Spring 2021 Cynllunio The Journal of RTPI Cymru First National Development Plan published - Future Wales RTPI Cymru Contacts Contents Roisin Willmott Director 3 RTPI Cymru Chair - Jane Jones Tel: 020 7929 8197 e-mail: 4 Future Wales: Minister for Housing and Local Government, Julie James MS [email protected] 5 RTPI Cymru Welcome Future Wales 6 Reaction to Future Wales Rhian Brimble Policy Officer 10 Planning Policy Wales - Edition 11 - what’s new? Tel: 020 7929 9498 11 Gender Mainstreaming - new RTPI research published e-mail: 12 Head of School, Geography and Planning, Cardiff University - Gillian Bristow [email protected] 14 PINS Virtual Inquiry / Hearings Update Georgina Roberts 16 An Ugly, Lovely Town full of potential Administrative Assistant 17 Planning Apprenticeships: Update Tel: 020 7929 8181 e-mail: 18 Places for Life II [email protected] 19 RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence 19 The role of town planning in protecting mental health RTPI Cymru 20 Young Planners Cymru Steering Committee Studio 107, Creative Quarter, Morgan Arcade 22 Cyfartha Plan Cardiff 23 Future Generations Commissioner: Bitesize Reports CF10 1AF Front Cover: Future Wales For further information, please visit: www.rtpi.org.uk/wales Editorial @RTPICymru There may well be light if they were face to face was on 8th March and with at the end of the tunnel to events. This continues in that theme in mind, we The RTPI is a charity break out of the restrictions 2021 - and for the webinars are pleased to introduce registered in England 262865 caused by the public health we have kept these as free 2021’s RTPI Cymru Chair and Scotland SC 037841 crisis, although we don’t yet for RTPI members, with a - Jane Jones - and Gill know how long the tunnel charge for non-members. Bristow, Cardiff University’s Editor: is, but with spring emerging We have invested in digital School of Geography and Roisin Willmott let’s take a glass half full technology and this year’s Planning’s first female Head approach. Planner Live Wales (Wales of School, in this edition of Potential articles and images It’s a year since we all Planning Conference) Cynllunio. are welcome. The Editor reserves the right to amend shifted to a new way of to be held on 8th June There’s a new Steering articles as necessary. working. It’s been a long will be virtual but a new Committee for Young stint but so much has exciting experience, with Planners Cymru (YPC) and Croesawn erthyglau yn y Gymraeg. happened, playing out on opportunities for networking we hear about them all in our small (and in some and exhibition stands; this edition, along with their The copy deadlines for the cases large) screens. we’ll also be running the new Chair - Kate Coventry. next 3 quarterly issues of Planning is a profession breakout out workshops this Cynllunio are: We have other interesting and discipline which is year. Look out for details of reads in this edition, • Thursday 20 May 2021 centred around people and this exciting day. You’ll have providing the latest updates, • Thursday 19 August 2021 places and so moving this to bring your own coffee • Thursday 4 November including about biophilic 2021 on-line has been somewhat and lunch though. living in Swansea. at odds with normality for If you want to make Last month, Welsh Good luck to all the Finalists us, but it had to be done contributions then get in touch Government published in this year’s RTPI Awards and there have been great on 020 7929 8197 or email: Future Wales - the first for Planning Excellence efforts to make it work; [email protected]. national development plan - the Welsh Finalists are we hear about some in in the UK. We are very listed in this edition. Look The opinions expressed are this edition of Cynllunio, pleased to have an article out for the invitations for contributors’ own, unless including from the Planning by the Minister in this otherwise stated. The RTPI is entries to this year’s RTPI Inspectorate. edition to talk about the not responsible for statements Cymru Awards for Planning made or views expressed in The RTPI event programme new Plan. We also invited Excellence, including our this Journal. also moved online and a handful of members from search for the 2021 Wales this has meant you can different perspectives to Young Planner of the Year. access any of our CPD give us their initial thoughts. events across the UK and International Women’s Day Roisin Willmott FRTPI, Ireland more easily than Editor 2 Cynllunio - Spring 2021 RTPI Cymru Chair, Jane Jones looks forward to a positive year Following on from the events of 2020 and the Covid 19 pandemic, who would have thought the start of 2021 would see us in the depths of a further national lockdown. Hopefully though we start 2021 with greater optimism that life can begin to get