🏗️Brent Cross Town Development!

🏘️As part of the opening for Brent Cross West Station, @mayorofldn shared: “The station will serve as a gateway to a Brent Cross Town, a brand-new neighbourhood delivering new homes, creating jobs, and aiming to be net zero by 2030.” 

🤹🏽‍♀️The Projects Platform at @uniwestminster have organised a talk to explore how urban regeneration can be equitable, navigating the challenges of gentrification. This will be led by Professor Jim Coleman, Head of Economic Advisory at @wspukandi and professor of
professional practice in the School of Architecture and Cities at the University of Westminster.

🎤On Monday 24th March, he plans to “provide insights into how spatial and real estate plans can be shaped to address multiple priorities, as well as reflecting on emerging approaches to creating and measuring social value through development.”

💭Why not reach out to @livestudio_ds20 if you would like to attend?

➡️RTPI London Committee!

🏗️I’m so pleased to be on the RTPI London Committee (RAC) across 2025/2026.

🎤The group supports the Corporate Strategy and advises the Regional Management Board; as well as organising events, newsletters, media coverage, awards and other activities for the RTPI. From shaping our CPD offering to acting as the London Lead for the EDI sub-committee, I’m so excited to be a part of this journey for the organisation.

💡This comes at a poignant type for the world of planning, with our new @rtpiplanners president Helen Fadipe setting the tone by establishing three core themes: “collaboration, investment and inclusivity”. Helen also emphasises the importance of education, mentoring and support for planners, championing accessible pathways to the tools needed across the profession.

💭What opportunities could help you learn more about town planning, or even inspire your work as a planner?

🏙️City of London!

📍The City of London’s “Square Mile” is the historic heart and financial hub of the capital.

🌊This means hosting some of London’s most recognisable buildings and the River Thames, which is an iconic landmark in its own right. However, the balance between natural and built environments here results in heightened climate vulnerability, e.g. to flood risk and overheating.

📑In response, the City of London commissioned a study into potential adaptive pathways, noting that: “Shaping climate resilient environments, where people and businesses can thrive for generations to come, is considered central to the Climate Action Strategy”. The aim of the strategy is “to act swiftly in recognition of the human, environmental and economic imperatives for accelerating climate adaptation and resilience action.”

💭What are the priorities in your local council’s Climate Strategy?

🎤Planning and Energy Updates!

➡️It was great to be invited back to the national conference, presenting on all things planning for @platinumpropertypartners_

🏗️From the government’s push for housing delivery, changes to the application process, revisions to the National Planning Policy Framework and much more – my sessions were all about how to work with the system.

💡Covering more than just “an exciting time for planning”, of course we had to touch on the government’s Warm Homes Plan and consultation around EPC methodology. I was joined by the fantastic Rick Dalton and Malcolm Crabbe, opening up an interactive discussion around how landlords can prepare.

💭How are you keeping up with the government’s plans for planning?

🌇Sky Garden!

📍Located in 20 Fenchurch Street (also known as the ‘Walkie Talkie’), Sky Garden is the highest public garden in London.

🌴This unique space celebrates what is possible through architecture, design, landscaping and engineering. With 360-degree views across London, you can experience the entire capital at the same time as a range of Mediterranean and South African biodiversity.

🌱From bringing the materials up this high to maintaining the micro-climate, there’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes to keep projects like this alive. In fact, taking on the maintenance in 2021, @idverdeuk shared: “Speak to the team on the ground and they will tell you that the biggest temperature challenge came as an indirect result of the Covid pandemic.”

🌡️“The lack of visitors to the site and the reduced activity from the offices and restaurants in the building meant that the temperature of the garden itself fell significantly. The team had to adapt to this to try and save plants from dying, while carefully monitoring for the slightest temperature change which could fatally impact recuperating plants.”

💭What aspect of the maintenance would you be most curious about?

⛰️Lycabettus Hill!

🏙️As the highest point in central Athens, this hill offers panoramic views of the entire city. Not only are the views absolutely breath-taking from above, the Hill itself is beautiful in its own right as you walk around from below.

