Sam Stafford was in London recently and took the opportunity to catch up with old friends of the podcast Mike Kiely, Annie Gingell, Andrew Taylor and Iain Thomson, and new friend of the podcast Claire Tester.

In a conversation recorded at Soho Radio they chatted about a few of the hot topics in the fast-paced, ever-changing, rock and roll world of town and country planning right now.

They talked about the recent NPPF consultation; taking some of the 'grit' out of the system; they talked about planning committees in relation to the impact of local elections, new notification processes, a national scheme of delegation and strategic committees; and towards the end there is a bit of local plan and neighbourhood plan chat.

Some accompanying reading.

Book review for, “In Search of Excellence”, written by Tom Peters and Robert H. Waterman Jr.

Fees for planning applications

Planning committee reform: statutory consultation on draft Regulations and guidance

What the CIA can teach us about the need to reform planning committees

What the 'pre-election period' means in practice

New local plan-making system roadmap

More Radical Change: the Basic Conditions for Neighbourhood Plans

Simonicity - "Ten Years Time"

Public Sector RTPI Survey

Private Sector RTPI Survey

Some accompanying listening.

Colorama - Some Things Just Take Time

Any other business.

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Sam is grateful to Richborough, Town Legal and Tyler Grange for supporting the podcast; to Vistry for sponsoring the 50 Shades mugs; and to Stanley Bain and Adrian Meehan for recording and editing this episode.