The Better Planning programme provides practical advice and intelligence to RTPI members and others, in ways which demonstrate how planning is part of the solution to major social, economic and environmental challenges.
The RTPI’s Better Planning programme has focused on three core areas – housing affordability, climate change, and smart city regions.
Housing affordability
This Better Planning project focused on the role of planning in delivering housing affordability. It involved:
- A number of pieces of research including on Local Authority Housebuilding and Planning Risk and Development (Line 75).
- A position paper called Better Planning for Housing Affordability.
Climate change
Our work on climate change is orientated around the concept of 'climate justice', which Wikipedia defines as; '...a term used for framing global warming as an ethical and political issue, rather than one that is purely environmental or physical in nature.'
- We are producing a series of short position papers, outlining the latest research and 'RTPI view' on key concepts relating to climate justice and planning for climate change.
Smart City-regions
How data, technology and governance can combine to drive a new wave of strategic planning. This work included
- We have commissioned the University of the West of England to explore ways to overcome barriers to integrated infrastructure planning in city-regions and counties. Find out more (line 16)
- We are supporting a joint initiative between the RTPI West Midlands , University of Birmingham and Birmingham City University to direct student research towards strategic planning issues in the West Midlands. Find out more
- We are working with the Future Cities Catapult and organisations in the PlanTech sector to shape digital innovation in the planning system and explore the impacts of automation, standardisation and transparency. Find out more