Pinch Yourself, You're a Planner

John Stiles

Sat, 07 Jun 2025 14:09:18 GMT

John Stiles, Placemaking Manager at London Borough of Brent, reminds me that we planners have come to skimp on aspiration and vision.

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Shelly Rouse

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 20:50:16 GMT

Shelly Rouse is a Principal Consultant with the Planning Advisory Service, an arm of the Local Government Association that supports local planning authorities. Shelly has the impressive task of getting under the bonnets of planning services across the country. I’m not saying that the advice she gives is simple – but, to me, it is more than clear and absolutely essential.

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Urban Forecast x Pinch Yourself

Sun, 16 Jun 2024 20:30:26 GMT

Back in May, I had the very welcome opportunity to sit down for a chat with Oliver Lowrie, Director of architecture firm Ackrowyd Lowrie. He is also a host, along with his business partner, Jon Ackroyd, of Urban Forecast podcast. For a couple of months, Oliver and I had been thinking about a podcast mashup - and it finally happened!

Oliver gave me way too much airtime, and let me jabber on - but I appreciate it because I rarely get to be the jabberer. We talked about the interaction between planners and architects, inside and outside the planning process; the conversations that add value to our work; where we find our work values and - dare I say - reform-ish ideas.

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Andy Rutter

Sun, 18 Feb 2024 22:44:36 GMT

Andy Rutter, recently elected Chair of Young Planning Officers Society, reflects on - sure - the challenges facing new planners - but more importantly - all of the opportunities planners should grab hold of, including building networks, going to the office, keeping a keen eye on growing sectors and listening in on others' conversations.

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Edith Hsu-Chen and Erik Botsford

Sat, 06 Jan 2024 19:26:57 GMT

I had the dreamy opportunity to speak with Edith Hsu-Chen, Executive Director of the New York City Department of City Planning [read: planning honcho for the entire City of New York] and Erik Botsford, Director of the Manhattan Office [read: planning honcho for the entire island of Manhattan, unless Edith says otherwise.]

Warning: This recording includes immoderate flattery, self-aggrandisement (on my part), claims of New York being the greatest city and LOLs.

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Young Planners - East of England

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 21:47:39 GMT

Reflections from three members of the Royal Town Planning Institute East of England Young Planners: Genny Middlemast, Jessica Groome and Katie Fowler. They talk about finding planning, school while working, what effective planning looks like, things that get them down and how planning has pushed them to do what they never thought possible.

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Softer skills

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 20:53:40 GMT

In this future award-winning episode, I record my own voice numerous times until I sound less like a fool and try to say constructive things about soft skills for planners. I dig deep and explain in roundabout ways that it's important to 1) care, 2) communicate well and 3) be human. If you listen past the waffle, you will find inspiration.

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Alice Lester, MBE

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 21:21:05 GMT

Alice Lester, MBE, Director for Regeneration, Growth and Employment at the London Borough Brent, explains how she makes everything she touches turn to gold.

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Simon Wicks

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 15:04:37 GMT

For six years, Simon Wicks has been deputy Editor of The Planner, the magazine of the Royal Town Planning Institute. I asked to get his view, as a media professional, on the tensions he sees in the way planning is viewed publicly and how planners can help to reboot the conversation. Simon is a through-and-through champion of the planning profession and planners. He is interested to change the narrative and sees us at the centre of that effort.

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Grace Crannis

Mon, 15 May 2023 16:53:50 GMT

Information gathering through connecting with people seems an obvious and practical stepping-off point in any effort, but is regularly undervalued. Grace Crannis, responsible for planning engagement at Richmond and Wandsworth Councils in south west London, makes a compelling case for putting public involvement at the front of planning processes. Grace gives fresh perspective on the craft of engagement and shares examples that generate rich and meaningful outputs.

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Bethany Cullen

Sun, 12 Mar 2023 21:12:24 GMT

Bethany Cullen is such an inspiring leader in Development Management - the process in the UK planning system of deciding planning applications, and all of the complexities around that. Beth reflects on what has brought her to her role today as Head of DM at the London Borough of Camden and what some of the biggest challenges are facing DM planners particularly. I've been uplifted by Beth's message that, beyond the rigours of regulations and procedures, every planner has the potential to achieve better outcomes.

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Helen Fadipe

Mon, 12 Dec 2022 20:59:40 GMT

In this final conversation in 2022, I speak with Helen Fadipe - who is an oracle, not just on the planning profession, but on living life. When she's not tied up imparting wisdom, Helen is director of FPP Associates and founder and chair of the BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) Planners Network in the UK. Helen shares what drove her to form the BAME Planners Network, the importance of adding value to your work and how some of the smallest tasks can have the greatest impact.

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Apprentices

Mon, 28 Nov 2022 20:00:20 GMT

What a treat to speak with Hannah Procter, Karim El-Houssami and Kate Vaggers, who have recently joined Enfield Council as planning apprentices. How lucky is Enfield!?!? They think planning is impressive! They think it's challenging! They think all the hard work is worthwhile because, at the end of the day, we may have a role in changing the world. I'm so inspired by them, enjoy this listen.

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Timothy Crawshaw

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 22:24:47 GMT

Whoop, whoop! This is the very first interview for Pinch Yourself, You're a Planner, and it's a humdinger. The person whose planning authority is unmatched in the land - Timothy Crawshaw, President of the Royal Town Planning Institute, is generous enough to speak to me and reflect on learnings from his year as President, the forces and influences that have helped shape his career and what keeps his planning juices flowing.

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