membership in 2016
Left
A new à membership brochure
launched the streamlined routes
to Chartered membership
2016 Membership
Facts and Figures
In 2015 the Licentiate APC grew
by 15% in first time applications.
In 2016 we sustained this level of
growth in the Licentiate APC.
The RTPI supports its members – over
24,000 worldwide – throughout their
careers, offering them a wide range of
opportunities to learn and share ideas
and skills. We are the only body in the
UK that confers Chartered status to
planners, the highest professional
qualification, sought after by employers
in both private and public sectors.
Routes to Chartered Membership
In June 2016 we launched guidance on the Institute’s three
streamlined routes to Chartered membership. From January
2017, town planners in the UK and around the world will
be able to obtain Chartered membership from one of three
competency based routes that allow candidates with different
educational backgrounds and experience to be eligible.
à Licentiate Assessment of Professional
Competence (L-APC)
à Associate Assessment of Professional
Competence (A-APC)
à Experienced Practitioner Assessment of
Professional Competence (EP-APC)
Whichever route a candidate takes, the destination
is Chartered membership – MRTPI – the most
highly valued professional status for planners.
Membership Research
We undertook 3 pieces of membership research in 2016:
• The RTPI lapsed and non-member research (survey and
focus groups), which will help us to understand what the
Institute can do to retain members and attract new members
• The Planning Lawyers survey, which informed the
review of the Legal Associate membership class
• We launched the first survey specifically for Licentiates
24,197 members
The Institute reached over 24,000 members for the first
time, increasing the total from 23,630 at the start of the year.
Chartered members grew
14,882 14,980
Jan ʼ16 Jan ʼ17
228%
in applications for Chartered membership
through the non-accredited routes.
Student
membership
grew from 1,708
to 2,196, an
increase of:
35%
Growth
28.57
of accredited planning
schools signed up to our
auto-enrolment scheme for
the 2016/17 academic year.
%
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Right
RTPI World Town Planning Day
2016 Schools’ Competition
winner Vaibhar Vinod
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Careers, Education
and Professional
Development
We set the standards of planning
education and professional behaviour
that give planners, wherever they
work or study in the world, a unique
ability to meet complex economic,
social and environmental challenges.
In 2016
• Average of one school event held
each week with RTPI volunteers
• We exhibited at 5 national careers events,
reaching over 32,000 attendees
• 91 new Ambassador volunteers registered
(including a record number from Yorkshire)
• à Future Planner Bursaries now totalling 95 over
two years, including 6 new à diversity awards
• First RTPI à World Town Planning Day national
schools’ competition took place with winners aged
11–17 from Bromley, Torquay and Dundee
• New resources created for RTPI members and
students: à Code of Conduct revision, à Ethics
guidance, à CPD guidance, à Student Zone
webpage and step-by-step APC à podcasts
• Over 3,300 users on à RTPI Learn
50
40
30
20
10
Increase in RTPI Technician Apprenticeships
2015 – 2016 2016 – 2017
• 73% of members responded to monitoring for
compliance with CPD and PII on time
• Over 1,400 Chartered Planners working
for 33 à RTPI Learning Partners
• Member-wide review and consultation of university
accreditation policy and guidance completed
5,000
4,000
Increases in student numbers and
graduates from RTPI accredited degrees
Student
numbers
3.000
I couldnʼt have done it without the bursary, for
which Iʼm very grateful. During interviews for
jobs I would use the Future Planners Bursary
as an example of a recent achievement.
2,000
1,000
Graduates
Sarah Temple
Graduate of Oxford Brookes University
2005 – 6 07 – 8 09 –10 11 – 12 13 – 14 15 – 16
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Championing the
planning profession
and raising the profile
of the RTPI in 2016
The RTPI champions the power of
planning in creating prosperous places
and vibrant communities. 2016 was a
busy year as we worked to raise the
profile of the Institute and the profession
across the UK, Ireland and beyond.
We launched the popular Wales’ Best
Places competition to celebrate some
of the most inspiring places in Wales;
our Awards continued to recognise
and reward the best in the industry;
we provided thought leadership post
Brexit through our research reports
and policy papers, and we launched the
Value of Planning report, achieving more
national media coverage than ever.
Walesʼ Best Places
The à Wales’ Best Places competition celebrated the
places protected, carefully planned or improved by the
planning system for communities in Wales. Following
200 nominations received from across Wales, our panel
of experts selected a shortlist of the top ten places,
for the public to vote on. Nearly 5,500 people voted.
Picturesque seaside resort town Aberaeron, on Wales’
west coast, was crowned the winner in the competition.
Aberaeron is one of Wales’ first planned towns and it has
been developed and managed by the planning system to
be a popular tourist destination and providing services to
communities in its large rural hinterland. The planning of
the town by Colonel Alban Gwynne and architect, Edward
Haycock, earned it the reputation of being “one of the best
examples of a planned township of small scale in Wales”.
