RTPI Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Planning Design Ltd

Highly Commended at the RTPI East Midlands Awards 2019

9th October 201930th September 2019 by Gary Stringer

The team at Planning Design were both surprised and delighted to be awarded the Highly Commended Certificate for Excellence in Planning for Heritage & Culture at the recent RTPI East Midlands Awards for Planning Excellence 2019.

The awards were held at the Roundhouse in Derby, at a sold out event on Thursday 26 September, which was attended by over 100 planning professionals from across the East Midlands.

The Highly Commended Certificate was for our work on the redevelopment of the ‘East Site’ at John Smedley Mills, Lea Bridge. Planning Design were instructed as planning consultants, alongside Evans Vettori Architects to deliver a complex set of proposals for redevelopment, conversion and part demolition on the site, which is the last working textile mill in the Derwent Valley World Heritage Site and the “oldest manufacturing factory in the world”.

The ‘East Site’ was no longer needed for garment manufacture and development was needed to secure a beneficial future use for the land and buildings and to support the company’s development and expansion. The scheme included the renovation of three late 18th century Grade II Listed cottages which were in a very poor state of repair and on the “heritage at risk” register.

With initial discussions with John Smedley Ltd beginning in December 2015, the development is now well underway, with the listed cottages having been fully restored by the summer of 2019. The redevelopment involved an innovative planning approach as it incorporated both conversion and new build and multiple heritage designations.

Some creative thinking by all parties resulted in a proposal to restore the derelict and run-down eighteenth century ‘Arkwright’ style cottages as part of the scheme. Achieving this objective was not straightforward in planning terms –the cottages lie within a different Council area to the remainder of the factory site and were in such a poor state of repair it wasn’t possible to enter the buildings to carry out a full survey.

With a number of stakeholders involved, Planning Design collaborated with John Smedley Ltd and Evans Vettori Architects as well as working proactively with Amber Valley Borough Council, Derbyshire Dales District Council, Dethick Lea and Holloway Parish Council as well as English Heritage and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site Partnership. Working together, this enabled the delivery of complex and innovative planning proposals, which straddled two Authorities and involved both conversion and new build and multiple heritage designations.

As the site is in both a Conservation Area and a World Heritage Site, planning identified and was sympathetic to the fact that all new development must preserve or enhance the character and appearance of the wider area.

Creative thinking and diplomatic negotiation was necessary to secure an affordable housing contribution within the plan for the ‘at risk’ listed cottages (thus facilitating their re-use and restoration) plus securing other 106 contributions. This included funds to establish a John Smedley Archive to protect and promote a historically significant garment collection as well as a significant investment in apprenticeships, creating new ancillary tourism, education and employment opportunities.

Jon Millhouse, Director of Planning Design who accepted the certificate said

“We are genuinely thrilled with this recognition by the RTPI. Working within both a conservation area and a UNESCO World Heritage site brought numerous challenges in addition to those already inherent to the listed buildings at the John Smedleys site.

This is a great example of a successful partnership that has helped to ensure a sustainable and viable future for the oldest manufacturing factory in the world, creating opportunities for this unique historical site which will bear fruit long into the 21st century and beyond.”

Planning Design recognise the importance of the built heritage in our towns, villages and rural areas. We have worked on numerous schemes affecting Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Director Jon Millhouse specialises in heritage planning and design team leader Lindsay Cruddas is a registered Specialist Conservation Architect.

Government funding secured for enforcement handbook

23rd September 2019 by Gary Stringer

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced that it will work in partnership with the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) to update the England Enforcement Handbook.

Funding for the new handbook is part of a £1.5m government package for the 2019/20 financial year with the aim of helping local authorities deal with unauthorised development.

The RTPI say that the handbook, which will be reviewed and updated by RTPI network the National Association of Planning Enforcement (NAPE), will help ensure local authorities have access to the latest best practice advice on how to deal effectively with a range of enforcement challenges.

NAPE Chair Neill Whittaker said:

“We’re really pleased to be working in partnership with MHCLG to refresh the National Association of Planning Enforcement handbook for England.

“The updated handbook will support enforcement officers in carrying out their roles covering a range of topics including the Proceeds of Crime Act, lone working, the General Permitted Development Order and advances in technology.

“The NAPE project team are currently working on the details for the updated handbook and three launch events are due to be held across England in Spring 2020.”

In addition the RTPI and Connected Places Catapult (CPC) have launched a shared vision for the digital future of planning. They have been working over the last few years to understand how better data, tools and systems can support the creation of sustainable, resilient and inclusive places.

The new shared vision reflects key messages that have emerged from this work, drawing on contributions made by planners, academics, civil servants, community groups and technology experts. It outlines a shared ambition for a planning system built upon clear structures for the collection, use and sharing of data, and sets out principles which can guide the ongoing development, use and governance of PlanTech.

‘We want to harness the power of technology and direct innovative thinking towards improving the planning system so that our members can work more efficiently, effectively and collaboratively under conditions of complexity and rapid change,’ said RTPI policy manager James Harris

‘We hope that this vision can provide those involved in PlanTech with a common agenda for empowering planners and delivering great places,’ he told the CPC’s PlanTech conference in London.

Planners have always been at the heart of the digital transformation of the planning system that the Catapult is trying to bring about, according to Stefan Webb, CPC director of digitising planning.

‘This new vision and the principles that underpin it should act as a signpost for those in government and industry who are designing, procuring and building the digital planning system of the future,’ Webb added.

RTPI report finds planning is out of sync with net zero-carbon future

19th August 201924th July 2019 by Gary Stringer

A new report published by the Royal Town Planning institute (RTPI) states that planning needs to change in order to support a smooth transition to a net zero-carbon future.

