A couple of months ago I saw that Shaun Knights at Preston City Council and national vice chair of the Young Planning Officers Society (POS), had posted on LinkedIn encouraging nominations for POS’ ‘Emerging Planner Award’ (EPA).
“I’ve already seen some genuinely impressive submissions that show the amazing day‑to‑day work young planners are doing and the fresh ideas they’re bringing into LPAs”, Shaun wrote.
“Hmm”, thought I. "I am interested in the amazing day‑to‑day work that young planners are doing and the fresh ideas they’re bringing into LPAs, and I bet that 50 Shades listeners would be too..."
I sent Shaun a message asking if he and his Young POS colleagues would be up for making an episode together with some of the planners that were subsequently short-listed for the award and he was, and some of them were, and so they put together what you are will hear ahead of and after the recent POS Conference in Nottingham at which the winner of the award was announced.
Young POS, for those that do not know, is a network for public sector planners with less than ten years post qualification experience and it provides opportunities for planners to support one another through the sharing of experience, learning and knowledge.
Developed by Young POS and supported by the Society’s Rising Star bursaries, the EPA is an initiative created by young planners for young planners (that sounds familiar…), with 2026 marking its inaugural year. The award celebrates the everyday achievements of young public sector planners, whose work often lacks the visibility and recognition it deserves. It shines a light on the valuable contributions these planners make to practice, communities and place-making across England.
The episode that they Shaun and friends have put together is in four parts.
First you will hear Shaun and Imogen Hopkin at South Staffordshire Council. and national Chair of Young POS, talk to shortlisted EPA nominee Annie Utting. Annie is at Be First Ltd (for the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham).
Then you will hear Shaun and Imogen talk to nominee Charlotte Greenhow at South Ribble Borough Council.
Then you will hear Shaun and Imogen talk to nominee Will Lawrence at Nottinghamshire County Council
Then finally you will hear a conversation between Shaun, Annie, Charlotte and Will.
The first two conversations were recorded online and the second two were recorded at The Createry in Nottingham.
The four conversations take in, amongst other things, their respective careers to date, managing application backlogs, facilitating service improvements, why householder applications can be worse than majors, why no two council planning teams are the same, the dreaded role of duty planners, LGR, managing abuse, on one side of the coin, but the best part of their roles on the other.
Nominations for the EPA 2027 will open next March and if in the meantime and young planning officers that are listening would be interested in getting involved with Young POS do get in touch with Shaun or Imogen. I know that they are always on the lookout fr regional chairs
The award has sought to shine a light on the impact young planners are making across the public sector and hopefully this episode of the podcast does so too.
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