Midlands Development Management Conference

Landmark Planning's 19th annual event was I am pretty sure voted a success by the 150 who were there. Next year's RTPI President, John Acres, opened proceedings with an insightful shifting of the gaze from the coal face; but delegates seemed most interested in the substantive content on how to do their job better. 

Gail Stoten assessment of harm to heritage assets was very well received while the role play (based upon North Kesteven's Planning Committee model) was not only enjoyable, but also very educational. The fact that the audience came to a very different conclusion than the Blaby Committee who actually had to determine the application was instructive to say the least. Ian Davies, the real life Development Manager gave the post decisions consequences, which highlighted that we are in the real world making real decisions that affect people' lives. 

And that is why Development Management is so important. The other joy is our advocates Hugh Richards and Simon Stanion who always ham their roles up to be parodies of objectors and supporters. Good on you guys.

This year we concluded the day with the legal updates from Hugh and James Burcher, which worked well. As they had been on opposite sides in the first Supreme Court case on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) (five years after it was issued) brought a real insight into where we stand at the moment.The primacy of the Development Plan and where a Council cannot demonstrate a five year housing land supply then the 'tilted' balance of NPPF para 14 and sustainable development is only then engaged is fundamental. 

By next year in time, for our 20th anniversary event, hopefully more can be known and explained about how we actually define this housing need. Not before time I hear you say. Book early as we were sold out this time and had an unfulfilled waiting list.