This course introduces England’s plan-led system and outlines the different types of plans, policies and proposals that are prepared. It outlines key features of the plan making process and the nature of the statutory development plan, including its role in decision making. It considers the importance of evidence and active engagement and explains how plans and policy can be shaped and influenced through proactive engagement.

Course aims

The course aims to develop awareness of the broad suite of challenges that planners seek to influence, from the delivery of homes, jobs and infrastructure to environmental protection and strategies for mitigating and adapting environments to the effects of climate change. The course explores the role for plans and strategies, and the policies and proposals that they contain for initiating positive change. Key stages of the plan making process are explored, including the importance of having a sound evidence base to engaging stakeholders.

The course makes the link between plans and policy and the determination of planning applications via an experience that will be interactive and hands-on, with participants being invited to engage with real-life development sites and policy issues.

Please see the 'more info' tab for further details.

This course provides introductory content on how development projects are conceived, presented and appraised. The session will un-pack the term ‘development’ and will explore the different mechanisms through which planning consent can be granted. The session will outline key stages in preparing and assessing planning applications and will explain how planning decisions are made.  The course outlines the kind of follow-on action that is needed should an application be approved or refused.

Course aims

The course aims to develop awareness of the institutional and legal frameworks that surround the management of development and the circumstances through which planning permission needs to be sought. The course outlines the stages through which a planning application is prepared and submitted and the steps that need to be taken to appraise, and ultimately approve or refuse, a planning application. The role for planning conditions and obligations will also be discussed, as will the processes for potentially appealing a planning decision and taking enforcement action. The course is interactive and hands-on, with participants being invited to engage with real-life development sites and planning applications.

See the more info tab for further details.