Walesʼ Best Places in the media
We secured nearly 50 media stories, including
a TV interview on S4C (Welsh TV), a radio
interview and great Facebook coverage:
• RTPI winner announcement: 22 likes, 12 shares
• Ceredigion County Council post: 99 likes, 41 shares
• Wales Online: 2,823 likes, 696 shares, 279 comments
• Visit Wales (@visitwales): 4.4k likes,
275 comments, 688 shares
• ITV: 58 likes, 3 comments, 3 shares
• Discover Ceredigion: 194 likes, 108 shares
à Read about the 10 finalists here
I am so pleased that Aberaeron has
won this very special award by the
RTPI. It is something the residents of
Aberaeron can be proud of, a place
we all care deeply about. Aberaeron
is a gem of a town, its beauty cannot
fail to capture the hearts of visitors.
Rhys Davies, Mayor of Aberaeron
Above
School children in Aberaeron, Wales
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Social Media Highlights in 2016
Twitter
à #RTPIYPConf16 Young Plannersʼ
Conference 2016 trended at number 1
à #plancon16 Planning Convention
2016 trended at number 6
à #WTPD2016 World Town Planning Day
2016 trended at number 10
à @RTPIPlanners (our corporate account)
has 12,446 followers (up 20% from 2015)
à @RTPIScotland and à @ConvenorRTPIS have
a total of 3,600 followers (up 29% from 2015)
à @RTPIIreland has 717 followers
(up 35% from 2015)
à @RTPINI has 607 followers
(up 36% from 2015)
à @RTPICymru has 650 followers
(up 32% from 2015)
Our regional accounts have a total of
12,350 followers (up 37% from 2015)
LinkedIn
à RTPI LinkedIn Group has 10,847 members
(up 12% from 2015)
à RTPI Company Page relaunched
in 2016 and now has 1,216 followers
à RTPI Young Planners Network
LinkedIn Group has 5,690 members
Facebook
à RTPI Facebook Page has 1,856 followers
(up 40% from 2015)
Celebrating Excellence in Planning
In 2016 we offered two new awards categories at
the à RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence:
The Volunteer Planner of the Year Award, and
the International Award for Planning Excellence,
which received an impressive 22 entries.
The Rt Hon Nick Raynsford once again chaired the panel of
independent judges. The ceremony was held at the stunning
Milton Court Concert Hall, in the heart of the City of London,
on 5 May. Over 400 planning professionals joined us to
crown the winners and to network with fellow planners.
Plymouth City Council was the winner of the prestigious
Silver Jubilee Cup, for their ambitious à “Plan for Homes”.
The Awards secured over 60 media stories.
George Pepler Award
à The George Pepler International Award was
established to “encourage young people of all nationalities
who had a desire to serve their fellow human beings
through the medium of town and country planning”.
It is a bursary granted biennially to a person in their first
ten years of post-qualification experience wishing to
undertake a short period of study, in the UK and Ireland,
or internationally, on a particular aspect of spatial planning.
à The winner of the 2016/2017 award is Isobel Bruun-Kiær
for her submission “Building the Path to Climate Resilience:
A study into the role of spatial planning in paving the way
to resilience to climate change in the city of Tauranga in
New Zealand”. Isobel has headed to Tauranga, where she
will meet with stakeholders to further her understanding
of how they can work together to balance competing
local economic, social and environmental priorities.
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The Media Impact
of Value of Planning
We published à ‘Delivering the Value of Planning’ in August,
based on research from Glasgow and Sheffield Universities.
This report demonstrates how good planning can deliver
sustainable economic growth and housing, and helps to
promote as well as further advance key RTPI arguments.
The report received extensive coverage in
the following publications, amongst others:
• The Observer
• The Guardian
• CityMetric
• Prospect Magazine
• LocalGov website
• Planning Magazine
• Inside Housing
• The Times published a letter from the RTPI
President promoting the themes of the report
The Value of Planning on social media:
• RTPI Twitter: 13,596 impressions and 458
‘engagements’ (retweets, responses etc.)
• Facebook: 11,285 impressions and 840 engagements
Above, left to right
Plymouth City Council received the 2016 Silver
Jubilee Cup • Tauranga Bay, New Zealand • RTPIʼs
letter from President Phil Williams promoting the
Value of Planning was published by the Times
17,303 followers of our Nations (up 24%)
12,446 corporate followers (up 20%)
12,350 regional followers (up 37%)
10,847 members (up 12%)
1,856 followers (up 40%)
625 followers (up 117%)
Instagram
à @rtpiplanners has 625 followers
(up 117% from 2015)
The RTPI wrote its first social media policy
The policy demonstrates the importance of social
media in communicating our messages, promoting
and marketing the Institute. The policy was designed
to help make the best use of technology.
