TCPA Study Tour 2024: Cornwall
2024-07-11 00:00 - 2024-07-12 23:59 (Europe/London)
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

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

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 | 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

An Introduction to Planning for Climate Change (Online Course: Zoom)
2024-12-02 14:00 - 15:30
How can we use local planning to better address climate change?

This course provides an introduction to how planning can help deliver action at a local level towards climate mitigation and resilience. It draws from practical experience, good practice case studies and TCPA research.

It will explore transport, quality housing and renewable energy, and climate adaptation to flooding and overheating risks. The course will also provide an overview of the context of planning reform and its current implications for local plan making in England.

“A wonderfully encouraging and inspiring session, thank you very much.”

– TCPA course attendee –

What will the training cover?

The training will focus on the English Town & Country Planning system, with an emphasis on the opportunities presented through plan making to address key climate change challenges at a local level. The training will introduce policy approaches that the local plan can take to key issues, as well as best practice from local authorities.

Policy opportunities for climate mitigation: including carbon accounting, renewable energy, sustainable travel, energy efficient buildings.

Policy opportunities for climate adaptation and resilience: including flood resilience, overheating, resource efficiency, green infrastructure and coastal change management.

Presentations will be followed by a Q&A session.

Who is the training for?

This introductory training is ideal for early career planners, other local authority officers working in sustainability and climate change related areas, local councillors, or others involved in neighbourhood planning.

Who will deliver the training?

Hugh Ellis (TCPA Director of Policy) leads research projects, public affairs work and has extensive experience delivering training for politicians, professionals and communities on the planning system. He has led the TCPA’s engagement on national planning reform.

Celia Davis (TCPA Senior Projects and Policy Manager) produces guidance, advice and training for local authorities and communities on planning for climate change. She has led research into the effectiveness of the planning system in addressing climate change and delivering flood resilient communities.

Green Infrastructure Partnership Conference: from local innovation to national transformation (Online)
2024-12-10 09:30 - 12:00
Brought to you by the TCPA and the Green Infrastructure Partnership, this online conference will look at innovations in policy and practice and is essential for anyone interested in how urban greening can help create healthy, climate resilient places in the UK. It will be of particular value to councillors, planners, parks teams, community environment groups, academics, researchers and consultants.

Session 1: The big picture

09:30 Welcome and introduction from the Chair

Fiona Howie, Chief Executive, TCPA

09.40 Government’s ambitions for nature recovery

Lucy Hurford, National Biodiversity Targets Policy, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

09:50 Panel to respond, and discussion

Peter Neal FLI, Landscape Consultant

Richard Benwell, CEO, Wildlife and Countryside Link

Julia Thrift, Director of Healthier Place-making, TCPA

Session 2: Biodiversity net gain – what’s happening?

Chair: Julia Thrift, Director of Healthier Place-making, TCPA

10:10 Case study: BNG – turning the grey to green in high density environments?

John Harte, Planning Officer, City of London

10:25 Discussion: Is BNG working? If so, where? Are there any unintended consequences?

Rachel Danemann, Regional Planning Manager, Home Builders Federation

Morgan Taylor, Director, Greengage

Paul Rabbitts, Chair, The Parks Management Association.

10:50 Break

Session 3: Green infrastructure stewardship: making the most of what we’ve got

Chair: Celia Davis, Senior Projects and Policy Manager, TCPA

11:00 Nature Towns and Cities

Ellie Robinson, Head of Urban Green Space, National Trust

11:20 Local Nature Recovery Strategies: what do they mean for urban green infrastructure?

Jim Davies, Senior Advisor Local Nature Recovery Strategies, Environment Agency

11:40 Q&A

12:00 Finish

Free for TCPA student members via Eventbrite

Please click here to reserve your place via Eventbrite.

If you wish to raise a purchase order in order to be invoiced please contact david.white@tcpa.org.uk

For Sponsorship enquiries, please contact Julia Thrift at Julia.Thrift@tcpa.org.uk.

Webinar: Updates to NAFRA2 and NCERM - information for planners
2025-02-11 13:00 - 14:30
What does the new flood risk and coastal erosion mapping mean for development planning?

If you’re a local authority officer working for a local planning authority or lead local flood authority on either planning policy or development management, you are invited to join this webinar. The event will focus on the implications of the new flood risk and coastal erosion data on development planning, helping you to prepare for and to use the new data when it’s published in spring 2025.

You can register your questions ahead of the event. We will do our best to address your questions at the event.

