
Hitting the High Notes - Catriona Riddell
From 50 Shades of Planning by Samuel Stafford
February 21, 2026 · 1h 22m · Episode 160
About this episode
This episode features a discussion on the current state of strategic planning and recent developments in planning legislation with guest Catriona Riddell.
Strategic planning, as Sam Stafford said in the introduction to episode number 157, is back. That episode looked at what shape it is in right now. What have authorities been able to do whilst awaiting the consolidation of the Planning & Infrastructure Act, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill? What the sector did not know just a few weeks ago, but do now, are the new strategic geographies outside of areas governed by a mayor and where some work on Spatial Development Strategies (SDSs) is already underway. Just last week though, at the time Sam prepared to publish this episode, a consultation was launched on all of the areas to be tasked with producing SDSs. So the podcast has looked at where things are now, but what do those tasked with consolidating the Planning & Infrastructure Act, the NPPF and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, and those producing SDSs, need to know about the last time planning was being undertaken strategically given that some time has now passed since the revocation of the Regional Spatial Strategies (RSSs). Now then seemed like a good time for Sam to publish the…
People in this episode
Host: Samuel Stafford
Guest: Catriona Riddell
Topics covered
- strategic planning
- Planning & Infrastructure Act
- National Planning Policy Framework
- English Devolution
- Spatial Development Strategies
- government policy
Keywords
- strategic planning
- NPPF
- SDSs
- planning legislation
- government policy
- Catriona Riddell
- Samuel Stafford
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Soho Radio Studios
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