Town and Country Planning Association

The TCPA Annual Conference 2024: Tackling the housing, health, climate and nature crises - the role of planning and placemaking
2024-11-26 10:00 - 16:00 (Europe/London) | Regents University, London, Regents University, London
Venue: Regent’s University, Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, London, NW1 4NS

2024 has brought a monumental year of change and reform for planning policy across England. With the new government ensuring housing and planning remain high on the political agenda, and the introduction of a revised National Planning Policy Framework, the TCPA’s 2024 Annual Conference will focus on ways in which the planning and wider built environment sector can maximise the potential of the new proposals; exploring the opportunities it offers, while also highlighting the restrictions and challenges that remain. We will hear from industry leaders who continue to push boundaries, sparking innovation and creativity into their places, and influencing change on national, local and community levels.

This year’s Annual Conference aims to inspire ambition, ignite excitement and welcome change, as we look to the future of planning and good placemaking.

We are grateful for the support of PLACE LOGIC, Greenbelt and Amos Ellis Consulting.

Please see the draft agenda below:

Session 1: National reforms to maximise the potential of the system 10:00 Registration and Networking Tea and coffee available 10:30Welcome and introduction from the ChairAndrew Pritchard, TCPA Chair10:35 Sir Michael Lyons, Chair, New Towns Taskforce10:50 Q&A11:00David Waterhouse, Deputy Director for Capacity and Capability, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government11:20Q&A11:30Panel in response to English reforms – will they deliver for the housing, health, nature and climate crises?– Miles Gibson, former No 10 adviser and Planning Taskforce (2020) member – Shelly Rouse, Principal Consultant, Planning Advisory Service– Caglar Koksal, Lecturer in Urban Planning, The University of Manchester12:15 Gideon Amos MP, Liberal Democrat’s Housing and Planning Spokesperson 12:25 Q&A and discussion 12:35Lunch and networking

Session 2: Hooks, opportunities, and challenges in policy?13:30 Welcome back from Chair Fiona Howie, TCPA Chief Executive13:35Securing ambitious local plan policies: – Louise Morris, Head of Planning, Bath and North East Somerset Council– Jasmin Machen, Planner (Policy and Delivery), East Suffolk Council Followed by Q&A14:05 Planning holistically with urban network analysisRobbie Kerr, Design Director, PLACE LOGIC Followed by Q&A14:25 Tea, coffee and networking

Session 3: Impact of reforms on large-scale new development and regeneration14:55Welcome back from the ChairAndrew Pritchard, TCPA Chair14:57 Securing high quality placesFionnuala Lennon, Head of New Settlements & Garden Communities, Homes England15:05 Q&A 15:15 Facilitated discussion and Q&A– Hugh Ellis, Director of Policy, TCPA– Nathalie Bateman, Hemel Garden Communities Programme Manager, Dacorum Borough Council and St Albans City and District Council– Joanne Cave, Chair, David Lock Associates– Jackie Copley, Campaign Lead, CPRE, The countryside charity15:55 Closing remarks from the Chair 16:00Close

Annual Osborn memorial event: The role of the creative industries in placemaking
2024-11-06 18:00 - 20:30 | The Actors Church, Bedford Street, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9ED, Bedford Street, London, WC2E 9ED
In celebration of both Sir Frederic J Osborn and Margaret Paterson Osborn, and in reference to the Osborn’s significant contribution to the cultural life of Welwyn Garden City, the TCPA is hosting an evening of jazz music and discussion on the role of the creative industries in placemaking.

The creative and cultural industries contribute more than £100bn per year to the UK economy, helping to attract investment, catalyse innovation, and enhance distinctive places and communities. There are environmental benefits from regenerating places, retrofitting and re-purposing existing buildings and improving the vibrancy of local places, including high streets. Significant social value arises from improving cultural infrastructure and facilities, with participation in the arts and creative industries a key foundation for healthy, connected communities.

Planning for culture and the creative industries was core to the Garden City vision and remains an integral part of supporting and creating great places today. This event will provide an opportunity to discuss the opportunities for making these ideas a reality. The TCPA is delighted to be partnering with Tomorrow’s Warriors for the event. Tomorrow’s Warriors is a leading talent development organisation, creative producer, learning and training provider, consultancy and charity specialising in jazz. The organisation has a vision to enable a world where opportunities for participation, ownership and leadership in music and the arts are available to all. 2023 Mercury Music Award winners Ezra Collective cited Tomorrow’s Warriors as fundamental to their success.

Kindly supported by: The Lady Margaret Paterson Osborn Trust and Stephanie Bamford.

18:00Arrival, drinks Tomorrow’s Warriors – musical performance18:30 WelcomeFiona Howie, Chief Executive, TCPA 18:35In-conversation – the role of the creative industries in placemaking Chaired by: Sandra Fryer, Trustee – TCPA and Tomorrow’s Warriors Thangam Debbonaire, former Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Errol Michael Henry, Chairman, The i2 Music Group, EMH Global Media Global Consulting & Founder of Music JusticeMary-Helen Young, Senior Consultant, PRDEmma Wilcox, Cultural Consultant: Creative Placemaking and Strategy19:30 Drinks and networkingTomorrow’s Warriors – musical performance20:30End

TCPA New Communities Group Webinar: How to create new vibrant town centres
2024-10-15 10:00 - 11:30
Town and district centres are at the heart of a community, how can we successfully design them for new large-scale developments? As part of the TCPA New Communities Group series of events, this webinar will explore modelling tools used to design and plan new town centres, as well as how to deliver town centres that meet the needs of the residents in the new developments. We will hear from organisations using innovative technology and approaches to planning new town and district centres, and from local authorities who are in the process of delivering new town centres in new communities across England.

This session is kindly supported by PLACE LOGIC:

Please see the draft agenda below:

10:00Welcome and introduction from the Chair Gilian Macinnes, TCPA Trustee; Planning and Placemaking Advisor, GilianMacinnes Associates10:05Planning for new town centres with urban network analysis Robbie Kerr, Design Director, PLACE LOGIC 10:20How our town centres can bounce back from the retail crisis: Applying the lessons to new communities Vicky Payne, Independent Consultant: Strategic Planning and Urban Design10:35Q&A10:50The challenges and opportunities of developing centres in new settlements and city extensionsTrovine Monteiro, Manager, Built Environment, Greater Cambridge Planning11:00Arborfield Garrison New District Centre, Wokingham Nick Chancellor, Development Delivery Manager, Wokingham Borough Council11:10Q&A11:30Close

Practical Hope: Inspiration for Community Action - Launch Event (Zoom)
2024-10-08 10:00 - 11:30
The TCPA’s work, especially our Tomorrow 125 project and Garden City principles, outlines the ingredients needed for thriving places and communities. How do we put these principles into practice and make real change happen on the ground?

This webinar will launch the TCPA’s new resource, Practical Hope: Inspiration for Community Action, which seeks to showcase and champion the practical ways in which people, places, and the environment can thrive.  We have put together a range of case studies that highlight the different ways community groups are working to make positive change in their local area, from community food growing and energy production to retrofitting for climate change. We hope this resource will showcase what is possible and provide useful advice and links to community groups across England.