Register here

If you have a question you would like the panel to address during the webinar please share using Slido. You can also upvote questions submitted by others to help us shape the agenda. Link: https://app.sli.do/event/9XKQiDaEtUCvC9jx3NmA7K

All webinar registration details will be held by the TCPA in line with our privacy policy. As a delivery partner, we may also share webinar participant information with the Environment Agency, who will use information for purposes directly linked to this webinar only.

Agenda

Welcome and introductions

Scene setting – EA’s role, role of flood and coastal risk data in planning, planning policy

Introduction to our new datasets and how they’re being improved

What new flood data we will publish, when and where it will be hosted

Changes to the Flood Map for Planning

What new coastal erosion risk data we have published and where it is hosted

How is the new data changing our understanding of risk

How will the new data affect key planning issues

How we’re communicating changes and what support are we offering?

An opportunity to ask questions

Do I need to prepare for the meeting?

There is no pre-reading. However, it may be helpful for you to take a look at the National assessment of flood and coastal erosion risk in England 2024 report, which we published in December. Whilst the report focuses primarily on the findings from data not aimed at development planning, it provides a helpful overview of how our understanding of risk has changed.

We also encourage you to watch this introductory video in advance of the event – Environment Agency updates to flood and coastal erosion risk information. (registration to the SharePoint site is required see details below)

You can read more here about our Updates to national flood and coastal erosion risk information. You can explore some of the new data we’ve already published here:

Check your long term flood risk

Check coastal erosion risk for an area in England

Shoreline Management Plan Explorer

To view the introductory video, get further details and supporting materials available from our SharePoint site send an email to admin_fcermprojectsupport@environment-agency.gov.uk to request access.

Child-friendly planning and design: insights and experiences from European cities
2025-02-13 10:00 - 12:00
Webinar – Free

Many European cities are embracing child-friendly planning and urban design. This webinar will explore four case studies from Spain, Slovakia, Albania and Germany that offer insight, inspiration and practical lessons that can be applied in the UK.

The webinar is collaboration between the TCPA and Tim Gill, childhood expert and author of Urban Playground: How child-friendly planning and design can save cities, and forms part of the TCPA’s wider work on children, young people in the built environment including:

Raising the healthiest generation in history: why it matters where children and young people live – recommendations and evidence review from the 2024 Levelling Up, Housing and Communities inquiry into children, young people and built environment.

Developing Well conference – the conference explored the relationship between children, young people and the built environment, the critical importance of creating healthy places in which they can thrive, challenges and opportunities and highlighted case studies of place-based practice from local authorities and the private sector.

Homes and neighbourhoods for children and young people – a webinar exploring why planning and the built environment matters for healthy and thriving children and young people and how to engage with children and teenagers about 20-minute neighbourhoods and place.

Agenda

10:00WelcomeGemma Hyde, Projects and Policy Manager, TCPA10:05Child-friendly placesTim Gill, independent scholar, writer and consultant on childhood10:15Barcelona, SpainMaria Truñó Salvadó, Director, Alliance Education 36010:35Bratislava, SlovakiaSandra Štasselová, Urbanist, Metropolitan Institute Bratislava10:55Break11:00Tirana, AlbaniaSimon Battisti, Executive Director, Qendra Marrëdhënie11:20Regensburg, GermanyAnna Schledorn, Youth Welfare Planner, Child Friendly City Coordinator, Stadt Regensburg11:40Q&A session12:00Close

Image credit: Irene Quintáns

TCPA Webinar - Planning Reform Update
2025-02-25 10:00 - 11:15
Join us to delve into the latest updates on planning reform following the recently updated National Planning Policy Framework and the forthcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill. Michael Bingham OBE, Deputy Director – Planning Policy at MHCLG will highlight the main changes, an industry expert panel discuss how these will impact delivery, and our Policy Director Hugh Ellis’ reflections on what this means for local authorities and others.

Part of our TCPA New Communities Group series of events, this webinar offers valuable insight for local councils, planners and communities to navigate major shifts and plan forward.

10:00Welcome from the ChairCatriona Riddell, TCPA Trustee 10:05Update on planning reformsMichael Bingham OBE, Deputy Director – Planning Policy, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government 10:15Q&A 10:25Panel to respond:– Hugh Ellis, Director of Policy, TCPA – Anna Aldous, Principal Associate, Mills and Reeve– Matthew Lickes,(Planning Policy & Place Manager), North Yorkshire Council– Helen Williams, Head of Neighbourhoods and Housing, LocalityContributions from the panel members followed by questions from the audience and discussions.11:10Conclusions from the Chair11:15Close

Further details to follow.

