A new documentary series on the BBC captures the scintillating stories of the planning world by following the work of Council Planning Officers across the UK. Meet "The Planners."
No this is not a fake news story a la The Onion. Produced by Dympna Jackson, who's previously produced the series "Reel History of Britain" and "Dragons' Den Online", "The Planners lifts the lid on the decisions behind planning approvals and refusals."
"In this observational documentary series, we'll tell the story through the eyes, ears and drawings of the Planners themselves - the people who interpret the rules, evaluate the proposals and make the recommendations," expains the series description. "These are the people who can make homeowners' dreams come true or bring them cashing down."
Here is the description for the first of the series' eight episodes:
"In this episode of The Planners, three national house builders target a greenfield site outside Winsford in Cheshire. They're proposing to build 540 new homes in the area but the locals aren't happy and will stop at nothing to derail the development. A Cheltenham couple erect a mock-up of their neighbour's extension to highlight their concerns to planners. A retired couple that lives in a conservation area in the heart of Chester submit a planning application to erect 17 solar panels onto their garage roof and a Cheltenham resident spends over £10,000 pounds on her planning application for a dropped curb outside her home."
We couldn't find any information on whether the planners might be shown in the U.S.
FULL STORY: The Planners
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?
Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.
Which US Rail Agencies Are Buying Zero-Emissions Trains?
U.S. rail agencies are slowly making the shift to zero-emissions trains, which can travel longer distances without refueling and reduce air pollution.
San Diego School District Approves Affordable Housing Plan
The district plans to build workforce housing for 10 percent of its employees in the next decade and explore other ways to contribute to housing development.
Lawsuit Aims to Stop NYC’s ‘City of Yes’ Zoning Reforms
A lawsuit brought by local lawmakers and community groups claims the plan failed to conduct a comprehensive environmental review.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
City of Moreno Valley
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
Newport County Development Council: Connect Greater Newport