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 Steve Quartermain. Steve was the government’s Chief Planner for twelve years, during which time and perhaps most notably he oversaw the introduction of the transformative National Planning Policy Framework. Prior to this, as you will hear, Steve spent thirty years in local government, starting as an unqualified graduate trainee designing local plan covers in Epping Forest and ending having helped to lead Hambleton to beacon council status.

Steve's song selections.

The Battle of Epping Forest by Genesis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFuIYyXiD5w

OK Computer by Radiohead

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

The theme to All Creatures Great & Small

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6aquEsK_JQ

House of Fun by Madness

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

If It Happens Again by UB40

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s54m7TIFN7w

I’m Still Standing by Elton John

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHwVBirqD2s

Steve's Spotify playlist

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5XDlkcNbob5NCgcKAxXUGU?si=lXf4qpHVT4araW2SQtGO8g&nd=1

50 Shades T-Shirts!

If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning Podcast 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: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/07/50-shades-of-planning-t-shirts.html