News round-up 

Our planning news is published in association with The Planner, the official magazine of the Royal Town Planning Institute.

A round-up of planning news…

RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence finalists announced 

The RTPI has announced the finalists for the 2023 Awards for Planning Excellence, with the awards ceremony to be hosted by television journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy. 

Categories cover the breadth of the planning industry, from health and wellbeing to heritage and culture. This year, there are two new categories: Digital Planning and Inspirational Leader. 

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Tuesday 21 November 2023 at The Fountain Room, London. Tickets, which include a welcome drinks reception and a three-course seated dinner, will go on sale 9 October. 

A list of all the finalists can be found on the RTPI website.  

Merley housing plans approved 

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council has given reserved matters planning permission to Cala Homes (Thames) for its first phase of development on land north of Oakley Lane, Merley. 

The development will deliver 285 new homes, 40 per cent of which will be affordable. It will include a mixture of one and two-bedroom apartments and, two, three, four, and five-bedroom homes to be delivered. 

The first phase of development will include several features to support wildlife on the site as part of Cala Homes’ urban wildlife strategy. Sixteen hectares of green space including play areas and allotments will also be delivered. 

Cala will be implementing a Community Pledge for the development which will see it engage with and support local charities and organisations. 

bp unveils South Mimms EV plans 

bp has revealed plans for a new pulse electric vehicle (EV) charging hub at its existing retail site north of the M25 and greater London area. 

The company plans to redevelop its current Connect retail site adjacent to the Welcome Break South Mimms services, north of the M25 (junction 23) and east of the A1. The site is accessed off Bignells Corner. 

Proposals include 32 covered ultra-fast EV charging bays along with an enhanced M&S retail unit providing washroom facilities. The plan will also retain 10 of the existing 16 petrol and diesel pumps. 

A public consultation is under way and people can find out more here. The closing date for comments is 16 October 2023. 

About 155 construction jobs are expected to be created alongside another 190 supply chain jobs during the initial build period. Once complete, the site could create a further six full-time jobs on-site in addition to the existing 15 jobs that support the current operations. If approved, on-site work could start in early 2024. 

Council approves leisure centre plans in Whitchurch 

Shropshire Council has approved plans for a £13.1 million pool and leisure centre in Whitchurch. 

The new centre will include a six-lane, 25-metre pool, a 41-station fitness suite, multi-function rooms and a café with 20 covers. 

The ground floor will accommodate the café, changing village and pool, which will be overlooking the brook. Upstairs, there will be a 41-station gym with equipment and a flexible studio space that can be divided into two rooms. 

Construction is expected to begin early next year, and the centre is expected to open in mid-2025. 

Nottinghamshire housing plans green-lit 

Rushcliffe Borough Council has approved plans for a £61 million development by Avant Homes East Midlands to deliver 102 new homes in Radcliffe-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire. 

Called Hackett Grange and located off Nottingham Road, the 13-acre development will include a mix of two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, featuring 14 of Avant Homes’ house types. 

Of the 102 homes, 30 per cent have been designated as affordable housing. Avant Homes has also committed to a community contribution of £950,000 to support education and local services, and a sustainable travel plan. 

Work at Hackett Grange is anticipated to start this December, and the first residents are expected to move into their new homes next autumn. 

Apprentices part of plan to improve Lichfield’s development management service 

Improvements to Lichfield District Council’s development management service include the introduction of a ‘planning school’ to give apprentice officers the skills and expertise to optimise the service they deliver to applicants. 

Jessica Cliffe, Katherine Harvey and Emily Ozwell have enrolled on the University of Westminster’s master’s apprenticeship degree course in Urban and Regional Planning. On completing the course in three years’ time, they “will have taken large strides towards becoming chartered professionals” with the RTPI, said the council. 

They join fellow officers James Hyde and Tom Watts, who have just commenced their second year of studies for the same qualification at the University of Birmingham. 

The course aims to give apprentices the knowledge, understanding and skills necessary to practise professionally as a town planner and to help with the resources, capacity and skills shortages. 

The course is equivalent to a traditional postgraduate degree. 

Planning apprentice Emily Ozwell said that it is “great to work for an organisation that supports young people in their careers and personal development”. 

Artemis Christophi, who leads the planning transformation and management at Lichfield District Council, said: “I am thrilled to be able to have launched our new and exciting planning school which has supported and brought forward our new cohort of planning apprentices to Lichfield District Council. 

“We are a disruptive council – shaking up how local government operates and delivers planning apprenticeship programmes. We do things differently! 

“We are very proud of our new relationship with the University of Westminster and continued relationship with Birmingham University, in support of our new programme.” 

10 October 2023 
Laura Edgar and Prithvi Pandya, The Planner