James Carpenter: Finalist 2011

With a questioning mind I have learnt a lot in my career to date, both about the profession of planning and about myself as a person. However, as a Young Planner I acknowledge there is still a lot to discover, and there remains a lot more to do if I am to fulfil my professional aspirations.

An award of Young Planner of the Year would allow me a platform to spread my enthusiasm for planning. Through peer leadership I want to help demonstrate that a pro-active approach and a commitment to continuing professional development is a robust pathway for those embarking on a career in planning to follow. In this way I also hope to inspire all planners to become more positively engaged in the Institutes activities.

Citation

James has a breadth of planning experience across a range of sectors. With strong attributes in project management, excellent communication and presentation skills and an infectious enthusiasm, James was influential in helping secure the ongoing future of OPUN against a background of sectoral uncertainty and funding cuts. James is pro-active in his approach, seeking opportunities to develop joint working opportunities at a regional and national level. As Chair of the East Midlands RTPI he is a strong advocate for planning and is enthusiastic about the role that good quality design plays in place making.

I have no hesitation in nominating James as your Young Planner of the Year.

Julie Tanner MRTPI, OPUN Chief Executive

Experience and achivements

James achieved Chartered Member status in 2008, having followed the then new Licentiate pathway to Membership. James was educated at Oxford Brookes University (2001-06) where he achieved an Upper Second Class degree in Town and Country Planning specialising in Urban Design, and subsequently achieved with Merit an MSc in Spatial Planning, this time focussing on Regeneration.

James has held roles across a range of sectors and as a result has developed a true breadth of experience. For Wycombe District Council (2004-06) James worked as both a Planning and as a Planning Enforcement Officer. James followed this with roles in the private sector for Framptons Planning Ltd (2006-07) and Bidwells (2007-09) providing planning and design advice to a range of clients across housing, commercial, education and rural sectors.

Whilst at Bidwells James was contracted to English Partnerships (now the HCA) (2007-09) where he determined planning applications under the New Towns Act in Milton Keynes. He also undertook the design review of disposal sites; it was this experience that would stand him in good stead for his future role with OPUN. When hit with redundancy in May 2009 James took the opportunity to reassess his career options he found a seemingly perfect fit with OPUN, then part of Regeneration East Midlands. However, only nine months later, that organisation was wound up as a result of funding cuts.

OPUN would however rise from the ashes as a not-for-profit organisation. With James signed up on a self employed basis as its Head of Design Support Services he worked closely with partners locally and nationally to help re-establish the organisation. As the manager of the CABE affiliated OPUN Design Review Panel, James was involved in a significant number of major development projects across the East Midlands, seeking to provide independent design support and improvement and was actively engaged in the Bishop Review of CABEs function at the Design Council.

In August 2011 James joined North West Leicestershire as Principal Planning and Customer Liaison Officer. Planning is a contentious topic locally with a number potential development proposals coming forward in the context of a difficult housing land supply position and vocal local opposition to development. James manages the districts three development control area teams, as well as having an overarching role in respect of customer services. James is actively involved in trying to build and develop relationships across the various client groups who encounter the planning service from parish councils and local residents, to developers, house builders and the media. James really enjoys trying to redress the balance in terms of the public perception of the planning process and working with his area teams to deliver in a positive, timely and resource effective fashion.

James believes strongly in continual professional development has a drive to continually develop his skills. James is a CABE Accredited Building for Life Assessor as well as a trained CABE Spaceshaper and a Building in Context Facilitator. James is an engaging orator and is regularly involved both for the RTPI and for OPUN (now as a member of its Expert Panel) in providing training and seminars to audiences large and small. Having spent two years prior to his degree pursuing his dreams as a front man in a rock band it is clear for all to see where James gets his energy and enthusiasm for active and creative engagement from.

This enthusiasm extends to his Chairmanship of the East Midlands Branch of the RTPI, now into its second term. James sees this role as an opportunity to press for greater levels of active engagement from RTPI members. He has sought to revolutionise how the branch communicates with its membership, moving the newsletter to a new electronic format, and launching the @eastmidsRTPI twitter feed for the region. James is also a strong advocate for developing greater working relationships with the other professional institutes and is building closer ties with the RIBA, RICS and the Landscape Institute, as well as East Midlands Councils. James is an Assessor for the RTPI Assessment of Professional Competence and a mentor to Licentiates.

Married to Joanna, and living in rural Warwickshire, James is a keen follower of Birmingham City Football Club. Despite their historic Carling Cup win against Arsenal in February, the team's subsequent relegation from the Premier League means that James needs something else to help raise a cheer. Winning Young Planner of the Year would certainly do that, and would be a well deserved accolade for someone who has already dedicated so much to the profession, and who promises so much for the future.