10:00Welcome and introduction to the Practical Hope resource Hugh Ellis, Director of Policy, TCPA10:10Keynote Speaker: Sarah Forsey, Senior Project Manager, Citizens UK 10:20Q&A10:30Case Study One: Civic Square, Birmingham Charlie Edmonds, Mission Co-lead for Neighbourhood Transitions, Civic Square (video)10:40Case Study Two: Transition Town Totnes Guy Erlacher-Downing, Coordinator, Transition Town Totnes 10:50Case Study Three: Incredible Edible LeedsDan Robinson, Executive Director, Incredible Edible Leeds11:00Discussion11:30Close

TCPA x Incredible Edible Leeds: Harvest Supper (in-person FREE event)
2024-10-03 17:00 - 19:00 | The Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds, LS2 3AD, United Kingdom
Please join us for the TCPA’s FREE Harvest Supper event, hosted in collaboration with Incredible Edible Leeds, an evening of delightful local food and inspiring guest speakers, all celebrating the launch of the TCPA’s latest resource: Practical Hope: Inspiration for Community Action.

Everyone should be able to live a healthy and fulfilling life. But how do we make this idea a reality for everyone, both now and in the future?

Improving the conditions of our homes and neighbourhoods seems like a good place to start. This means much more than thinking about the design of buildings and places, it means thinking about the people that live in them.

We think the Garden City Principles are a useful way to think about the mixture of ingredients needed to create healthy, thriving places. They touch upon everything from equitable local economies, vibrant and inclusive social and cultural spaces, to the restoration of nature and the sustainability of our planet. But, to make a difference to people’s lives, we need to make these ideas a reality.

The TCPA’s latest resource, Practical Hope: Inspiration for Community Action, seeks to articulate, showcase and champion the practical ways in which people, places, and the environment can thrive. The project is focused on highlighting the power of community action to enable positive change. We have put together a range of case studies that highlight the different ways community groups are working to make a change in their local area, from community food growing and energy production to retrofitting for climate change. We hope this resource will showcase what is possible and provide useful advice and links to community groups across England.

We found food to be a common thread across several of the case studies, therefore, we are very excited to host this event that not only celebrates the inspiring work of communities across the country, but also provides an opportunity to sample a range of delicious and ethically sourced produce.

Please click here to book your free space via Eventbrite.

17:00Event Starts. Food and drink is available upon arrival. 17:30Welcome Hugh Ellis, Director of Policy, TCPA17:35Keynote Speech Pam Warhurst CBE, Founder, Incredible Edible17:45Transition Town Totnes Barry Cohen, Office manager & project support, Transition Town Totnes17:50South Bank Community Land Trust Michael Janes, Director, South Bank Community Land Trust17:55Incredible Edible LeedsDan Robinson, Executive Director, Incredible Edible Leeds18:00Networking/food and drink  19:00Event ends

Planning for healthy places: a practical guide for local authorities on embedding health in Local Plans from TRUUD and the TCPA
2024-09-30 14:00 - 15:00
The places in which people live have a profound influence over the opportunities they have and the choices they can make – and planning shapes those places. Whether people have good homes, easy access to parks and green spaces, pleasant and safe routes for walking and cycling, local jobs, shops, schools, and other vital infrastructure, is all influenced by planning.

Local plans are key documents through which local authorities can create and influence environments to create and maintain health, and yet they are often weak and inconsistent on how exactly this can be achieved.

This free webinar will explore a new framework for creating healthy Local Plans, co-authored by TRUUD and the TCPA, who working with a number of local authorities across England have developed this document for local authority officers from planning and public health full of practical evidence, guidance, and inspiration to show how, working together, it can be done.

TRUUD is a major five-year research programme that aims to ‘tackle root causes upstream of unhealthy urban development’.

Agenda (TBC)

2:00pmWelcome and introductionGemma Hyde, Project and Policy Manager – Healthier Place-making, TCPA2:10pmPlanning for healthy places – introducing the frameworkDr Emma Bird, Senior Lecturer in Public Health, UWE Bristol and TRUUD researcher2:25pmVoices of local authorities involved in creating the guidanceJames Cording, Senior Planning Officer and Healthy Places Lead, Southampton City CouncilCarrie Wood, Senior Public Health Lead – Wider Determinents of Health, Surrey County Council2:45pmQ&AAll3:00pmClose

Register here

Securing healthy homes locally – a webinar for local government
2024-09-24 12:00 - 13:00
Healthy homes are essential for people to live healthy, happy lives. There is strong evidence showing how the quality of our homes and neighbourhoods affects our mental and physical health. However, around one in ten people in the UK (over 6 million) are still living in poor quality homes.

Local councils are at the sharp end of this debate, partly because they bear the increased costs that arise from the social care and housing requirements associated with unaffordable and poor quality housing, and partly because they have the insight and will to drive lasting change to secure healthy lives.

The TCPA has produced a technical guide which explains in detail why and how the Healthy Homes Principles can be applied in local policy and practice.

This webinar will share some of the highlights from the guide. We’ll outline some of the approaches adopted by different local authorities around England, as well as presentations from Lewes District Council, the Building Research Establishment (BRE) and Tibbalds about the ways they are promoting Healthy Homes and communities locally.

Agenda

12:00Welcome and introductionEvent chair12:05Overview of the Healthy Homes guideRosalie CallwayProjects & Policy Manager, TCPA Sally RoscoeProjects & Policy Officer, TCPA12:15BRE Homes Quality Mark – operationalising the Healthy Homes PrinciplesJennifer DudleyProduct Manager – Residential Housing, BRE12:25Lewes District Council – housing and planning workEmily O’BrienGreen Party Councillor for Ouse Valley & RingmerNathan HaffendenAssistant Director – Property and Development, Lewes District Council and Eastbourne Borough Council12:35Tibbalds – Northstowe and design code for BradfordKatja StilleDirector Planning and Urban Design, Tibbalds12:45Q&AEvent chair

Register to attend

TCPA New Communities Group Webinar: Who will live in the new community?
2024-09-19 10:00 - 11:40
How do you plan for a new community when the population is unknown? As part of the TCPA New Communities Group series of events, this webinar will explore modelling tools to predict what a future community is likely to consist of, how to design for and accommodate for the new demographics of an area. We will hear from representatives tasked with projecting future populations, and from local authorities who have experience in delivering new large-scale developments.

This event is kindly supported by Ebbsfleet Development Corporation.

