We prioritise staying at the forefront of industry trends, policy shifts and best practices. Last week was particularly busy for the Team, with attendance at several high-profile events across the North West.
Here is a summary of our key takeaways from events attended over the last couple of weeks.
RTPI North West: Heritage Update 2026
Sophie joined fellow professionals at Eversheds Sutherland in Manchester for the RTPI North West Heritage Update. As national policy continues to evolve with the NPPF consultation, staying at the forefront of heritage practice is essential for delivering informed, strategic advice.
Key reflections from the session:
- Heritage-led regeneration: Exploring projects like Brierfield Mill and Whitehaven highlighted how heritage assets serve as active tools for placemaking and economic growth.
- High-calibre documentation: The session reinforced that clear, expert heritage statements are the backbone of efficient decision-making for both owners and authorities.
- A consensus for change: From the restoration of Manchester Town Hall to the Copeland Shopfront Design Guide, we discussed how understanding ‘what matters and why’ allows for sensitive yet sustainable development.
It was a privilege to hear from speakers across Historic England, Donald Insall Associates, and various local authorities as we look toward the future of the North West’s historic environment.
Shaping Safer Cities: Women’s Safety in the Built Environment
Sophie also supported and attended the RTPI North West Young Planners CPD event on ‘Women’s Safety in the Built Environment’, hosted at Stockport Council’s office. The session was a powerful reminder that safety is not a ‘tick-box’ feature, it must be a foundational part of the planning process from day one.
Key takeaways for our work at P4 Planning:
- Early engagement is vital: Bringing diverse voices to the table early ensures we are not just ‘fixing’ problems later but designing them out from the start.
- The ‘Good Design’ gap: Our role is to facilitate solutions where barriers are easy to spot, but “good” design is harder to define without lived experience.
- Technical rigour: We explored the Safety Inclusion Assessment (SIA) process, a brilliant tool for ensuring inclusive design is measurable and evidence-based.
From interactive sessions in Manchester to a walking tour of the new Stockport Interchange, the message was clear that when we design for women’s safety, we create better, more vibrant spaces for everyone.
Building with Nature: Design & Accreditation
Rhian attended the ‘Building with Nature’ event hosted by Women in Property North West at Alyn Waters Country Park. Kate Richards from Land Studio provided an insightful look into the accreditation process and the frameworks that drive high-quality green infrastructure.
Key takeaways:
Structured standards: The Building with Nature framework provides a clear set of standards across wellbeing, water, wildlife, and place.
Integrated design: The session sparked team-wide discussions on how to better integrate these ecological standards into our current and future project workflows.
Creating Healthy Places within Cities
Imogen attended an FFT (Forum for Tomorrow) networking event earlier in the week at Cloud 23, featuring a presentation by Joshua Dickerson at BWB Consulting Ltd on the vital topic of urban health.
Key takeaways:
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- Health as an urban component: We explored the specific components of the built environment that influence public health and the practical boundaries encountered during delivery.
- Collaborative solutions: The event enabled great discussions on how planners can navigate delivery challenges to ensure health remains a priority in city-scale developments.
The Future is Female: Navigating the Built Environment
Imogen and Bill attended the Place North West x Close Brothers ‘The future is Female’ event. A distinguished panel, including Cllr Arooj Shah, Rachael Cunliffe, Michele Steel, Ian Scott, Krista Powell and Georgine Lynch, shared their experiences navigating careers within the development industry.
Key takeaways:
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- Momentum in representation: While there have been positive steps toward better representation of women in development management, the panel highlighted that more work is required to maintain this momentum.
- Industry insights: The event provided a great platform to discuss career trajectories and the importance of diverse leadership in shaping the future of our industry.