📍Looking up at the Hill, at first all I could see was a blurry building. Once I’d actually spent some time up there, it transformed from an enigmatic, distant landmark into a real place. Now, even from far away, I recognise the Church of St. George (the white building perched at the peak) and remember how it smells inside. I think about the cat scaling the cafe, and how the next set of tourists are probably looking down at me thinking ‘they look like tiny ants!’.

💭Beyond what we may see from a distance or online, perspective and a personal relationship with the ‘unknown’ can completely reframe how we view things. Have you experienced this before?

📍Olympic Stadium!

🏅The Panathenaic Stadium was the first to host the modern Olympics, kicking-off in Athens back in 1896.

⏳It was built on the site of the previous ancient stadium, constructed in 330BC for the Panathenaic Games. That makes this arena a blend of old and new, celebrating the legacy of sporting across centuries. Even if you’re not an athlete, there’s something pretty epic about standing on the racetracks today.

🏗️The stadium’s historical significance remains honoured through the design and materials. It’s renovation in the 19th century led to the nickname ‘Kallimarmaro’, which means beautiful marble. That’s because it’s the only stadium in the world to be completely made of marble, with the visual impact visible from viewpoints across the city.

💭In a world where sporting venues can be rapidly built and just as quickly abandoned after the games, what lessons can we learn from Kallimarmaro?

🏛️The Acropolis and Parthenon!

🇬🇷Home to world-famous structures like the Parthenon, the Acropolis is a citadel looking over Athens.

📍This World Heritage Site is considered “the most striking and complete ancient Greek monumental complex still existing in our times”, according to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

➡️The UNESCO record also states “On this hill were born Democracy, Philosophy, Theatre, Freedom of Expression and Speech, which provide to this day the intellectual and spiritual foundation for the contemporary world and its values. The Acropolis’ monuments, having survived for almost twenty-five centuries through wars, explosions, bombardments, fires, earthquakes, sackings, interventions and alterations, have adapted to different uses and the civilizations, myths and religions that flourished in Greece through time.”

💭What are we building today that could stand the test of time and inspire this level of praise thousands of years from now?

🌹Happy Valentine’s!

🇬🇷Sending love from Athens, a capital rich in history (and maybe some spirit of Aphrodite, Ancient Greek Goddess of Love!).

🌙Wondering a city at nighttime can be incredibly romantic. A bright moon, twinkling lights and classical architecture can really set the scene. More than this, the ability to ‘get lost’ amongst it all through meandering streets, lifts/stairwells that take you high and low, and carefully staggered buildings that reveal a special landscape all add to the Valentine’s magic.

📍It’s so important for town planners to remember that our public realm, i.e. the places between places, play such an essential role. The unconfined right to explore can ignite our imagination and help us get to know a city – maybe even start falling in love with it.

💭Where’s your most romantic city and why?

🌱Oxford Botanic Gardens!

📍Founded in the 1600s, the Oxford Botanic Garden is considered the oldest in the UK. These garden types are important because they host documented plants for scientific research, allowing us to study them across centuries.

📣The group’s mission is to “use our living collections to communicate to the widest possible audience how our future depends on plants.”

📖Walking around the beautiful grounds, one of the creative ways they do this is through the ‘literary garden’ signage. Drawing on the rich history of Oxford, different plants include notes about how they are linked to books: “from The Odyssey to The Overstory, from Alice in Wonderland to Alice Oswald, stories and poems spring from the earth as naturally as trees and flowers. Oxford has offered especially fertile ground for authors.” This includes the descendent of a pine tree that may have inspired the tree people in Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings!

💭We know that biodiversity is key for thriving ecosystems, but how has nature inspired your creativity over the years?

🌲Mirror Houses!

📍Nestled amongst tranquil woodland in Kirtlington, these unique cabins received planning permission with the surrounding Conservation Area and nearby heritage buildings in mind.

➡️A key factor for their approval was the design, considered to be sympathetic to the context by the officer because:

– 🏗️Each cabin would adhere to ‘leave no trace’ principles, being constructed off the ground with no foundations
– 🌲The timber and mirror materials means that they are less visible when reflected within the trees, appearing as a continuation of woodland
– 🏕️The cabins are of a modest size and the roof heights are below the height of the canopies of existing trees

💭Nature tourism can help us foster a deeper relationship with wildlife and biodiversity, if the surroundings are respected. What creative designs have you seen?