Please see the agenda below:

10:00Welcome and introduction from the Chair Catriona Riddell, TCPA Trustee 10:05 Understanding our future population James Robards, Head of Population and Household Projections: Office for National Statistics 10:15 Design for social sustainability report – reflecting on 10 years of practical application Nicola Bacon, Co-founder + Simeon Shtebunaev, Researcher, Social Life 10:25Q&A10:45 Assessing Ebbsfleet’s changing population Kevin McGeough, Head of Strategy and Placemaking, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation 11:00 Intergenerational new communitiesProfessor Sophie Hadfield-Hill, University of Birmingham 11:10 Planning for young family demographics in Cranbrook Andy Wood, Director of Place (interim), East Devon District Council 11:20 Q+A 11:40 Close

TCPA x PPR Belfast: Take Back the City Reception (in-person/London)
2024-09-17 18:00 - 20:00 | The Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London WC1E 7BT , 26 Store Street, London, WC1E 7BT, United Kingdom
Venue: The Building Centre, 26 Store Street, London WC1E 7BT

We would like to invite you to explore one of Europe’s most ambitious community-led housing projects at The TCPA x PPR Belfast Reception: ‘Take Back the City’, on the 17 September at The Building Centre, London, kindly supported by Northcot Brick.

PPR has been supporting Take Back the City, a coalition of homeless families, academics, and experts including Queen’s University Belfast, Rabble Cooperative, and the TCPA, to develop a vision of a high quality, non-sectarian, zero-carbon development at a large ex-industrial site in West Belfast.

It is an extraordinary vision for a post-conflict city where housing allocation has been a source of tension for decades. What is even more extraordinary is how this vision is becoming a reality.

In June 2023, the London-based Matthew Lloyd Architects were announced as winners of the Take Back the City Urban Design Competition. Sponsored by Oak Foundation, the competition saw a shortlist of 11 entrants from across the globe, with designs aimed at transforming the 13 hectares Mackie’s site into a sustainable community, setting a precedent for developments across Belfast to tackle both the housing and climate crises.

We would like to invite you to the ‘Take Back the City’ reception event, hosted by The TCPA and PPR Belfast. The event will be a chance to celebrate the progress that has already been made, as well as the plans for the site’s immediate and long-term future.

To find out more, please click here.

The event will feature guest speakers from a variety of individuals and organisations who have been a part of the site’s journey and success so far. Due to venue capacity, we have limited spaces available at this event.

Planning for flood risk webinar: development management surgery
2024-07-15 12:30 - 14:00
Flood risk is a fundamental consideration for planning, and decision makers must ensure that proposals can be made safe from all sources of flood risk for the lifetime of the development.

This webinar is aimed at planning and flood risk officers engaging with the development management function of local planning authorities and will provide guidance and clarity on some of the detailed technical issues that planners must understand in order to make planning decisions.

The TCPA and the Environment Agency have developed online training resources covering key practice issues on planning for flood risk. The webinar content aims to go into more detailed ‘FAQs’ for which the e-learning provides good background information, and we recommend that participants complete these training modules prior to this webinar.

An introduction to planning for flood risk.

Flood risk assessments for planning applications.

Using the sequential test in decision making.

Using the exception test in decision making.

All courses are available at https://learning.tcpa.org.uk.

Register here

This event is free to attend thanks to support from the Environment Agency.

Full Agenda

12:30Welcome and introductionCelia Davis, Senior Projects and Policy Manager, TCPA (chair)12:35Defining the Functional Flood PlainSam Kipling, FCRM Senior Adviser, Environment Agency12:55Using the vulnerability classification and understanding the lifetime of development Andrew Pattinson, Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Advisor, Environment Agency13:15Sequential approach to site layoutSandrine Thomas, Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Advisor, Environment Agency13:35Using the flood risk standing adviceSam Kipling, FCRM Senior Advisor, Environment Agency13:55Poll on future session topics and webinar closeEvent chair

TCPA Study Tour 2024: Cornwall
2024-07-11 00:00 - 2024-07-12 23:59
We are excited to announce the return of the TCPA study tours! In 2024 we will be running a two-day tour to explore sustainable and large-scale new developments in Cornwall.

Running from Thursday 11th to Friday 12th July, the tour will start at St Austell taking in sites at various stages of planning and delivery and conclude in Truro. We will be visiting three new communities across the County, including:

West Carclaze Garden Village (Day One): The new Garden Village is located near St Austell and will provide 1,500 homes once completed. The development will provide a primary school, community facilities as well as green space. There are also plans for community food growing and renewable energy generation from two solar farms.

Nansledan (Day One): A sustainable new community that will be comprised of 4,000 homes once completed is located on the edge of Newquay. Developed by the Duchy of Cornwall, construction began in 2014 and is expected to finish in 2045. The development has a major focus on sustainability, low carbon construction, biodiversity as well as embedding the new development into the wider Cornish community.

Langarth Garden Village (Day Two): A new garden Village planned for land on the edge of Truro. The plans currently aim to build around 3,550 new homes, 35% of which being affordable homes for local people. Green space and the environment are a major focus for the development as is communities’ facilities such as the Community Sport Hubs recently approved by Cornwall Council’s Strategic Planning Committee.

Delegates will hear from key players in the organisations that are involved in the planning and delivery of these new communities; explore first-hand the approaches used on issues such as green infrastructure, renewable energy, stewardship and much more; and learn transferable lessons than can be applied to other large-scale developments currently being planned and delivered across England.

The TCPA are very grateful to Cornwall Council for hosting us, and also wish to record thanks to the Duchy of Cornwall, Ecobos and Treveth (Cornwall Council’s development company) for facilitating the tours of Nansledan, Carclaze and Langarth respectively.

Who is the tour for? This study tour is aimed at planners, councillors, policy makers, developers, housebuilders, consultants, urban designers, academics, architects – and anyone else who wants to gain valuable insight on the planning of new communities.

This price includes all transportation from start-end of tour, overnight accommodation and meals. Delegates must book their own travel to St Austell railway station for a 12:15 start on Thursday 11th July and return travel from Truro railway station after 13:45 on Friday 12th July.

The TCPA Study Tour 2024 is kindly supported by Hyas Associates and The Lady Margaret Paterson Osborn Trust.

The final agenda will be confirmed closer to the time:

Day 1Meet at St Austell railway station, CornwallTour of West Carclaze Garden Village Coach to NansledanTour of Nansledan, Duchy of Cornwall Development Evening meal Including a presentation from The Duchy of CornwallOvernight stay in Newquay Day 2Coach to Truro Tour of Langarth Garden Village Delegates travel home from Truro railway station

Developing well – creating places and spaces where children and young people thrive (in-person)
2024-06-18 10:00 - 16:30 | The Priory Rooms Meeting and Conference Centre, 40 Bull Street Birmingham, Birmingham, B4 6AF
The TCPA will be hosting a FREE in-person conference in Birmingham on June 18 2024.

Where people live affects their ability to live healthy and long lives. For children and young people who are rapidly developing physically, emotionally and socially, their environments can have profound impacts on their lives and opportunities as they grow up and transition to adulthood.

This event will explore the relationship between children, young people and the built environment, the critical importance of creating healthy places in which they can thrive, the challenges and opportunities, and will also highlight case studies of place-based practice from local authorities and the private sector.

