Agenda
Explore climate resilience, housing, policy, AI and sustainability
The Agenda
The National Planning Conference brings together policymakers, researchers, and industry professionals to tackle the most pressing challenges shaping planning and development today.
This year’s agenda focuses on climate resilience and sustainability, balancing housing delivery with affordability, and ensuring future-ready infrastructure and transport networks that support both economic growth and low-carbon solutions.
Get ready for a dynamic programme featuring high-profile speakers, expert-led panels, and forward-thinking discussions that reflect the evolving planning landscape.Secure your place today to be part of the conversations shaping the future of the built environment.
National Planning
Conference Agenda
Registration and networking
Kickstart your day with us by collecting your badge and enjoying a light breakfast with freshly brewed coffee and pastries. Take this opportunity to connect with other attendees before the National Planning Conference officially begins.
8.00 - 8.45
Opening remarks
Hear from Planning Portal’s CEO, Geoff Keal, and RTPI’s CEO, Victoria Hills, as they open the National Planning Conference 2025.
8.45 - 9.00, Stage 1
Speakers:
Chief Executive Officer
TerraQuest & Planning Portal
Chief Executive
Royal Town Planning Insitute
President
Royal Town Planning Insitute
From policy to practice - The impact of recent planning reform
This session will explore recent updates to planning legislation and the NPPF, focusing on how the reforms are being implemented in practice.
9:15 - 9.55, Stage 1
Speakers:
Director of Planning
The Scottish Government
Chief Planner
Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government
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Chief Planner - Wales
Planning Directorate
AI, digitisation, and a more connected built environment
Discover how artificial intelligence is reshaping planning decisions, the role of the golden thread of data, and why cross-sector collaboration is vital to a smarter planning system. We’ll also explore key challenges in adopting digital transformation.
10.00 - 10.40, Stage 1
Speakers:
Founder & CEO
Digital Task Force for Planning
Product Lead
TerraQuest & Planning Portal
Principle Partner
TX Impact
Founder and CEO
Yeme Tech
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Regeneration Team Leader
Sandwell Council
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Bridging the gap to turn targets into affordable housing delivery
We’ll assess progress toward the 1.5 million homes target, explore how to make affordable housing viable for all stakeholders, and discuss unlocking land and stalled sites while balancing urban density and suburban growth.
11:05 - 11.45, Stage 1
Speakers:
Director of planning Consultancy
Be First
Land and Partnership Director
Vistry South West Midlands
Barrister
Landmark Chambers
Planning Manager
Spitfire Homes
Planning Portal: Q&A with the Planning Portal
Our goal: to make planning simpler, faster, and more efficient for professionals and Local Authorities.
Join our Solutions and Innovation team to share ideas, ask questions, and see our latest tools, including the refreshed Interactive House and upcoming features on our roadmap. Together, we’ll explore how smarter tools can reduce invalid applications, improve understanding, and free up capacity for planning teams.
11:05 - 11.45, Breakout Room 2
Speakers:
Director of planning Consultancy
TerraQuest & Planning Portal
Head of Design UR/UX/UI
TerraQuest & Planning Portal
Lead Business Analyst
TerraQuest & Planning Portal
Product Lead
TerraQuest & Planning Portal
Sponsor
Building our future:
Navigating the impact of environmental legislation
This panel will discuss the impact of policies like Biodiversity Net Gain and nutrient neutrality, how to address green belt constraints, and the integration of climate goals into planning for net zero.
11:50 - 12.30, Stage 1
Speakers:
Founder
Gbolade Design Studio
CEO
Joe's Blooms
Strategic Planning Advisor
Pinsent Masons
Postdoctoral Reseacher
University of Oxford
Professor of Planning
University of Sheffield
Co-CEO
Verna
Principal Advisor - Net Gain
Natural England
Sponsor
From global goals to local impact:
How can SDGs deliver positive outcomes for all?
The Sustainable Development Goals provide a global framework for advancing a fair, more sustainable world. SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities is closely aligned with the overall purpose many planning systems.
In the session we will explore, whether SDG11 is making a difference to planning and development outcomes ‘on the ground’ with findings from new research, an international panel and practical insights on how planners can embed the SDGs in their daily practice to deliver better outcomes for all.
11.50 - 12.30, Breakout Room 1
Speakers:
Associate Planner
ARUP
President
Royal Town Planning Institute
Head of Planning
University of Liverpool
President
Irish Planning Institute
President
APA
Sponsor
APC – Membership session
Every considered becoming a Chartered Town Planer and member of RTPI? This could be for you. The Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) session will focus on the four routes to Chartered membership of RTPI, the three parts of the written submission, the assessment outcomes and the support RTPI offers to APC candidates. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions about applying for Charted status, so you can clarify which route is best for you.
12.35 - 13.15, Breakout Room 2
Speakers:
Head of Planning
Royal Town Planning Institute
Opportunities and challenges for the Government's new towns initiative
How will new towns contribute to the national housing targets? Learn from past, what succeeded and what didn’t, and what this means for delivering the next generation of sustainable, well-planned communities.
12.35 - 13.15, Stage 1
Speakers:
Head of Planning
HTA Design LLP
Chair of Planning
University of Hertfordshire
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Head of Garden Communities
Homes England
Head of Planning
Places for People
Building community support for infrastructure for sustainable communities
This session will highlight the critical role of renewable energy, transport and utilities in enabling housing delivery, explore innovative funding models, examine the evolving NSIPs regime, and showcase how collaboration can drive progress.
