Can you remember 2012? I can. It was a year of change. I sometimes think it’s when I came of age in planning.
I was Vice Chair RTPI London Young Planners. In March I moved into my new role at the then CgMs (now RPS) in March, and no sooner had I joined the first National Planning Policy Framework was published by DCLG. In April, the Community Infrastructure Levy started to have an impact, with the Mayoral Community Infrastructure Levy was adopted to help finance Crossrail (hopefully finally opening this year). That same month, Alison Mackay and I took the plunge to launch a platform for women working in the planning profession. We also had the Olympics which was celebrated by RTPI London Young Planners hosting the annual conference. Alison and I also submitted to become chartered. In December we hosted our first in-person Women in Planning event at Henry’s Bar in the West End supported by KDH and started our journey to making it the network is today. It was a very busy year.
Over the course of 2022, we want to celebrate this milestone birthday by looking back and reflecting on the past 10 years. We will be hosting a series of flagship events including:
10 years of the National Planning Policy Framework in England – reflecting on its impact
10 years of Women in Planning – what we have achieved and where are we with gender equality in the profession
10 years since the Mayoral Community Infrastructure Charging Schedule – reflecting on its impact
10 years since the Olympics – how good planning was vital in east London to avoid the ‘ghost town legacy’ of other host nations
All things being well with COVID-19, we will host a summer party where we hope to celebrate with many in the profession.
But, it’s not all retrospective and we will also start to think about the future and what the next 10 years might hold. We do work in planning after all. We will hold a series of events focused on where we want planning and profession to be in the next 10 years. More details to come at a later date.
We are really looking forward to 2022 and celebrating with you all.
Look out for details on the events above and if you’re keen to support or sponsor, please reach out to Alison Mackay, Kate Green or I.
Next event: Lunch Bites from West Midlands details to be released soon.
Charlotte Morphet, National Co-Chair, Women in Planning