The RTPI Scotland Annual Review

The year that was 2023 draws to a close and what a packed year of creativity and change it was!

With a focus on digital and education combined we have continued to encourage conversation, collaboration and importantly action to support planning in Scotland across all levels and sectors.

We have much to celebrate in our own doorstep which were highlighted at the RTPI Scottish Planning Awards and recognition at the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence held in November in London with Aberdeen City winning the Excellence in Plan Making Practice for Net Zero Aberdeen Routemap. A commendation for Excellence in Planning for a Successful Economy went to the University of Glasgow for their Western Campus Development.  

Further celebrations with Fellowship Awards made to Michaela Sullivan and myself, which is a strange sentence to write.  

Both the Scottish Planning Conference and SYPN Conference were a sell out. We are pleased to see the ongoing support from Joe FitzPatrick MSP in relation to how the planning system is resourced and what that means for future practice.  

The 2024 planning season will begin with Pamela Clifford at the helm as she begins her role as Convenor with Laura Robertson, Senior Vice Convenor and also delighted that Maura McCormack will begin her journey as Junior Vice Convenor.  

A huge thanks to those who have supported me this year and I am certainly not going anywhere so look forward to continuing the engagement next year. 

Wishing you all a well earned rest for being planning superstars throughout 2023, let us continue to showcase what planning is in Scotland in 2024. 

Kirsty Macari, Convenor 2023

In 2023 we organised 35 events or webinars which were attended by 1870 people. This was fewer events, but substantially more attendees than 2022. Webinars became more widely used after an element of virtual event fatigue in late 2022. Flexibility to choose virtual, or in person events has been advantageous. Webinars continue to be recorded and shared on the RTPI YouTube channel.     

Chapters

Chapters were, once again, energetic in holding CPD, social and site visit events. Examples of events held include:

• Central Chapter – Forth Green Freeport: Towards Scotland’s Net Zero Transition
• Dumfries and Galloway Chapter - Walking tour of the Bridges of Dumfries
• East Scotland Chapter - The genie is out of the box: How are Local Place Plans shaping up?
• Highlands and Islands Chapter – Visit to North Whins, Findhorn
• Grampian Chapter - A to ‘Zed’ of Sustainable Volume Housebuilding - Barratt Zed House Project
• South East Scotland Chapter – The Granton Waterfront Regeneration Project
• West of Scotland Chapter - RTPI Code of Conduct and Assessment of Professional Competence

National Events

The Sir Patrick Geddes Commemorative Lecture was, once again, held online. It explored “The social and ecological transition, and the critical role of our homes, streets, and neighbourhoods” and was given by Imandeep Kaur, Founder and Director of CIVIC SQUARE on 25 May. Around 120 people tuned in, with 231 views of the recording on YouTube.

This year’s RTPI Scotland Annual Conference was held in person in Dundee It looked at "Delivering a Digital Future for Planning." Chaired by RTPI Scotland Convenor Kirsty Macari we had a range of speakers looking at Transforming Planning, The Potential of Digital Planning, How can we make the most of Digital Planning? Young Planners ad Disrupters and Champions. This was all followed by a Digital Lab with four separate sessions looking at different elements of Digital Planning. The day included lively panel discussion around these topics. 

Scottish Young Planners’ Network

The Scottish Young Planners’ Network (SYPN) continue to support their peers and organised 5 events including Planning Live with Scottish Young Planners' supported by Brodies and the Scottish Young Planners' Conference held in Stirling in May.

Communications

We continue to spread key messages through our social media channels such as X, Linked In and Instagram.  The @RTPIScotland X account has over 5147 followers whilst the @ConvenorRTPIS account has over 1778 followers.

Scottish Planner

Four editions of the RTPI Scotland journal The Scottish Planner have been published in 2023 and distributed online. These have looked at: 20 Years and Counting, Young Planners Past, Present and Future, Celebrating Planning, Culture and Planning and The Future of Digital Planning   

Media

In 2023 we issued 3 news releases:

• Need for more planners to deliver new planning framework
• RTPI Scotland keen to engage with new Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning
• RTPI appoints Dr Caroline Brown as Director for Scotland, Ireland and English Regions

We have seen continued coverage of Scottish issues and RTPI Scotland activity in The Planner magazine.

New Fellows

Congratulations go to Kirsty Macari and Michaela Sullivan who have been elected to become Fellows of the Institute.

New Chartered Members

We are delighted to welcome new members to RTPI Scotland and now have around 2170 across Scotland working across sectors, organisations and roles. 

Congratulations to the following who became Chartered Members of RTPI in the year:

• Lee Harkness 
• Marie Higgins 
• Shona Turnbull 
• Conor Watt 
• Lara Walker
• Sarah Maguire 
• Georgia Burborough 
• Mathilde Delestre 
• Katherine Innes 
• Sohail Ahmad 
• Aaron Doidge 
• Emma Jane 
• Cara Davidson 
• Esmond Sage 
• Iona Sutherland 

The Scottish Executive Committee is represented on the RTPI's General Assembly, committees and panels. The people who sat on the SEC in 2023 are:

Office Bearers

• Kirsty Macari, Convenor
• Pamela Clifford, Senior Vice Convenor
• Laura Robertson, Junior Vice Convenor
• Andrew Trigger, Immediate Past Convenor
• Stefano Smith - Trustee for Scotland

Corporate Members

• Elected for 2022/23: Nikola Miller, Dumiso Moyo
• Elected 2021/22: Lisa Proudfoot, Gillian Dick, Duncan Smart

Student/ Licentiate Representatives

• Jennifer Dunn, Nick Springthorpe

Chapter Representatives

• Central: Richard Callender
• Dumfries and Galloway: Mizzy Marshall
• East Scotland: Peter Noad
• Grampian: Laura Robertson
• Highlands and Islands: Robert Portman
• South East Scotland: Alastair Bledowski
• West of Scotland: Stewart Robson

Other Representatives

• Scottish Planning Consultants' Forum: Stuart Salter
• Scottish Young Planners' Network: Sepi Hajisoltani
• Partners in Planning: Kevin Murray

RTPI General Assembly Members

• Andrew Trigger
• Kirsty Macari

The Scottish Executive Committee has a Planning Policy Sub Committee and a Communications, Education and Lifelong Learning Sub Committee.

Staff

• Director: Dr. Caroline Brown
• Policy and Practice Officer: Jenny Munro
• Office Manager: Annette O'Donnell
• Communications and Events Administrator: Jennie Stansfield
• Intern Project Officer: Ciaran Davidson
• Digital Planning Programme Coordinator: Crea Barton