Check to see if you are part of a TCPA or NCG member organisation

About New Communities Group (NCG) memberships

About Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) memberships

Infrastructure Delivery for New Communities
2025-03-18 10:00 - 11:30
This webinar responds to a high demand for guidance on successful infrastructure delivery in new developments. The session will cover practical case studies and actionable steps, covering:

large-scale delivery vehicles and strategies;

locally led development corporations;

social infrastructure; and

community owned infrastructure.

Part of our TCPA New Communities Group series of events, this webinar will offer valuable insight for local councils, planners and communities.

This event is kindly supported by Local Trust.

Agenda

TimeSpeaker10:00 Welcome from the ChairGilian MacInnes, TCPA Trustee 10:05 Large-scale delivery vehicles and development corporationsStephen Hill, Director, Hyas Associates 10:15 Securing and implementing funding for infrastructureGary Macdonnell , Network Programme Manager, Essex County Council10:25 Q&A 10:45 Prioritising social infrastructureMadeleine Jennings, Head of Policy and Communications, Local Trust10:55 Community owned infrastructure in new places Harriet English, Deputy Chief Executive, Plunkett UK Sarah Crush, Social Value Manager at Thakeham Group11:05 Q&A 11:30 Close

Check to see if you are part of a New Communities Group (NCG) member organisation

About Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) Memberships

Youth engagement in planning, regeneration and neighbourhood management - Voice Opportunity Power
2025-03-24 12:00 - 13:00
Young people have a right to be involved in the decisions that shape the places where they live and including them creates better places for everyone.

The Voice Opportunity Power toolkit is a free resource with practical guidance on how to involve young people (11-18) in the way that places get built and managed. It is for engagement practitioners, developers, designers, planners and sports providers and is designed to improve participation in – and the quality of – new development and regeneration. The toolkit was produced by ZCD Architects in partnership with Grosvenor, Sport England, and the TCPA.

In this webinar Dinah Bornat, Director ZCD Architects, will:

give an overview of Voice Opportunity Power – what the toolkit contains and how it can be used;

present some case study examples of how it has been used on different projects and developments;

followed by a Q&A.

Please register here:

Register here

This webinar forms part of the TCPA’s work on children, young people and the built environment. If you would like to know more about this work including previous event recordings and the Raising the healthiest generation in history report, please click here.

Supported by:

Design Codes for New Communities
2025-05-13 10:00 - 11:30
This webinar will explore the practical realities of Design Coding in new housing developments. From the perspectives of policy-researcher, designer, planner and local authority, we will consider:

when design codes are effective;

context sensitive design; and

inclusive and diverse placemaking.

Part of our TCPA New Communities Group series of events, this webinar will offer valuable insight for local councils, planners and communities.

This event is kindly supported by Adam Architecture.

Agenda

10:00 Welcome from the Chair,Gilian MacInnes, TCPA Trustee10:05 Learnings from the Design Code Pathfinder Programme,Nikki van Grimbergen, Programme Manager, Design Council10:15Q&A10:25Setting up design codes for different schemes,Robbie Kerr, Design Director, ADAM Architecture10:45Q&A10:55The Cambridge Pathfinder Programme, Trovine Monteiro, Built Environment Team Leader, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning11:10Q&A11:20Closing Remarks

Check to see if you are part of a New Communities Group (NCG) member organisation

About Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) Memberships

Introduction to Coastal Planning (for planners)
2025-05-20 13:00 - 14:00
This webinar is aimed at planners in coastal authorities to hear and learn about coastal change and management. This will include information on Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) and the new National Coastal Erosion Risk Map (NCERM).

It will cover:

the development of SMPs and NCERM

the next steps of SMPs and NCERM

information you need to know as a planner

where to find information and support on flooding and coastal erosion risk

Register here

The coastal planning webinars programme:

WebinarDateTitleWho is it for?1Tuesday 20 May, 1pm – 2pmIntroduction to coastal planningFor planners2Wednesday 21 May, 1pm – 2pmIntroduction to Coastal PlanningFor elected members3Thursday 22 May, 1pm – 2pmCoastal change and management: tools & best practiceFor coastal practitioners and planners in coastal authorities

FAQs

What does the new national coastal erosion risk mapping mean for development planning?

If you’re a local authority officer working for a local planning authority or lead local flood authority on either planning policy or development management, you are invited to join this webinar. The event will focus on providing an introduction to the new national coastal erosion risk map, and how this works alongside development planning.