Website Statistics for 2016
2.1m pages were viewed on rtpi.org.uk in 2016 (24%
increase from 2015) with an average of 175,000 per month.
Top 10 pages on
rtpi.org.uk in 2016
1. Membership 419,654 19.99%
2. Events 399,073 19.01%
3. Education and Careers 233,961 11.15%
4. The RTPI Near You 190,171 9.06%
5. Briefing Room 174,003 8.29%
6. Homepage 166,805 7.95%
7. Knowledge 112,435 5.36%
8. Planning Aid 98,895 4.71%
9. Umbraco 41,487 1.98%
10. About the RTPI 35,786 1.71%
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Growing RTPI influence
and engagement with
political stakeholders
2016 saw dramatic changes in the
political climate. The UKʼs referendum
result was to leave the EU and the
UK government developed a new
agenda to tackle the housing crisis.
Throughout the year, the RTPI engaged
with UK and Ireland governments and
politicians to promote the positive role
planners play in creating successful
communities, and highlighted the
need for better resourced planning.
Influencing Election Agendas
Pre-election manifestos were issued in à Ireland, Northern
Ireland, à Scotland and à Wales and a London manifesto
set out à 9 election priorities for the incoming Mayor to
stimulate economic growth, tackle climate change and build
more homes to house its rapidly growing population.
#RTPI16Ways
On 4 November 2016, the RTPI launched its
à #RTPI16Ways campaign. The campaign outlined the
Institute’s recommendations for tackling the housing crisis
in England. RTPI Chief Executive Trudi Elliott wrote to the
UK Minister for Planning and Housing, Gavin Barwell, ahead
of the release of the Housing White Paper for England,
to re-affirm the RTPI’s 16-point action plan to help the
Government achieve its ambitious house building targets.
Brexit
After the referendum the RTPI provided à updates to
members on the impact of Brexit on planning. We wrote to
a number of ministers following the change of government.
à RTPI formed part of a coalition of professional bodies
representing the construction and built environment
sectors in warning Brexit Minister, David Davis, that the
UK’s construction skills crisis could severely worsen if the
Government does not take steps to ensure access to a
skilled workforce during its post-referendum negotiations.
Select Committees
The RTPI appeared before 6 Westminster parliamentary
committees to give oral evidence on à flooding, public
parks, Neighbourhood Planning Bill, disability and the built
environment, à housing economics and à NPPF.
à We influenced the Environment Food and Rural
Affairs (EFRA) Select Committee's final report on
flooding and à the Committee Housing Report included
recommendations we had put forward in our evidence.
Party Conferences
The Party Conferences offer the Institute an opportunity to
maintain its high profile with politicians and stakeholders and
discuss policy with politicians away from Westminster.
In 2016 we attended the Liberal Democrat, Labour,
Conservative and Scottish National Party Conferences.
The RTPI ran successful, well attended events at the à Labour
and à Conservative Party Conferences. Politicians, shadow
ministers, parliamentary committee chairs, councillors and
planners appeared on our panels to discuss how planning
can help solve some of the problems facing the country.
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Above
Stephen Wilkinson, RTPI Vice President 2016, and Trudi
Elliott, RTPI Chief Executive, with Gavin Barwell MP,
Minister for Housing and Planning at the Department
for Communities and Local Government
Above
Waheed Nazir, Birmingham City Council, Bob Neill MP, Phil
Williams, RTPI President 2016 and Sarah Chilcott, Managing
Director, Planning Portal at the Conservative Party Conference
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Summit for a Great North Plan
150 of the North’s leaders of business, commerce,
planning, politics and academia gathered in Leeds on
15 January to attend the à RTPI – IPPR North Northern
Summit event to make the case for a Great North plan.
Lord Heseltine, the former Deputy Prime Minister, gave a
powerful speech outlining the ‘once in a life time’ chance
that exists to shape the North in a new way through the
Government’s Northern Powerhouse initiative and urged
the Summit to be bold in its aspiration. The event was
a joint collaboration between RTPIʼs northern regions,
à RTPI NE, à RTPI NW and à RTPI Yorkshire. Ed Cox,
Director, IPPR North and Trudi Elliott, Chief Executive,
RTPI, also made presentations on taking
the Great North Plan forward.
Listen to the podcasts of à Lord Heseltine,
à Trudi Elliott and à Ed Cox
Young Planners met
with Helen Hayes MP
‘Planners need to see things through the lens of
local politicsʼ, Helen Hayes, the planner turned MP
for Dulwich and West Norwood, told a gathering
of nine RTPI Young Planners at parliament.
They met with Helen to discuss how to raise awareness
of the profession among young people, in order to
better understand the politics of planning and to discuss
the impact of the EU Referendum outcome.
