The big question

How can planners in the public and private sectors play a greater role in helping to deliver major projects vital for economic growth and regeneration? This was the question at the centre of the key debate and discussion when the General Assembly (GA) met on Wednesday 18 January.

To generate ideas and views, GA members took part in workshops after hearing from a distinguished panel of speakers on the topic:

• Peter Sellen (pictured right), Economic Adviser, Infrastructure Strategy, HM Treasury 
• Chris Tunnell, Director and Global Lead on Planning Policy and Economics at Arup
• Sir Mike Pitt, Chair, Infrastructure Planning Commission

Presentations

Peter Sellen - National Infrastructure Plan 2011 pdf, 782kb

Chris Tunnell - Making Infrastructure Projects Work and Delivering Growth: The Planner’s Role pdf, 626kb

Sir Mike Pitt - Delivering Major Infrastructure Projects pdf, 728kb

RTPI Head of Policy & Practice, Richard Blyth said: “We came to a lot of conclusions, some obvious, some less so, but the overwhelming view was that planners are well placed to step up and take a much greater role in the process, particularly in the strategic sense and in being able to see the  bigger picture. We can add great value to infrastructure delivery but this isn’t always appreciated by other professions. We are also in a unique and very strong position to work with local communities in a way that is meaningful to them and gives them a voice that is heard.”

New President takes office

Colin Haylock (pictured right) became President for 2012 at the end of the meeting.

He will be President for twelve months.

For Colin’s priorities in the coming year read here.

Get involved

The RTPI’s General Assembly, which meets three times each year, provides a forum for debate about the development of planning policy and practice. It is made up of 61 elected members from across the Institute’s 23,000 members.

At each meeting the GA receives updates on key RTPI business and members are able to quiz the Chief Executive and the Chairman of the Board of Trustees. There is also a very popular soapbox feature allowing members to raise any issue of interest to them, having ten minutes to speak on the topic. Alan Wenban-Smith raised the issue of whether economists properly understood planning.

January of each year features the newly elected members attending for the first time.

Photo: New members of the GA with 2011 President Richard Summers and incoming President for 2012 Colin Haylock
 

If you want to know more about standing for the General Assembly read here.

The formal notes of the meeting will be posted shortly.
 

Author:

Lucy Millson-Watkins

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

18-Jan-12

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