National Planning Conference 2025: Collaboration & planning insights
National Planning Conference 2025: Collaboration & planning insights
The National Planning Conference 2025 wrapped up in Manchester last Thursday. Held in partnership between ourselves at Planning Portal and the RTPI, the day brought together leading voices from across the planning and built environment sectors to discuss the most pressing issues facing the industry today. It was a busy, rewarding day, defined by collaboration, innovation, lively debates, and a shared commitment to shaping the future of planning.
At a time of rapid change for the profession, with a steady stream of planning reforms, updates, and new initiatives, the conference provided a timely platform for open discussion and reflection. It’s little wonder the event sold out well in advance - a clear sign of the sector’s appetite for meaningful dialogue and collaboration.
Setting the tone for collaboration: Planning Portal at the heart of Planning Reform
TerraQuest’s Chief Revenue Officer, Daniel Williams, opened the conference with a resounding call for meaningful collaboration and and encouraging a continued focus on breaking down remaining silos. He urged the sector to seize the opportunities of the day; to work together in creating effective, practical solutions to the challenges currently facing planning.
In her opening address, Victoria Hills of the RTPI celebrated the diversity within the industry and the planning profession, describing planning as a “broad church” that thrives on inclusive and constructive debate - the true foundation for meaningful change. Helen Fadipe, RTPI President, echoed these sentiments and set an energising tone for the day, sharing her excitement to make this year’s event the “best yet.”
She wasn’t wrong. From packed sessions to lively breakouts, the atmosphere was electric - full of energy, curiosity, and conversation. That sense of collaboration extended far beyond the stage, filling the networking areas with enthusiastic conversations and idea-sharing between delegates, sponsors, and speakers alike. Throughout the day, participants challenged thinking, exchanged insights, and explored how we can deliver better, embrace innovation, and make planning a more inclusive and accessible profession for all.
Agenda highlights: Collaboration and Innovation in UK Planning
The morning kicked off with an address from the Chief Planners for England, Scotland, and Wales, each outlining their respective approaches to planning reform and regional implementation, and offering timely insights into the next steps for their nations. Despite their differing contexts, all three shared a unified message - the urgent need to inspire and attract new talent into the planning profession. This, they emphasised, is essential to driving forward wider agendas and ensuring the system continues to evolve through fresh ideas, skills, and perspectives.
Sessions on AI and digital innovation offered a fascinating glimpse into the future of planning. Surabhi, Product Lead at TerraQuest and the Planning Portal, took part in an engaging panel of tech leaders from across the sector, showcasing how the Planning Portal is introducing intelligent new features to ensure planning applications are of the highest quality. These innovations promise tangible benefits for applicants, authorities, and professionals alike - improving consistency, efficiency, and confidence in the planning process.
Another key agenda highlight came from Dame Judith Hackitt, who sat down with Victoria Hills to share valuable insight into the ongoing review of the building control and building safety measures- a powerful reminder of the importance of continual improvement and accountability in building safety.
Discourse in action: sustainable and affordable development
Themes of environmental resilience, affordable housing, and delivery ran throughout the day, driving thought-provoking discussions on how planning can better serve communities now and in the future. From Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) to the creation of new towns, conversations pushed boundaries and offered valuable insights to help shape public dialogue around the changing policy landscape and its evolving priorities.
Regional experts brought fresh perspectives on housing delivery, once again reinforcing the strong collaborative spirit that defined the event. A key highlight came with Scott Alford, from the Planning Portal Business Development team, unveiling the newly released Planning Application Index, which revealed a promising increase in new housing applications and sparked engaging debate on delivery data trends.
Another standout moment was the lively ‘grey belt’ debate, where stakeholders from across the public and private sectors - including experts in planning law, local government, national government and development - shared their varied experiences and views on this emerging and complex land categorisation. The discussion highlighted mixed views across the sector, with many emphasising the need for both viability and consistency in how grey belt land is defined and managed.
Closing reflections
The day closed with a thought-provoking session chaired by Prior + Partners, uniting a diverse panel of industry voices to reflect on the conference’s key themes and chart a forward path for strategic planning. Drawing on the day’s insights and debates, the discussion focused on how collaboration and innovation can be better embedded across every stage of delivery.
Final thoughts
Reflecting on the day, the conference was bustling with energy and insight - a packed agenda that left delegates wishing they could be in two places at once. It’s a testament to the strength and relevance of the discussions that the National Planning Conference so clearly delivered on its mission: sparking cross-sector collaboration and tackling the most pressing issues shaping the future of planning.
As echoed in the closing remarks, the message was clear - progress happens when we come together, share ideas, and turn collective insight into meaningful action.