à Listen to the Young Planners share their
take home message from the meeting
Parliamentary Reception
The RTPI held its annual Westminster Parliamentary
Reception, sponsored by British Land, on Wednesday
30 November. The event brought together planners,
politicians, developers and those interested in the built
environment for an evening of discussion and networking.
Thank you to our Parliamentary Patron Bob Neill MP.
Consultation Responses
In 2016 the RTPI provided responses to 26 à consultations
for Westminster and provided written and oral evidence
to inquiries, two Neighbourhood Planning Bill briefings
to MPs and four Housing and Planning Bill Briefings
to MPs. We helped à to secure an amendment to a
key provision of the Housing and Planning Bill.
The RTPI Awards were
recognised by the UK Government
Above, left to right
Lord Heseltine speaking at the RTPI-IPPR North
Northern Summit • Young Planners and Helen Hayes MP
Opposite
Bob Neill MP and Phil Williams, RTPI President 2016
We welcome the many industryled
awards schemes such as the
… Royal Town Planning Institute
Planning Awards … that aim to
encourage innovation and promote
good design and placemaking. These
highlight successful schemes and
reward effective collaborative working
amongst built environment specialists
such as local authorities, developers,
architects, landscape architects,
surveyors and construction teams.
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In the Government response to the report of the House
of Lords Select Committee on the Built Environment
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Shaping and informing
policy and practice
In our Nations
We were members of à Homes for Wales, campaigning
to ensure housing was on the agenda for the National
Assembly for Wales elections in May. We produced
our à ten asks for the Welsh Government to
influence each of the Parties’ Manifestos.
The RTPI uses its expertise and
research to bring evidence and thought
leadership to shape planning policies
and practice, putting the profession
at the heart of societyʼs big debates.
à RTPI Cymru responded to 25 policy and practice
consultations in 2016 and submitted evidence in response
to legislation, including the Wales Bill. We published
research by Cardiff University on the à housing
projections to support Local Development Plans.
RTPI Cymru developed à a programme of work streams
for developing strategic planning knowledge in Wales in
support of the proposals in the Planning (Wales) Act on behalf
of the Welsh Government. This included running training
for Local Planning Authority officers in South East Wales.
In Scotland our manifesto was discussed with political
parties in the run-up to the election and we organised a built
environment hustings. Since the election the manifesto has
been discussed with over 20 new MSPs and new Ministers.
Review of the Scottish Planning System
RTPI Scotland is heavily engaged in the Review of the Scottish
Planning System, and in constructive and positive debate
with Scottish Government and others on how planning can
help deliver the places that Scotland needs. RTPI Scotland
took a leading role in the early discussions, which culminated
with the publication of our paper à Repositioning Planning
which sets out our views on the shape of a future planning
system. The proposals in “Repositioning Planning” informed
the Scottish Government consultation on proposals for
change in the system, published in January 2017. Scottish
Government provided RTPI Scotland with funding to
develop new thinking that can feed in to the review.
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• RTPI Scotland participated in over 20 advisory
groups, including the Scottish Government Joint
Housing Policy and Delivery Group; the Ministerial
High Level Group on Planning Performance, and the
Ministerial Advisory Group on the Crown Estate
• We met with over 20 MSPs in 2016 and 5 times with Kevin
Stewart MSP, Minister for Housing and Local Government
• 17 policy and briefing papers were published in response to
consultations, calls for evidence or Parliamentary debates
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Networks
During 2016 we continued our positive partnership
with the Northern Ireland Executive and particularly the
Department of Environment/Department for Infrastructure.
We produced five asks in advance of the elections in May,
to influence each of the Partiesʼ manifestos. We also joined
forces with other built environment professional bodies,
to hold a hustings in Belfast. This was well attended
and was watched live online by over 600 people.
We launched our new à Policy and Research Forum
for Northern Ireland, comprised of 18 RTPI NI members,
which will lead on our policy development activities.
Over 600 people
watched a live,
online stream of
the joint hustings
in Belfast.
In Ireland we published our first ever pre-election manifesto
à A Positive Planning System for Ireland which was sent
to political parties in advance of the election and to all new
TDs afterwards. This positive message was taken to new
Ministers and officials throughout the year and through our
contributions to a number of advisory and consultative groups.
• We met with Damien English TD, Minister for Housing
and Urban Renewal. At his request we subsequently
sent him a paper outlining our thoughts on how planning,
planners and the planning system can help support
Government ambitions to deliver more housing.
• We were involved in 4 advisory groups, including the new
Advisory Group on the National Planning Framework
RTPI Ireland Chair John Downey
was asked to sit on the new
advisory group for the emerging
National Planning Framework.
Further Policy, Practice and
Research Reports Published
à 16 Ways to Address the Housing Crisis
à Blueprint for a Great North Plan with IPPR North
à Can investments in planning deliver
economic benefits to private citizens?