This event has kindly been supported by Sport England:

Please see the draft agenda below (please note, the agenda will be confirmed on the 3rd of June)

Session 1: ‘Developing well’ – creating places and spaces where children and young people thrive 10:00 Registration and networking10:30Welcome and introduction Fiona Howie – Chief Executive, TCPA 10:35 Keynote Presentation Anne Longfield CBE – Executive Chair, Centre on Young Lives 10:55 Q&A

Session 2: Why is creating places and spaces where children and young people can ‘develop well’ so important? 11:10 Welcome and introductions Riva Kapoor – Honorary Treasurer, TCPA 11:15 Panel responses:Dr William Bird MBE – GP, CEO Intelligent Health, Hon. Prof University of Exeter Tim Gill – Independent researcher and author of ‘Urban Playground: How child-friendly planning and design can save cities’ Dr Jenny Wood – Co-founder and Co-director, Policy and Research, A Place in Childhood 12:00 Q&A 12:30Lunch and networking

Session 3: What can Local Authorities do, across their roles and powers, to create environments where children and young people ‘develop well’? 13:30 Introduction Gemma Hyde – Projects and Policy Manager, TCPA 13:35 Child friendly Leeds Jenny Rutherford – Play Strategy Officer, Leeds City Council Cllr Helen Hayden – Executive Member for Children and Families and Play Champion, Leeds City Council Tomas Johnson – Senior Planning Officer, Leeds City Council 14:00 Youth Engagement in the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Area Dr Bonnie Kwok – Principal Urban Designer & Youth Engagement Lead, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Heather Jones – Deputy Director of Planning, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning 14:20 Q&A 14:40Tea, coffee and networking

Session 4: How can the private sector collaborate and bring forward the voices of children and young people in development and shaping environments? 15:05 Introduction Andrew Pritchard – Chair of Trustees, TCPA 15:10 Youth voice in regeneration schemes and the Voice Opportunity Power engagement toolkit Dinah Bornat – Director, ZCD Architects 15:25 Taking a child-friendly approach in new, large scale development Johanne Thomas – Regional Director for Communities and Partnerships, Urban and Civic 15:40 Creating play sufficiency in rural and semi-rural Wales Ben Tawil – Director, Ludicology, and Mike Barclay – Director, Ludicology 15:55 Q&A 16:20 Closing remarks Gemma Hyde – Projects and Policy Manager, TCPA 16:30Close

TCPA Briefing: Building the future - Lessons from the New Towns
2024-06-10 13:30 - 14:30
Addressing the housing crisis remains high on the political agenda this general election year. From New Towns and Development Corporations, to Garden Cities and Garden Communities, cross-party interest in the role of new settlements in tackling the housing crisis continues to gain momentum.

The New Towns programme remains the most ambitious urbanism initiative ever undertaken in the United Kingdom. The programme sought to provide jobs and affordable homes in healthy, balanced, and thriving communities. The 32 New Towns delivered through the New Towns Act today provide homes for over 2.8 million people.

There are many lessons to be learnt from the successes and failures of the New Towns programme. This incudes the key issues of housing, green infrastructure, stewardship, culture, finance, land ownership and delivery. Learning the transferable lessons of the New Towns programme is essential to inform the creation of a new generation of ambitious new places today.

This timely online briefing and debate will draw on the TCPA’s extensive work on the subject, including our recent publication “Our shared future: A TCPA White Paper for Homes and Communities” and RIBA Publication ‘New Towns: Rise, Fall, Rebirth’ . Join us for what promises to be a lively and informative debate.

Due to the support of our sponsors this online event is free to attend.

This event is kindly sponsored by Pinsent Masons and the Lady Margaret Paterson Osborn Trust

Register Here

Agenda

13:30Welcome and introduction from the Chair Fiona Howie, Chief Executive, TCPA13:35Addressing the Housing Crisis – Lessons from the New Towns Katy Lock, Director of Communities (FJ Osborn Fellow), TCPA, and Hugh Ellis, Director of Policy, TCPA 13:55Response: Pinsent Masons Jamie Lockerbie, Partner, Pinsent Masons (TBC)14:05Q&A14:25Next Steps14:30Close

TCPA online briefing: Towards a shared vision for planning reform?
2024-05-20 15:00 - 16:15
With a General Election on the horizon, the issue of how to reform the planning system remains high on the political agenda, with a wave of new initiatives seeking to provide the answers. It is the TCPA’s view that there is no mystery to discover about what’s wrong with the current system nor how to fix it. The main questions which surround planning reform have all been asked and answered in the various reviews of the system over the last decade.

Recent reform has been driven by the tension between the ideological and the practical resulting in a planning system which is now highly complex but also ineffective. Underfunded, demoralised, and lacking public trust, the system is not capable of securing the transformational change we need. That matters enormously because the planning system is central to any government who has ambitions for an efficient and democratic system producing healthy and climate resilient communities.

We must learn the lessons from past reform and confront the barriers preventing positive change. Chaired by the TCPA President, and leader of the Raynsford Review of Planning, this timely online briefing and debate will draw on the TCPA’s extensive work on the subject. Join us for a lively and informative debate. This event is free to TCPA members and £10 for non-members.

Please click here to book your ticket on the Eventbrite website

Please see a draft agenda below:

15:00Welcome and introduction from the chairNick Raynsford, President, TCPA and former Minister of State for Housing and Planning15:05Briefing on planning reformHugh Ellis, Director of Policy, TCPA15:20Response from the sectorCatriona Riddell, Vice-Chair, TCPA and strategic planning specialist15:35Q&A with delegates16:10Concluding remarks Nick Raynsford, President, TCPA16:15Event end

Webinar: Net zero buildings, local plan policies and the 13 December WMS
2024-05-20 12:30 - 13:30
In January, the TCPA held a popular event for local authorities that were considering the impacts of the 13 December 2023 Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) on ‘Planning – Local Energy Efficiency Standards Update.’ Industry leaders and local authorities are deeply concerned about the impact of this WMS on the ability of local authorities to meet their net zero commitments.

The TCPA, supported by the Good Homes Alliance and a coalition of industry organisations, are hosting a follow up webinar on 20 May 2024 for local authorities that are affected by this WMS or concerned about its impact on their plans for addressing climate change through planning policy.

The webinar will include an update on the legal challenge to the WMS, and you will hear from local authorities and expert consultants about how ambitious policies for net zero homes are being advanced in the context of the WMS.

Please click here to register for the event

Agenda:

12.30pmWelcome and introduction from the chairCelia Davis, TCPA12.35pmScene settingHugh Ellis, TCPA12.40pmUpdate on the judicial review of the WMSNaomi Luhde-Thompson, Rights Community Action Alex Goodman KC1pmA panel discussion on local authority responses to the WMSThomas Lefevre, Etude Marina Goodyear, Bioregional Emma Davies, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service Jaymi Cue, Bristol City Council1:25pmNext steps and session closeCelia Davis, TCPA

This webinar is organised by the TCPA with support from the Good Homes Alliance.

(Full agenda and list of contributors to follow).

