Vibes and Stuff

Vibes and Stuff

Author: Samuel Stafford August 1, 2026 Duration: 56:42

Sam Stafford was in Birmingham recently and took the opportunity whilst there to catch up with old friend of the podcast Myles Wild Smith and new friends of the podcast Mike Knott, Bart Shirm and Beth Pywell.

Myles is a Director at Lichfields, Mike is a Regional Practice Lead at Stantec, Bart is a Senior Planning Policy Officer at Sandwell and Beth is an Associate Director at Nexus.

During a good ol’-fashioned, Shades-style ramblechat, recorded at Podhaus studios in Digbeth’s Custard Factory, they talk about the NPPF's non-appearance before the parliament summer recess, local plan progress and the recent Pennycook pragmatism letter, changes to the BNG regime, Bart’s recent trip to Canada, which led them back to the reform agenda here, and towards the end, application fees.

Some accompanying reading.

Local Plan examinations: letter to the Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate (July 2026)

Biodiversity Net Gain: Amendments and transitional arrangements published

A Biodiversity Net Gain Solution for a High Value Brownfield Site

FUSION Montréal: Confident planners delivering resilient outcomes

Why NPPFs fail #1 - planning by committee

Some accompanying viewing.

Plan, Prepare, Progress: A practical guide to the new local plan system

What does Team Burnham mean for housebuilding

Some accompanying listening.

Vibes and Stuff – A Tribe Called Quest

Any other business.

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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: 50

50 Shades of Planning
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