Episodi

  • How Does Bad Policy Get Made?

    How Does Bad Policy Get Made?
    Jan 24 2026
    In October 2025 Sam Stafford came across a blog by Jack Airey, who is now a Director at Public First but was the Head of Planning at Policy Exchange and subsequently spent a few years inside Number 10 as a Special Advisor to the Prime Minister. The opening line of Jack’s blog was ‘How does bad policy get made?’ and he writes about “the war of attrition that is Whitehall policymaking”; "backbench pressure"; and the “lack of institutional understanding” within government about the practical impact of policy proposals. There is a link to Jack’s blog below. Sam asked Jack if he would be interested in talking about these themes on the podcast and, pleasingly, he was, so Sam thought next about who else it would be interesting to hear from about life inside the Westminster policy-making bubble. How about a civil servant’s perspective? Sam asked Simon Gallagher, formerly Director of Planning in the Department for Communities and Local Government (as was) and he was keen. How about a political perspective? Sam asked Rachel Maclean, former Minister of State for Housing & Planning and now Baroness Maclean of Redditch, and she was keen. And how about a planner’s perspective? Sam asked friend of the podcast Steve Quartermain, former Chief Planner, and he was keen, and so Sam arranged for the four of them to meet at Soho Radio Studios in January 2026 to record the conversation that forms this episode. The four of them talk about how policy is made and Simon shares his three stages of policy formulation. They talk about how things get to Ministers, how Ministers make decisions and who is involved at what stage. And they talk about whether planning is any different to other areas of public policy. Correction. Sam says in the introduction to the episode that Jack was the Head of Planning at Policy Exchange at the time of the 2020 'Planning for the Future' White Paper. In fact Jack was working in Number 10 at the time of the White Paper and helped to write it. Some accompanying reading. National housing policy is dysfunctional we must rewire to get building Women in Planning Some accompanying viewing. Yes, Prime Minister - If the right people don't have power Some accompanying listening. My Morning Jacket - Never In The Real World Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. If you are a new listener do please check out the back catalogue where you will find episodes on myriad planning topics, as well as the Hitting The High Notes and All Around the World series, and remember that by subscribing new episodes will magically appear in your phone as soon as Sam has published them. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are very welcome to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com. Sam is grateful to Richborough, Town Legal and Tyler Grange for supporting the podcast; to Vistry for sponsoring the 50 Shades mugs; and to Nick Stephenson and Rachael Cooper at ViralTribe for recording and editing this episode. Sam is on Bluesky and Instagram. His blog contains a link to his newsletter.
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    1 ora e 8 min
  • The Return of Strategic Planning

    The Return of Strategic Planning
    Jan 10 2026
    Strategic planning is back. What do we know? We know that Policy PM1 of the revised draft NPPF anticipates the move towards national coverage of Spatial Development Strategies (SDSs), as promised by the end of the parliamentary term, and clarifies their role, content, and relationship to other tiers of the development plan. SDSs are intended to be high-level documents focused on genuinely strategic, cross-boundary issues, leaving detailed policy to other plans. We know that the Planning & Infrastructure Act, the second SDS building block, gained Royal Assent in December 2025 and sets out the process by which authorities, be they mayoral authorities, combined authorities or combined county authorities, should prepare SDSs. We know that the third SDS building block, the English Devolution & Community Empowerment Bill (which has reached the committee stage in the House of Lords), will confirm the structures and mechanisms of governance. For much of the country, SDS geography is already settled. More than half of the population is led by mayors, and across at least seven of the major cities, the preparation of SDSs is already underway. For much of the rest of the country though, including areas simultaneously undergoing local government re-organisation, the new strategic geographies are still to be resolved. We also do not know, beyond a commitment for it be standardised, what evidence bases SDSs will be examined against and how, for example, they will be expected to align with Local Growth Plans. With all of that going on and given what we know and what we do not know, what have authorities been able to do whilst awaiting the consolidation of all three building blocks? Strategic planning is back, but what shape is it in right now? These are the themes of this conversation between old friends of the podcast Catriona Riddell and Mike Best, and new friends of the podcast Shaun Andrews, Graham Thomas and Louise Sloan. Recorded online back in October 2024, their conversation takes in SDS preparatory work, what the first SDSs might look like and their interface with local plans; infrastructure planning; capacity and skills within the planning profession; and and how SDS identify strategic site priorities. Some accompanying reading. Planning Positively for the Future – the report of the Strategic Planning Group Top Tips for SDS Readiness Some accompanying viewing. Exploring the new NPPF draft Curb Your Enthusiasm - Canvassing Some accompanying listening. The Wheel – Bill Callahan Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. If you are a new listener do please check out the back catalogue where you will find episodes on myriad planning topics, as well as the Hitting The High Notes and All Around the World series, and remember that by subscribing new episodes will magically appear in your phone as soon as Sam has published them. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are very welcome to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com. Sam is grateful to Richborough, Town Legal and Tyler Grange for supporting the podcast; to Vistry for sponsoring the 50 Shades mugs; and to Rachael Cooper at ViralTribe for recording and editing this episode. Sam is on Bluesky and Instagram. His blog contains a link to his newsletter.
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    58 min
  • 🏆The #Planoraks Awards 2025🏆