New Communities Group Webinar: Income streams for stewardship (2 part series)
2024-05-16 10:00 - 11:30
Long-term stewardship is an approach to delivering and managing places that can ensure new communities are places which enable people and the environment to flourish, in perpetuity. It is one of the core Garden City Principles and the right approach provides an opportunity to create places which people will be proud to live in for years to come. The TCPA is holding a 2-part webinar series in partnership with Pinsent Masons, on some of the technical aspects of stewardship approaches; on governance structures and income streams for stewardship vehicles.

For many local authorities, the financial implications of managing green infrastructure and other community assets in new development means they are not willing to adopt them directly. This has been one of the key drivers of the increasing interest in alternative stewardship models, as develops, authorities and communities explore other options.

How to pay for long-term stewardship in new communities, and how to secure the necessary capital and revenue to sustain such services, is one of the urgent questions for all those involved in developing a stewardship strategy. The TCPA advocates a holistic model of stewardship which does not require service charges to be placed on residents. Achieving this requires a shift in approach, and commitments to stewardship far earlier in the process than is usually the case. For most developments a hybrid approach to income streams is the only option, and service charges are required, along with contributions from other sources.

There are a range of funding opportunities, including endowments, income earned from trading, public sector funding, maintenance and service charges, charitable funding, and loans and equity finance. The right opportunity will be informed by a range of factors – from the Council’s principal perspective on a funding model for stewardship, to the viability calculations of the master developer. But how do you balance the needs of different stakeholders and determine the right approach? How do you calculate the costs of looking after assets in the first place? What are the pros and cons of different approaches?

This session will draw on the TCPA’s guidance on long-term stewardship and the legal perspective from our event partners Pinsent Masons. We will learn emerging lessons from public and private sector organisations who are implementing new stewardship approaches.

This event is kindly supported by:

Please see the draft agenda below:

10:00Welcome and introduction from the Chair Katy Lock MRTPI, Director, Communities (FJ Osborn Fellow), TCPA10:05Paying for long-term stewardship – an introduction Mark Patchett, Managing Director, Community Stewardship Solutions10:20Legal considerations for income streams and the Data Trusts opportunity Richard Ford, Partner, Pinsent Masons 10:35Q&A10:50Financing Community Trust stewardship at Whitehill & Bordon Clare Chester, Director of Regeneration and Prosperity, East Hampshire District Council 11:00Financing stewardship at North Hamilton and Northstowe Robin Waddell, Business Development Director, Greenbelt Group 11:10Q&A 11:30Session close

If you have any questions about the event, please contact Abi at abigail.grove-white@tcpa.org.uk

New Communities Group Webinar: Governance and Stewardship in Large Scale Developments (2 part series)
2024-05-09 10:00 - 11:30
Long-term stewardship is an approach to delivering and managing places that can ensure new communities are places which enable people and the environment to flourish, in perpetuity. It is one of the core Garden City Principles and the right approach provides an opportunity to create places which people will be proud to live in for years to come. The TCPA is holding a 2-part webinar series in partnership with Pinsent Masons, on some of the technical aspects of stewardship approaches; on governance structures and income streams/ for stewardship vehicles.

Choosing the right approach to stewardship in your development includes consideration of the right stewardship organisation or ‘vehicle’. There are a variety of different legal and financial structures available, each with different remits, responsibilities, and governance structures.

Putting in place the right governance structure for your stewardship vehicle is essential for successful stewardship. Successful models can act on behalf of a growing community and engage new residents in shaping local decision-making and community development. Getting it right means ensuring that there is representation for local residents, councils and other stakeholders. It means considering how they are elected, what their roles are, and how governance structures and activities are communicated to residents and other stakeholders.

Join us for the first in a two-part series on stewardship vehicles in new communities. In this session we will explore why governance is important, how it relates to your wider stewardship strategy, and some of the different models available. We will draw on emerging experiences from local authorities and the private sector who are setting out ambitious plans for stewardship in their developments.

This event is kindly supported by:

Please see the draft agenda below:

10:00Welcome and introduction from the Chair Catriona Riddell, TCPA Trustee 10:05Governance and stewardship – principles for success Katy Lock, Director, Communities (FJ Osborn Fellow), TCPA 10:15Governance considerations when choosing a stewardship vehicle Rebecca Warren, Strategic Development Consultant, Pinsent Masons 10:30Q&A10:40Emerging lessons from Chilmington Green and beyond SallyAnne Logan, Senior Associate Consultant, Community Stewardship Solutions10:50Emerging lessons from Harlow & Gilston Garden Town Molly Stroyman, Stewardship & Community Development Officer, and Kevin Steptoe, Garden Town Lead Officer, East Herts District Council11:00Emerging lessons from Chelmsford Garden Community Karen Short, Principal Planning Officer and Amy Stock, Senior Housing Enabling Officer (Garden Community), Chelmsford City Council 11:10Q&A11:30Close

Homes and neighbourhoods for children and young people
2024-05-02 13:00 - 14:30 | Online – via Zoom
20-Minute Neighbourhoods – Webinar 9

Where children and young people grow up shapes their ability to live healthy lives. Children and young people are vulnerable to their environments as they are rapidly developing physically, emotionally and socially and so homes, neighbourhoods and communities should be designed with their needs in mind and their voices heard.

Ideas like the 20-minute neighbourhood, and engagement tools like Voice Opportunity Power can help us to design and deliver places where children and young people can flourish whilst also benefitting other age groups and demographics.

This webinar will explore:

why planning and the built environment matters for healthy and thriving children and young people;

how to engage with children and teenagers about 20-minute neighbourhoods and place; and

the use of youth engagement in a new settlement.

It will be of interest to anyone working to create and shape places that support children and young people to be heard and thrive.

Register here

Agenda

13:00Welcome and introductionGemma Hyde, Projects and Policy Manager- Healthier Place-making, TCPA13:10Why the built environment matters for children and young peopleProf Peter Kraftl, Chair in Human Geography, University of Birmingham13:30Co-creating plans for 20-minute neighbourhoods with children and teenagersAnna Gaffney and Jenny Wood, A Place in Childhood13:50Youth engagement in a new Garden CommunityMichele King, Community and Social Impact Manager, Latimer by Clarion Housing Group14:10Q&AChaired by Gemma Hyde, TCPA14:30Close

Supported by:

Image: © 2023. Provided by Impact on Urban Health licensed via a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.

TCPA New Communities Group Webinar: Viability and finance for large-scale new communities
2024-03-26 10:00 - 11:30
Viability and funding are crucial issues for those planning and delivering large-scale new communities. How can high quality development be maintained, but also be viable? This webinar will explore the latest sources of funding and investigate complex viability processes. We will hear from experts in the field as well case studies of how local authorities have tackled the issues.

