Royal Town Planning Institute

Senior Public Affairs Officer Aisling Byrne takes you through where we are with the two Planning bills and it's good news for our Chief Planners amendment...

Read the blog here:
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/new-from-the-rtpi/aisling-byrne-bills-bills-bills/

Thanks for sharing Alison 👍

Victoria Hills and Matthew Pennycook sitting at a roundtable with others at the Labour Party Conference with the new RTPI banner behind them.

"Liverpool showed that planning is central to Government’s growth mission, but delivery will stand or fall on capacity, leadership and skills."

RTPI's Senior Public Affairs Officer Lazaros Tsenekidis reflects on the #LabourPartyConference.
Read more: www.rtpi.org.uk/new-from-the...

Next generation of new towns must be future-proof The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has described the Government’s decision to press ahead with a new generation of new towns as one of the most ambitious development initiatives in more than fif...

The RTPI described the Government’s new towns announcement as one of the most ambitious development initiatives in more than 50 years – and one that must be built on lessons from the past if it is to succeed.

Read the RTPI's response:
www.rtpi.org.uk/new-from-the...

RTPI has signed a joint letter with more than 30 organisations calling for £6.8m in urgent funding to support Planning Schools to continue to recruit and train apprentice planners.

Read the joint letter:
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/letter-to-matthew-pennycook-mp-minister-for-housing-and-planning/

This blog explores a landmark decision last autumn in which Gloucestershire County Council approved the county's largest-ever mineral development project.

Read the blog:
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/new-from-the-rtpi/the-pivotal-role-of-planning-in-gloucestershires-largest-mineral-development/

🏘️🗺️🏙️The @rtpiplanners.bsky.social has confirmed the re-accreditation of our MPhil in Planning, Growth and Regeneration. 💬RTPI President @helenfadipe.bsky.social said, "Cambridge's MPhil ... demonstrates the mix of academic rigour and real-world relevance we look for in RTPI-accredited programmes."

RTPI re-accredits Cambridge’s MPhil in planning, keeping more routes to Chartered status open The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has confirmed the re-accreditation of the University of Cambridge’s Department of Land Economy taught MPhil in Planning, Growth and Regeneration, keeping door ...

Find out more: www.rtpi.org.uk/new-from-the...

Three people are sitting at a table in a library. A man is on a desktop computer and two women are working together on their laptop and notebooks, with bookshelves in the background.

We are delighted to re-accredit the University of Cambridge’s MPhil in Planning, Growth and Regeneration.

It means graduates of the spatial planning programme will be eligible to begin the Licentiate Assessment of Professional Competence, a key step toward becoming a Chartered Town Planner.

The 2025 round of RTPI Research Grants is open for applications.
The programme funds new, innovative, high quality, and impactful planning research.

Learn more: https://www.rtpi.org.uk/policy-and-research/research-and-practice/rtpi-research-grants/practitioner-research-fund-grant-applications/

The RTPI has launched Empower 2030, its strategic plan for 2025–2030, setting a route to strengthen the planning profession, enhance member value, and grow its membership.

Read more:
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/about-the-rtpi/who-we-are/our-strategic-priorities/empower-2030-the-rtpi-strategic-plan/

A big congratulations to the editors of 'The Future for Planners' on winning the Royal Town Planning Institute Patsy Healey award! 🌟🎉 @rtpiplanners.bsky.social

🔶Find out more about the award: buff.ly/E981TeS
🔶Find the book: buff.ly/dFCv38J

Congratulations to the 5 winning entries for the 2025 RTPI Awards for Research Excellence. 🙌

Discover the winners 👇
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/events-training-and-awards/awards/rtpi-awards-for-research-excellence/

Introducing the new RTPI brand. Empowering planners. Connecting people. Championing the planning profession.
Explore the thinking behind the brand – https://www.rtpi.org.uk/new-from-the-rtpi/our-fresh-new-brand-is-here/

The RTPI has warned that the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, which passed its Second Reading on 2 September, could leave rural communities behind.

Read more
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/new-from-the-rtpi/rural-areas-risk-being-left-behind-in-drive-for-devolution/

Great to see Issue 201 of the #ScottishPlanner out this week - it’s a wee festival of planning celebrating this year’s winners in the Awards for Planning Excellence plus all the usual contents, including the latest episode of my Podlicious recommendations… www.rtpi.org.uk/media/21122/...