🕰️Historic Covered Market!

📍Located in Oxford’s city centre, @thecoveredmarketoxford opened in 1774 – over 250 years ago!

💷Further funding has been proposed by @oxfordcitycouncil towards the market redevelopment programme, aspiring to ensure that the space “remains a vibrant and sustainable hub for independent businesses, residents and visitors for generations to come.” To support Oxford`s Zero Emission Zone, one aspect of the redevelopment plan explores:

– 🚲”Facilitating low- and zero-emission movement to and from the market”
– 💡”Minimising energy consumption and support passive strategies for heating, cooling and energy use”
– 📉”Low-carbon retrofitting”
– ♻️”Supporting a circular economy and sustainable Market ecosystem”
– 🌳”Introducing more planting and nature”

🤹🏽‍♀️This is an example of a project trying to balance social, environmental and economic sustainability, whilst also preserving historic character. What would your ideas be for the Covered Market?

🖌️Imagination for Town Planning!

🖼️From very young, many of us are drawn to creating ‘places’.

🗺️Whether it’s forts, doll houses or mini towns, who didn’t love using imagination to escape into worlds of our own design? At any age, playing out life in space can help us express our individual needs and ideas for a better environment.

➡️After a day of babysitting, here are my favourite comments from my 2-year-old niece (a brilliant toy-town planner):

– 🛝“There are too many cars near the playground!”
– 🏡“The house is too small for lunch…”
– 🚗“Uh oh, big Daddy Pig doesn’t fit in the car with Mummy Pig.”
– 🐦“We need more trees for the birds!”
– 🦖“No, dinosaur! Don’t walk on the road!”

💭How would your inner child improve our towns and cities?

🌲Woodland Cafe!

☕️Queen’s Wood Cafe offers a storybook getaway in North West London.

🏙️It’s located in Queen’s Wood, a nature reserve with some of the oldest woodland in London (dating back to at least the 1600s!). From ground flora, bird species and more, this wonderland supports a rich biodiversity.

🪵However, the @haringeycouncil Ancient Woodland page shares: “A recent Habitat Condition Assessment review of our Ancient Woodlands highlighted in the SINC report described the woods as being “in poor condition” suffering from soil erosion due to the excessive footfall (leading to compaction and loss of flora) and flash flooding.”

🌦️The page explains that “climate change is expected to have a number of impacts on UK forests including soil moisture deficits limiting growth in some areas; greater water table fluctuations limiting rooting depth and increase the risk of windthrow; tree disease and pest outbreaks; and greater risk of fire.”

💭How can we help protect and manage our unique habitats for the enjoyment of generations to come?

📑Planning Capacity Report!

📊Last week the government published their annual survey of “planning capacity and skills in local authorities in England”. Here are some of the key findings:

👥“In the last 12 months, nine out of 10 planning departments reported some difficulty with recruitment (91%) and seven in 10 (72%) reported some difficulty with retaining staff.”

🧠“Almost all (97%) planning departments reported some planning skills gaps. Planning departments’ short-term strategies to address capacity and skills-gap issues relied heavily on outsourcing. Departments were most likely to address problems with skills gaps by using agency staff (60%), with half (51%) saying they procured external consultants. Of those with unfilled vacancies, half (52%) reported using agency staff and contractors.”

💡These stats show that planners need so much more than an injection of funding/additional staff to support longterm success. What is the biggest change you would make? Check out the gov page to learn more about the survey!

🌱Parklets!

🏙️In dense urban areas it can be hard to find pockets of green space or places to rest.

🪑Having creative solutions like parklets can have an incredibly transformative effect. By making a seat available in the public realm, there’s a welcoming message as well as consideration for those who may need to take breaks along their journey.

🪴Incorporating greenery and cycle parking can contribute to this effect, not just providing a seat but creating a mini escape from day-to-day city life. In areas of high traffic, the right quantity and species of planting can also help mitigate air pollution.

💡One parklet isn’t exactly going to save the world, and they can also sometimes attract litter or unwanted gathering. However, consistent interventions like this can add up to make a positive difference, especially when the local community is involved. Would you like to see more parklets in your it neighbourhood?

📍Reading Town!

🚝Reading Station is one of the busiest transport hubs across the country, acting as a key rail interchange for travellers and commuters.

