Town and Regional Planning
This page has been designed to give a starting point for those looking into careers in Town and Regional Planning.
What is town and regional planning?
Town planners advise on potential and ongoing development, and local and national planning policy.
Town and country planning (town planning for short) involves making long- and short-term decisions about the management and development of towns and the countryside. It aims to balance the conflicting demands of housing, industrial development, agriculture, recreation, transport and the environment, to allow appropriate development to take place (source - Prospects).
Prospects
Prospects is a graduate careers website with job profiles, including
town planner and planning and development surveyor.
www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs_construction_property
Prospects Sector Guides
Prospects have produced a series of 'sector guides', which give insights into a number of industries, The 'Construction Sector Briefing' includes job titles, how to get into it, the big companies and information sources.
www.prospects.ac.uk/links/ConstructionSB
Targetjobs
This is a graduate careers information website with the following sector information.
Property
Construction Industry Training Board
You will find a careers section on this site.
www.citb.org.uk/careers
How do I get into it?
Related paid or voluntary work within a local authority or public body is useful. Check the websites of local authorities and other public bodies for these opportunities. Also try the Royal Town Planning Institute RPTI).
www.rtpi.org.uk
The minimum requirement to begin training as a town planner is completion of a university course accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). You will need to achieve a BA or a BSc in Town and Country Planning, plus a post-graduate certificate. This can be done over 4 years full time, or 5 years part time. (Construction Skills)
You need good time management and attention to detail, a good rapport with people, and enthusiasm. Above all, you need to be well organised, and able to constantly deal with many different properties and planning issues. (Targetjobs)
Royal Town Planning Institute
Careers in planning pages, site includes job profiles and information on salaries and career progression as a town planner.
www.rtpi.org.uk/education_and_careers/planning_as_a_career/
Look for courses at the University
See the courses database for University of Brighton courses in this area http://courses.brighton.ac.uk/
Finding a job or employer in this sector
Matchtech
Technical Recruitment Agency for IT, Engineering and Science
Municipal Yearbook
Published by Hemming Group (annual).
www.municipalyearbook.co.uk
The Guardian on Wednesdays and Saturdays
Architects Journal published by EMAP (weekly)
Estates Gazette published by the Estates Gazette Ltd. (weekly)
A Guide to Professional Institutions within the Construction and Built Environment Sector (pdf 1.3MB)
Property Week
Further Information and Useful Links
Construction Industry Training Board
Natural England