    🏆The #Planoraks Awards 2025🏆
    Dec 27 2025

    This is the second of Sam Stafford's seasonal offerings which serve as a review of another exciting year in the fast-paced, ever-changing, rock and roll world of town and country planning.

    Once again Zack Simons kindly bestowed upon Sam the honour of announcing Zack's 2025 #Planoraks Awards on the podcast.

    Sam met Zack at Soho Radio Studios where and he handed him six golden envelopes, which you will hear opened during their conversation.

    They contain the winners of the following awards:

    • Policy of the Year;
    • Missed opportunity of the year;
    • Catastrophe of the Year;
    • Delay of the Year;
    • Stat of the Year; and
    • Consent of the Year.

    Some accompanying reading.

    The #Planoraks 2025 - the new NPPF

    The Proposed London Housing Emergency Measures Package Is Underwhelming

    Grey Belt – A Game Changer for Planning and Housing

    Some accompanying viewing.

    Exploring the new NPPF draft

    Some accompanying listening.

    The Black Keys – Year in Review

    Any other business.

    If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review.

    If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug.

    If you are a new listener do please check out the back catalogue where you will find episodes on myriad planning topics, as well as the Hitting The High Notes and All Around the World series, and remember that by subscribing new episodes will magically appear in your phone as soon as Sam has published them.

    50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are very welcome to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com.

    Sam is grateful to Richborough, Town Legal and Tyler Grange for supporting the podcast; to Vistry for sponsoring the 50 Shades mugs; to Adrian Meehan and Soho Radio Studies for recording this episode: and to Rachael Cooper at ViralTribe for editing it.

    Sam is on Bluesky and Instagram. His blog contains a link to his newsletter.
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    1 ora e 23 min
  • 🎅🏻The 50 Shades of Planning Festive Christmas Quiz🎄

