Membership applications for chartered status have surged, with almost double the number of applicants in the last four years.
Last year, Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) submissions grew by almost 30% compared to 2024, continuing the strong growth rate from previous years.
The APC process is the assessment stage to become a Chartered member, which is considered the highest standard of planning practice. Chartered members are recognised by employers, clients and members of the public for their skills, expertise and professional practice.
The continued interest and recognition has seen a nearly 2% increase in Chartered membership in 2025 to 15,606. The overall membership figure is 27,421.
As a result of extensive consultation with members and stakeholders, we introduced changes to the requirement to submit a Reflective Journal for the Licentiate and Associate routes at the beginning of 2025. While we encourage candidates to maintain a Reflective Journal, we removed what was seen as a barrier to candidates’ submission.