How can we maximise social value in town centre regeneration?

The UN Women UK’s charity launched a campaign to enhance our public spaces in 2020, after they identified, that over 70% of women have experienced sexual harassment in public (physical and online) spaces. Everyone working within the development industry has a duty to enhance the security of our urban environments. The space we give over to movement and play must make everyone feel welcome, no matter what age or gender, religion or capability.

Here we bring together a group of individuals at the forefront of this debate to understand more about the emerging research, resources and approaches being taken in this sphere, to design better and make change happen. 

Featuring:  Amelia Powell, HerCollective; Cllr Holly Bruce, Glasgow City Council;  Rachel Kirkwood, Stantec; Mirella Ainsworth, Barton Willmore, now Stantec; Jenni Montgomery, Barton Willmore, now Stantec (Chair)

With Rishi Sunak now in place as Prime Minister and Michael Gove returned to DLUCH, there remains work to be done in terms of planning focus and priorities, if the Government is to ensure the development industry plays the role it can in economic recovery, our route to net zero and the growing challenge of social inequality UK wide. 

Here we bring together a familiar panel of podcast voices, who have joined us previously to debate this very topic and therefore do so in this new context. 

What of Truss’s plans for planning should remain? If Investment Zones go, what should the alternatives be? With the Levelling Up and Regeneration Agenda back on the table, what does this mean for the industry? Is it time for more funding into planning departments? Any move on water nutrient neutrality? How can he aid the Affordable Housing Plan?

 Featuring: Tom Martin, Quatro; Zack Simons, Landmark Chambers; Catriona Riddell, Catriona Riddell & Associates Ltd;  Matthew Dawber, Barton Willmore, now Stantec; Iain Painting, Barton Willmore, now Stantec (Chair)

Everyone is agreed that the same old thinking won’t solve the growing challenges across energy, water, climate change, and transport – we’re facing problems on a serious scale and we need fresh solutions.  In this episode, we hear from three recent entrants to the planning and placemaking profession, getting their perspectives on the 21st Century community and where they see the opportunities for innovation, ideas, and progressive approaches to these very real problems.  

How can we design better for net zero living?  What is the way forward for water?  How should we achieve energy security and affordability?  What’s the solution for future mobility and the best way to connect people and places?

Buckle up and prepare for some viewpoints from four Graduate Planners and Designers with points to make and ideas to share.

Featuring our Barton Willmore, now Stantec Graduates:  Sarah McKenzie; Angus Duncan; Ed Jones; and Ben Copithorne, Camargue (Chair).

Back in 2017, we hosted a survey and debate alongside the Birmingham Post, on the future ambitions for Birmingham to 2030. Five years on, and five years into Andy Street’s tenure as West Midlands Regional Mayor, how is the ‘capital’ of the region reflecting these ambitions and implementing change? How has the direction for the wider region changed post-pandemic? What areas of focus do we believe should now be a priority? How is the Commonwealth Games impacting the urban fabric? What should the priorities be for growth to 2050?

We brought together a range of people to discuss this topic, who are working within and delivering change across the city, while we happily came together within it to celebrate all things Barton Willmore and Stantec, at The Custard Factory in Digbeth.

Featuring: Rob Garratt, St Joseph Homes; Charles Goode, University of Birmingham; Jez Collins, Birmingham Music Archive; Daniel Griffiths, Stantec; Kathryn Ventham, Barton Willmore, now Stantec; Robin Shepherd, Barton Willmore, now Stantec (Chair)

It is fair to say the new Planning Bill is a combination of Gove and successive previous Planning Ministers’ (and there have been many) attempts at implementing the Levelling-Up agenda and perhaps rescuing the ‘Planning for the Future’ white paper. From scrapping EIA, housing need, and the duty to cooperate, to implementing changes to the development plan hierarchy, a new levy to replace CIL and S106, design coding, and infrastructure delivery strategies, it sounds like a raft of changes but what do they all mean in reality? What are the intended and perhaps unintended consequences? And how, in summary, does all this change truly help to deliver the Levelling-Up agenda? We are joined by a gaggle of passionate planners to mull it over.

