Introduction to planning: Development management course

A practical one-day CPD course
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Introduction to planning: Development management course

A practical one-day CPD course

  • In-person, main campus

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&  Date: Wednesday 16 September, 10:00鈥17:00 (including breaks)
(  Delivery: In-person
>  Level: Introductory
[  Certification: Certificate of Completion (CPD)
*  Cost:
This course provides introductory content on how development projects are conceived, presented and appraised. The session will un-pack the term 鈥榙evelopment鈥 and will explore the different mechanisms through which planning consent can be granted. The session will outline key stages in preparing and assessing planning applications and will explain how planning decisions are made.  The course outlines the kind of follow-on action that is needed should an application be approved or refused.

Course aims

The course aims to develop awareness of the institutional and legal frameworks that surround the management of development and the circumstances through which planning permission needs to be sought. The course outlines the stages through which a planning application is prepared and submitted and the steps that need to be taken to appraise, and ultimately approve or refuse, a planning application. The role for planning conditions and obligations will also be discussed, as will the processes for potentially appealing a planning decision and taking enforcement action. The course is interactive and hands-on, with participants being invited to engage with real-life development sites and planning applications.
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The course has been designed for anyone who engages with planning or is likely to do so in the future. No prior knowledge is assumed, and participants will be invited to share their experiences and associations with planning during the session. The course is ideal for those who have recently started to work in the planning and development sector, and those with aspirations to work in the sector. However, content will also be relevant to broader groups and individuals who want to extend their knowledge and influence of English planning practice.
The course has been designed for in-person delivery, but delegates can join online via Microsoft Teams and engage via a hybrid format if necessary. The in-person delivery will be hosted at the sa国际传媒鈥檚 main city campus.
By completing this short course, learners should be able:
  • To recognise how development is defined and the circumstances when planning permission needs to be sought. 
  • To understand the basic principles of permitted development and how material changes of use are approached and managed.
  • To identify the different kinds of planning application that exist, and the type of information that applicants need to submit to support their proposals.
  • To understand the processes via which planning applications are assessed and determined via a plan-led system, including how policy and other material considerations are applied.  
The course will be delivered by Nick Smith, a Chartered Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute. 
Nick is a Lecturer in Planning at the sa国际传媒, Programme Leader for MSc Planning, and is leading the design of a new undergraduate programme, BSc (Hons) Environmental Planning and Design. 
Nick has worked in planning for 25 years and has spent time in both planning practice and academia. For more information, please contact: nick.smith@plymouth.ac.uk.

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