🕰️This makes Reading a common place to pass through, with many who enter the station not actually stepping out into the town itself. However, beyond the railway tracks, Reading boasts a rich history dating back over a thousand years. It’s also the largest town in England!

🗺️For those who regularly use public transport, it can be easy to familiarise with the stops en route without actually making plans to visit and explore. Spontaneously getting off a stop earlier or later on cross-country journeys can help expose us to new experiences, people and natural or urban spaces we wouldn’t otherwise get to know.

💭When was the last time you got off at a random stop? (on purpose!)

🚇The Tube Map!

🕰️The London tube map we know today is based on Harry Beck’s version from 1933.

💡According to @transportforlondon: “rather than emphasising distance and geographical accuracy, like other maps, Beck based his on the circuit diagrams he drew for his day job; stripping the sprawling Tube network down to a neat diagram of coloured, criss-crossing lines”. It was also “initially rejected by the publicity department because it was considered too radical but a successful trial print-run showed that it was just what the public wanted.”

🗺️As a planner, I do love a good map. They’re supposed to help us find our way and tell the many stories of how we perceive the world around us. Depending on our processing styles, some maps may seem harder to interpret than others.

💭Trying to navigate our complex surroundings can be hard, in life or on public transport. How does your favorite map reveal what makes a journey feel easiest for you?

🍽️25-Mile Menu!

🏝️The Pig Hotels offer a 25-mile menu, sourcing food within a 25-mile radius to promote local and seasonal dining.

📍From the on-site kitchen garden to the beautiful surrounding area of Dorset, the experience is all about celebrating our resources in creative and sustainable ways. The 25-mile menu even includes a map that illustrates how far the ingredients are!

📊The Pig Hotels officially became @bcorpuk certified in the summer, formally assessed to show the difference they’re making across: Governance, Workers, Community, Environment and Customers. For the group, “it’s always been in our DNA to champion local suppliers and produce, to help our environment thrive, and provide real opportunities for our PIG people to develop their talents.”

💡Do you think connecting to where our food comes from could make dining more enjoyable?

🎄Christmas Hygge!

☕️According to the online Cambridge Dictionary, hygge is defined as “a Danish word for a quality of cosiness (= feeling warm, comfortable, and safe) that comes from doing simple things such as lighting candles, baking, or spending time at home with your family: The high season of hygge is Christmas, when Danes don’t hold back with the candles and mulled wine.”

🕯️Particularly in countries that get cold and darker during the festive period, attracting warmth and light indoors can play a huge role in improving mood. More than just literaly, symbolically curating a space with hope can go a long way in tackling some of the difficulties that may come up this time of year.

🏡The power of place on our well-being is mighty. If you or someone you know is struggling this Christmas, what simple changes could help add hygge at home?

➡️For mental health support check out @mindcharity

🏝️Storms and Coastlines!

🌊Storms can have significant impacts on coastal regions, causing coastal erosion through strong currents and high waves.

➡️Environmental changes like this have a knock on effect across wider social and economic issues. Some examples include:

– 💰A need to increase budget, workforce and skills to support fixing damage from storms. This could involve handling fallen trees or re-engineering compromised paths.
– 🚫Temporary closures, which can affect travel plans or block key access points to particular areas. This can be particularly dangerous when urgent transport is needed.
– 🏞️Permanent closures due to public hazards. In the case of Middle Beach here: “the café, toilet block and other buildings were removed because the cliff below them is gradually falling into the sea.”

💡How prepared is your local area to manage storm damage?

📑New National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF)!

🗞️Planning has been in the news consistently over the past few months as the government promote their “pro-growth agenda”, committing to 1.5 million new homes in England by the end of this Parliament.

🏗️In order to achieve this, the government have targeted the planning system itself. This includes the updated NPPF 2024, which was officially published last week. This key document sets out the national planning policies in England, influencing how the country is shaped.

🏘️There is a leading emphasis on housing and associated infrastructure delivery, with clarified pressure on Local Authorities to meet housing targets. The Standard Method for calculating housing need has also been updated in parallel (check out the government website for details).

🧩Not a small job for planners in 2025 – particularly to balance against environmental responsibilities! Are you feeling optimistic or pessimistic?

🌸Birthday Workshop!