14.10 - 14.50, Stage 1
Speakers:
Onshore Consent Manager
RWE
Director of Transport and Infrastructure
Stantec
Director
WPS
Chief Product Officer
SNRG
Devolution, regional development and the power of combined authorities
Explore how devolved powers and combined authorities are transforming regional development. From metro mayors leading housing and infrastructure strategies to councils working together to accelerate delivery, explore how local collaboration is driving meaningful, place-based change aligned with national priorities. Learn how to overcome barriers to cross-council planning and unlock the full potential of devolved governance.
14.55 - 15.35, Stage 1
Speakers:
Director
ARUP
Joint Strategic Plan Director
South West Hertsfordshire
Head of London Plan and Growth Strategies
GLA
Head of Policy and Planning
WMCA
Sponsor
Reforming planning:
progress, performance, and potential
This session will examine how to streamline decision-making by reducing bottlenecks, address ongoing capacity challenges within local authorities, and reflect on positive changes seen since recent planning reforms.
11.05 - 11.45, Stage 2
Speakers:
National Planning Improvement Champion
Improvement Service
Editor
The Planner
Project Officer
Bath and North East Somerset Council
Leader for Large Scale Growth and Regeneration
Homes England
Head of Business Development
TerraQuest & Planning Portal
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Exploring Building Safety Regulations with Dame Judith Hackitt
Join Dame Judith Hackett and RTPI Chief Executive Officer, Victoria Hills for an exclusive Q&A session on evolving Building Safety regulations.
11.50 - 12.30, Stage 2
Speakers:
British engineer
Civil servant
CEO
Royal Town Planning Institute
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Planning for Low Carbon Living: Unlocking Heat and Power Infrastructure for Sustainable Communities
As we move away from gas in new homes, planners are navigating grid constraints, net zero goals, and housing targets. This session offers practical solutions, backed by real-world case studies, on how integrated utility infrastructure can:
• Unlock grid-constrained sites
• Accelerate development readiness
• Cut costs for developers and residents
• Support compliance with the Future Homes Standard
12.35 - 13.15, Breakout Room 1
Speakers:
COO
GTC
Sponsor
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Building prosperity through housing and planning
This session explores the critical relationship between housing delivery and economic growth in regional cities. Drawing on real-world examples and research, speakers will examine how planning, investment, and policy must align to unlock productivity, prosperity, and place-based outcomes.
12.35 - 13.15, Stage 2
Speakers:
Head of English Regions and Wales
Iceni Projects
City Councillor
Milton Keynes City Council
Sponsor
Tackling the housing emergency in regional cities
This session explores the critical relationship between housing delivery and economic growth in regional cities. Drawing on real-world examples and research, speakers will examine how planning, investment, and policy must align to unlock productivity, prosperity, and place-based outcomes.
14.10 - 14.50, Stage 2
Speakers:
Director, Residential Research
Savills
Head of Planning
Glasgow City Council
Barrister
Landmark Chambers
Head of Planning
Cardiff Council
Director - Planning & Strategy
Peel
Biodiversity Net Gain - Successfully Navigating this Regime
Compulsory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for major developments remains in its early stages, presenting ongoing challenges for developers, landowners, and local authorities.
This session, led by Irwin Mitchell, offers essential guidance on navigating BNG’s complexities. Key topics include initial BNG considerations such as baseline assessment and scheme design, achieving BNG through the mitigation hierarchy, and legal methods for securing BNG, including offsite contracting.
The session will also reflect on lessons learned so far and anticipate future challenges. Attendees will gain an overview of BNG requirements, including when and how biodiversity gain must be evidenced, exemptions, the BNG hierarchy, off-site unit registration, habitat banks, and enforcement. The seminar will address practical implementation issues, particularly for small sites, and provide practical tips to help stakeholders adapt to the evolving BNG landscape. Real-world case study examples will be presented to illustrate challenges and solutions in BNG delivery.
14.10 - 14.50, Breakout Room 1
Speakers:
Partner
Irwin Mitchell
Partner
Irwin Mitchell
Planning Manager
Home Builders Federation
Associate Director
RSK Wilding
Sponsor
The greybelt debate:
Exploring the impact of land categorisation on development viability
We’ll explore how land classification influences planning decisions, assess the viability and permissions impacted by land categorisation, and consider current government policies on land use. The panel will also discuss how to unlock land for development while balancing environmental protection and economic growth.
14.55 - 15.35, Stage 2
Speakers:
Chief Revenue Officer
TerraQuest & Planning Portal
Interim Chief Planning Inspector
The Planning Inspectorate
Head of Planning
Marrons
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UK Planning Director
Taylor Wimpey plc
Cororate Director for Place and Communities
South Staffordshire District Council
Responding to the New Era of Strategic Planning
Strategic planning, new towns, digital innovation, and delivery are firmly back on the Government’s agenda, placing planning at the centre of national priorities. But is the sector ready to meet the moment, and how should planners respond?
16.00 - 16.55, Stage 1
Speakers:
Director
Priors and Partners
Director
Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government
Founder & CEO
Digital Task Force for Planning
Founder and CEO
Public Practice
Director
Catriona Riddell & Associates
Sponsor
Closing remarks
Hear from Planning Portal’s CEO, Geoff Keal, and RTPI’s CEO, Victoria Hills, as they reflect on the learnings and opportnities from the National Planning Conference 2025.
17.00 - 17.15, Stage 1
Speakers:
Chief Executive Officer
TerraQuest & Planning Portal
Chief Executive
Royal Town Planning Institute
Interested in sponsoring?
Sponsoring our event is a unique opportunity to elevate your brand, connect with key industry leaders, and demonstrate your commitment to innovation and growth. As a sponsor, you will gain valuable exposure to a highly engaged audience, positioning your company as a key thought leader in the field.
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