    🎅🏻The 50 Shades of Planning Festive Christmas Quiz🎄
    Dec 20 2025
    This episode sees the return of the 50 Shades of Planning Festive Christmas Quiz. Sam Stafford got together with friends of podcast Mike Kiely, Catriona Riddell, Annie Gingell, Andrew Taylor, Nicola Gooch, Shelly Rouse, Ben Castell and Gilian Macinnes to review what has been another exciting year in the fast-paced, ever-changing, rock and roll world of town and country planning. Based upon a selection of Planning Magazine’s most-read stories (kindly provided by Richard Garlick), Sam tested their knowledge of some of the themes that have prevailed most strongly in 2025. You will hear Sam asking the gang questions about local authority resources, grey belt, statutory consultees, the local plans that have run aground, planning committees, snails, and many, many other topics in this jam-packed, bumper edition of the quiz, which features two semi-finals and then a final, at the end of which one pair of contestants emerged victorious. Listen out too towards the end for an appearance from a very special guest… Listeners that enjoy this episode are kindly asked to consider making a donation to either St John's Hospice, Lancaster or Bowel Cancer UK in memory of the late, great, friend of the podcast, Jonathan Easton. Some accompanying listening. Sam’s Christmas Crackers – The Ultimate Festive Soundtrack Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. If you are a new listener do please check out the back catalogue where you will find episodes on myriad planning topics, as well as the Hitting The High Notes and All Around the World series, and remember that by subscribing new episodes will magically appear in your phone as soon as Sam has published them. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are very welcome to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com. Sam is grateful to Richborough, Town Legal and Tyler Grange for supporting the podcast; to Vistry for sponsoring the 50 Shades mugs; to Adrian Meehan and Soho Radio Studies for recording this episode: and to Rachael Cooper at ViralTribe for editing it. Sam is on Bluesky and Instagram. His blog contains a link to his newsletter.
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    1 ora e 33 min
  • Discretion Advised

    Discretion Advised
    Dec 6 2025

    Sam Stafford was in Manchester recently and took the opportunity to catch up with old friend of the podcast Charlotte Leach and new friends of the podcast Andrew Johnston and Lisa Tye.

    Over the course of an hour so they chatted about a few of the hot topics exercising the planning profession at minute. They talked about ‘the next phase of planning reform’ as set out in a written ministerial statement issued by the Secretary of State last month. That takes in the "unleashing" of development around railway stations; a requirement upon local authorities to notify the Secretary of State where they intend to refuse an application for 150 or more homes; and streamlining statutory consultees.

    They talked about AI and it’s growing influence on the planning system, and they talked about Section 106 Agreements. They also talked about a topic that has featured regularly on the podcast during 2025, national development management policies, which caused Sam to alight his soap box towards the end of the episode. Listen out too for some exciting mug-related news.

    Some accompanying reading.

    Next phase of planning reform

    Housebuilding around train stations will be given default “yes”

    Reforms to the statutory consultee system

    Announcements

    AI-powered nimbyism could grind UK planning system to a halt, experts warn

    AI Will Add To, Rather Than Reduce, Planning Delays Unless We Do Something About It

    Simplifying & Standardising Section 106 Agreement Processes: Proposals for Reform

    On NDMPs

    Some accompanying listening.

    Make It Up As You Go Along – Liam Gallagher & John Squire

    Any other business.

    Sam is on Bluesky and Instagram. His blog contains a link to his newsletter.
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    1 ora
  • The Snagging List II

    The Snagging List II
    Nov 22 2025
    Empirical evidence is starting to emerge, as speculated upon earlier in the year, that there will indeed be a significant increase in the number of planning applications being submitted this year, certainly for residential development and largely, it is held, driven by the introduction of Grey Belt. TerraQuest, the company behind the Planning Portal, has reported that the number of new homes for which planning permission was sought between 1 July and 30 September 2025 was 68% higher than during the same period in 2024. As Sam Stafford said in the introduction to the first Snagging List episode, if this increase in planning applications is to make a meaningful contribution to the Government's new home target within the parliamentary term, then these applications will need to be transacted an awful lot faster than applications have been transacted hitherto. According to research by Lichfields for the LPDF and Richborough, the average time taken to determine a major outline application has risen from 8 months in 2014 to two years in 2024. That first Snagging List episode focused on the application process, from pre-app, determination and committees to conditions and Section 106 Agreements. That of course though is only a part of the development process and it was suggested during that recording that the post-consent delays to getting permissions implemented warrant an episode in their own right and so this is that follow-up episode. According to Lichfields’ third ‘Start to Finish’ report, published in 2024, on sites of more than 500 homes it takes an average of between 1.3 and 1.6 years from detailed consent to first completion. For sites of between 50 and 99 homes that period is an average of 2.3 years, and for sites of between 100 and 499 homes that period is 3.2 years. What are the factors that cause the delay between a LPA issuing a decision notice and JCBs starting work on site, and what can be done about them? These are the questions that are discussed by old friends of the podcast Andrew Taylor, Emma Williamson and Ros Eastman (who contributed to the first Snagging List episode), and new friends of the podcast Mat Capper, Jonathan Gimblett and Ben Phillips. In a conversation recorded online in November 2025, they talk about all of the other consenting regimes that need navigating, such as waste water, highways and utilities; they talk about the need for LPAs to be able to replicate a developer’s delivery team approach; and they offer some 'top tips', which are especially timely in the context of the Government’s proposed reforms to the statutory consultee system, which emerged shortly before this episode was published. Some accompanying reading. Reforms to the statutory consultee system The Snagging List Blog Start to Finish How long is a piece of string? Simplifying & Standardising Section 106 Agreement Processes: Proposals for Reform Some accompanying listening. Jane Weaver – I Need A Connection Any other business. 50 Shades T-Shirts! If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning you will have heard Clive Betts say that... 'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'. Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here. Sam is on Bluesky and Instagram. His blog contains a link to his newsletter.
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    1 ora e 3 min
  • All Around the World - Australia