Public lacks confidence in the next generation of New Towns, but has clear ideas for getting them right, RTPI and YouGov survey finds 73% of Brits are not confident the next generation of new towns will meet community needs in 50 years’ time.

A survey from the RTPI and YouGov reveals that the UK public has serious doubts about whether the next generation of new towns will meet future needs.
These findings echo recommendations in RTPI’s Futureproof New Towns interim report:
www.rtpi.org.uk/news/2025/au...

RTPI warns Housing Minister of major threat to planning profession from apprenticeship restrictions The RTPI has warned the Housing Minister of major threat to planning profession from apprenticeship restrictions.

RTPI warns Housing Minister @matthewpennycookmp.bsky.social of major threat to planning profession from level 7 apprenticeship restrictions.

Read more about the impact and possible solutions:
www.rtpi.org.uk/news/2025/au...

New director of careers and education to join RTPI The institute has appointed Professor John Sturzaker to lead its careers and education division.

📣BREAKING NEWS: Professor John Sturzaker FRTPI is joining RTPI as the new Director of Careers and Education in October 2025.

Read more: www.rtpi.org.uk/news/2025/ju...

Thrilled that our strategic planning research has been shortlisted!!

Congratulations all! A fantastic showcase of planning research. It was a pleasure being on the judging panel for the Patsy Healey Award and reading the entries - and tough to narrow them down into a shortlist

I am pleased to share that I have been selected as a finalist for the RTPI Early Career Research Award this year for a chapter of my thesis. Thank you very much to my co-authors!

Congratulations to the 18 finalists announced today for the 2025 RTPI Awards for Research Excellence.

Are you on the list? Find out https://www.rtpi.org.uk/events-training-and-awards/awards/rtpi-awards-for-research-excellence/

Purple background and white text with National Planning Conference as the main title. Arrow leading off to a bubble with New Towns and Settlements.

What are the opportunities & challenges for the Govt's new town's initiative?

Hear more at a designated session at the National Planning Conference this autumn.

Secure your ticket now:
www.rtpi.org.uk/npc

How English devolution will impact planning On 10 July 2025, the Government introduced its long-awaited Bill on devolution – newly named the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill.

Aisling Byrne has written about how the long-awaited English devolution bill will impact planning:
www.rtpi.org.uk/blog/2025/ju...

Milestone devolution bill offers new powers for mayors but resourcing concerns remain, says RTPI

Today's milestone English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill offers new powers for mayors — but resourcing concerns remain.

Read our statement for more: https://www.rtpi.org.uk/news/2025/july/milestone-devolution-bill-offers-new-powers-for-mayors-but-resourcing-concerns-remain/

London skyline outline at the bottom with Orange and blue text overlay: Young Planners' Conference Planning for good health 5-6 September 2025 book now: www.rtpi.org.uk/ypc

London Calling: Learn how the ‘good health’ theme has been put into planning practice around the capital city.

Chloe Selwood previews the Young Planners' Conference:
rtpi.org.uk/blog/2025/july/...

Times Radio Breakfast with Chloe Tilley and Peter Cardwell | Times Radio | The Times and the Sunday Times Listen to Times Radio live for the latest breaking news, expert analysis and well-informed discussion covering the biggest stories of the day.

In case you missed it, RTPI Chief Executive Victoria Hills was on Times Radio last week talking about Keir Starmer’s first year in Office, and the impact his Government has had on housing and planning reform.

Listen from 8:35 am:
https://www.thetimes.com/radio/show/20250704-31820/2025-07-04

📣BREAKING NEWS: @victoriartpi.bsky.social, who has led the RTPI for nearly eight years, is to step down from her post as CEO.

She will be moving on to take up the role of CEO at the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB).

Read more: www.rtpi.org.uk/news/2025/ju...

Olivia Gibson: Spending, strategy and spatial planning June has been a busy month for government policy announcements, with the Chancellor’s spending review, the release of the 10-year Infrastructure Strategy

What do the Government's new Infrastructure and industrial strategies mean for planning?

Learn from our Policy and Data Analyst Olivia Gibson 👇

www.rtpi.org.uk/blog/2025/ju...

#PlanningReform #SpatialPlanning #InfrastructureStrategy