à Delivering the Value of Planning
à Local Enterprise Partnerships in the South West
à Location of Development
à Planning and Tech
à ‘Planning culturesʼ and delivering
growth in the South East of England
à Poverty Place and Inequality
à Support for Community-led Planning
à Térben Gondolkodva, the Hungarian Translation of
à Thinking Spatially (Planning Horizons)
à Where should we build new homes?
The policy statement was formulated after extensive
consultation (online survey and roundtables) with RTPI
members in the English regions and Wales on the
issue of where new housing land should come from.
The Policy, Practice and Research Team spoke
at a wide range of events in 2016 including:
• The Planning Tech paper was presented at two international
conferences: Regional Studies Association – Graz, and the
1st International Conference on ‘Urban e-Planning’, Lisbon
• RTPI English Regions events
• Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), Eastern Conference
(Keynote speaker with BBC Home Affairs Editor Mark
Easton on The Housing and Planning Act 2016)
• Association of Directors of Environment, Economy,
Planning and Transport Annual Conference
• Royal Academy of Arts panel appearance
in architecture lecture series
• Estates Gazette – Development Summit
RTPI hosts a number of specialist networks for members:
Urban Design Network, Politicians in Planning (PIPA),
Transport Planning, Regeneration, Independent Consultants
Network (ICN), National Association of Planning Enforcement
(NAPE), International Development Network, Housing,
and Planning Education and Research Network.
Membership of all networks increased in 2017.
In total there are now 4,128 RTPI network members.
In 2016, 7 network events took place, including:
• Two à RTPI-CIH Planning for Housing Network events
• The Planning Gain Book Launch and Panel Discussions
• The Transport Planning Network conference
à NAPE Annual Conference
à PIPA conference – For the first time, the annual
PIPA conference was opened up to politicians
in all 4 Nations of the UK and Ireland to explore
themes faced by local decision makers.
The ICN network also held three meetings with DCLG to
discuss “alternative providers” of council planning services.
Three new Practice Advice Notes were published:
à Continuing Professional Development
Practice Advice Note
à Ethics and Professional Standards Advice
for RTPI Members to support the à RTPI
Code of Professional Conduct
à Starting your own Private Practice Advice
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI National Events and Conferences
Planning Convention 2016
The theme of the à Planning Convention 2016 was “Better
planning solutions: the challenge of growth”. Nearly 400
professionals gathered at the Convention in London as they
heard from a range of national and international experts on
how planning requires leadership and clarity as well as the
importance of strategic planning. Highlights included Dr
Alfonso Vegara, a briefing from the Planning Inspectorate,
planner turned MP Helen Hayes and the CEO of the
National Infrastructure Commission. à RTPI President
Phil Williams made an impassioned plea to politicians to
value the role of planners and planning to support them to
address the challenge of growth. On social media we sent
Twitter into a frenzy – trending at number 6 nationally.
In 2016 RTPI Conferences
held 62 events attended
by 1807 delegates.
RTPI Nathaniel Lichfield Lecture 2016
à The RTPI Nathaniel Lichfield Lecture took place on 8
November 2016, at UCL, London. The event proved hugely
popular and sold out in less than a month after bookings
opened. Widely anticipated, this high profile, thoughtprovoking
annual lecture attracts a large and diverse audience,
and reflects and celebrates the contribution that the late
Professor Nathaniel Lichfield made to the planning profession.
This year Professor Michael Batty gave a lecture on à The
Planning Balance Sheet 60 Years On: Evaluating
Plans in the Digital Age. Professor Batty was also awarded
the à RTPI Gold Medal at the event, for outstanding
achievement in the field of town and country planning.
Northern Ireland Young Planners’ Conference
Over 200 young planning professionals gathered at the
Europa Hotel in Belfast on 14 and 15 October 2016,
for 2 days of thought-provoking plenary sessions,
workshops and inspiring study tours on the topic of
à Planning for Change – Shaping our Future.
Fiona McCandless, Chief Planner for the Department of
Infrastructure in Northern Ireland opened the conference.
Other key speakers included Angus Kerr, DOENI; Dr Mary
Keeling, IBM and Ian Gilzean, Scottish Government.
In the spirit of Halloween, an unforgettable Gala Dinner
was organised at Belfast’s most haunted building,
the beautiful Grade A listed Crumlin Road Gaol.
The à conference #RTPIYPConf16 trended at number 1
on Twitter in Northern Ireland and we ran a successful
Instagram competition to get delegates snapping.
Record Number of Entries
for the Research Awards
The à RTPI Awards for Research Excellence recognise and
promote high quality, impactful spatial planning research from
RTPI accredited planning schools, and planning consultancies,
in the UK, the Republic of Ireland and internationally.
2016 saw a record number of entries across all categories,
and in particular for the new consultancy category. The
winners were à announced at the UK-Ireland Planning
Research Conference in Cardiff on 7 September 2016.
