Hitting The High Notes is town planning’s equivalent of Desert Island Discs. In these episodes Sam Stafford chats to preeminent figures in the planning and property sectors about the six planning permissions or projects that helped to shape them as professionals. And, so that we can get to know people a little better personally, for every permission or project Sam asks his guests for a piece of music that reminds them of that period of their career.

Unlike Desert Island Discs you will not hear any of that music during the episode because using commercially-licensed music without the copyright holders permission or a very expensive PRS licensing agreement could land Sam in hot water, so, when you have finished listening to this episode, you will have to make do with YouTube videos and a Spotify playlist, links to which you will find below.

Sam's guest for this episode of Hitting The High Notes is Aecom Director Ben Castell (@ben_castell). Their conversation takes in the New Deal For Communities; CABE; good practice design guides; the Housing Market Renewal Initiative and neighbourhood planning.

Ben's song selections.

Brickbat by Billy Bragg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgKKZSF04Ks

Clandestino by Manu Chao

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSEUH4KRfN8

Police & Thieves by Junior Murvin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlP3J3J3Upw

Honest Life by Courtney Marie Andrews

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cv0ATLNDJQ

Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love To Town by Kenny Rogers

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1e9p6J89rQ

NW5 by Madness

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1J2-_u9DOM

Ben's Spotify playlist.

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6IXe20tZ0BPbd4kwTa6iN3?si=uDSo6r43TjuwQ-rEZkwcEA&dl_branch=1