Chief planner
In England, the term ‘chief planner’ refers to the chief planner in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. There are also chief planners in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In June 2020, it was announced that Joanna Averley had been appointed as the first female chief planner.
In the government response to the report of the House of Lords Select Committee on the built environment, published on 8 November 2016, the government suggest that the chief planner:
| ‘Provides the central leadership to ensure the planning system supports the delivery of housing growth, climate change, sustainable economic development and works to protect and enhance the natural environment ‘The Chief Planner’s priorities include helping local authorities deliver their Local Plans for better housing and sustainable communities and to ensure that planning promotes the development of prosperous and vibrant communities.’ |
This response was provided following a recommendation from the House of Lords Select Committee on the built environment that a new role of Chief Built Environment Adviser should be created, following the scrapping of the position of Chief Construction Adviser. The government however rejected the recommendation, suggesting that the transfer of responsibilities for architecture from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to the Department for Communities and Local Government would ensure housing and planning policy was more closely aligned with good architecture. They suggested instead that the Chief Planner role would be developed to:
| ‘…include discussing and facilitating communication and implementation of policy on the built environment and to identifying and sharing good practice across and beyond Government.’ |
This is similar to the role of Chief Built Environment Advisor role proposed by the Select Committee, whish was intended to integrate planning policy and safeguard high standards and good practice across government departments, but is seen by some as a misunderstanding of the role of the Chief Construction Adviser, which was to oversee the implementation of the Government Construction Strategy.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
CIOB photographic competition final images revealed
Art of Building produces stunning images for another year.
Major overhaul of planning committees proposed by government
Planning decisions set to be fast-tracked to tackle the housing crisis.
Strategic restructure to transform industry competence
EBSSA becomes part of a new industry competence structure.
Industry Competence Steering Group restructure
ICSG transitions to the Industry Competence Committee (ICC) under the Building Safety Regulator (BSR).
Principal Contractor Competency Certification Scheme
CIOB PCCCS competence framework for Principal Contractors.
The CIAT Principal Designer register
Issues explained via a series of FAQs.
Conservation in the age of the fourth (digital) industrial revolution.
Shaping the future of heritage
Embracing the evolution of economic thinking.
Ministers to unleash biggest building boom in half a century
50 major infrastructure projects, 5 billion for housing and 1.5 million homes.
RIBA Principal Designer Practice Note published
With key descriptions, best practice examples and FAQs, with supporting template resources.
Electrical businesses brace for project delays in 2025
BEB survey reveals over half worried about impact of delays.
Accelerating the remediation of buildings with unsafe cladding in England
The government publishes its Remediation Acceleration Plan.
Airtightness in raised access plenum floors
New testing guidance from BSRIA out now.
Picking up the hard hat on site or not
Common factors preventing workers using head protection and how to solve them.
Building trust with customers through endorsed trades
Commitment to quality demonstrated through government endorsed scheme.
New guidance for preparing structural submissions for Gateways 2 and 3
Published by the The Institution of Structural Engineers.
CIOB launches global mental health survey
To address the silent mental health crisis in construction.
Key takeaways from the BSRIA Briefing 2024
Not just waiting for Net Zero, but driving it.