à Download the Awards Brochure to read
about the winners and finalists
Opposite, left to right
Delegates at 2016 Planning Convention •
2016 RTPI Gold Medal winner Professor Michael Batty
Above
2016 RTPI Research Awards winners
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
International Outreach
In 2016 RTPI International were actively
involved in Habitat III, the biggest United
Nations conference on housing and
sustainable urban development in 20
years; the humanitarian sector
and our Patron’s charity: the
Prince’s Foundation for Building
Community. We also awarded our
first international planning award.
Habitat III
The RTPI actively promoted and contributed to Habitat III,
the third United Nations conference on housing and
sustainable development which was held in Quito,
Ecuador in October. We helped influence the government
document the à New Urban Agenda, and inputted to
à The City We Need document, which is civil society's views.
In both documents we argued for the inclusion of addressing
air quality and the need for built environment professionals
to be able to deliver on these international commitments.
à Read the Habitat III blogs
Opposite
Launch of the United Kingdom Built Environment Advisory
Group (UKBEAG) with the Royal Institute of British
Architects and the Institution of Structural Engineers
24
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
United Kingdom Built Environment
Advisory Group – Supporting
Humanitarian Action
This year we committed to international humanitarian activities
and published guidance for our members on how to assist after
the earthquakes in Japan and Ecuador. We also launched our
new à UK Built Environment Advisory Group (UKBEAG) at
Habitat III, with the Charge D’Affaires from the British Embassy.
The UKBEAG is a new virtual network comprising the RTPI, the
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Institution
of Structural Engineers. The new network will provide access
to built environment expertise to humanitarian organisations
and enjoys the support from the International Federation
of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the UK
Government’s Department for International Development. We
also joined the Global Alliance for Urban Crises, which was
launched in May at the first World Humanitarian Summit.
World Town Planning Day
Our à World Town Planning Day activities were hailed a
success, at one stage trending at number 10 on Twitter! We
had an active social media campaign using the main and
international twitter accounts (à @RTPIPlanners and
à @internatRTPI). Our President presented at Ulster
University and we launched a schools' competition
to get pupils involved in thinking about their
neighbourhoods. The online conference was also well
attended and members held events across the UK.
In 2016 our international
footprint grew on Twitter
Prince’s Foundation for Building
Community Rapid Planning Toolkit
We were actively involved with our Patron’s charities and
attended meetings with Prince Charles’ Prince’s Foundation
and the International Sustainability Unit, and inputted to
a new rapid planning toolkit which was announced at
the Commonwealth Association of Planners Conference
in Fiji in November and will be launched in 2018.
RTPI International Planning Award
The à RTPI’s inaugural award for Excellence in
International Planning received a record-breaking 22
entries from members around the world. The awards
ceremony was held in London in May and the winner was
the à Tana River Delta Land Use Plan and Tana River
Delta Strategic Environmental Assessment from Kenya.
59%
The International
Twitter account
@InternatRTPI
now has 1,532
followers compared
to 961 in 2015.
• The International Development
Network grew from 962
to 1,000 members
• RTPI International LinkedIn grew
from 116 to 157 members
Opposite
Delegates at Habitat III, Quito, Ecuador
26 27

RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Empowering communities
Planning Aid England offers planning
advice and support to individuals and
communities. We believe everyone
should have the opportunity to get
involved in planning their local area,
and we aim to provide people with the
knowledge and tools to achieve this.
In 2016 à Planning Aid England (PAE) consolidated its
focus on supporting individuals and communities who
cannot afford to pay for planning advice and/or have not
traditionally been involved in the planning system.
The development of outreach opportunities (proactive
capacity building and community support) was a key
priority, and PAE staff worked closely with regional PAE
volunteer task groups to raise local awareness of the work
of PAE and to identify opportunities for outreach activity. This
resulted in volunteers providing independent, professional
planning advice at a range of local plan consultation events
in areas ranked within the top 20% most deprived in the
country, including Mansfield, Barnsley and Plymouth.
Support for neighbourhood planning in 2016 also
focused on working with local authorities and
neighbourhood plan groups in areas of multiple
deprivation. North West volunteers assisted Morecambe
Town Council with the initial consultation for their plan;
volunteers in Yorkshire supported neighbourhood plan
groups in Leeds (Holbeck and Beeston) and Dinnington;
and the Volunteer Task Group for PAE in London organised
a free community planning event for community planners
across the capital, which attracted over 70 attendees and
included speakers from DCLG, the GLA and University of
Westminster. In addition, PAE also continued to
produce the neighbourhood planning e-bulletin
and video ‘UpFront’ on alternative months
(as part of the Lot 6 contract with Locality/
DCLG). These were circulated to over
2,250 neighbourhood planners.