    All Around the World - Australia
    Nov 8 2025

    This is the second of a series of episodes being led by the oldest friend of the podcast, Paul Smith.

    Paul put it to Sam Stafford that debates about the planning system in England tend, for the most part, to focus solely on the planning system in England. Planners here very seldom look to other countries for inspiration and ideas.

    Paul wanted to remedy that and so in this series he is chatting with planning professionals and academics from a number of countries to find out what works well there, what works less well, and what can be learnt.

    This episodes considers planning in Australia and, specifically, Sydney.

    This is a conversation that Paul recorded online in July 2025 with Melissa Neighbour.

    The two of them talked about the politics of Sydney’s housing crisis, gentle density, the merits of a greater than local approach to planning and the benefits and disbenefits of zonal planning. That might all sound familiar to planners in England...

    Some accompanying reading.

    The New South Wales Strategic Planning Toolkit

    A Metropolis of Three Cities: The Greater Sydney Region Plan

    Some accompanying listening.

    Music To Plan Towns To

    Any other business.

    50 Shades T-Shirts!

    If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning you will have heard Clive Betts say that...

    'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'.

    Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here.

    Sam is on Bluesky and Instagram. His blog contains a link to his newsletter.
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    48 min
  • Planorama

    Planorama
    Oct 25 2025
    In between movin' and shakin' in The Big Smoke recently Sam Stafford took the opportunity to meet a few friends of the podcast at Soho Radio Studios to pick out the highlights from another exciting few weeks in the fast-paced, ever-changing, rock and roll world of town and country planning. Sam caught up with, and the episode features, old friends of the podcast Simon Ricketts, Annie Gingell, Shelly Rouse and Hana Loftus, and new friend of the podcast Hayley White. Over the course of an hour or so they talked about affordable housing delivery, specifically the constraints on the use of grant funding by RPs and the (then) rumoured changes to affordable housing thresholds in London. They talked about C.G. Fry and the implications of that Supreme Court decision. They talked in the context of a second letter from the Housing & Planning Minister to the Planning Inspectorate about local plan coverage and whether stepped trajectories should be seen a pragmatic response to changing circumstances or an exercise in cynical can-kicking. And towards the end they touched on National Development Management Policies. Some accompanying reading. London Stalling Will Labour’s London housing boost plan work? Residential development in London Local Plan examinations: letter to the Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate (October 2025) Why stepped housing requirements aren’t justified and should be avoided What does planning permission *really* get you: CG Fry in the Supreme Court — #planoraks Autumn Budget 2025 - LPDF submission to HMT Some accompanying viewing. Panorama – The race to build 1.5 million homes The Planners are Coming Some accompanying listening. The Rolling Stones -Jigsaw Puzzle Any other business. 50 Shades T-Shirts! If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning you will have heard Clive Betts say that... 'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'. Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here. Sam is on Bluesky and Instagram. His blog contains a link to his newsletter.
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    1 ora e 4 min