It has been a great honour of my presidential year to chair the General Assembly. This year has seen the group discuss some of the cutting-edge issues affecting and benefiting the profession as a whole. 

As I chaired my last GA meeting for 2025, on the eve of our National Planning Conference, it was a pleasure to host the president of the American Planners Association (APA), Sue Schwartz and Chief Executive Joel Albizo. 

President Sue Schwartz addressed the GA saying: “There are so many things where we are alike. What we share is so similar in struggling with infrastructure and the need for planners.” 

After sharing some of her reflections and difficulties that the profession in the USA currently faces as well as the steps that they are taking to support their 40,000 members, she said: “Sometimes the challenges feel insurmountable but I believe in our members and the power of what we do. 

“Planners are amazingly powerful pieces of our community.”

 Time to celebrate and reflect  

GA meetings are as much about celebrating people as they are about debating policy. We were delighted to recognise Dr Samer Bagaeen, the 2026 Vice President-Elect, who was presented with his Fellowship certificate, acknowledging his outstanding contribution to the profession.

In addition, members were also informed that Elle Cass has been elected as Chair, and that Tom Venables and Maria Dunn have been elected to the Board of Trustees. All will take their position in 2026.  The contributions of the outgoing Chair, Meeta Kaur, and the RTPI CEO Victoria Hills to the General Assembly were recognised and appreciated.

We also recognised that, for some members, this may have been their last meeting. Warm thanks and farewells were extended to representatives from the nations and regions, and to the seven chartered members completing their terms.

We also took a moment to remember Sir Terry Farrell, RTPI Gold Medal winner in 2017, who sadly passed away on 29 September. Sir Terry’s pioneering work in planning and design continues to inspire generations of planners and shape the built environment for the better. 

Beyond the institutional business, the meeting featured two fascinating presentations that spoke directly to the future of the profession.

First we heard from Professor Alex Lord from the University of Liverpool, who shared insights from the recent RTPI research on new towns. Interim findings from that research project have been published on the RTPI website. The research, commissioned by RTPI and led by the University of Hertfordshire, is designed to use international examples to inform the delivery of new towns in England. 

Professor Lord highlighted findings from YouGov polling, which showed that many people still associate new towns with being “soulless and concrete.” Yet, international evidence demonstrates that, with thoughtful design and a focus on community, new settlements can be vibrant, liveable, and loved.

“Public perceptions can be changed when new towns are planned around people, not just buildings.”

AI and digital planning

Next, Dr Wei Yang OBE, CEO and co-founder of the Digital Planning Taskforce and a past RTPI President, led a thought-provoking discussion on digital planning and AI.

She stated that “AI is a hot topic, but I would like to talk about the digitalisation of the profession, of which AI is a part.”

A survey distributed to GA ahead of the meeting gave an interesting insight into the way people were using new technologies. This revealed the fact that only a small number of people were using specialised and highly developed tools.

Although 100% of respondents agreed that caution should be exercised in adopting new technologies. The message however, seemed to be clear that we should not be using this technology to replace the analytical and specialist skills that planners provide. Dr Yang said: “Planning after all is an art and science, not just a mathematical algorithm.”

RTPI published a practice advice note on AI in March and will continue to monitor the situation closely. Digital planning and AI will also feature prominently in the institute’s forthcoming research strategy as we continue to embrace innovation responsibly.

Chairing the General Assembly this year has been a real privilege. The thoughtful debate, collaboration, and enthusiasm shown by members continue to demonstrate why the GA remains such a vital part of the RTPI’s democratic structure.

I look forward to chairing one more GA meeting in January 2026, when we will welcome new members for the year ahead and continue our important conversations about the future of the profession.