Hitting the High Notes - Tim Waring

Hitting the High Notes - Tim Waring

Author: Samuel Stafford July 19, 2025 Duration: 53:43

This episode sees the welcome return of the Hitting the High Notes series, the basic proposition of which is that Sam Stafford chats to preeminent figures in the planning and property sectors about the six planning permissions or projects that helped to shape them as professionals. And, so that listeners can get to know people a little better personally, for every project or stage of their career Sam also asks his guests for a piece of music that reminds them of that period. Think of it as town planning’s equivalent of Desert Island Discs.

Unlike Desert Island Discs though you will no hear any of that music during the episode because using commercially-licensed music without the copyright holders permission or a very expensive PRS licensing agreement could land Sam in hot water, so there are links to You Tube videos and a Spotify playlist below.

Sam's guest for this episode of Hitting the High Notes is Tim Waring, who retired in 2025 after a near 40 year career in planning consultancy.

Sam's conversation with Tim was recorded at Distorted Studios in Leeds in March 2025, little over a month after Tim left Quod, for whom he opened an office back in 2014, the third planning team that he established in the city. They talked about out of centre retail development in Worthing and Stockport; town centre redevelopment in Beverley and Leeds; and residential development in Ripon and York. Tim also shares his golden rules of planning consultancy.

Some accompanying listening.

Fools Gold – The Stone Roses

The Planner’s Dream Goes Wrong – The Jam

Confusion – New Order

Heroes – David Bowie

The Narcissist – Blur

North Country Boy - The Charlatans

Tim’s High Notes Spotify Playlist

Sam’s Indie Disco Spotify Playlist

Any other business.

50 Shades T-Shirts!

If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning you will have heard Clive Betts say that...

'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'.

Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here.

Sam is on Bluesky and Instagram. His blog contains a link to his newsletter.


Samuel Stafford hosts 50 Shades of Planning, a podcast that digs into the often perplexing world of the English planning system. Rather than offering dry policy lectures, these conversations embrace the sector's inherent complexities and occasional absurdities. The aim is to provide a wide-ranging view, bringing in diverse voices from across the fields of planning, property, design, and development. You'll hear from practitioners, thinkers, and critics, each sharing their unique experiences and perspectives on how places are shaped. A recurring series within the podcast, titled 'Hitting The High Notes', features in-depth discussions with leading figures, examining pivotal career moments and influential projects. These talks are structured around six key planning milestones, offering a concrete framework for understanding professional journeys and systemic challenges. By weaving together themes from government, business, arts, and social sciences, this podcast reveals how planning sits at a crowded intersection of politics, economics, and community life. Tune in for thoughtful, sometimes surprising, explorations of the forces that decide what gets built, where, and why.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 164

50 Shades of Planning
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