Lindsey Richards was inaugurated as the new RTPI President for 2024 at a ceremony on Wednesday, 24th January, where she unveiled her vision for “Planning Our Future”
Lindsay Richards joined the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) as the RTPI’s 110th president.
In her inauguration speech, Lindsey emphasised the need to make planning a focal point in discussions surrounding the built environment, climate change, safer streets, and green spaces.
There is a need to connect planning to addressing issues such as climate change and environmental challenges
She also stressed the importance of increasing awareness and understanding of planning outside the profession, particularly among young people.
Richards emphasised the need to connect the planning profession’s role to addressing critical issues such as climate change and environmental challenges, calling on planners to become influencers.
Richards acknowledged the challenges facing the planning profession in 2024, emphasising the upcoming general election, where planning and housing supply are expected to be key policy issues.
Richards addressed the reduction of resources in local authority planning departments, unprecedented levels of vacant posts, skills shortages, and a shift of experienced professionals from the public to the private sector.
In her address, Richards referred to the “It Takes Planners &” campaign launched by the RTPI in the previous year, which aims to combat misinformation about planning and counteract the rising anti-planning sentiment fuelled by social media and negative media coverage.
Lindsey previously held the role of vice president
After a long career as a planner in the public sector, Lindsey Richards joined Homes England, where she served as head of planning and head of profession. She served as the vice president of the RTPI in 2023, before becoming the president in 2024.
Lindsey Richards, president of the RTPI in 2024, said: “My focus for the coming year is simply summed up as ‘Planning our Future’. This is about ensuring planning is at the forefront in conversations such as the built environment, climate change, safer streets and green spaces; ensuring the remit of planning is understood outside of the profession, fuelling curiosity with the subject and ensuring a pipeline of planners coming into the profession and also into the Institute as Members.”
