A seat at the table: inviting non-planners into planning
Mahsa Ige, Senior Vice Chair of RTPI London and Founder of Urbanist on a Mission, uses her blog to highlight the importance of inviting non-planners into the world of town planning. As an example, Mahsa discusses her recent visit to Hendon School where she spoke to Year 8 students about planning as a potential career path.
Is planning only for planners?
In my experience, people often associate urban development with professions like architecture and engineering. I was also guilty of this growing up, unaware of the concept of ‘town planning’ until deep into my undergraduate degree.
Regrettably, I wasn’t surprised to see that “fewer than 14% of planners believe the public understands the purpose of planning”, according to a survey by the RTPI and The Planner. These sort of statistics are why I created Urbanist on a Mission, aspiring to make the technical world of planning more relatable to non-planning audiences through public engagement as well as planning consulting. This has included hundreds of social media posts and events covering themes around sustainable development for groups like landlords, political leaders, other built environment professionals and members of the public; in addition to a recent feature on the PlannerPod.
More than just about the ‘where, what and hows’ of place design, I vehemently believe that planning decisions influence the way we express humanity. Are we a people who prioritise feeling healthy, active, safe and connected to one another? Does the way we live threaten or support the ability for future generations to experience this? In a rapidly urbanising world where 68% of the global population is expected to be living in towns and cities by 2050, the importance of effective town planning couldn’t be greater.
This echoes the aims of past RTPI President, Helen Fadipe, who remains an inspiring advocate for the profession: “We need to reclaim the narrative. Planning is not just a technical or bureaucratic exercise, it is a collaborative, creative profession that shapes the environments in which people live, work, travel, and connect. It is about building communities, not just managing development, creating places for communities to thrive.”
Starting with schools
Now more than ever, young people need to feel empowered and equipped to influence the world around them.
In order to tackle the multiple, distinct and interconnected crises town planners are grappling with today, we need to engage productively with non-planners. Simultaneously, young people are increasingly seeking tools for hope and change, so how could we bring this together?
The ‘State of the Profession 2025: England’ report found that “The most reported ways respondents became aware of the planning profession was with their own research (22.7%), or through family and friends (17.5%). However, a cumulative 29.4% became aware through their school or university education, making educational outreach a particularly impactful mode of volunteering within the profession.”
It was a pleasure for me to accept when Dr Jenny Lawy, Head of Geography at Hendon School, asked me to come speak to the students at the beginning of this year.
Dr Lawy summarised: “From the moment she began speaking, it became clear just how vital planners are in creating the towns, cities, villages and even farming landscapes that we rely on every day. Mahsa helped us understand that the built world doesn’t just “happen”—it is carefully designed, assessed and improved by planners who balance community needs, environmental concerns, and long‑term sustainability. Whether deciding where new housing should go, improving transport links, or protecting green spaces, planners play a key role in making places safe, functional and enjoyable.”
I referred to fantastic resources available on the RTPI website to help explain the concept of planning and pathways into the profession, also designing my own activity set in “McFake Town”. The children were able to support or object to my development, with each group acting as a different stakeholder (e.g. the local hospital or neighbouring house). They started off having never heard of planning to passionately debating noise impact, renewable energy sourcing, access to public transport and attracting more economic activity into the area. Dr Lawy shared: “Our students left feeling inspired, informed, and excited about the possibilities geography – and planning – can offer”.
In the wake of unprecedented financial investment and press coverage, the planning profession finds itself in a unique position. I believe planners must act to showcase the power of planning as a force for good, specifically to non-planners, in order to build the resilience and capacity of the system long-term. We all have individual interests and skill sets that could help achieve this, what could that look like for you?
