RTPI President's visit to RTPI South West
From July 22 - 25 it was an absolute privilege to host the RTPI President Lindsey Richards FRTPI with RTPI South West Chair Alexis Edwards on a tour of Dorset, Bournemouth and the Channel Islands taking time to meet with planners, hearing about the challenges, but also many successes.
On the Monday we started off with the Dorset Young Planners for a CPD on Planning Consultations and Engagement in Bournemouth with speakers Liz Willingham Chart.PR MCIPR, Lucy Pearce, Jennie Savage FRSA and Frances Summers talking about the importance of stakeholder engagement, Local Plan consultations and a great case study on gender inclusive design for Tower Hamlets. Lindsey led the conversation and questions on this topical subject.
Thank you to Amelia Rose, Phillippa Gatehouse and Lucy Morgan for organising.
On the Tuesday we traveled to Dorchester to meet with Head of Planning at Dorset Council UK Michael Garrity and representatives from across the planning team to discuss the journey from forming as a unitory authority back in 2019 to where they are now and the success they have had with various funding for the areas developments. A walking tour discussed the furthering development in and around Brewery Square with Kirsten Williams and the positive affect this has had on the market town.
Then it was onward to Wimborne to meet with Tim Hoskinson at Wyatt Homes to talk about how they are driving success in the SME house building sector with a focus on design quality. A tour of their Rivers Edge Development, it was clear to see their attention to detail.
The next stop was hosted by Chapman Lily Planning Ltd to Canford SANG and the nearby Solar to Hydrogen project. It was great to see a positive natural asset for the local community and then how CANFORD RENEWABLE ENERGY LIMITED was driving forward clean energy.
Our final stop for this full day was back to Bournemouth to meet with BCP Council to meet with officers from planning, heritage, urban design, enforcement and housing teams along with Wendy Lane, Director of Planning and Transport. This was followed by a walking tour through Bournemouth town centre with Leader of the Council Millie Earl to see how this town was adapting to changes and enhancing its assets. Sites included the changes to various former department stores and the creation of mix use schemes and residential development. Thank you to Catherine Miles and Sophie Leon for leading the tour and sharing insights.
After our engagements in Dorset and Bournemouth, the next day after a very early start, we traveled over to the Channel Islands. The first stop was a day with the States of Guernsey and we were hosted by Jim Rowles, Director of Planning, Katie Lomax and Jayne Roberts. A round table discussion with both the planning team and local private sector planners about the challenges of planning did very much echo those of the UK with resourcing a key priority. A great tour of key development areas of the Island and St Peter Port really put the challenges into context, but also gave much to celebrate with the delivery of many community assets such as the bathing pools, connectivity to mix use development and redevelopment of sites into housing. Sites included Longue Hougue where waste is being managed, The Bridge and the Bathing Pools constructed back in 1844.
Whilst in Guernsey, a recording was taken with Lindsey Richards and Jim Rowles. See Visit of the Royal Town Planning Institute President 2024 - YouTube. It delivers a positive message about the value of planning and what a creative career it is for supporting our communities.
Our final day was then over to Jersey which started with presentations led by Kevin Pilley, Head of Planning and Spatial Planning at Government of Jersey and Andrew Marx, Head of Development and Land, followed by roundtable discussions with colleagues and new trainees.
Tours included the Royal Square, States Assembly, Central Market, Millennium Park, residential regeneration at various sites including the brewery and retail changes at Snow Hill. A further tour looked at shoreline management at Havre des Pas, managing waste at La Collette, the changing St Helier Waterfront, a potential conservation area at St Aubin and then to Corbiere for a discussion about offshore wind.
An evening reception welcomed many colleagues in planning and the wider built environment for an address from Steve Luce, Minister for the Environment plus presentation & Q&A with Lindsey on where planning is today and our hopes for the future.
The presidential visit was a packed few days, but it was important for us to give opportunities to members to meet face to face with the RTPI, listen to the challenges and hear about their planning achievements. Most importantly help them feel connected and the many opportunities with RTPI. We came away truly blown away and impressed with what planning is achieving for its communities and how each planner is should be truly proud despite the challenges.
Lindsey's next visits to the region will be in September to visit the planning school at University of the West of England of England and then the RTPI South West Annual Dinner in Bristol.