Ros Baker

Team Leader, Neighbourhood Planning,

Cardiff County Council

BA Hons Urban Planning & Management, Nottingham University

Diploma Town Planning, Coventry University

I enjoyed Geography and English Literature at A level, and wanted to take a degree that used these skills.  I knew that there was enough variety in a planning degree to keep me interested for three years - it included urban design, and a broad variety of different modules such as planning history, economics, management etc.  I also thought that a planning degree would lead directly into a career, and I knew that there were lots of planning jobs available.

Following my first degree, I spent a year as a student planner in Development Control (dealing with planning applications) with the Vale of Glamorgan Council. This gave me a thorough introduction to the ‘coal face’ of planning, teaching me important planning skills and giving me knowledge that is useful in my current role.  I completed my Diploma in Coventry, and embarked on a job as a Priority Neighbourhood Planning Officer in Coventry Council’s Area Co-ordination Department.  This involved working with local people to create neighbourhood plans for deprived areas, including actions to improve them.

I moved to South Wales and spent a few months in Cardiff County Council’s Development Control team, dealing with planning applications, then secured a job within the Neighbourhood Planning group as a Planner.  A year later I was promoted to team leader within the group.

My current job involves …..

I manage a small team of planners in neighbourhood regeneration.  My team assesses issues in local neighbourhoods, and resolves them by carrying out improvement schemes.  Projects have included:

- The creation of a community garden, which involved working with local residents, councillors, community artists and other professionals to create a green space in the heart of a deprived urban area.

- Streetscape improvements involving introducing street trees, traffic calming measures and improved lighting and paving.

- Producing strategies for local areas, listing priorities for improvement, and how these can be implemented.

Community consultation is key to my work, and I enjoy getting out and meeting local people, through door knocking, working in consultation trailers and at community meetings.  This can be challenging at times, as peoples’ expectations can sometimes exceed available funding, but I feel that this direct contact is very important to ensure that the most suitable scheme takes place.  Applying for funding is a key element of the work as well, and we bid for funding from bodies including the Welsh Assembly and the National Lottery.  Partnership working is essential, as we work with different sections of the Council and outside groups to implement schemes.  The job also includes working within budgets and report writing, so I use a range of skills.

My Views on Planning as a Career

Regeneration is a growing area of planning, with opportunities in both the public and private sector.  Different local authorities manage their regeneration work in different ways, but many have a regeneration team working in urban centres, local neighbourhoods or both.

I enjoy the fact that planning is a very practical job – you get out there, meet people and influence changes in the local environment.  I wouldn’t like a job without visible results.  I find my job very varied – one day I might be working with school children as they design changes to their park, and the next day working with designers to design an improvement scheme.  I also like to think I bring small improvements to the local environment – I’m not building skyscrapers, but I am making small changes that can improve people’s everyday lives.

Planning is a good career because it’s practical, it’s influential, it’s varied, and you are not stuck in the office all day!

Author:

Roisin Willmott

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

26-Nov-08

Categories:

Planning as a Career 

Sections:

Education & Careers

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