The art of planning
Rachel Fisher is the Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute
Let me start my first blog – my inaugural message to you, the RTPI members – with a thank you. I am now six weeks into the role, and have had an incredibly warm and kind reception. The team at the RTPI is fantastic – from the staff to the legions of volunteers. I spent my first four weeks with a deep dive of one to ones across the senior team, the Trustee board and key volunteers, and attending committees.
I spent the second two weeks in Italy for the Easter Break with my husband and ten-year-old twins. This was a mini-grand tour of the country, travelling by train from Venice to Ferrara, Florence, Rome, Sorrento and Pompeii, and then back home via Naples.
For the kids, the trip was largely about gelato and the Venetian Gondola rides. But it gave me a chance to reflect on my first month in post. Not just the initiatives and acronyms, but thanks to the masterclasses in the art of city building across the country; an opportunity to consider the RTPI’s Royal Charter objective, to ‘advance the science and art of planning’.
There is something beautiful and powerful about the phrase. Though it often feels as though the public only sees the science and not the art of planning.
The art of planning is about context and professional judgement. Planners create the conditions for a thriving society, and economy. This takes more than rules and legislation, it takes curiosity, flexibility, and collaboration at every level.
The art of planning is also place specific, based on local knowledge. The way places are delivered varies depending on where you are in the country or the world, because it is defined by local rules, customs and practices. Though ultimately, it’s about building (and rebuilding) places that work for people and the environment.
Looking ahead to the next few months, I’m looking forward to diving into more of the local specificity in delivering the art of planning. Last month I went to our office in Edinburgh and met with the team there, as well as senior RTPI members. As we move to elections in the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Senedd, and local elections in England, the role of both the science and art of planning is even more visible. The teams in Scotland and Wales have been doing a great job promoting the Planifestos.
While the RTPI operates across different nations and regions, it is this collaborative approach at every level that enables us to build relationships and deliver greater impact for our members and stakeholders.
With upcoming visits to Cardiff, Northern Ireland, Leeds and Dublin, I’m looking forward seeing other great cities, and hearing directly from members.
In planning, the challenges we face are significant, but so too are the opportunities to shape better places. I look forward to hearing your perspectives, learning from your experiences, and working together to strengthen the role of planning in creating places that truly work for everyone.
