Industry Reflection

My time at university and work placement provided an insight into the issues faced within the planning industry. Below are a number of my reflections on the planning industry. Read more about my networking plan within the industry.

Theory vs. Practice

There is plenty of discussion within the planning industry regarding the apparent disconnect between planning theory and practice. Three key issues have been identified on this topic. The first key issue is the diverse nature of planning. As noted by Sandercock (1983), there is confusion faced by planning educators when deciding what should be the focus of the content taught to students, for example technical skills versus theory, and whether the content can be accurately and easily delivered at a tertiary level. Beauregard (2001) describes planning as a science and a craft, which results in a profession that is not as well defined as others. The wide range of planning theory available may create an almost diluted effect for planning students, where there is only a small amount of knowledge on a wide range of topics (Sandercock 1983). However, Beauregard (2001) argues that this diversity of knowledge results in planners that are more idealistic and open to change. During my time in the planning industry, I have found that a lot of theory that is taught at tertiary level is actually transferrable to the professional planning industry. One example is that during development assessment, you are required to apply the theories of CPTED and place-making. I have found that the base knowledge you acquire on these theories is very applicable to the planning profession.

The second key issue is the disconnect between planning and other fields. As Sandercock (1983) notes, planners generally do not take into account economic factors such the property market and unemployment. The lack of education in these matters can result in planners who cannot and will not base planning decisions on these factors. During my time at university, I found there were limited opportunities to interact and work with other disciplines. Additionally, I found that while my experience in the real estate industry was useful, others in the degree were not exposed to this level of knowledge and information. I believe it is critical that students and professionals in the industry are exposed to factors such as the property market, economy, etc.

The third key issue is the lack of cohesion between planning theory and the experiences of planners. Sandercock (1983) discusses how planners are predominantly taught in ‘sedate’ settings that focus on aesthetic values creating planners who are not capable of dealing with the ‘strategic, big-city issues’ (Sandercock 1983 p. 36). This also leads to planners who fail to recognize the wide range of effects and impacts their planning decisions may have. Criticisms of planners focus on the power that planners have over the lives of others (Sandercock 1983). My time at university helped to shape my critical analysis skills, which I believe are vital in decision making. During my placement, I found that it was sometimes hard to connect the work being completed with the real world issues it may create, however without my skills developed at university this would have proved impossible.

References:

Beauregard, R. 2001, ‘The multiplicities of planning’, Journal of Planning Education and Research, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 437-439.

Sandercock, L. 1983, ‘Educating planners: from physical determinism to economic crisis’, in Urban Political Economy: The Australian Case, ed. L. Sandercock & M. Berry, Allen and Unwin, Melbourne.

Ethics in Planning

Ethical practice is an important aspect in any professional field. In planning, an ethical issue arises when there is conflict between the morals and principles of a planner and the planning profession. This is particularly important in the planning profession as the decisions made by planners ‘can and should reflect the interests of the community as a whole’ (PIA p.3). There is legislation in place to prosecute offenders who partake in corrupt conduct; the Crime and Corruption Act 2001. Under this Act, corrupt conduct usually occurs when someone is not honest or impartial; they breach public trust or misuse information/material (CCC 2015).

An example of an ethical issue that may arise wthin the planning profession would relate to conflicts of interest. An example would be if a planning officer receives an application that is in close proximity to a property owned by a friend or family member. The planning officer may form an opinion on the application based solely on this, instead of reviewing the merits of the application. The ‘Professional Code of Conduct’ issued by PIA includes a section entitled ‘Avoid Conflict of Interest’. This section provides guidance on the issue of conflicts of interest and advises members that they should not be involved in circumstances where there’s potential conflict their own interest and that of their client, employer, or the public interest and that members must strongly consider whether to disclose any possible conflicts of interest to the clients or employers before becoming involved.

References:

Crime and Corruption Commission Queensland (CCC) 2015, What is Corrupt Conduct? (online), Available: <http://www.ccc.qld.gov.au/corruption/what-the-ccc- investigates/what-is-corrupt-conduct> (19 April 2015).

Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) 2014, Professional Code of Conduct (online), Available: <https://www.planning.org.au/documents/item/6014> (19 April 2015).

Adpating to Change in the Industry

The planning profession is continually changing. Birch’s (2001) key discussion point is the changes that the planning profession has seen over the last eight decades or so. It is evident that this pattern will keep continuing as conditions in the world change. Therefore we, as planners, will need to identify and adapt to these before and as they happen. Based on current evident, one of the most important trends we will need to adapt to is climate change. This will result in issues never seen before in the planning profession, and we will need to develop innovate solutions to deal with these impacts. In addition, new careers may be created specialising in climate change and we will need to make sure we keep up with the profession.

Another key trend noted by Birch (2001) is the growth of planning as a profession, particularly at tertiary institutions. As seen in past years, the global economy works in cycles and therefore we will have to deal with more and more graduates with planning degrees trying to fit into a job market that may have no room. This can also be impacted by the political situation at the time, as different parties have varying public sector employment views. Therefore, we will need to stay updated with both the current financial and political situations.

Lastly, planners will need to adapt to new and innovative technology that may be applicable to the industry. For example, planners may use 3D printing technology to showcase developments or even technology such as the Occulus Rift to provide a virtual reality walk through of their design. Planners will also need to keep up-to-date with social media platforms to promote their industry and brand.

References:

Birch, E. 2001, ‘Practitioners and the art of planning’, Journal of Planning Education and Research, vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 407-422.