Ask-a-planorak #7 - Steve Quartermain CBE

Steve Quartermain isn’t just any #planorak. For over a decade, he was the official #planorak-in-chief.

After a glittering career in local government, including time as President of the Planning Officers Society, Steve became the Ministry’s Chief Planner in 2008. He stayed in that role until earlier this year. What did his tenure cover? Oh, nothing major. Just the 2011 Localism Act, the 2012 National Planning Policy Framework (plus its 2018 and 2019 revisions) and the 2014 National Planning Practice Guidance. And in his spare time, he was Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate in 2015/16.

So Steve knows a thing or two about taking political promises and trying to turn them into policy. Who better (literally, who better - I couldn’t think of anyone) to ask about the challenges the Government faces in bringing forward its big ideas for planning reform in the current rounds of consultation.

Steve answers 10 questions on his time as Chief Planner, and the headline-grabbing proposals in “Planning for the Future”.

1. What makes a good Chief Planner?

A sound technical knowledge coupled with experience; a pragmatism to recognise that not everyone likes planning and a will to make it work; oh and a sense of humour, a thick skin, and an ability to wing it.

2. In your memorable 12 years in that job, what initiatives were you particularly proud of?

The NPPF and the guidance review are stand out achievements but establishing the planning profession within the civil service and setting up a graduate entry scheme is a significant moment for me.

3. And what turned out less well than you’d hoped?

There are some things I never thought would turn out well… but of those things I hoped would fly higher then I suppose Neighbourhood planning comes to mind. The link between strategic, local and community planning was set out in the 2004 Act and neighbourhood plans should be more integral to bottom up planning than has occurred.

4. What in the Government’s current consultations for reforming the planning system do you particularly welcome?

The digital approach to planning and the recognition that Councils need to have a head of place making. The emphasis on design and the ambition to do things more quickly.

5. Is there anything you hoped to see in those consultations which isn’t there?

Detail; many of the ideas may be good or have good intentions, but without the details it is sometimes hard to tell. It is one thing to invite consultees to help shape the agenda, but at times the lack of detail is disappointing. On a specific, I would have expected more on the replacement of the Duty to Co-operate. 

6. The debate about housing numbers is generating headlines (again!). What’s your view on the White Paper’s ideas about housing numbers?

Early in my time as Chief Planner, politicians were adamant we needed an end to top down planning and the cascade of housing figures from regional strategies. We now have a top down approach set out in the white paper and it is not clear how capacity and constraints are going to be assessed prior to the government handing down the housing figure. And if there is a plan, see my answer to question 5.

7. How do you view the White Paper’s headline proposal about a new generation of pared-down Local Plans fixing areas for growth, renewal and protection? 

Pared down local plans are a great idea and I particularly welcome the idea that some development management policies might be centralised (NPPF?). But I do think we need more careful consideration regarding the three types of land use being proposed and how and what rules are to be applied within them. Otherwise we will not have a better planning system, just a different one .

8. With your experience of trying to turn political pledges into policy, which of the Government’s proposals for reform do you see being particularly challenging to bring into effect? 

All of it! 

9. If we called you out of retirement and gave your Robert Jenrick’s job for the day – what’s the first thing you’d do?

I would scrap some Permitted Development rights and bring back a strategic level of planning.

10. President of the Planning Officers Society, Chief planner, Chief Executive of PINS – it’s a very remarkable CV! How would you like your legacy in the English planning system to be viewed into the future?

Either “He helped lay the foundation of the planning system in the modern age“ or “He was there for us, and it’s not his fault it doesn’t work”.  

Thanks so much for those fascinating answers, Steve. Stay well, #planoraks! And don’t forget those consultation responses. Clock’s ticking!