➡️Thank you to the wonderful @vladanka7 and @clitterhousefarm for hosting this flower pressing workshop, it was a great way to spend my birthday!

🍁Coming together under candlelight in this community garden was such a fun autumnal activity. Combining handmade paper, creativity and nature was very relaxing, especially with the sound of rain against the glasshouse.

🌱The community garden adds beauty and biodiversity to Clitterhouse Farm, as well as herbs, fruits and vegetables for the café. The all-vegan spread was delicious and the team did an amazing job!

📍I’ve been volunteering here over the past few months because of the group’s important mission: building and supporting resilient and sustainable communities in and around Clitterhouse Farm and Northwest London.

💡Whether it’s an event, volunteering or just stopping by to say hello – how could you support your local community hubs?

📣Retrofit Webinar!

💡RetrofitWorks are launching their first free webinar with three expert Retrofit Coordinators (RCs) sharing their experiences from across the country.

🏡As the demand for sustainable buildings grows, so does the need for expert retrofit coordination. Retrofit Coordinators (RCs) play a crucial role in overseeing and managing the retrofit process, but what does the journey into the industry actually look like? Hear from our expert Retrofit Coordinators in this unique webinar to find out!

💬This session will focus on the realities of life as an RC. From career switches, managing expectations on site, developing skills and much more, the webinar will provide an opportunity to better understand what’s involved in the process.

➡️Register via the QR code, Eventbrite or email [email protected] to take part!

💡RetrofitWorks Webinar!

Join Mahsa Ige and RetrofitWorks experts for a peak into life as a Retrofit Coordinator: the opportunities, challenges and more!

🗓️Thursday 28 November 2024
⏰11:30-12:30
📍Online: Register via Eventbrite or email [email protected]

Our first online Webinar will be specifically designed for both new and existing Retrofit Coordinators, however open to everyone who has an interest in the retrofit world.

📍Global Village!

🗺️This place is defined as “A world without borders. A world where more than 90 cultures come together to celebrate wonder.”

🏛️This highly unique setting hosts pavilions representing countries from all over the globe. Each culture manifests in the form of entry-ways mimicking typical architecture to that region. They act like a portal: showcasing local items to buy, music, performances and food.

👁️Visitors exploring the different pavilions can learn more about other cultures, or just feel closer to home. For many who are separated from their countries, being able to access familiar smells, tastes and sounds can be enormously positive.

💭The concept of “global village” is about seeing the world as one single community. Where can you go locally to foster meaningful relationships with others around the world, humanising the people behind place?

🏜️Desert Conservation Reserve!

🌅Desert landscapes are often viewed as baron lands. However, like all habitats they host intricate ecosystems. Covering approximately 5% of Dubai, the @ddcr_uae has outlined 6 strategic management goals to support the country’s desert reserve:

– 🌱“A new rewilding paradigm for regional desert conservation that fosters thriving habitats and a diversity of indigenous species
– 🌵Achieve and maintain a balance between all species populations, particularly ungulates and the natural regenerative properties of the available vegetation.
– 🏜️Ensure that all management interventions and practices are sustainable and geared towards natural habitat rehabilitation.
– 📑Maintain the reserves position as an IUCN Green List protected area with effective management, good governance and planning that optimise conservation outcomes.
– 🌏Maintain the DDCR’s position as a regional leader in biodiversity conservation and building resilience to climate change in arid land ecosystems.
– 📍Become the premier destination for authentic nature-based experiences in the UAE.”

💭How are vulnerable habitats being protected near you?

🏗️Rapid Urbanisation!

🏜️Dubai is an example of rapid urbanisation in an unexpected landscape. Skyscrapers have seemingly sprouted out of the ground over the past few decades as a result of economic growth. This includes the tallest building in the world.

🏙️Such intense development has required considerable innovative engineering, planning, architecture and infrastructure. However, like all fast-growing cities, this makes resilience and climate action vital if we’re going to protect the inhabitants and properties long-term. We also can’t talk about sustainable development without highlighting the absolute need for fair treatment and conditions for those working in the construction industry.

💡Do you think adaption to climate change impacts, e.g. having sophisticated systems for managing water flow, drainage and heat, should be the top design priority for all urban development?

🖼️Freedom in Multitudes!

