What does the planning department of the future look like?

A discussion convened in the wake of the The Planning for the Future White Paper consultation posed the question of what the planning department of five years' time will look like. Finn Williams chaired the panel with Aranvir Gawera (Leicester City Council), Aude Bicquelet-Lock (RTPI), CJ Obi (Urbanist Platform), Jenny Thomas (MHCLG), and Kieran Long (ArkDes) bringing rich experience and perspectives.

The White Paper calls for “a fundamental culture change on how planning departments operate.” This is both a challenge to established ways of working, and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redesign the job description of the public planner and rethink the role of built environment expertise within local government.