Strategic planning in England: where did we go so wrong?

This lecture will look at the role of strategic planning in England over the last few decades, asking why its value as part of how we plan effectively has been diminished and what the future for strategic planning might look like.

The lecture will be followed by a drinks reception.

About the speaker

Catriona is an independent consultant providing support on a wide range of spatial planning issues but focuses on strategic planning. Since starting her consultancy Catriona Riddell & Associates Ltd in 2011, Catriona has supported a large number of local authorities across England, helping them develop their approaches to local and strategic planning, and to establish new governance and partnership arrangements to manage this. She has authored three major publications on the subject of strategic planning practice and decision-making and has contributed to several other national studies. She is currently part of a small study team commissioned by the Royal Town Planning Institute to research the role of strategic planning and the lessons we have learned over the years.

Previously Catriona was Director of Planning at the South East England Regional Assembly and before that, was Head of Strategic Planning at Surrey County Council.

In 2022 Catriona was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from Oxford Brookes University for her services to Planning, was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Town Planning Institute and was one of the Planner magazine’s Women of Influence, with the judges recognising Catriona as “an intelligent, well-informed champion of strategic planning.”

Catriona is a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute’s England Policy Committee, is Deputy Chair of the Town and Country Planning Association and Strategic Planning Specialist for the Planning Officers’ Society which represents planning officers across England. Catriona is also a regular guest lecturer at several universities and is a judge on both the Planning Magazine and the RTPI South East Awards. She is a regular columnist for Planning Magazine and the TCPA Journal and is a regular conference speaker on the subject of spatial planning.