📍Congratulations to @sosamimosa and @_the1897 for a powerful exhibition this month. The space featured talented artists from the Black diaspora exploring “self”.

🎨The variation in form, media and scale across the pieces highlighted the infinite ways we can interpret who we are. The artists show us that self-image is heavily influenced by our culture, traditions and individual experiences. This in turn can shape the way we view the world.

⚖️There is an understanding throughout the art that multiple things can be true at once; and that there is a need for times of growth and times of reflection. Recognising that our identities are layered and fluid in this way is an important step in appreciating the same often applies to others, as well as situations around us.

💭How can respecting our personal intricacies enable us to productively tackle the complex global challenges we face?

➡️Thank you to Afeez Onakoya @onakoya_afeez , Amanda Shingirai Mushate @amandashingirai , Anne Adams @adamsanne_ , Rachel Seidu @rachel_randoms , Nola Ayoola @nolaayoola_ , Ousmane Bâ @ousmane_the1st , Roisin Jones @iam_roisin , Sola Olulode @solaolulode and Uthman Wahaab @uthman.wahaab.arts for sharing your work!

🎤Presenting at Zaha Hadid Architects!

📍Looking back on this event, I feel inspired by the range of voices that were platformed and the discussion we had as a group.

🏗️Setting global targets only works when there are spaces like this to facilitate open conversations and opportunities to challenge ideas. The @letsbuild__ group specifically champion inclusivity and diversity in the construction industry, inviting everyone to share their perspectives and experiences as a way of creating much-needed lines of communication and data sharing.

💡Let’s disrupt this industry for the better! What events are happening near you that prioritise giving you a voice?

➡️Thank you to @zahahadidarchitects, everyone who came, the brilliant chair @annettefisherarchitect and passionate speakers Pooran Desai of @oneplanet.life, Lanré Gboladé @gbolade.design.studio Daniel K Poku-Davies @daniel.davies and Bareera B. @bareera_likes_pink!

Photos: @sharronewallace

⛪️Wimborne Minster!

📍This church in Dorset dates as far back as the 12th century, still serving as a space for community and worship today.

🌱Beyond the impressive historical architecture, there’s also a clear emphasis on environmental responsibility. The church hosts a range of activities that promote engaging with nature, supporting wildlife and reducing waste.

🪡Sharing these messages not only communicates a spiritual sense of stewardship, but also creates opportunities for people of all backgrounds to learn new skills and meet locally.

👏🏽Having accessible and diverse programs like this often takes a lot of hard work and dedication from volunteers, particularly during colder seasons. How could we help support?

🎡Observation Wheel!

📍One of my more unusual working destinations, yesterday Bournemouth’s iconic sea front ferris wheel doubled up as a great phone booth.

🏝️The wheel was dismantled earlier in the year for a revamp, now having enclosed tinted carriages. Of course, this special attraction still overlooks the town’s sandy coastline and green gardens for a picturesque view.

🕊️I’ve always loved ferris wheels for the perspective they offer. Notoriously slow, the experience forces us to really take in our surroundings. Having the opportunity to assess an area from a bird’s eye view also helps contextualise the impact of urban planning.

💭When was the last time you were on a ferris wheel?

✍🏽Guest Article!

🏗️Thank you @oneplanet.life for inviting @urbanistonamission to write a guest blog post on Planning for Homes, Nature and Climate!

🏡In our recent webinar we had both an applicant and the planning officer discussing their issues around delivering small scale sustainable projects. This included a case study, sharing an example of a self-build Passivhaus in Haringey that aimed to promote healthy living, good design, reduced environmental impact and efficient use of land.

🤹🏽The blog talks through this example and the balancing act between complying with planning policy, designing for carbon reduction and ensuring a project is financially viable.

➡️If you’re interested in checking out the full article go to https://oneplanet.com/blog/

🚝Bristol Train Station!

🕰️This station is a Grade I listed building, dating back to the 1840s. It was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

🪧The station has been expanded and updated over the years, but walking through and around the site you definitely get a sense of its history. Beyond the carefully conserved and restored architectural features, there’s a great deal of storytelling that reminds visitors of the past.

📐Through signs and structures, Bristol Temple Meads Station is bursting with information about Brunel as an influential Victorian engineer whose work changed the British landscape.