back to some form of normality. Vaccination roll-out continues at pace and at the time of writing, there are encouraging sounds from the First Minister that lockdown restrictions may start to ease. Despite this there are no doubt many of us suffering from the restricted life style we currently lead; working from home, home schooling, lack of meeting with family and socialising with friends are all taking its toll – hopefully though we can now see light at the end of the tunnel. Looking back at 2020, it has been a challenging time for all, but a year which actually achieved so much and involved adapting to many changes. A year which promised a varied and far reaching Above: Jane Jones, Chair RTPI Cymru events calendar was soon turned on its head. Despite the upheaval, events continued albeit in a virtual format and in particular the Wales Planning Conference on climate action was a great success. The enforcement conference resulted in a joint effort from all Nations and Regions, resulting in a jammed packed week of virtual presentations and discussions. I was able to contribute to this event with my recent involvement with undertaking direct action. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Roisin, Rhian and Georgina at RTPI Cymru for making the impossible, possible. I’d also like to thank our outgoing Chair Simon Power for all his dedication and hard work during a very challenging and unpredictable 2020. Turning to 2021, although no one knows exactly what lies ahead, there is a sense life can only get better. I think 2021 will be a year where we can build upon the new ways of working we have become accustomed to and it will also be a time to reflect upon the past and what we have learnt from it. As Chair, I’ve had to consider a theme for the coming year which has not been as easy as I first envisaged. With a planning career tailored around enforcement for the last twenty years, my immediate reaction was to tread down this route. I mean what better way to champion the role of planning enforcement officers and the important work they undertake within the planning system. However in November 2019, I took on the role of Acting Planning Manager (secondment until December 2021) at Snowdonia National Park Authority. Since this appointment it has become very apparent to me that resourcing of planning Congratulations to our latest services is vitally important and my theme will revolve around this issue. Local Planning Authorities are expected to deliver Chartered Town Planners more services efficiently but with fewer resources. With continued budget constraints, planning services are under immense pressure. Without properly resourced planning services, planning simply can’t deliver. If we are going to recover from the impact of Covid 19, planning services need to be fully resourced to process applications for any development Congratulations to our latest Chartered Planners to be elected to take place. If this resource is not in place, then this in Wales: impacts upon the private sector needs in terms of facilitating • Nia Borsey, Fisher German recovery. • Kate Coventry, LRM Planning Resourcing forms one of the central parts of the RTPI • Alexandra Egge, Mott Macdonald Cymru’s Manifesto Asks for the Senedd Cymru/Welsh • Alexander Melling, Wood Group Parliament elections in 2021 and is also a key component of • Adam Provoost, Bridgend County Borough Council the RTPI’s Corporate Strategy. In order to ‘Plan the Wales Employers recognise the high quality of skills and experience we Need’ we need an effective and positive planning service that are held by Chartered Town Planners. They know that they which is well resourced and can deliver corporate objectives, can rely upon the designation as a sign of professionalism. especially at a time where recovery from the pandemic is (Note those more recently awarded Chartered status will appear in the crucial. next edition of Cynllunio). Jane Jones MRTPI All the information and guidance for submitting your APC (all routes) is available from: www.rtpi.org.uk/membership/ RTPI Cymru Chair assessment-of-professional-competence/ A series of webinars are planned during 2021 to provide information to guide you to becoming Chartered. If you are preparing or want to find out more, keep a look out for events on the RTPI website. Cynllunio - Spring 2021 3 Future Wales: The National Plan The Welsh Government published Future Wales: The National Plan 2040 on 24th February making it the first ever national development plan in the United Kingdom. The publication is the culmination of four years work and, despite being delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic, it is a reflection of the importance of the planning system that we, as Ministers, prioritised its delivery in this government term.