New 'Planning for Non Planners' training programme launched » Communities » 24dash.com

The Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC) and  the British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA) have developed a joint training programme that provides non-planning professionals who interact with the planning system with a detailed insight into the profession in England.

The ‘Planning for Non Planners’ programme is targeted at local authority employees who interact with the planning profession but aren’t qualified planners.

It encourages participants to think about how their day-to-day responsibilities are affected by planning issues, identify how they can engage better with the planning system and gain a clearer understanding of how the planning system can contribute to successful and sustainable regeneration.

Gill Taylor, Chief Executive, ASC said: “The Government’s ambitious housing targets means that regeneration and development departments in local authorities are under increasing pressure to perform.

"I’m confident this course will be welcomed by all non-planners and will help them to successfully deliver regeneration schemes across the country.”

The two-day courses will be run in October 2008 and again in January, February and March 2009 and will be delivered by experienced practitioners.

It includes three elements:

• An online pre-course module that provides access to reading lists and discussion groups to enhance the participant’s clarity on their current knowledge of planning.
• An interactive workshop applying theory and critique through real-life case studies and discussion.
• A study tour of a developed site, allowing participants to contextualise the theory from day one and relate it to their own profession.

The course has been piloted by senior and middle managers at Kirklees Council and has elicited excellent feedback.

Delegates were drawn from different departments, including regeneration and development, design and property service, highways and transportation and culture & leisure. 

Greg Jennings, Assistant Director, Regeneration Development Service, Kirklees Metropolitan Borough Council said: "We involved colleagues from across the council including landscape architects, highways engineers and housing professionals and the course was very well received. I am delighted that this much needed course went so well.”

The pilot programme focused on environmental assessment, sustainability appraisals, project level assessments and planning applications.

A steering group comprising the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE) and Planning Aid was formed to provide feedback to BURA and ASC in the development of the course.