This webinar is kindly supported by:

Please see the current agenda below:

10:00Welcome and introduction from the Chair Alice Sewell, Investment Manager, Imperial College London and TCPA Trustee 10:05Linking spatial planning with strategic transport fundingSimon Emery, Regional Director, EUR – UK & Ireland, AECOM10:20Managing development cashflow to ensure delivery of new communitiesAndrew Haynes, Partner, Residential Development, Bidwells10:35Q&A10:50Ensuring large-scale applications are viable Gilian Macinnes, Director, Gilian Macinnes Associates11:00Assessing viability at St Cuthbert’s Garden Village Neil Cole, Head of Planning Policy, Cumberland Council11:10Q&A11:30Close

Please see below to book your place on this webinar:

TCPA Spring Conference 2024: Creating healthy new towns: past, present - and future? (Zoom)
2024-03-19 09:30 - 15:30
Planning and the built environment have a key role to play in the determinants of health and health inequalities. Starting with a look back to the post war New Towns, the TCPA’s Spring Conference will consider what they tried to achieve in terms of the health of their communities and if they succeeded. Moving to the current day and five years on from the NHS England’s Healthy New Towns programme we will hear about why the initiative was set up and what has been learned from its achievements. Innovations for contemporary new communities, such as social prescribing and embedding health in planning policy, will be examined. Looking at development now and in the future, we will ask what more can be done to create places that support people’s health?

Session 1: Lessons from the post-war New Towns

9:30Welcome and introduction from the ChairFiona Howie, CEO, TCPA 9:35Keynote speech: The Baroness Dr Taylor of Stevenage OBE, Shadow Spokesperson for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities 9:50Q+A10:00Setting the scene: lessons for a new generation of New TownsKaty Lock, Director of Communities (FJ Osborn Fellow), TCPA10:15Case Study: Milton KeynesMatthew Clarke, Principal Urban Designer, Milton Keynes Council 10:25Dr Lisa Cameron MP, Member of Parliament for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow, chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on New Towns and the All Party Parliamentary Health Group 10:40Q+A11:00End of session 1

Session 2: NHS England’s Healthy New Towns project: five years on what has been learned?

11:30Welcome and introduction from the Chair Julia Thrift, Director of Healthier Place-making, TCPA11:35The ambitions of the NHS England’s Healthy New Towns project Chris Naylor, Senior Fellow in Health Policy, The King’s Fund 11:55Q+A12:05Barton and Bicester: what can be learned from Oxfordshire’s two healthy new towns? Rosie Rowe, Head of Healthy Place Shaping, Oxfordshire County Council12:20Kate Hillerby, East Hants, Whitehill & Bordon Healthy New Town 12:35Darlington healthy new town – embedding health in planning policy, lessons learned Timothy Crawshaw, Chair of the Tees Valley Nature Partnership, Planning and Development Consultant, Global Thought Leader and former President of the RTPI 12:45Panel discussion13:00End of session 2

Session 3: Innovations for contemporary new communities

14:00Welcome and introduction from the Chair Gemma Hyde, Projects and Policy Manager – Healthier Place-making TCPA14:05Fionnuala Lennon, Head, Markets Partners & Places – South, Homes England 14:20Q&A 14:30Panel discussion: How are places and new communities tackling health inequalities and what does this mean for other new communities? -Owen Reading, Associate Urban Designer, David Lock Associates –Elly de Decker, Chief executive, Bromley by Bow Centre –Andy Netherton, Programme Manager (Housing, Planning and Environments for Health), Directorate for Prevention and the Public Health System, Department of Health and Social Care 15:25Summary and reflections from the Chair 15:30End

Healthy ageing in place
2024-02-29 09:30 - 11:30 | Online – via Zoom
20-Minute Neighbourhoods – Webinar 8

The UK population is ageing. By 2040, nearly one in seven people is projected to be aged over 75 and in some areas of England, this age-group will make up over 25% of the local population. Concerningly, unless we act, many of these people will live years of their later lives in poor health. This has huge implications not only for health and social care but also for how we plan, create and manage homes, streets, neighbourhoods and places. Building and re-generating places to be healthy, supportive and adaptive to climate change, through ideas like the 20-minute neighbourhood, will help older people to flourish in their existing homes and communities and also benefit other age groups and demographics.

An ageing population presents opportunities and challenges to create better places, but ignoring these changes will undermine any benefits of living longer, with high costs to individuals’ health and well-being and to society.

Following his Chief Medical Officer Annual Report in 2023 ‘Health in an ageing society’, we are pleased to announce that Prof Chris Whitty, will give an opening keynote talk before the webinar explores:

how 20-minute neighbourhoods can be successful places, where people can choose to live their whole lives because the needs of all age groups and life stages are accommodated;

what age-friendly developments look like – a case study from Greater Manchester;

why age-friendly places must consider the impacts of climate change on older people; and

the social and economic value of age-friendly communities.

Register here

Full agenda (TBC)

09:30Welcome and introductionJulia Thrift, Director Healthier Place-making, TCPA09:35Keynote talk: Health in an ageing societyProf Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer09:55How a 20-minute neighbourhood approach can support healthy ageingGemma Hyde, Projects and Policy Manager – Healthier Place-making, TCPA10:10Creating age-friendly developments in Greater ManchesterKelly-Marie Rodgers, Strategic Lead – Healthy Active Places, Greater Manchester Moving; Dr Mark Hammond Senior Lecturer, Manchester School of Architecture10:30Break (5 mins)10:35Healthy ageing in a changing climateRyan Woolrych, Professor Ageing and Urban Studies, Heriot-Watt University10:55The social and economic value of age-friendly communitiesDr Louise Lafortune, Associate Professor, Cambridge Public Health Interdisciplinary Research Centre, University of Cambridge11:15Q&AChaired by Julia Thrift, TCPA11:30Close

Supported by:

New Communities Group Webinar: development management: consenting new large-scale developments
2024-02-08 10:00 - 11:30
When planning large-scale new communities a lot of effort goes into the visioning and masterplan, but it is essential to focus on the entire journey from concept through to delivery, to ensure new communities are high quality, resilient and well-connected. How can local authorities make sure they are able to cope with large-scale, multi-stage applications to ensure they are consenting high standards? This webinar will explore these issues and hear from case studies of places that have experienced these processes.

This is part of the TCPA New Communities Group programme of events.

Please see the agenda below:

10:00Welcome and introduction from the Chair Sandra Fryer, TCPA Trustee 10:05Sequencing for large scale applications Rob Smith, Hyas Associates10:20Infrastructure negotiations for large-scale applicationsJeni Jackson, Head of Planning and Infrastructure, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council10:35Q&A10:50Consenting large-scale applications at Welborne Garden VillageLee Smith, Head of Planning, Fareham Borough Council 11:00From plans to homes: Maintaining high sustainability standards Caroline Ford, Team Leader – South Area Major Projects Team, Cherwell Borough Council11:10Q&A11:30Session Close

Net zero buildings policies and the new Written Ministerial Statement on local energy efficiency standards (online)
2024-01-30 14:00 - 15:30
On 13 December 2023, the government issued a Written Ministerial Statement (WMS) on ‘Planning – Local Energy Efficiency Standards Update.’ The WMS seeks to curtail new local plan policies that use energy-based metrics, designed to achieve emissions reductions through securing fabric efficiency standards and highly energy efficient buildings.

The TCPA, alongside other industry leaders and local authorities, are deeply concerned about the impact of this WMS on the ability of local authorities to meet their commitments to climate mitigation and carbon emissions reductions from new development.

