Aims

- To give students a rounded introduction to the current planning system, beginning by considering the role of policy and legislation in shaping decision making processes
- To give students an appreciation of the development control function, the kind of decisions they might make as a planner in the future and how they might make them
- A foundation of knowledge to build on in future years

Outline Of Syllabus

The module will be based around a number of case studies, through which students will learn about the kind of issues planners deal with and the way in which their work is guided by law, policy and evidence.
The syllabus may include:
-       Case examples of development control and group discussions of development control issues
-       The role of national policy: don’t believe the hype
-       Local plans – what they are and what they do. Why are they so complex?
-       Applying national and local policy: how does it direct local decision making?
-       Local plan making in practice
-       Preparing your main assignment
-       Making sense of local planning documents – workshop
-       Development management in practice
-       The future for planning processes – where will the Planning for the Future white paper take us?

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The teaching methods seek to guide students into the more advanced content by first provoking their thoughts and group discussions around a number of interesting and provocative case studies. Student responses will be used to throw light on some of the issues involved in making planning decisions and mini lectures and structured exercises will then be used to introduce more factual knowledge and develop understanding. As the module progresses, guest planners will contribute to seminars revealing more of the real life challenges involved in planning work and students will gain advice on writing their assignment and research planning documents and websites for themselves. The module will conclude with some analysis and thoughts about reforms to the system.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The first assessment will help structure the students’ time on the module and link the sessions to each other. Hopefully this will encourage attendance in the group discussions. The report will allow students to explore examples of similar reports, gain an understanding of what planners have to do in practice and apply national and local policy in making a recommendation on a hypothetical proposal.

There is a requirement to pass both assessments in their own right, regardless of whether marks have accrued. This is something that external examiners have requested and helps ensure that students do not progress normally with a substandard mark. It helps safeguard professional standards.