The recently published report highlights the lack of attention given to ‘smart energy’ in national planning policy and guidance and the gap between what happens on the ground and the opportunities offered by smart energy.

“Nothing should be planned without demonstrating it is fit to take its place in a net-zero emissions future… It makes no sense for what is planned and built today to be delivered in a way, or in places, that will require costly retrofitting tomorrow,” says the report.

The report finds notable strides have been taken to cut emissions using the existing planning toolkit, but the pace of change is out of step with the ambitions set out in the Clean Growth Strategy and what is needed to meet the UK’s legal commitments to decarbonise.

The perceived lack of attention given to cutting carbon emissions by MHCLG has pushed energy down the list of priorities for many local planning authorities, it finds.

The report is calling for a refresh of the National Planning Policy Framework or, with greater immediacy, a written ministerial statement, to give greater national political clarity that smart energy and climate change have equal status with planning for housing, transport and economic growth.

It also urges the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to work better together and devise a joint action plan that allows energy policy to be informed by planning and land use considerations, and carbon reduction to be achieved more effectively through local planning policy and implementation.

In the absence of nationally robust trajectory for achieving zero carbon standards for domestic and non-domestic buildings, the report recommends that the Government allows local authorities to set much higher local standards.

The report highlights the good work that is underway locally to drive forward smart energy through planning including in Milton Keynes, Cornwall, Bristol and Greater Manchester, but on the whole finds such examples are the exception rather than the rule.

It reminds local authorities of their legal duty to ensure their development plans contribute to mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, and asks MHCLG to send a clear message to the Planning Inspectorate that local plans should be examined on their climate change mitigation ambitions as much as their housing provision.

The report follows closely the launch of the Institute’s Resource Planning for Climate Action campaign last month, which calls on the Government to take radical climate actions around buildings and transport, and to develop a tool to help local authorities gauge the carbon impact of existing and emerging local plans.

Jonathan Jenkin, Managing Director of Planning & Design welcomes the RTPI report and the premise that “nothing should be planned without demonstrating it is fit to take place in a net zero emissions future.”

Jonathan said “this means preventing future retrofitting. In a net-zero future housing construction should fix carbon, energy should be produced and stored to meet occupants needs and provide energy for transport. Properties should not emit CO2 during everyday use, and components need to be recyclable so that materials can be re-used in future construction.”

“This is a very tall order which confirmed with the needs to produce zero carbon in the community, at work, in education and at leisure; the magnitude of change is substantial.”

“The RTPI report is a first step and the need to cut carbon emissions must be built into the NPRF Local Plans and in the decisions made by Local Planning Authorities.”

RTPI to form part of new ‘high streets task force’

19th August 20198th July 2019 by Gary Stringer

The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has been named as part of an expert group, a ‘high streets task force’ which will support local leaders to regenerate England’s towns and city centres.

The government-funded High Streets Task Force, run by the Institute of Place Management, will be made up of a range of experts with a wide range of knowledge and insight.

The group will provide tailored guidance and advice to local authorities seeking to breathe new life into their local high streets and town centres as they battle against changing consumer habits.

RTPI’s Deputy Head of Policy and Research Prof Aude Bicquelet-Lock said:

“We’re really excited to be part of this exciting new task force, and are looking forward to the opportunity of helping councils, businesses and communities put high streets back at the heart of local communities.

“The future of our ailing high streets and town centres is a priority in our research programme this year, and we are planning to appoint suppliers to undertake research on best practices around high street rejuvenation in the next few weeks.”

One of the RTPI’s primary roles in the new group will be to chair the Professional, Research and Data Group which will pool the collective research resources and knowledge of professional membership bodies, UK academics and data providers to provide a state-of-the art review of the issues with policy recommendations.

Announcing the new Task Force, High Streets Minister Jake Berry MP said: “High streets and the way we use them are changing, and this government is committed to helping communities to adapt. We want to see vibrant town centres where people live, shop, use services and spend their leisure time.

“But in order to evolve successfully, high streets must meet the needs of their local community and the key to this is strong local leadership. This is why we are providing additional support through a High Streets Task Force, drawing on the best expert advice, training and data that’s available.”

Degree apprenticeship for town planners gets green light from Government

19th June 20233rd April 2019 by Gary Stringer

The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has announced that the first degree-level apprenticeship to train Chartered Town Planners in England has been approved by the Government, with employers in England able to recruit candidates immediately to start the programme this autumn.

This is a new route into the profession that combines academic education with practical experience to equip future employees with vital skills as well as a degree. Existing graduates or employees with no planning qualifications may be eligible. There is strong interest for the scheme, with over 80 employers interested in employing apprentices and at least six universities working to offer the apprenticeship from this September.

Victoria Hills, RTPI Chief Executive, said:

“I am delighted that we can finally boost the training of planners that the country so desperately needs, and make this exciting profession accessible to many more people who might not have considered it before. The fact that we have successfully embedded our tried and tested route of assessment for Chartered membership in the degree apprenticeship testifies to the RTPI’s role and expertise in assessing professional competence, and is especially timely as we prepare to celebrate 60 years of our Royal Charter.”

Here at Planning & Design we are keeping a close eye on this new route into Planning as we have had a number of successful apprentices in the design team over the years and know how beneficial apprenticeships can be for both employer and employee.

Highly Commended at the RTPI East Midlands Awards 2019

Government funding secured for enforcement handbook

RTPI report finds planning is out of sync with net zero-carbon future

RTPI to form part of new ‘high streets task force’

Degree apprenticeship for town planners gets green light from Government

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