A campaign by the Royal Town Planning Institute is being launched and is open for tender
The campaign aims to improve public perception of planning through improving the visibility and trust in the process.
This comes as a response to a recent survey in the RTPI’s magazine, The Planner.
The survey found poor public perception of planning
It was found that there is a large chasm between planners and the public, with less than 14% of planners believing that the public truly understands planning or how planning works.
Planners also expressed concern within the survey that there are many misconceptions about the role of planners and the purpose of planning and the wider system. This can damage trust between the public and planning decisions, and weaken a plan-led development model.
RTPI is now looking for a creative partner to establish the campaign and raise awareness about the truth of the planning system.
In a recent article, the first of three, PBC Today explored planning reforms and how the system and changes brought with the Planning and Infrastructure Bill affect the economy and planning decision times.
“My mission is to make planners more visible, relatable, respected and valued”
Helen Fadipe MBE, president of the RTPI, said: “Planning has a perception problem. It shows up in local and national debates, from local council meetings to local Facebook groups. We have all seen the stereotypes, planners as ‘blockers’ or ‘Planning is top-down and out of touch with lived experience’.
“We need to reclaim the narrative. Planning is not just a technical or bureaucratic exercise, it is a collaborative, creative profession that shapes the environments in which people live, work, travel, and connect. It is about building communities, not just managing development, creating places for communities to thrive.
“My mission is to make planners more visible, relatable, respected and valued, to showcase who we are and why what we do matters.”
Simon Creer, RTPI director of communications and external affairs, said: “With planning at the top of the political agenda and identified as the Government’s route to growth, it is important that the public understand the positive impact it has on their lives. This year’s RTPI president, Helen Fadipe, has announced a campaign that will be focused on sharing the powerful and human benefits the UK planning systems have.
“We’re excited to be issuing a tender and hope to find a creative agency that can help us get this message across to as many people as possible.”
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