In January 2025 the Environment Agency published the updated NCERM on ‘Check coastal erosion risk for an area in England’ and Shoreline Management Plan Explorer. The new NCERM data is also available on data.gov.uk for open access. The new NCERM provides the most up to date picture of current and future coastal erosion risk for England.

How can I ask questions?

If you have a question you would like the panel to address during the webinar please share using Slido. You can also upvote questions submitted by others to help us shape the agenda. To submit a question visit www.slido.com and enter #TCPA1

Do I need to prepare for the meeting?

There is no pre-reading. However, it may be helpful for you to take a look at the National assessment of flood and coastal erosion risk in England 2024 report, which we published in December 2024. Whilst the report focuses primarily on the findings from data not aimed at development planning, it provides a helpful overview of how our understanding of risk has changed.

We also encourage you to watch this introductory video in advance of the event – Environment Agency updates to flood and coastal erosion risk information. (registration to the SharePoint site is required see details below)

You can read more here about our Updates to national flood and coastal erosion risk information. You can explore some of the new data we’ve already published here:

Check your long term flood risk

Check coastal erosion risk for an area in England

Shoreline Management Plan Explorer

Updated Flood Map for Planning service

To view the introductory video, get further details and supporting materials available from our SharePoint site send an email to admin_fcermprojectsupport@environment-agency.gov.uk to request access.

You may also be interested in the suite of training materials on planning for flood risk created by the Environment Agency in partnership with the TCPA. These are available here: https://learning.tcpa.org.uk/

Privacy statement

All webinar registration details will be held by the TCPA in line with our privacy policy. As a delivery partner, we may also share webinar participant information with the Environment Agency, who will use information for purposes directly linked to this webinar only.

Introduction to Coastal Planning (for elected members)
2025-05-21 13:00 - 14:00
This webinar is aimed at Elected Members in coastal authorities to hear and learn about coastal change and management. This will include information on Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) and the new National Coastal Erosion Risk Map (NCERM).

It will cover:

the development of SMPs and NCERM

information that will be useful to you in your role as an elected member

what support materials are available and where to find them

Register here

The coastal planning webinars programme:

WebinarDateTitleWho is it for?1Tuesday 20 May, 1pm – 2pmIntroduction to coastal planningFor planners2Wednesday 21 May, 1pm – 2pmIntroduction to Coastal PlanningFor elected members3Thursday 22 May, 1pm – 2pmCoastal change and management: tools & best practiceFor coastal practitioners and planners in coastal authorities

FAQs

What does the new national coastal erosion risk mapping mean for development planning?

If you’re an elected member in a coastal authority with a remit in coastal management, planning policy or development management you are invited to join this webinar. The event will focus on providing an introduction to the new national coastal erosion risk mapping data, how this works alongside development planning, and how you can find more information.

The new National Coastal Erosion Risk Map (NCERM)

In January 2025 the Environment Agency published the updated NCERM on ‘Check coastal erosion risk for an area in England’ and Shoreline Management Plan Explorer. The new NCERM data is also available on data.gov.uk for open access. The new NCERM provides the most up to date picture of current and future coastal erosion risk for England.

How can I ask questions during the webinar?

If you have a question you would like the panel to address during the webinar please share using Slido. You can also upvote questions submitted by others to help us shape the agenda. To submit a question visit www.slido.com and enter #TCPA2

Do I need to prepare for the meeting?

There is no pre-reading. However, it may be helpful for you to take a look at the National assessment of flood and coastal erosion risk in England 2024 report, which we published in December. Whilst the report focuses primarily on the findings from data not aimed at development planning, it provides a helpful overview of how our understanding of risk has changed.

We also encourage you to watch this introductory video in advance of the event – Environment Agency updates to flood and coastal erosion risk information. (registration to the SharePoint site is required see details below)

You can read more here about our Updates to national flood and coastal erosion risk information. You can explore some of the new data we’ve already published here:

Check your long term flood risk

Check coastal erosion risk for an area in England

Shoreline Management Plan Explorer

Updated Flood Map for Planning service

To view the introductory video, get further details and supporting materials available from our SharePoint site send an email to admin_fcermprojectsupport@environment-agency.gov.uk to request access.

You may also be interested in the suite of training materials on planning for flood risk created by the Environment Agency in partnership with the TCPA. These are available here: https://learning.tcpa.org.uk/

Privacy statement

All webinar registration details will be held by the TCPA in line with our privacy policy. As a delivery partner, we may also share webinar participant information with the Environment Agency, who will use information for purposes directly linked to this webinar only.

