Episode 166 of the podcast is available now via this link or from the usual podcast platforms. I was in Birmingham recently and took the opportunity to catch up with friends of the podcast Mike Best, Kathryn Ventham and Michelle Simpson-Gallego at PodHaus studios in Digbeth. We talked about why the recent consultation on areas for producing Spatial Development Strategies seemed to generate more interest in the West Midlands than other parts of the country (an issue for which this episode has named); we talked about the politics of Grey Belt; we talked about some live development management issues, including LPAs basing decisions on unpublished evidence; and we touched on PINS’ recent performance.
Hello Readers. My name is Sam, I am a town planner and I sometimes write about town planning-related things (in my own time and as an expression of my own opinions). I have a town planning-related podcast (there is a link to that on this page somewhere) and I circulate a town planning-related newsletter from time to time (there is a link to that somewhere as well). You can also find me on Linktree (@samuel_stafford).