Featuring Iain Painting, Barton Wilmore, now Stantec;  Iain Gilbey, Pinsent Masons;  Catriona Riddell, Catriona Riddell & Associates;  Tom Martin, Quatro PR;  Mary Mescall, Barton Willmore, now Stantec

The Levelling-Up Agenda challenges many of our development sectors to consider the contribution they can make to economic growth and the search for a step change in growth and opportunity for local communities. A recent BPF report has set out the contribution the industrial and logistics sector particularly has to play but also how restricted space could impact any levelling-up ambitions. More broadly employment land and development, its allocation and even protection is an important facet of any successful economy.

On this podcast we bring together representatives from the industrial and logistics sector to talk through the value these schemes can deliver in the levelling-up context, opportunities for intensification and consider the hurdles currently faced in the delivery at each level.

Featuring: James Donagh, Barton Willmore, now Stantec (Chair); Clare Bottle, UK Warehousing Association; Gareth Osborn, DHL Supply Chain;  Matt Griffith, Business West/British Chamber of Commerce;  Gareth Prichard, Barton Willmore, now Stantec.

Town Planning as a profession emerged from a need to enhance health and opportunity for our growing urban populations. Enhance sanitation and living conditions and enact positive change that tackles urban inequality and provides homes for everyone. But today, our Graduate planners are wondering if Town Planners are still able to tackle this challenge effectively, in whatever role they take up?

In this podcast, two of our ambitious Graduates are bringing together representatives from across the profession to consider this question along with discussing the opportunities and hurdles to delivering social justice through urban regeneration or new development delivery. Where is/has it been done well and how could it be better supported?

Featuring Heather Claridge, Glasgow City Council;  Ryan Woolrych, Heriot-Watt University; Keir Hunter and Seth Tyler, Graduate Planners at Barton Willmore, now Stantec. Robin Shepherd, Director (Chair).

COP26 has sought to bring together governments from across the world to discuss and debate the global response to climate change and the tangible commitments and actions that are required. But how do the topics and decisions being made at this hugely important conference impact the built environment sector and beyond this what are we seeing as the immediate priorities for our industry in response to this humanitarian crisis?

In this pod, we have sought to bring together views of both the future generations of our industry and established ESG focused professionals, to share their thoughts and discuss the responses they want to or can see happening.

Featuring Emily Hamilton, Savills Investment Management; Gavin Bridge, Spatia; Nicola Hugo and Gemma Kinnear, Samuel Ryder Academy;  Lucy Wood and  Barry Williams, Barton Willmore

Over the last few months, a couple of appeal decisions have once again reignited the debate around greenbelt development and what better way to kick off the new series of our podcast, with a hot topic and well qualified expert views from a leading legal, political developer, and planner, all diving into what at the time felt like a significant decision in St Albans earlier this year.

Despite all now feeling this resolution to permit, greenbelt release remains the exception as opposed to the rule, it has unquestionably once again heightened the debate. Frustrations remain strong around greenbelt’s original intentions as a policy instrument, versus the perception it now has in the general public’s minds, and therefore those of the politicians, as sacrosanct open space/rural sites of merit, and our guests point to the quick yet lazy opportunity it represents for political manifestos, resulting in it endlessly being used by short-sighted politicians hunting a vote.

How can we change the conversation? Make even the smallest of changes? Featuring Zack Simons, Landmark Chambers, Paul Campbell, Richborough Estates and Land Promoters & Developers Federation, Tom Martin, Quatro, Mark Sitch, Barton Willmore, Robin Shepherd, Barton Willmore (Chair).

Humans are pack animals and urban centres are a hub for interaction, so with a ‘post-COVID’ world looking uncertain, and tiered lockdowns further threatening the vibrancy of our urban centres, our response in terms of high street regeneration is becoming more and more critical. 

If the fundamental requirements of our urban centres are to host and sustain these delicate ecosystems of interaction, is their inherent social value uppermost in our thoughts? If it is, where do we now see the opportunities for maximising it through every move we make, as we look to ‘Build Back Better/Greener’ and revive these spaces for the long term? How do we ensure that the delicate balance of society and its role in placemaking is installed for the benefit of our town centres? We bring together panellists Dr William Bird, Intelligent Health; Paul Hanegraaf, Milligan and Shain Shapiro, Sound Diplomacy, Planning Associate and High Streets Task Force Expert, Nicole Roe and Partner Stephen Tucker (chair) to discuss.