Coastal change and management: tools & best practice (for coastal practitioners and planners in coastal authorities)
2025-05-22 13:00 - 14:00
This webinar is aimed at coastal practitioners and planners who provide advice, guidance and decisions on spatial planning. It will provide worked examples of how Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) and National Coastal Erosion Risk Map (NCERM) can be used as part of development planning. It will also provide background information on SMPs and NCERM.

The webinar will cover:

Development of SMPs and NCERM

A walkthrough of the SMP Explorer site

Worked examples of using SMPs and NCERM in development planning

Register here

The coastal planning webinars programme:

WebinarDateTitleWho is it for?1Tuesday 20 May, 1pm – 2pmIntroduction to coastal planningFor planners2Wednesday 21 May, 1pm – 2pmIntroduction to Coastal PlanningFor elected members3Thursday 22 May, 1pm – 2pmCoastal change and management: tools & best practiceFor coastal practitioners and planners in coastal authorities

FAQs

What does the new national coastal erosion risk mapping mean for development planning?

If you’re a local authority officer working for a local planning authority or lead local flood authority on either planning policy or development management, you are invited to join this webinar. The event will focus on providing an introduction to the new national coastal erosion risk mapping data, and how this works alongside development planning.

The new National Coastal Erosion Risk Map (NCERM)

In January 2025 the Environment Agency published the updated NCERM on ‘Check coastal erosion risk for an area in England’ and Shoreline Management Plan Explorer. The new NCERM data is also available on data.gov.uk for open access. The new NCERM provides the most up to date picture of current and future coastal erosion risk for England.

How can I ask questions during the webinar?

If you have a question you would like the panel to address during the webinar please share using Slido. You can also upvote questions submitted by others to help us shape the agenda. To submit a question visit www.slido.com and enter #TCPA3

Do I need to prepare for the meeting?

There is no pre-reading. However, it may be helpful for you to take a look at the National assessment of flood and coastal erosion risk in England 2024 report, which we published in December. Whilst the report focuses primarily on the findings from data not aimed at development planning, it provides a helpful overview of how our understanding of risk has changed.

We also encourage you to watch this introductory video in advance of the event – Environment Agency updates to flood and coastal erosion risk information. (registration to the SharePoint site is required see details below)

You can read more here about our Updates to national flood and coastal erosion risk information. You can explore some of the new data we’ve already published here:

Check your long term flood risk

Check coastal erosion risk for an area in England

Shoreline Management Plan Explorer

Updated Flood Map for Planning service

To view the introductory video, get further details and supporting materials available from our SharePoint site send an email to admin_fcermprojectsupport@environment-agency.gov.uk to request access.

You may also be interested in the suite of training materials on planning for flood risk created by the Environment Agency in partnership with the TCPA. These are available here: https://learning.tcpa.org.uk/

Privacy statement

All webinar registration details will be held by the TCPA in line with our privacy policy. As a delivery partner, we may also share webinar participant information with the Environment Agency, who will use information for purposes directly linked to this webinar only.

Restricting the Appeal and Availability of Junk Food: the role of local councils
2025-06-03 12:00 - 12:55 | Online via Microsoft Teams
Obesity and overweight are major national challenges that cost the NHS and economy millions of pounds every year.

Evidence shows the environments people live in shape the food choices they make: in places where junk food is the cheapest, most readily available and widely advertised, it is harder for people to make healthy choices. Around the country many councils are working to improve local ‘food environments’ by restricting the proliferation of hot food takeaways and, as far as possible, restricting advertising for poor quality food. A lot is being achieved – but councils could do far more if policy and regulations were amended.

Join us at the launch of a new report by APSE (the Association for Public Service Excellence) and the TCPA. It sets out how councils are working to improve food environments, and recommendations for policy changes that would empower them to do even more.

Speakers:

Mo Baines, Chief Executive, Association for Public Service Excellence;

Julia Thrift, Director of Healthier Place-making, Town and Country Planning Association;

Beverley Bayliss, Healthy Places Specialist, East Sussex County Council;

Tim Borrett, Director – Policy, Strategy, Digital, Bristol City Council.

Register to attend

Empowering young people for a greener future - youth engagement transforming Grosvenor Square
2025-06-12 10:00 - 11:15
Teenagers and young people have lots of knowledge about their neighbourhoods and spaces, but too often no-one asks them what they think.

Designed to involve young people in the making and managing of their neighbourhoods, the Voice Opportunity Power youth engagement toolkit is a free resource written by ZCD Architects and supported by Grosvenor, the TCPA and Sport England.