This webinar is aimed at local authorities that are affected by this WMS or concerned about its impact on their plans for addressing climate change through planning policy.

We are hosting this event to provide a series of updates on how organisations and local authorities are responding to the WMS, consider opportunities to take forward proactive approaches to achieving net zero new development, and provide time for discussion on next steps.

Please see the agenda below:

2:00Welcome and introduction– Naomi Luhde-Thompson, Rights Community Action 2:10The status of the WMS Including an update on legal action being taken against the WMS, and a reflection on the strength of the WMS and implications for local plan policy. Speaker:– Naomi Luhde-Thompson, Rights Community Action – Clare Murray, LETI 2:30Local authority responses We will hear from Lancaster City Council and the Essex County Council Climate and Planning Unit about how they are responding to the WMS. We will also hear reflections from leading consultants on net zero local plan policy on their advice to local authorities. Speakers:– Nicola Melville, Essex County Council – Diane Neville, Lancaster City Council – Thomas Lefevre, Etude 3:00Next steps The TCPA will reflect on actions that local authorities can take in response to the WMS, and there will be time for a discussion and Q&A. Speakers:– Hugh Ellis, Director of Policy, TCPA 3:30Session close– Naomi Luhde-Thompson, Rights Community Action

Neighbourhood planning and 20-minute neighbourhoods webinar
2023-12-13 12:00 - 13:00 | Online – via Zoom
Healthy neighbourhood plans

It is widely assumed that it is the NHS that creates good health, and that a healthy place is one with lots of GP surgeries and hospitals. However, evidence demonstrates that although the NHS is good at ‘mending’ people when they become ill, the things that keep people healthy are the places and communities in which they live. In other words, health is made at home and hospitals are for repairs.

Neighbourhood plans can influence how places develop and seek to ensure that a community has good homes, clean air, jobs, access to parks and green spaces, access to healthy food and opportunities for connection with friends and neighbours. A focus on health in a neighbourhood plan is an opportunity to create places in which everyone can thrive. To do this well, neighbourhood plans need to consider local health evidence and can choose to use a concept like 20-minute neighbourhoods to frame ideas and think about health in a holistic way.

In collaboration with Locality, this webinar will explore neighbourhood planning and then introduce the TCPA/University of Manchester Neighbourhood planning and 20-minute neighbourhoods toolkit.

This webinar will cover:

neighbourhood planning and the role of Locality;

how to consider health and wellbeing in neighbourhood plans; and

introduce the Neighbourhood planning and 20-minute neighbourhoods toolkit.

Register here

Full agenda

12:00Welcome and introductionGemma Hyde, Project Manager – Healthier Place-making, TCPA12:05Neighbourhood planning and Locality – an introductionMadeleine Gohin, Neighbourhood Planning Officer, Locality12:2520-minute neighbourhoods and healthy neighbourhood plansGemma Hyde, Project Manager – Healthier Place-making, TCPA12:45Q&A13:00Close

Supported by:

NCG Webinar: Opportunities for a new approach to housing delivery – a briefing from TCPA
2023-12-05 11:00 - 12:15
The need for more homes is never far from the political agenda and will continue to be an important theme in the run up to the General Election. The Labour Party has recently committed to a new generation of new towns and social housing, the Liberal Democrats have committed to 10 new Garden Cities, and the Conservative Party have reiterated the need for more homes. While there seems to be a continued cross-party commitment to the need for 300,000 new homes a year – delivering that target is going to take more than just words.

In an era of the climate emergency, cost of living and health crises, we also need to ensure a commitment to more homes means not just housing numbers, but a commitment to creating genuinely affordable homes, in thriving places which enable healthy and sustainable lifestyles. New communities, within a framework of strategic planning will clearly be a key part of the portfolio of solutions needed to make this a reality.

Drawing on our work with new communities, research on lessons from the past and present, and the Tomorrow 125 project, the TCPA is developing a White Paper which sets out the TCPA’s proposition for the steps Government needs to take to unlock successful housing delivery, in healthy, more equitable places. This online briefing will showcase these ideas and hear responses from a panel of experts in the sector.

This is part of the TCPA New Communities Group programme of events.

Please see the agenda below:

11:00Welcome and scene-setting from the Chair Katy Lock, Director of Communities, TCPA11:10Overview of TCPA White Paper Dr Hugh Ellis, Director of Policy, TCPA11:25Response from local authority representativeCllr Barry Wood, Leader of Cherwell District Council11:35Response from private sector representativeHollie Heavens, Associate Director – Planning and Acquisitions, Lands Improvement11:45Discussion/responses from attendees 12:10Summary and next steps from the ChairKaty Lock, Director of Communities, TCPA12:15Session close

TCPA Training Session: The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act
2023-11-30 14:00 - 15:30
The Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023. The Act (LURA) will have a significant impact on planning, development and housing and is a radical departure from the existing system. This TCPA training session will look to unpack the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act (LURA), addressing what it may mean in practice and the changes it will bring for local authorities and others. The session will hear the thoughts and predictions of those working in the sector as well as providing plenty of opportunities for Q+A.

The webinar is essential for anyone who is keen to get a better understanding of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act and what it means in practice. It should therefore appeal to a wide audience which might include councillors, council officers, business leaders, community groups, architects, designers and students.

Please see below for the full agenda:

14:00Welcome and introduction for the chairFiona Howie, Chief Executive, TCPA 14:05 Presentation on the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act: what does it mean for you? Hugh Ellis, Director of Policy, TCPA 14:30Q+A14:40Facilitated panel discussion Catriona Riddell, Strategic Planning Consultant and TCPA Trustee Magnus Gallie, Senior Planner (secondment), Friends of the Earth15:25 Closing remarks and thoughts 15:30 Close

The TCPA Annual Conference 2023: Tackling the climate crisis – maximising the potential of planning and placemaking
2023-11-23 10:00 - 16:00 | Regents University, London, Regents University, London
Regents University, London

Extreme climate events and record-breaking temperatures throughout 2023 bring to life the devastating consequences to communities and the environment of a changing climate. These risks no longer represent distant and future challenges, but the climate conditions we now live with, and must be prioritised today. This conference will:

Stock take current challenges and barriers to achieving net zero, climate resilient places and communities

Investigate the role of planning in delivering urgent strategies to deliver net zero

Look to the future – consider the radical changes required to build safe, adaptable and resilient places in a changing climate

We are grateful for the support of AECOM and Amos Ellis Consulting.

