JESSICA STRICKLAND
REFLECTIONS ON PLANNING
THE PLANNING INDUSTRY AND ITS KEY ISSUES
Planning, in its very nature, is complex, highly dynamic and notoriously hard to define and understand. Due to this, the planning industry faces many issues that are not easily resolved. The following are some that i have become aware of throughout my studies and through my professional experiences.
Firstly, our planning systems, and even our society and governance structures in general, assume that the environments we occupy are infinite and will continue to assimilate our waste indefinitely. In reality, our resources are devastatingly finite, our waste is not being assimilated, and the free ecosystem services that we rely upon will not continue forever. Instead we need to restructure our planning and governance systems to look at closing the look on consumption, using our waste as an input for the products we consume, and reconsidering the focus on growth, growth, growth that our society and government seem to be obsessed with.
Secondly, our plans and policies are designed and redesigned and implemented and reimplemented every few years to align with our changing governments. Because of this, they often focus on relatively short term goals and strategies. They are therefore ill equipped to deal with the longer term issues that our society faces, like rapid population growth and climate change. We need to develop well considered strategies and plans that assess the possibilities of 30, 50, 70, 100, or even 200 years down the track. Planners obviously can't come up with detailed strategies for 200 years from now but they do need to have considered what impacts that the outcomes of planning could cause down the track.
Thirdly, there is an unfortunate disconnect between planners and the public and, additionally, the roles of 'the planners' and 'the public' in the planning industry are not well understood and well balanced. Planning systems tend to fail to encourage public involvement and community engagement and to recognise the importance of empowering the public to be involved in the planning process. Making room for public engagement in the planning process can lead to better outcomes, decreased conflicts, and an increased community satisfaction with the outcomes.
Fourthly, the planning industry does not encourage best practice outcomes. The development assessment process is very much about ticking boxes and does not require developments to use best practices. There is little room for innovation, creativity and there is no encouragement for going 'above and beyond'. Green developments, off-the-grid projects, and excellent design principles are rarely seen in our urban environments as they are not even considered by many developers. The planning industry needs a set of tools whereby they can anchorage and motivate developers to use best practice methods to transform our cities into better, more resilient environments with an overall lower footprint.
Finally, there are complex ethical issues within the planning industry. Ethics-based planning is a highly complex, yet important tool in ensuring our urban environments evolve in an ecologically sustainable and socially rich way. In planning, ethical issues commonly arise when practitioners are faced with conflicting values and interests. Although it is accepted that decisions should be made with the public’s best interest in mind, it is often difficult for planners to agree on what the public’s best interest actually is. Planners have a responsibility to be honest and transparent to their clients, employers, community, and themselves. They also have a responsibility to recognise, appreciate and protect the environment; a silent bystander in the world of planning decision-making.
Planning, in its very nature, is complex, highly dynamic and notoriously hard to define and understand. Due to this, the planning industry faces many issues that are not easily resolved. The following are some that i have become aware of throughout my studies and through my professional experiences.
Firstly, our planning systems, and even our society and governance structures in general, assume that the environments we occupy are infinite and will continue to assimilate our waste indefinitely. In reality, our resources are devastatingly finite, our waste is not being assimilated, and the free ecosystem services that we rely upon will not continue forever. Instead we need to restructure our planning and governance systems to look at closing the look on consumption, using our waste as an input for the products we consume, and reconsidering the focus on growth, growth, growth that our society and government seem to be obsessed with.
Secondly, our plans and policies are designed and redesigned and implemented and reimplemented every few years to align with our changing governments. Because of this, they often focus on relatively short term goals and strategies. They are therefore ill equipped to deal with the longer term issues that our society faces, like rapid population growth and climate change. We need to develop well considered strategies and plans that assess the possibilities of 30, 50, 70, 100, or even 200 years down the track. Planners obviously can't come up with detailed strategies for 200 years from now but they do need to have considered what impacts that the outcomes of planning could cause down the track.
