The Essential Guide for Planners going to the UK for work.
Understanding and Working in the UK Planning System
For one moment put yourself in the employer’s chair.
You have a Planner with, what appears to be, the right experience sitting in front of you. The interview seems to be going really well, until you ask what should be a simple question. The candidate doesn’t seem to have clue. But from their CV you have in front of you – they should know. After some probing it becomes clear the problem is that the terminology they are used to is different in the UK.
Regardless, nagging doubts begin to plague you, the employer. How long will this person take to come up to speed? Do they really know what their CV suggests they know?
Don’t let it happen to you!
Of course, this is probably a bit of an exaggeration. The truth
is that most UK planning employers have a very good idea of the
great things you are capable of, but why leave it to chance? Why
not turn this potential problem into a real advantage for you!
- Introduction - What you need to know
- The UK planning system
- The UK planning profession
- Jobs in the UK for planners
- Where in the UK are the jobs?
- Basic titles and job descriptions
- How to bluff your way through the interview
1. What you need to know
This page is designed so Planners from around the world can quickly find out all the basics of the UK planning system and what a Town Planner’s job is within that system. Familiarising yourself with the UK Planning system may do more than just provide you with more confidence in interviews; it may provide the launch pad for a new and exciting opportunity.
2. The UK planning system
Basic Definition
Fortunately, as you would expect, in essence the Planning systems within Commonwealth Countries share many similarities.
Town & Country Planning in the UK is the structured regulation and development of cities, land with particular guidance derived from the economic, social, environmental and community issues. |
The new "Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act"
Probably the biggest change however to the UK Planning system came into effect at the beginning of 2004 as a result of a planning green paper. The result was the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act.
Implementation of the new Act began in September 2004 and the Minister for Housing and Planning has indicated that the provisions for the new Act will come into effect from September 2004 with many provisions being implemented throughout 2005.
By passing the Act, the UK government has acknowledged deficiencies
in the old planning act. Happily, the industry’s foremost
membership organization the “Royal Town Planning Institute”
or RTPI has positive things to say about the Act’s impact
on the Planning profession. This most recent re-vamp of planning
in the UK aims to facilitate more and better interaction between
all levels.
Basically, the Act indicates that the overseer is the Secretary
of State (SoS). Underneath this position are the Regional Planning
Boards (RPB’s) which look after Regional Spatial Strategies.
Within each Region are Local Planning Authorities (LPA’s)
such as: District Councils, County Councils, Metropolitan District
Councils, National Park Authorities and Roads Authorities.
In addition to planning consultancies the Local Planning Authorities (LPA's) are major employers of Aussies, Kiwis, Canucks and Springboks in the UK. |
3. The UK planning profession
The RTPI - Royal Town Planning Institute
The RTPI is a membership organisation and a registered charity. It is similar in its aims and function to the planning institutes in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.
The RTPI exists to advance the science and art of town planning for the benefit of the public. Most of the RTPI’s members are fully qualified professional planners. Nearly two thirds of planners work as Planning Officers for local councils. Others work for central government, for property developers and other organisations with significant landholdings, as consultants or as teachers and researchers in universities.
Should you join the RTP?
It is not a requirement to join the RTPI to successfully secure a planning position in the UK. On the other hand, it proves your commitment to the profession and it certainly looks good on a CV. Some jobs (especially senior positions) may request that the candidate be a member of, or “working towards membership of the Royal Town Planning Institute.”
A special arrangement exists for full (chartered or equivalent) members of the Canadian Institute of Planners (CIP), the New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI) or the Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) to apply for Chartered Membership of the RTPI. In order to qualify, you must successfully complete the distance learning Certificate in UK Planning Law and Practice offered by Leeds Metropolitan University.
Further information about qualifications and membership requirements for the RTPI are published on the RTPI website here .4. Where in the UK are the jobs?
Basic titles and job descriptions
Planners to work in development control are in the highest demand in the UK. Policy, Transport and Environmental Planners are also in high demand. Consultant Planners and Enforcement Officers are also in demand although you may need to be a bit more flexible on location to gain employment quickly. Job opportunities in planning are far greater when you have at least 1 and ideal 2 years or more of relevant experience.
Many London Borough’s and County Councils to the North, South East and South West of London are big employers of British and traveling planners alike. Many County Councils offer very different opportunities to London not only in terms of your career but lifestyle and UK experience. In addition to London, cities like Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham. You can also have a look for yourself by searching for some recent jobs.
Plans to go to the UK within the next 2
years? |
Development Control Planners deal with the day-to-day planning issues across the whole spectrum of the planning profession. The nature of the applications can vary enormously from the householder to large commercial applications – rural to urban. Your ability to communicate effectively and deliver a number of tasks on a daily basis is most important. Probably the biggest difference for Planners from overseas is the scope of some of the projects, and the culture.
Policy Planners are instrumental in rolling out the frameworks for the planning industry. Many opportunities exist as the new “Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act” takes shape. Writing reports and the ability to effectively consult with the community and stakeholders is often a requirement.
Transport Planning is a hot area because of amazing expansion in the UK, including new road and rail projects. Communicating with Engineers and Planners internally and externally is often an integral part of the job. Transport Planning can also tend to be highly computer based. Employers include both consultancies and LPA’s.
The Environmental Planner often works in conjunction with all the other planning roles. Assessment of environmental statements related to developments, sustainability appraisals and developing/implementing policies are common responsibilities.
5. How to bluff your way in an interview
Firstly, there is no substitute for honesty. But you can try to minimize any interview damage that your lack of UK planning industry knowledge causes. How? Ask lots of open questions. You should really be asking open-ended questions in any interview situation. Asking open questions does two things:
- Shows your interest in whatever you ask about
- Helps you to learn the interests and concerns of the person in front of you
Good open questions are actually essential to good two-way communication. What do I mean by open questions? In very simple terms, rather than asking questions like “Do you employ many British planners?” which could easily get a “yes” or “no” answer (and effectively end the conversation) a better question could be “Could you tell me about the structure of your team?”. Questions that elicit “yes” or “no” answers at the outset of a conversation should usually be avoided.
By reading this page and visiting a few relevant industry links, you will be better prepared than most. Just remember - at the end of day, the vast majority of UK planning employers love overseas Planners, and they need more Planners – that puts you on a great footing to start your UK Planning job search.
Don’t forget to Register with Town Planning Agencies and Apply to Jobs before you go.
Also, Receive UK planning job updates sent to your inbox by subscribing to WORKgateways’ monthly e-newsletter. |
Good luck and have fun!
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