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Module Handbook
2021/2022

TCP8001: Planning Frameworks

10 credits

Semester 1, Mondays, 11.00-13.00
Room: BBSTC B.32



Module leader

Simin Davoudi

simin.davoudi@ncl.ac.uk


Other Contributors


Brian Peel (APL)
Neil Powe (APL)
Neil Wilkinson (Gateshead Council)
Gerry Carpenter (former MHCLG)
Teresa Strachan (pre-recorded)








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Introduction

At the core of any planning education is the development of a sound
understanding of the nature and operation of the statutory planning
systems and their social, political, institutional, and regulatory frameworks
in which they operate. While this amounts to a vast amount of materials
which is not be possible to cover in a single (10 credits) module, the aim is
to provide the students with an introduction to the UK planning system, its
evolution, its current mode of operation, and policy concerns, with a
particular focus on England. The Module provides a framework upon which
more detailed knowledge can be developed in line with the development of
students’ own areas of interest and specialism.

Aims

The Module aims to provide an overview of the historical evolution of the
planning system in the UK, and particularly England, with an emphasis on:
the purpose of planning, approaches to plan-making and the role of
development plans in the context of changing economic, social,
environmental and institutional contexts. The Module also introduces the
current planning system and its key principles, statutory requirements,
contents, and procedures for both plan-making and development
management, drawing on planning legislation and government policy
statements and guidelines. The introduction to development management
focuses on the basic principles such as: planning permission, mechanisms
of appeals and enforcement, and planning conditions and obligations. The
main part of the Module is delivered through lectures with opportunities for
discussions about the policies and topics introduced in the lectures. As a lot
of ground is covered in short space of time, independent reading and
research is essential for developing a sound and critical understanding of
the planning system particularly the details of plan-making and determining
planning applications.





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Learning outcomes

Intended knowledge outcomes

On completion of the Module, students should be able to:
 Have a critical understanding of the evolution of the British planning
system within its economic, social, environmental and political
contexts.
 Reflect critically on the changing purpose of planning and the link
between place-making and regulating development.
 Gain up-to-date knowledge of the current planning system and how it
operates in practice.
 Have knowledge of various stakeholders in planning processes
 Develop a broad understanding of the development management
system.

Intended skill outcomes

By the end of the module students should be able to demonstrate:
 The ability to synthesize information
 The ability to think critically about how the planning system works
 Clear written and verbal communication skills
 Problem solving abilities related to the decision making processes in
development plan and development management




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Weekly overview
In the weeks marked red, you do not need to attend the class physically
TW1: 27 September
Introduction to the Module and the Assignment (SD)
Origin of planning in the UK (SD)

TW2: 4 October
Institutional frameworks of planning & its key features (SD)

TW3: 11 October
Evolution of the planning system and its reforms (SD)

TW4: 18 October
National planning policy formulation (Gerry Carpenter / SD)

TW5: 25 October
Plan making in practice: Gateshead Local Plan (Neil Wilkinson / SD)

TW6: 1 November
Neighbourhood Planning (Neil Powe)

8 November: Enrichment week. Drop in Q&A session (SD)

TW7: 15 November (Pre-recorded lectures)
Development management: an overview and material considerations (Teresa
Strachan)

TW8: 22 November
Development Management Workshop (SD and students)

TW9: 29 November
Call ins and recovered appeals process (Gerry Carpenter)

TW10: 6 December (Synchronous Zoom lecture)
Planning conditions & Obligation, Community Infrastructure Levy (Brian Peel)

TW11: 13 December
Assignment Q&A session (SD)

Deadline for handing in the assignment: Friday 14 January 2022, 12.00 noon





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Assessment

Assessment is based on 100% coursework. This is in the form of an
individual essay on the topic that is specified below. The essay should NOT
be more than 2000 words (excluding bibliography, figures and tables), but
up to 10% above or below this limit is acceptable. Deadline for the
submission of an electronic copy on Canvas is by: Friday 14 January
2022, 12.00 noon. Please save your file using your student number.