Thirdly, there is an unfortunate disconnect between planners and the public and, additionally, the roles of 'the planners' and 'the public' in the planning industry are not well understood and well balanced. Planning systems tend to fail to encourage public involvement and community engagement and to recognise the importance of empowering the public to be involved in the planning process. Making room for public engagement in the planning process can lead to better outcomes, decreased conflicts, and an increased community satisfaction with the outcomes.
Fourthly, the planning industry does not encourage best practice outcomes. The development assessment process is very much about ticking boxes and does not require developments to use best practices. There is little room for innovation, creativity and there is no encouragement for going 'above and beyond'. Green developments, off-the-grid projects, and excellent design principles are rarely seen in our urban environments as they are not even considered by many developers. The planning industry needs a set of tools whereby they can anchorage and motivate developers to use best practice methods to transform our cities into better, more resilient environments with an overall lower footprint.
Finally, there are complex ethical issues within the planning industry. Ethics-based planning is a highly complex, yet important tool in ensuring our urban environments evolve in an ecologically sustainable and socially rich way. In planning, ethical issues commonly arise when practitioners are faced with conflicting values and interests. Although it is accepted that decisions should be made with the public’s best interest in mind, it is often difficult for planners to agree on what the public’s best interest actually is. Planners have a responsibility to be honest and transparent to their clients, employers, community, and themselves. They also have a responsibility to recognise, appreciate and protect the environment; a silent bystander in the world of planning decision-making.
PLANNING THEORY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO PRACTICE
The relationship of planning theory to practice depends on the type of planning practice. Planners can undertake many roles and the roles of planners have emerged throughout the evolution of this profession. Planners can play a role in development assessment planning, community planning and engagement, strategic planning, policy making, environmental management or system planning, among others. Depending on which of these roles the planner is working within, the planning theory may or may not be intertwined with their practical day-to-day work.
Many elements of planning are unavoidably practical and there is only so much that can be learned through theory. For example, development assessment planning is a planning role that requires a lot of information to be learned on the job and through practice. In this case, planning theory can only go so far. Having said that though, planning theory plays a crucial role in building the foundations and the knowledge required by planners who end up as practitioners.
Other planning roles, such as strategic planning or system planning, may be far more closely related to the theory. Practitioners need to be incredibly well informed and up to date with current planning theory and research to ensure that the outcomes they are striving for are desirable and that the measures they are proposing are, indeed, the most effective ways to achieve those outcomes.
In summary, the relationship between planning practice and theory is highly dependant on which of the many roles of the planner we are looking at. Many planners end up as practitioners in roles which do not require them to regularly and consciously tap into their theoretical background. Other planners will be required to reflect upon and consult planning theory every day to ensure they are utilising the most relevant and effective methods.
The relationship of planning theory to practice depends on the type of planning practice. Planners can undertake many roles and the roles of planners have emerged throughout the evolution of this profession. Planners can play a role in development assessment planning, community planning and engagement, strategic planning, policy making, environmental management or system planning, among others. Depending on which of these roles the planner is working within, the planning theory may or may not be intertwined with their practical day-to-day work.
Many elements of planning are unavoidably practical and there is only so much that can be learned through theory. For example, development assessment planning is a planning role that requires a lot of information to be learned on the job and through practice. In this case, planning theory can only go so far. Having said that though, planning theory plays a crucial role in building the foundations and the knowledge required by planners who end up as practitioners.
Other planning roles, such as strategic planning or system planning, may be far more closely related to the theory. Practitioners need to be incredibly well informed and up to date with current planning theory and research to ensure that the outcomes they are striving for are desirable and that the measures they are proposing are, indeed, the most effective ways to achieve those outcomes.
In summary, the relationship between planning practice and theory is highly dependant on which of the many roles of the planner we are looking at. Many planners end up as practitioners in roles which do not require them to regularly and consciously tap into their theoretical background. Other planners will be required to reflect upon and consult planning theory every day to ensure they are utilising the most relevant and effective methods.