Coinciding with the Great Big Green Week, this webinar explore the transformation of one of London’s oldest public squares, using Voice Opportunity Power to engage young people in creating an extraordinary green space with exemplary environmental credentials.

The webinar will include the perspectives of developer Grosvenor, child and youth engagement specialists MATT+FIONA and a young adult who took part in the work themselves.

This event will be of interest to developers, designers, planners and sustainability professionals concerned with how to amplify youth voices in projects and how to create opportunities for meaningful participation.

Register here

Agenda

10:00WelcomeJulia ThriftDirector Healthier place-making, TCPA10:05Case study: Grosvenor Square, LondonNicola RochfortHead of Community Engagement & InsightsMatthewSpringett and Fiona MacDonaldMATT+FIONAMarwaMayfair Youth Forum alumni11:00Q&AFacilitated by Julia Thrift, TCPA11:15Close

Launch of our vision: 21st Century New Towns
2025-06-23 12:30 - 13:30
Join us as we launch the TCPA’s brand-new vision: 21st Century New Towns. This short pamphlet sets out our aspirational vision for any future generation of new towns, which have the potential to become thriving and high-quality places to live, work, and play!

Register here for the launch webinar

View the vision online here

Speakers

Pam Warhurst CBEFounder of Incredible Edible and recipient of the Ebenezer Howard Memorial MedalDr Hugh EllisDirector of Policy, TCPARowan GilbertProjects and Policy Manager (FJ Osborn Fellow), TCPACharlotte LlewellynOsborn Research Assistant, TCPA

About the vision

This vision is centred around participatory democracy; to be successful, new towns must be developed with, and for, local people. The vision is designed to help communities consider and express what they want from new towns, and to aid them in fighting for the quality developments they deserve.

Drawing on decades of the TCPA’s work, this document shows how the next generation of New Towns are much more than a means to achieving housing targets; they are about enabling people to live happy, healthy and sustainable lives. These places have the potential to become vibrant and inclusive communities where people not only live, but thrive.

At the centre of our vision is the belief that local people know their area best. That’s why it is designed to be a powerful tool for local communities, planners, and policymakers. Helping the general public to shape future new towns in their areas and ensuring they meet the communities’ needs and aspirations.

We hope this document will be a call to action to reimagine what’s possible for the next generation of new towns and enable local communities to demand high-quality, healthy and sustainable places.

Register here

Further Links

For the TCPA’s guidance on New Towns and Garden Cities

For the New Towns Task Force’s work to date

Study Tour 2025: Cambridgeshire
2025-06-26 10:30 - 2025-06-27 16:30
Continuing the success of the TCPA New Communities Group‘s study tours, our 2025 event will delve into Cambridgeshire’s expertise in delivering sustainable, well-planned new communities. We’ll examine Springstead Village’s green infrastructure, Clay Farm’s integrated community facilities, Eddington’s exemplary public realm, Northstowe’s large-scale expansion and busway, and Waterbeach’s cyclist and pedestrian-focused design. In collaboration with Greater Cambridge Shared Planning, this trip will highlight practical examples of successful placemaking, demonstrate integrated infrastructure, and offer a variety of models towards thriving future communities.

SOLD OUT

You can now join the waiting list, please email Jeanette Aves at jeanette.aves@tcpa.org.uk

£470 General admission

£320 TCPA member

£180 NCG member

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.

Draft Agenda – subject to change

Day 1 – Thursday 26 June – Outer Cambridge

Time Location 10:00-10:30 Arrive at Cambridge (central) Station CB1 2JW 11:30 Springstead Village new community, 1,200 homes 13:30 Lunch at Clay Farm 14:30 Clay Farm new community, 2,300 new homes 16:00 Eddington, North West Cambridge new community, 3,000 homes 17:30Travel to accommodation, Madingley Hall19:30Dinner at Madingley Hall

Day 2 – Friday 27 June – New Cambridgeshire Towns

Time Location 08:00 Breakfast at Madingley Hall10:00 Northstowe new town, 10,000 new homes 12:30Lunch at Northstowe Tap & Social14:00Marmalade Lane cohousing community, 42 new homes15:00Tea and cakes at Marmalade Lane, with tour roundup16:30 Finish at Cambridge (central) Station CB1 2JW

We are delighted to have the support of the Lady Margaret Paterson Osborn Trust and Hyas.