Late submission
Unless specifically advised otherwise, you need to submit your essay by the
deadline. Failure to do so will result in a late / non-submission:
 For essays submitted up to 7 days after the deadline the marks will be
capped at 50%.
 For essay submitted more than 7 days after the deadline a mark of 0
will be given.
Questions about the assignment
If you have any questions about the assignment, please ask Simin or Brian
after lectures, or email Simin simin.davoudi@ncl.ac.uk. There is also a
session dedicated to Q&A on the assignment on 13 December 11.00-12.00,
so please drop in if you have any questions.

Topic of the essay



Essay Topic
Critically assess Birmingham Development Plan (adopted in 2017) from the
perspective of one of the following interest groups: a major developer (e.g. the
Home Builders Federation), or a major environmental organization (e.g. the
Campaign to Protect Rural England), or a local / community association.


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You need to familiarize yourself with the BDP’s
policies and proposals that are most relevant to
your chosen interest group. You also need to
know the main interests/priorities of your chosen
group. This enables you to identify the criteria
that they are likely to use to assess BDP. Some
of the questions that you need to ask while
assessing BDP are: does this plan cover my
chosen interest group’s specific concerns about
and priorities for the future of Birmingham? What are the BDP’s strengths
and weaknesses from the perspective of my chosen interest group?
Relevant materials for the assignment
Birmingham Development Plan (BDP) and other related documents can
be accessed via the link below. Many are also uploaded on the Canvas
https://www.birmingham.gov.uk/info/20054/planning_strategies_and_policies/78
/birmingham_development_plan/1
You also need to read the website and relevant documents produced by
your chosen interest group to familiarize yourself with their priorities and
concerns and how they might respond to BDP.

Aim of the assignment
The aim of this assignment is to assess your understanding of the multiple
and sometime conflicting interests involved in plan making and your ability
to put forward a strong argument in favour of a particular interest or value
that your chosen group holds.

General criteria for assessment
• Evidence of sound understanding of BDP’s relevant policies and
proposals.
• Evidence of sound understanding of the chosen group’s priorities,
interests, planning concerns, etc.
• Identification of a clear set of criteria, based on the above, for the
assessment of the plan.
• Clarity of argument and written expression
• Quality of presentation, citation and referencing
• Signs of reading / reviewing the literature that support your
arguments
• Conformity with the specified length of the assignment.


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Suggested Reading

Key textbooks on the UK planning systems (in order of relevance)

Cullingworth, J. B., Nadin, V., Hart, T., Davoudi, S. et al. (2015) Town and
Country Planning in Britain, 15th edition, London: Routledge
Hall, P. (2002) Cities of Tomorrow: An Intellectual History of Urban Planning and
Design in the Twentieth Century, Oxford: Blackwell
Ward, S. (2004) Planning and Urban Change, (2nd ed.) London: Sage
Hall, P. and Tewdwr-Jones, M. (2019), Urban and Regional Planning (6th ed.)
London: Routledge
Rydin, Y. (2003) Urban and Environmental Planning in the UK (2nd ed.) London:
Macmillan
Greed, C. (2015) Introducing town planning, London, Atlone Press
The Raynsford Review of Planning, 2018, Town and Country Planning Association
https://www.tcpa.org.uk/raynsford-review

Specific aspects of planning

Blowers A. and Evans B. (1997) (eds.) Town Planning into 21st Century, Routledge
Davoudi, S. and Madanipour, A. (eds.) (2015) Reconsidering Localism, Routledge
Davoudi, S. and Strange I. (eds.) (2009) Conceptions of space and place in
strategic spatial planning, Routledge
Phelps, N. (2021) The urban planning imagination, a critical international introduction,
Polity
Healey, P. (2007) Urban complexity and spatial strategies, Routledge
Healey, P. (2010) Making better places, Palgrave
Morphet J (2010) Effective practice in spatial planning, London: Routledge
Ricketts, S. and Field, D. (2012) Localism and Planning, London: Bloomsbury
Swain, C. et al. (eds.) (2012) English regional Planning 2000-2010: Lessons for
the future, Routledge
Thornley, A. (1993) Urban Planning Under Thatcherism, the Challenge of the
Market, London: Routledge
Vigar, G., Healey, P., Hull, A. and Davoudi, S. (2000) Planning, Governance and
Spatial Strategy in Britain, Macmillan
Rydin, Y. (2011) The purpose of planning, Policy Press

