Planning has big problems. We think we've found a solution

Over the last few decades the architecture profession has seen its influence marginalised due to the growing complexity of the construction process and planning system, an increasingly commercially driven development sector, and a proliferation of other consultants.

Many of the most critical decisions about schemes – from the viability of providing affordable housing, to the amount of public space – are made without architects in the room.

As a result, the profession is often left in the position of reacting to ready-made briefs, rather than proactively anticipating and shaping new development. The result is a dilution of the quality of the built environment, with its social impact a secondary consideration.

At the same time there are widespread concerns, highlighted most recently by the Raynsford Review, about the planning process’ capacity to “deliver places that successfully balance the needs of economy, environment and community wellbeing”.

Resource is at the heart of the problem, with local authorities struggling to find the right people with the right skills to create and deliver ambitious plans. 100% of London boroughs have difficulties in attracting appropriately qualified or skilled planners, and this is a problem echoed across the country, according to the GLA’s planning and regeneration capacity survey.

With the increasing demand for a design-led approach to planning in the draft London Plan and proposed revisions to the NPPF, the situation is becoming acute. There needs to be a radical rethink of the ways in which the character of places is championed, and in the approach to attracting the right skills and talent to the public sector.

Public Practice is an independent social enterprise that is placing a new generation of talented architects, urban designers, planners, conservationists and technology experts, within local government to shape places for the public good. It offers the opportunity for practitioners to work in a multi-disciplinary way and have a holistic influence on the character of whole neighbourhoods to set the amount of social housing and mix of tenures in new developments and to find new ways of engaging and working with local communities.

For the first round of applications Public Practice received more than 200 applications from practitioners, 13 times more than the number of positions on offer. Through a competitive process, a talented group was selected with a diverse array of ages, backgrounds and skills. This first cohort of 17 associates has recently begun working in strategic roles in London and the wider south east region where they spend 90% of their time in their placement, and 10% of their time on an R&D programme coming up with solutions for pressing planning issues.

One associate, Tom Fox, an architect by background, is working as a principal planning officer in St Albans City and District Council and Dacorum Borough Council. In his first few weeks, he appraised masterplans totalling 14,000 new homes – many more than the most talented residential architect will deliver across a career. He describes the move to public sector as both heroic and humble, being able to influence large scales of development behind the scenes.

Public Practice offers a radical solution to the current situation by attracting talented and motivated built environment practitioners like Tom to have real agency by working in the public sector. These associates will engage with and influence development from the off, produce practical research and ultimately improve the quality and equality of our places, our parks, our streets and our homes.