Do you speak 'town planning'?

This week we have Mahsa Khaneghah, Head of Planning and Sustainability at Platinum Property Partners, share the importance of language when communicating about the built environment sector to the next generation. Also known as ‘Urbanist on a mission’ on Instagram, Mahsa uses her platform to educate others about town planning in an interesting way, helping to break down the jargon, commonly used in the sector.

It’s time to move away from ‘bricks and mortar’ and treat urban planning as the holistic area that it is – from climate change to health inequalities, Mahsa is on a mission to change perceptions about town planning, one Instagram post at a time.

I’ve always been so excited by place. ‘Where am I?’, ‘What is this?’, ‘Why is it here?’, ‘Who is it for?’. The benefits and negative consequences of planning outcomes are enormously impactful on our lives, economies, planet and culture; yet for the average person the influence of the planning system can be completely undetected.

Growing up multilingual, Urban Planning for me was like finding a language I could communicate the importance of interconnected thinking for place-shaping. Section 2 of the National Planning Policy Framework begins ‘the purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development’ — what a powerful and important statement. So, in theory, the planning system is oriented to achieve balanced spaces, places and communities – but is that how it’s perceived?

“I’ve frankly never met anyone outside of the industry who naturally associates town planning with climate change action or addressing inequality."

Throughout my career I have often had to explain what it is that I do as a Chartered Town Planner and how the planning process works (usually beginning ‘Have you ever played Sims…?’). For those that have encountered planning, a wave of frustration usually bubbles to the surface; and I’ve frankly never met anyone outside of the industry who naturally associates town planning with climate change action or addressing inequality.

Our health is determined by air-quality control and mitigation; the schools and jobs we apply for are influenced by how accessible they are; our moods and ecosystems are impacted by the amount of nature we are exposed to; the colours, shapes and scale of our buildings tell the story of who we were for generations to come; and don’t even get me started on housing quality and delivery! Despite this, the planning process remains enigmatic and unwelcoming to the masses. This highly technical and political space can appear exclusive, be too costly or time-intensive- and that’s for those who are in the position to entertain seeking planning permission to begin with!

In response, I started my Instagram @urbanistonamission over three years ago with the post below:

‘Alexandra Park and Palace in North London is a great example of culture and nature coming together with amazing views of the city! Alexandra Palace station keeps in theme with bicycle storage, recycling bins and lots of green plants and art 💪🏽. This makes for a perfect day out in London, and offers an example of how we can create an emotional connectedness to nature for more sustainable development in overground stations and cultural sites 🏙🌳💚 This is a critical asset for connecting Haringey’s diverse dwellers to the natural environment, where in 2011 over 65% of the population was non-White British! GO PLAY☀️’

Mahsa’s Instagram page, @urbanistonamission

Over 150 posts later and some evolution, I’m still taking pictures and writing about how interconnected thinking across planning principles applies to us all every day.

“My hope for the planning industry is that the process becomes more concise and focused in a meaningful way so that we can all speak ‘Town Planning’."

As the Head of Planning & Sustainability of a nation-wide property franchise, Platinum Property Partners, I regularly support our network and present up and down the country about key legislative changes and sustainable development. The goal is to empower people to engage with the intricacies of planning and the reality of environmental pressures so that they can strategise accordingly.

In a similar vein, @urbanistonamission is about reminding people that sustainable urban development is about everything and everyone. My hope for the planning industry is that the process becomes more concise and focused in a meaningful way so that we can all speak ‘Town Planning’. The push towards sustainable urban development needs to be understandable, achievable and ultimately support those in the industry who are passionate about making a difference – but may struggle with a ‘Town Planning’ language barrier.