Critical reflections on planning

Allmendinger, P., & Haughton, G. (2011). Post-political spatial planning in England:
a crisis of consensus? Transactions, 37(1): 89-103.
Allmendinger, P. & Haughton, G. (2009) Critical reflections on spatial planning,


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Environment & Planning A; 41: 2544-2549
Davoudi, S. Galland D. and Stead D. (2020), Reinventing planning and planners:
ideological decontestations and rhetorical appeals, Planning Theory,
19(1):17-37
Davoudi, S. (2018) Spatial Planning: Promised Land or Roll out neoliberalism? In
Gunder et al. (eds.) Routledge Handbook of Planning Theory, pp 15-2
Davoudi, S. (2015) Planning as practice of knowing, Planning Theory, 14(3):316-
331
Davoudi, S. (2012) The legacy of positivism and the emergence of interpretive
tradition in spatial planning, Regional Studies, 46(4):429-441
Davoudi, S. (2000) Sustainability: A New Vision for the British Planning System,
Planning Perspectives, 15(2):123-137
Fearn, G and Davoudi, S. (2021) From post-political to authoritarian planning in
England, a crisis of legitimacy, Transactions,
Ormerod, E. and Davoudi, S. (2021) Governing the pandemic, democracy at the time
of emergency, Town Planning Review, 92(3):323-327
Poxon, J. (2000) Solving the development plan puzzle in Britain: learning lessons
from history, Planning Perspectives, 15 (1): 73-89
Parker, G. Street, E. Wargent, M. (2018) The Rise of the Private Sector in
Fragmentary Planning in England. Planning Theory & Practice 19:5, 734-
750.
Planning law and development management

Blackhall, C. (2005) Planning Law and Practice (3rd ed.) Cavendish Publishing
Duxbury, R.M.C (2006) Planning Law and Procedure (13th ed.) Oxford University
Press
Marshall, T. (2013). The Remodeling of Decision Making on Major
Infrastructure in Britain. Planning Practice & Research, 28(1), 122-
140.
Moore, V. (2005) A practical approach to planning law (9th ed.), Blackstone Press
Critical reflections on the planning discipline and profession

Clifford B.P. (2012) Planning in an age of customers: British local authority
practitioners, identity and reactions to public sector reform. Town Planning
Review 83(5): 553–574
Davoudi, S. and Pendlebury, J. (2010) Evolution of planning as an academic
discipline, Town Planning Review 81(6):613-644, Centenary Paper
Town Planning Review (2012) 83(5), special issue on planning profession
Vigar, G. (2012) Planning and professionalism, Planning Theory
11(4):361-78


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Slade, D., Gunn, S., & Schoneboom, A. (2019). Serving the Public Interest? The
reorganisation of UK plannig services in an era of reluctant outsourcing.
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/media/3220094/serving_the_public_interest_-_v2_-
_2019.pdf
Sturzaker, J. Lord, A. (2018) Fear: An Underexplored Motivation for
Planners’ Behaviour?. Planning Practice and Research 33:4, 359-371.

Official documents
 All official documents related to planning can be found on www.gov.uk
 The Planning Acts can be found at www.legislation.gov.uk

 Detailed Planning Practice Guidance, updated Oct 2019
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/planning-practice-guidance

 Guidance on Plan making 2019
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-making#history


Useful websites
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government
http://www.communities.gov.uk
Planning system
https://www.gov.uk/housing-local-and-community/planning-system

UK Government Planning Portal
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk
Royal Town Planning Institute Planning Resource
http://www.planningresource.co.uk/
Planning Portal
https://www.planningportal.co.uk/
Planning Officers Society
http://www.planningofficers.org.uk
Local Government Association
http://www.local.gov.uk
Town and Country Planning Association
http://www.tcpa.org.uk