Relevant learning opportunities for professional planners, support staff and elected members involved in planning can come in a variety of forms, some more obvious than others. The main focus of the Planning Development Programme is the development and delivery of training events that target priority skills and knowledge development needs within planning authorities, working in partnership with authorities, stakeholders and training providers.
The workshops and learning opportunities that will be supported through the Programme from April 2010 will relate to one of three themes:
- Design
Design principles
Design policies
Housing
Residential streets
Design statements
Masterplanning
Retail capacity & impact assessment - Sustainability
Sustainability, land use and the role of the planning system – an overview
Energy efficiency and LZCD
Sustainable buildings and places - General
The principles and practice of effective community engagement
Designing streets
Development viability
Managing and leading change
Negotiation, mediation and influencing
Project management and processing of planning applications for major developments
Neighbour notification: practical points and lessons so far
The Programme aims to be demand-led, reacting to common training needs identified by authorities for which appropriate solutions do not already exist. The training will be sourced in a variety of ways including through a full European tendering exercise (for example the module-based design awareness training), requesting bespoke events from existing training providers or reacting to proposals from interest groups. Due to financial circumstances, a maximum delivery rate will be enforced.
A full list of the workshops currently available through the Programme is available to download. All workshops available through the Programme can be delivered in house for authorities on request. Some workshops are also run on an open basis for participants from any of the 34 authorities. These open events are run on an ad-hoc basis therefore a forward programme is not available. Information about events arranged through the Planning Development Programme is circulated by email to the 34 authorities through the managers of the planning services.
A new series of events aiming to encourage sharing of good practice between planning authorities has been introduced in the Sharing good practice section.
If you would like further information about events or would like to discuss your ideas for future events, please contact or Leigh Rennie on 01506 775578.
Related information
Background to the Planning Development Programme
Learning & Development
Funding
Sharing Good Practice
Elected Members
