The Only Constant is Change

Sam Stafford gets back to 50 Shades basics and enjoys in this episode a gently meandering conversation with some of his friends about planning. Sam could not though resist a typically verbose introduction... ""It is commonly observed”, said Samuel Johnson, “that when two Englishmen meet, their first talk is of the weather; they are in haste to tell each other, what each must already know, that it is hot or cold, bright or cloudy, windy or calm." One could make a case that when two English planners meet, their first talk is of planning reform. In the former case, it is perhaps that, whilst the weather is changeable, the English temperament is not, and passing the time with such platitudinous pleasantries avoids, heaven forbid, the need to have a conversation about anything important.  In the latter case, constant talk of reform seems almost like a similar communal comfort blanket. It relegates responsibility for meaningful change to a higher power to enact at some point in the future, absolving the individual, be that an individual political or an individual planner, of responsibility for change in the here and now. And what would Dr Johnson make of the language of reform? ‘Fixing’ or ‘solving’ something are absolutist terms being applied to something that is not only manifestly subjective, but also, in the case, of housing and the built environment, a function of an entire culture rather than a single regulatory regime. One supposes though that there is not many votes in ‘improving’ the planning system or ‘alleviating’ the housing crisis… We need to talk about reform, but not for what it might mean in the future. For the impact that incessant talk of it is having in the present…" Shelly Rouse, Principal Consultant at PAS (@Rouse_Shelly); Vicky Payne, planner and urban designer at URBED (@Victoria_Payne); and Paul Smith, Managing Director at Strategic Land Group (@Paul_SLG) try to make sense of that. Some accompanying reading. Vicky's report of the first Common Good event https://journal.theaou.org/news-and-reviews/review-common-good-design-and-sustainability-in-the-north/ The RTPI's recent consultation responses https://www.rtpi.org.uk/new-from-the-rtpi/?contentType=Consultations 'Beware of ‘Policy Intern Brain’ – the source of so many bad ideas' by Anya Martin https://capx.co/beware-of-policy-intern-brain-the-source-of-so-many-bad-ideas/ Some accompanying listening. Round and Round by King Creosote and Michael Johnston https://soundcloud.com/m-j-789958593/02-round-and-round Some accompanying viewing. How policy is formulated in Westminster https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_AM1W5rHGA 50 Shades T-Shirts! If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast you will have heard Clive Betts say that... 'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'. Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/07/50-shades-of-planning-t-shirts.html