Check to see if you are part of a New Communities Group (NCG) or Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) member organisation

About New Communities Group (NCG) Memberships

About Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) Memberships

Development taxes and levies: their role in our future places
2025-07-08 14:00 - 18:30 | Surveyors House at RICS Westminster, 12 Great George Street, London, SW1P 3AD, United Kingdom
A symposium as part of a joint University of Cambridge / TCPA research policy impact project.

This event is free to attend, please RSVP at the bottom of this page.

Introduction

The issue of taxes, levies and tariffs on the development value of land continues to be a hot topic. The government is committed to ambitious levels of house building and growth, but support from local communities will depend on the provision of adequate supporting infrastructure, affordable housing and development impact mitigation, much of which is funded from increased land values. Given the time-consuming nature of planning obligations, capturing enough value to meet these demanding place-making requirements seems likely to require increased use of non-negotiable, formula-based and standardised developer contributions.

The existing Community Infrastructure Levy is maturing and now raises an estimated £1.2bn per year. Planning obligations are again being used to impose tariffs or ‘roof taxes’. And although the government has decided to abandon the proposed new Infrastructure Levy, it is proceeding with a specific Nature Restoration Levy. So, what comes next?

At the event we will launch a major policy paper that is based on the implications of a year-long University of Cambridge research project which re-assessed the reasons for the repeal of all previous UK development taxes since 1945. The research, conducted at the University’s Department of Land Economy, challenges much of the received wisdom about the failure of previous taxes and opens up new directions for policy debate. This event provides the first public opportunity to hear about the research and its striking lessons for policy makers today.

Draft Agenda

2.00pmRegistration – tea and coffee availableCan we capture sufficient land value to meet the government’s housing and growth objectives? 2.30pm  Welcome and introduction from the Chair – Liz Peace 2.35pm  The policy proposals: evolution or revolution? – Hugh Ellis, TCPA 2.50pm  Initial responses to the proposals from the panel Tony Mulhall, Associate Director, RICS Gilian Macinnes, planning consultant Will Jeffwitz, National Housing Federation Followed by questions and discussion 3.35pm Comfort break Lessons from the resilience of past and current approaches 3.50pm Improving local areas through developer funding – Helen Hodgson, National Audit Office 4.05pm The research: do we know what not to do? – Miles Gibson 4.20pm Reflections on what we have learnt – Stephen Aldridge, MHCLG4.30pm Questions and discussion 4.50pm Final reflections – Miles Gibson and Hugh Ellis 5.00pm  Thank you from the ChairClose of formal proceedings5.00pm-6.30pmRefreshments will then be served in the Council Chamber with a further opportunity to continue discussions in a more informal setting.

This project is funded by the University of Cambridge’s Social Science Impact Fund, Department of Land Economy and Centre for Science & Policy; by the Town & Country Planning Association; and by the Lady Margaret Paterson Osborn Trust.

Planning reform – where we think we are!
2025-07-29 10:30 - 11:45
Since the 2024 General Election it has been a busy time for planning reform with multiple consultations, new planning legislation and more consultations expected! Join us to delve into the latest updates from the TCPA’s Policy Director, Hugh Ellis, and an expert on strategic planning, Hannah Hickman.

Time Speaker 10:30 Welcome from the ChairThe Rt Hon Nick Raynsford, Chair of the Raynsford Review of Planning, President of the TCPA and former Housing Minister 10:35 Update on planning reformsHugh Ellis, Policy Director, Town and Country Planning Association 10:55 Latest on strategic planningHannah Hickman, Associate Professor – Planning Practice, School of Architecture and Environment, University of the West of England 11:15 Questions and discussion 11:40 Conclusions from the Chair 11:45 Close

Free tickets for small charities/community groups

If you are part of a small charity or community group, we have a number of free tickets available, at the discretion of the TCPA. Please email jeanette.aves@tcpa.org.uk to see if you are eligible.

About Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) Memberships

Check to see if you are part of a New Communities Group (NCG) or TCPA member organisation

Planning for Climate Change in New Communities
2025-09-09 14:00 - 15:30
This webinar explored the practical realities of addressing climate impact and mitigation in large scale new communities. We heard from two ambitious authorities who have recently had policies found sound that put forward ambitious net zero energy efficiency targets for new buildings as part of their new settlements – Salt Cross in Oxfordshire and the TCB Garden Community project in Essex. Both projects have seen extensive evidence base work to justify the viability of these requirements, as well as significant community support and a major legal challenge to defend the legality of local authorities setting their own standards above and beyond building regulations.

