Event Recap: A day in the life of a local authority planner at Greater Cambridge Shared Planning
Last Thursday, Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service hosted nine planning apprentices and graduates from private planning and property companies for an interactive day as part of a reciprocal "A Day in the Life of..." initiative. The goal was to showcase the work we do within the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service and provide insight into the range of tasks and responsibilities involved in a typical day.
We began the day with a warm welcome and overview of our services from our Joint Director for Planning and Economic Development, Stephen Kelly, followed by an engaging introduction to Development Management. Our guests then tackled “Snakes and Planners” an exercise exploring the complexities of planning in a fun, hands-on way.
We explored several key areas during the day, including Strategic Sites and Planning Compliance. Our own apprentices also gave a joint presentation, sharing their unique experiences at GCSP.
The afternoon included a two-part BNE/Policy presentation, providing valuable insights into how we balance Built and Natural Environment work with policy-making. Following the presentation, our guest planners took part in an exercise using a recent scheme—complete with maps, photos, pens, and tracing paper—where they outlined key considerations and how they might redesign it to achieve better outcomes.
To cap off the day, we took our guests on a site visit to Cambourne West where they experienced firsthand the complexities and considerations involved in planning a housing scheme. The visit offered valuable insights into the real-world decision-making that drives public-sector priorities, from sustainable design and accessibility to community impact.
Claire Galilee, Assistant Planner at Bidwells, shared her thoughts on the experience, highlighting the value of cross-sector understanding and collaboration:
"This was such a valuable opportunity as someone who is relatively new to the sector to understand the experiences of other planners working in the council, and how we can best work together. Putting some faces to names was really helpful and I look forward to working with some of the planners I met on developments coming forward."
Michael Hammond, Planning Manager at GCSP and lead organiser of this initiative said,
“Amy Robinson (Planner at Bidwells) and I discussed this idea about a year ago while working on a collaborative planning application in Cambridge. I’d like to thank her for the time and effort she put into helping coordinate this with me and for hosting our apprentices at Bidwells a few months ago.
It was fantastic to meet and interact with the planners from Bidwells and Savills who joined us on the day, taking time out of their busy schedules. They were incredibly engaging, and while we hoped they learned from us, it was equally rewarding to hear how and why they approach their work as they do. I know officers at Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service dedicated significant time to preparing for the day, and it was inspiring to see such excellent exercises and presentations from across our service.
As planners from different sectors, it’s essential that we view planning holistically and create opportunities to learn about one another’s approaches to the profession.”
This initiative not only strengthens our connections with private sector colleagues but also helps inspire the next generation of planners to consider the impactful work available in the public sector. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making this day a success.