PAE delivered casework (reactive support to communities and
individuals with planning problems) throughout the year. Twenty
cases were allocated in total, administered by volunteers.
Our casework reflects the breadth of clients that PAE is able
to help and in 2016 cases included: assistance with the
preparation of a planning application for the development of a
garden project for people with learning difficulties in Brighton;
advising a Sudanese community group in Coventry looking
to make a change of use application to create a community
centre; and support for a Traveller based in Devon seeking
to appeal an enforcement notice on their mobile home.
At the start of the year, PAE agreed a contract
with EDF Energy to deliver consultation support to
Parish and Town Councils who would be impacted
by the proposed Sizewell C development. PAE are
currently working with 14 Parish and Town Councils
to empower them to respond to the consultation.
In addition to the above PAE were also mentioned in
the House of Commons by two separate MPs who
praised PAE’s work in empowering communities
to effectively participate in the planning system.
In 2016 the
advice line dealt
with 2,300 separate
enquiries
à Planning Aid Direct
(our online resource)
had 21,000 views for
the same period.
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Nations and
English Regions
RTPI Nations
RTPI is dedicated to supporting its members in the UK
Nations with devolved planning systems; à RTPI Scotland,
à RTPI Cymru, à RTPI Northern Ireland and in à RTPI Ireland.
In RTPI Nations our RTPI Officers and members also
represent planners at governmental level to ensure that
our members’ views are fed into national policy debates.
RTPI’s work is delivered directly to our
members through the RTPI Nations
and English Regions, supported
by dedicated officers working very
closely with volunteer members who
generously give their time to the
various Regional Management Boards
and committees. Scottish Chapters,
English regional committees, Welsh
Management Board and Northern Irish
and Irish executive committees are the
face of the RTPI locally. They organise
networking, conference and professional
development opportunities for members.
• 65 events were held for members across Scotland.
The large majority of these were either free or low
cost and were attended by around 2,000 people
• 4 editions of à Scottish Planner were published,
each circulated to 2,300 people
• 4 interviews on BBC Radio Scotland and 2 TV
appearances on BBC Scotland’s main evening
news programme “Reporting Scotland”
• The Scottish Young Planners’ Conference
was held in Edinburgh in March on the
theme “Creating Successful Places”
• We chaired the Scottish Parliament Festival
of Politics event on Smart Cities
• Tina Saaby, Chief City Architect in Copenhagen gave
the à Sir Patrick Geddes Commemorative Lecture
• The à RTPI Scotland Annual Conference was held
on 11 October 2016 at Paisley Town Hall on the theme
of “Empowering Planning, Transforming Places”
à RTPI Scotland Annual Review
Left
Tina Saaby, Chief City Architect in
Copenhagen gave the Sir Patrick
Geddes Commemorative Lecture
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Wales Planning Awards
The 2016 à Wales Planning Award was won by Cyngor
Gwynedd Council for the Welsh National Sailing Academy
and Events Centre in Pwllheli. The National Lido in Pontypridd
submitted by Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council,
was Highly Commended and the Tramshed in Cardiff,
submitted by WYG and Cardiff Council, was Commended.
The National Eisteddfod
We attended the National Eisteddfod – Wales’ largest
cultural festival – where we had eight days to engage with
the public, our members, politicians, and stakeholders
about the value of planning and promoting the à Wales’
Best Places competition. At our stand, children could have
a go at planning their own town with our new model.
Events
We held a number of events across the year, including the
à Wales Planning Conference with the highest number of
delegates to-date, a sold-out à Wales
Enforcement Conference, and the Wales Spring
Conference, which focused on the Value of Planning.
à RTPI Cymru Annual Review
Following the changes to the planning system in Northern
Ireland, we introduced a new programme of events. This
included our inaugural and sell-out à Northern Ireland
Planning Conference. We launched a new season ticket
– responding to requests from the new councils to enable
them to manage their training programme for staff.
Events included:
• Urban Design Event
• Reform of Public Authorities: One Year On
• à Community Planning Event
• à Planning Law Update
• RTPI NI Annual Dinner
• à RTPI NI Annual Planning Conference
• Annual Golf Outing
• à Young Planners’ Conference
The Hugh McKay Award
The 2016 à Hugh McKay Award was presented to Amy
Hewitt for her final year dissertation “An examination of the
role of post productive theory and policy in maintaining
a successful and sustainable rural economy in Northern
Ireland.” The Award is presented at Queen’s University
Belfast each year, in memory of the late Hugh McKay.
à RTPI Northern Ireland Annual Review
English Regions
Throughout the year, our volunteers, supported by RTPI
staff, organise a host of CPD programmes, lectures,
social events, regional communications, and networking
opportunities for our members in the nine English Regions.
The new à RTPI Nations and Regions Chairs came
together in London to discuss their plans for the year
ahead. Pictured below with Trudi Elliott, RTPI Chief
Executive, and Past President, Cath Ranson (far left).