Would you like to know more about how local authorities can set policies for net zero buildings in their local plans? The TCPA’s recently updated resource page gathers together the latest information to help local authorities navigate this so they can consider their options:

TCPA Resource: Setting local plan policies for net zero buildings

There were a number of interesting points of discussion around net zero – for example, thinking about embodied carbon in schemes, and even a policy approach dealing with minerals and waste in Essex and how this sector is transitioning towards net zero. At Salt Cross, the ambitious approach isn’t just about the energy efficiency standards of homes – they are also targeting 25% BNG and 50% green space, highlighting the importance of an exemplary development to the local community – to make Salt Cross the best it can be. The Council worked with local universities to develop this approach and it has recently been recognised by the likes of Homes England as exemplary.

We then heard from Cat Moncrieff – Policy Manager at the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management, which is running a new project called Enabling Water Smart Communities, funded by Ofwat. Cat highlighted the many shared challenges between the water and housing sectors, including over 100,000 homes currently delayed due to water scarcity and issues with water treatment infrastructure. This series of projects and enabling actions is investigating a wide range of things that planners can do to address these issues, including building homes that are more water efficient, for example through greywater reuse, this includes case studies and cost estimates of water reuse systems, as well as building awareness of the incentive payments that water companies can offer to developers for water efficiency measures.

Finally, we heard from Ed Lockett at DEFRA, who has been working on the updated national SuDS standards, published in June 2025. While still non-statutory in nature, these highlight the four objectives of SuDS: controlling the quantity of runoff, managing the quality of runoff, creating better places for people and nature. The new standards introduce a hierarchy of priorities to guide SuDS design, and Ed highlighted the work that is being done by the Ministry and forthcoming consideration of the wider stewardship of SuDs. The discussion that followed recognised the challenges of Britain’s aging water infrastructure, and the need for cross-industry collaboration and joint working to address water shortage and runoff issues, particularly in relation to new settlements.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the TCPA’s New Communities Group, please get in touch with Lachlan Anderson-Frank. The TCPA’s New Communities Group offers support for local authorities delivering large scale housing growth through workshops, webinars and policy briefings, and members can access archive recordings of past events. You can find out more here: TCPA New Communities Group.

Webinar agenda

2:00pm Welcome from the ChairCatriona Riddell – TCPA Trustee2:05pmEmbedding sustainable infrastructure policies in development plan documentsFiona Hunter – Senior Planner, Tendring Colchester Borders Garden Community Project2:15pmSalt Cross Garden Village’s Net Zero policyAndrea Clenton, Major Development Programme Lead, West Oxfordshire District Council2:25pmQ&A2:45pmEnabling Water Smart Communities Project – cross sector delivery and stewardship for integrated water managementCat Moncrieff – Policy Manager, The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management2:55pmThe New National standards for SuDSEd Lockett – Drainage and Wastewater Team, DEFRA3:05pmQ&A3:25pmClosing Remarks

Check to see if you are part of a New Communities Group (NCG) member organisation

About Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) Memberships

Stewardship for New Communities
2025-10-16 10:00 - 11:30
In this webinar, we will explore current issues and opportunities for long-term stewardship in new communities. Drawing on practical experience from current and recent projects the session will explore transferable lessons for those planning for long-term stewardship in new communities. As the New Towns Taskforce publishes its final report highlighting the importance of stewardship, and debate is live on issues such as commonhold, which may have an impact on stewardship, this timely session will also provide space to discuss potential future reforms.

Part of our TCPA New Communities Group series of events, this webinar will offer valuable insight for local councils, planners and communities.The TCPA has produced a wealth of guidance and resources to support those interested long-term stewardship of new communities including a toolkit, briefing note on governance, guidance on securing long-term stewardship through the Development Plan, and two research reports on lessons and barriers from recent experience, drawing on learning from the New Communities Group.

Area of work: Long-term stewardship

This event is kindly supported by Adam Architecture.

Draft agenda

Time Speaker 10:00 Welcome from the ChairCatriona Riddell – TCPA Vice Chair10:05 Hugh Petter, Director, Adam ArchitectureA patient approach to creating communities10:20Mark Patchett, Founder, Community Stewardship SolutionsRecent lessons from new communities and embedding stewardship through an SPD in Calderdale10:35Q&A10:45Alan Carter, Chief Executive, The Land TrustCurrent projects and lessons from large scale sites11:00Suzanne Keenan, Senior Manager, Homes EnglandHomes England’s emerging approach to long term stewardship principals11:10Discussion11:25 Closing remarks

Check to see if you are part of a New Communities Group (NCG) member organisation

About Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) Memberships