💭Do you know who was behind your local railway station?

💡Heat Pump Week!

🎤Thank you to those who dialled in to my planning clinic last week with @platinumpropertypartners_ !

☀️My session covered key resources for planning guidelines on home energy improvements like the @planning_portal; as well as permitted development rights and potential constraints.

📊It’s a happy coincidence that the event fell within Heat Pump Week, providing an opportunity to highlight the importance of exploring low-carbon systems as the country moves towards an energy transition. Of course we also looked at the National Planning Policy Framework consultation and the government’s Warm Homes Plan, considering minimum energy efficiency standards for private and social rented homes by 2030.

🏠I was joined by the network’s fantastic new Energy Efficiency Mentor, Mike. Amongst top tips on zonal climates and smart heating, he also covered the energy market and what to expect as we move into winter.

💭How are you keeping up with the country’s energy transition plans?

#heatpumpweek #heatpumpweek2024

💬Planning Discussion!

💻Earlier this month @oneplanet.life and @urbanistonamission hosted an online workshop around “Joining up the Planning Process”.

🎤This included a series of presentations and participation from a range of stakeholders. The breakout sessions provided an opportunity for group discussion, exploring the following questions:

– What are the issues we need planning to address?
– Where does the system need the most support and who should lead?
– Are there conflicts in the planning process between different scales of development?
– What are the main barriers to integrated development?

💭You can check out some of the responses expressed by the group in the slides! What would your answers be?

🏪Planning for High Streets!

🛍️Last week I was joined by fellow women in planning to explore “Overcoming Challenges Facing the High Street”. Uniquely the event was located right at the heart of the topic, within Covent Garden’s commercial area and the beautiful Kate Spade retail space.

➡️My three top takeaways from the conversation includes:

– 🏬The planning system must be flexible to adapt with dynamic commercial contexts, e.g. through the introduction of new/creative Use Classes and affordable pop-up spaces.

– 💷Councils must work collaboratively with private developers to incentivise investment into vibrant and sustainable High Streets.

– 🚲The public realm and transport infrastructure around commercial sites play a vital role in creating inclusive, accessible and attractive commercial spaces.

💭With so much focus in the news currently around residential development, how could planners also champion the social and economic role of High Streets?

🎤Thank you again to the organisers @wiplanningldn @katespadeny and engaging panellists!
– Jessica Wilson from @newsteerrealestate
– Joanna Turner from @citywestminster
– Rebecca Young from @geraldevellp
– Penny Moss from @avison_young_uk and the Government’s High Streets Task Force

🗺️Global Planners Unite!

🏗️I was so pleased to join today’s Urban Thinkers Campus (UTC) webinar organised through UN-Habitat, the Royal Town Planning Institute, Planners for Climate Action (P4CA) and the Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP).

🏘️Planners were dialling in from all over the world to tune into this session on “Co-creating Solutions for the Global Housing Crisis”, with inspiring panel discussions around obstacles and ideas using real life case studies. This included addressing core themes around delivering affordable housing, balancing occupancy and planetary health, inclusive design, persistent historic inequity, stewardship of land, the importance of consistent planning vision and much more.

💡I was particularly proud of our RTPI president Lindsey Richards, who put the need to retrofit existing housing stock at her session forefront and emphasised the critical role of planning in tackling the climate emergency.

💭What ideas do you have and how could you participate in future sessions?

🎤Tree Law Conference!

🌳A massive thank you to the powerhouse behind @treelawltd, Sarah Dodd, for inviting me to the 2024 conference.

👩🏽‍⚖️This highly engaging and unique event brought together professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds to cover everything from legislation, planning, insurance and more in the world of trees and invasive species. We were even lucky enough to watch a mock mediation between neighbours play out, providing valuable insight into dispute resolution.

🏘️Planners can often be sheltered from potential costs of development, whether financial, emotional or relational. Although policies and statutory requirements are there for a reason, stepping into the shoes of others within the system can help us more sensitively and realistically deliver the housing, ecological and climate targets we aspire to.

👏🏽Thank you again to the expert speakers for their contributions, and the brilliant @kirstybowks_bespokes for the live portrait drawings!

💭Where could you learn more from others operating within your industry?