Draft agenda

10:00Registration and Networking – Tea and coffee available

Session 1: A renewed sense of urgency

10:30 Welcome and Introduction from Chair Andrew Pritchard, Chair of the TCPA 10:35 Opening keynote: Kerry McCarthy MP, Shadow Climate Change Minister 10:50 Q&A 11:00 Fiona Simpson, Chief Planner, Scottish Government 11:15 Joanna Averley, Chief Planner, Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Regeneration11:30 Q&A 11:45Judy Ling Wong CBE, Honorary Chair of the Black Environment Network 12:00 Q&A and discussion

12: 15 – 13:00 Lunch and networking

Session 2: Working towards net zero

13:00 Welcome back from Chair Andrew Pritchard, Chair of the TCPA 13:05 Securing ambitious local plan policies – Facilitated discussion and Q&A:– Diane Neville, Principal Planning Policy Officer, Lancaster City Council – Cllr Mike Rigby, Lead Member for Transport and Digital, Somerset Council13:35 The judicial review of DLUHC in relation to the Salt Cross Area Action – what does it mean for planning for climate change?Ricardo Gama, Senior Associate Solicitor, Leigh Day13:50 Q&A 14:00National infrastructure to support a low carbon and resilient economyMargaret Read, Director of Policy, National Infrastructure Commission14:10Q&A14:20 Tea, coffee and networking

Session 3: Creating resilient places

14:40Welcome back from Chair Fiona Howie, Chief Executive, TCPA14:45Reframing the narrative of the 15-minute city: shaping healthier and sustainable communitiesElad Eisenstein, Director City Master planning and Urban Design, AECOM UK14:55Q&A 15:05Facilitated discussion and Q&A: – Ben Llewellyn, Environment, Planning and Engagement Manager for London, Environment Agency –Tim Munday, Environmental Resilience Lead for the Climate Action Strategy, City of London – Ellie Kuper Thomas, Policy Manager, London Borough of Newham15:40TCPA’s work on climate changeHugh Ellis, Director of Policy and Celia Davis, Projects and Policy Manager, TCPA15:55Closing remarks from the chair 16:00Close

New Towns for Today and Tomorrow - a conference of the APPG on New Towns
2023-11-17 09:00 - 15:30 | The Torrance Hotel, 135 Main Street, East Kilbride, Glasgow, G74 4LN, United Kingdom
The New Towns programme remains the most ambitious urbanism initiative ever undertaken in the United Kingdom. The programme sought to provide jobs and affordable homes in healthy, balanced and thriving communities. The 32 New Towns delivered through the New Towns Act today provide homes for over 2.8 million people.

They represent some of the fastest growing and most successful, but also some of the most deprived communities in the UK. Do key issues of housing, green infrastructure, stewardship, public art and land ownership mean their growth and renewal could put New Towns back at the heart of exemplar development?

Meanwhile, cross-party interest in the role of New Towns in tackling the housing crisis continues to be high on the political agenda. What transferable lessons can we learn from the New Towns programme to inform the creation of a new generation of ambitious places?

This ‘in-person’ conference will bring together people from across the UK to explore the opportunities for the growth and renewal of our existing new towns. It will also explore transferable lessons for the creation of new communities today.

The event is from to attend and is taking place at the Torrance Hotel, East Kilbride, Glasgow, G74 4LN. Lunch is provided, booking is essential as space is limited.

Organised by the TCPA on behalf of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for New Towns and in partnership with South Lanarkshire Council.

TCPA Secretariat of the APPG on New Towns is supported by:

Agenda (may be subject to change)

9:00am: Coffee and registration

9:30am: Welcome and Introductions

Welcome and Introductions from the Conference Chair – Dr Lisa Cameron MP, Chair of the APPG on New Towns

Welcome from South Lanarkshire Council – Council Leader Joe Fagan

9:45am: The New Towns – Rise, Fall and Rebirth

Katy Lock, Director of Communities, Town & Country Planning Association

10:00am: Session One: New Towns – Growth and Renewal

The View from Warrington – John Laverick, CEO of Warrington & Co. (confirmed)

The View from Bracknell – Dr Emma Street, Associate Professor of Urban Policy and Governance, Henley Business School, and Victor Nicholls, Lecturer in Development and Planning, Henley Business School (confirmed)

The View from Harlow – Jake Shepherd, Harlow Ambassador, Geography Teacher at Leventhorpe, Young Trustee at Parndon Mill.

11:00am: Coffee Break

11:30am: Session Two: Lessons from Scottish New Towns

The Housing and Planning Landscape in Scotland – Craig McLaren, National Planning Improvement Champion, Improvement Service

Building Modern Scotland: Some thoughts from the architectural and social histories of the New Towns – Dr Alistair Fair, Reader in Architectural History, University of Edinburgh

The View from East Kilbride – Fraser Carlin, Head of Planning and Regulatory Services, South Lanarkshire Council

The View from Cumbernauld – Cllr Adam Smith, Cumbernauld East, North Lanarkshire Council

1:00pm: Lunch

2:00pm: East Kilbride Study Tour

3:30pm: Event End

TCPA Training Session: An introduction to planning and planning reform
2023-11-08 10:00 - 11:30
This introductory session will explain the current English planning system and outline how the proposed reforms to the system are expected to be implemented. It will take a high-level scan across the critical issues, with plenty of time for Q&A.

The webinar is essential for anyone who is keen to get a better understanding of the English planning system or what the proposed planning reforms are likely to mean in practice. It should therefore appeal to a wide audience which might include councillors, business leaders, council officers, community groups, architects, designers and students.

Agenda

10:00Welcome and introduction from the Chair Gilian Macinnes 10:10Introduction to the current planning system Hugh Ellis, Director of Policy, TCPA 10:30Q&A 10:50What we expect from the planning reforms Hugh Ellis, Director of Policy, TCPA 11:10Q&A11:30Close

TCPA New Communities Group Webinar on Planning for Culture
2023-11-07 10:00 - 11:30
Planning for culture and the creative industries is an integral part of supporting and creating great places. The creative and cultural industries contribute more than £100bn per year to the UK economy, helping to attract investment, catalyse innovation, and enhance distinctive places and communities. There are environmental benefits from regenerating places, retrofitting and re-purposing existing buildings and improving the vibrancy of local places, including high streets. Significant social value can also be gained from improving cultural infrastructure and facilities.

Developing cultural infrastructure requires a steady focused effort across long periods of time, and integration of governance and processes from planning to infrastructure investment. Kent County Council and Creative Estuary have published a Cultural Planning Toolkit to help users navigate the deliverability of cultural infrastructure and embed it in planning and delivery processes from the outset. This session provides an opportunity to explore the toolkit and hear from practical examples of places making it happen, both in existing and new places.

This webinar will be essential for councillors, developers, consultants, business leaders, council officers, community groups, architects and designers, students and anyone who is interested in the creation of well-connected places.

This webinar is kindly supported by:

Please see the agenda below:

10:00Welcome and introduction from the Chair Catriona Riddell, Strategic Planning Consultant, TCPA Trustee 10:05Creative Estuary’s Cultural ToolkitSamantha Lahai-Taylor, Principal Project Officer – Placemaking and Wellbeing, Kent County Council Katy Lock, Director of Communities, TCPA  10:20Cultural developments in ChesterCharlie Seward, Deputy Chief Executive (Place), Cheshire West and Chester Council 10:30Q&A 10:45Creating cultural infrastructure in new placesLaura Bailey, Cultural Development Manager, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, Ebbsfleet Garden CityAlastair Upton, Chief Executive, Creative Folkestone11:05Q&A 11:30Close