And, to celebrate the year’s achievements, a number of newlook
regional Annual Reviews have been launched – read more:
à RTPI North West Annual Review
à RTPI South East Annual Review
à RTPI North East Annual Review
à RTPI Yorkshire Annual Review
à RTPI East Midlands Annual Review
à RTPI London Annual Review
à RTPI West Midlands Annual Review
Others will follow shortly:
à RTPI East of England Annual Review
à RTPI South West Annual Review
Our CPD programmes continue to
play an important role in offering free
and low cost opportunities for all.
2016 Highlights and Facts
from the English Regions
13,903
2,290
500 +
3,067
2,000 +
200 +
427
delegates attended
212 events
places were booked using our new
online multi-buy booking option
volunteer speakers
gave their time for free
joined one of our social
or networking events
attended a Young
Planner event
volunteers sat on regional
committees or working groups
guests attended the North
West’s Annual Dinner
in a record year for delegates
attending our social events
We worked to increase the level of CPD opportunities
for our members in Ireland throughout the year. As
part of this we organised a number of events.
• à Member Open Forum on the
National Planning Framework
• à Planning for Housing: Barriers and Opportunities
• Member Open Forum on Limerick Regeneration
• Annual Law Lecture
• Annual Dinner
à RTPI Ireland Annual Review
One of the best planning conferences
I have ever attended. A real blend of
experience and practical application
presented by some excellent speakers.
Delegate at September’s
Climate Change Conference (RTPI Yorkshire)
Above
National Eisteddfod, Wales
Right
The RTPI Nations and Regions Chairs with
Trudi Elliott, RTPI Chief Executive, and RTPI
Past President Cath Ranson (far left)
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RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Above
Delegates at the Young Planners' Conference in Belfast
In each Nation and Region, Young Planners Committees
create specific events for our à Young Planners – those
who are at an early stage of their planning career.
In 2016 the contribution made by Young Planners
was celebrated regionally and nationally:
Nationally: Young Planners Win President’s
Special Award for Planning Achievement
The à President’s Special Award recognises long-term
outstanding achievement in planning. The award is made
to a planning organisation, team, office, or individual to
recognise their contribution to planning achievement.
2015 RTPI President, Janet Askew, awarded the prize
to the RTPI Young Planners. The prize was awarded
at the à Young Planners’ Conference in Belfast.
Nationally: Young Planner of the Year
This award is intended to seek out and acclaim the brightest
planners, amongst RTPI members, who are within the
first ten years of post-qualification experience. The
à 2016 winner was Emma Lancaster, Associate
at Quod, who was awarded the prize at the
à RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence on 5 May.
Emma is also the 2017 RTPI Yorkshire Chair.
Regionally: East Midlands Young Planners
win the Chairman’s Award
à The East Midlands Young Planners won the
Chairman’s Award at the à East Midlands Award
for Planning Excellence. This award recognises
the efforts made to increase membership and the
provision of a wide variety of events for members.
Regionally: West Midlands Young Planner of the Year
Luke Coffey, from consultants Mott MacDonald, was named
RTPI West Midlands Young Planner of the Year. Luke,
who is currently Chair of the à West Midlands Young
Planners, has taken a full and active part in promoting
town planning to young planners within the region.
Regional Young Planner Groups Continue to Flourish
In 2016 the à South Coast Young Plannersʼ Network
(SCYPN) celebrated its tenth birthday. The à NW Young
Planners successfully bid to host the à 2017 Young Plannersʼ
Conference in Manchester and in the South West, a new
group, à WestCountry Young Planners was established.
From our 2017 President
Stephen Wilkinson
2017 is shaping up to be as busy as 2016. As RTPI President 2017,
I am particularly interested in ensuring that we continue to be a
“critical friend” of governments in each Nation as planning is once
more at the top of so many agendas. On a personal level, having
been struck by the reasons why so many people voted for Brexit,
I am keen to visit those areas which have not benefitted from the
resurgence of the economy in recent years. These are the areas
where planners are really making a difference and I am hoping to
see planners’ work first-hand as I travel around the UK and Ireland. I
will also represent the planning profession and RTPI as our previous
President, Phil Williams did so ably, on the international stage.
In terms of the work of RTPI, in addition to all the programmes
and activities we normally run, the Institute is also embarking on a
modernisation programme behind the scenes and is investing in
new database technology and a new website, which will help the
Institute to deliver more for its members. Preparations are also going
ahead to launch a new national training programme from 2018.
I look forward to summing up my year in the 2017
Annual Review – here’s to a great year for RTPI.
34
Stephen Wilkinson MRTPI
RTPI President 2017

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Registered Office Address: Royal Town Planning Institute, 41 Botolph Lane, London, EC3R 8DL.
à contact@rtpi.org.uk