The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) is the professional body representing planners in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

, and

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

. It promotes and develops policy affecting planning and the

built environment The term built environment refers to human-made conditions and is often used in architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, public health, sociology, and anthropology, among others. These curated spaces provide the setting for human ...

. Founded in 1914, the institute was granted a

royal charter A royal charter is a formal grant issued by a monarch under royal prerogative as letters patent. Historically, they have been used to promulgate public laws, the most famous example being the English Magna Carta (great charter) of 1215, b ...

in 1959. In 2018 it reported that it had over 25,000 members.

Origins

Following the Housing, Town Planning, &c. Act 1909,

surveyor Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. A land surveying professional is ca ...

civil engineer A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering – the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructure while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing ...

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

lawyer A lawyer is a person who practices law. The role of a lawyer varies greatly across different legal jurisdictions. A lawyer can be classified as an advocate, attorney, barrister, canon lawyer, civil law notary, counsel, counselor, solic ...

s and others began working together within

local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...

in the UK to draw up schemes for the development of land. The idea of town planning as a new and distinctive area of expertise began to be formed. In 1910,

Thomas Adams Thomas Adams may refer to: Politicians * Thomas Adams (MP), Member of Parliament for Bedford *Sir Thomas Adams, 1st Baronet (1586–1667/68), Lord Mayor of London * Thomas Adams (politician) (1730–1788), Virginia delegate to the Continental Cong ...

was appointed as the first Town Planning Inspector at the

Local Government Board The Local Government Board (LGB) was a British Government supervisory body overseeing local administration in England and Wales from 1871 to 1919. The LGB was created by the Local Government Board Act 1871 (C. 70) and took over the public health a ...

, and began having meetings with practitioners. In November 1913, a meeting was convened of interested professionals to establish a new Institute, and Adams was elected as the group's president. The Town Planning Institute (TPI) was launched with an inaugural dinner in January 1914, and it was formally established on 4 September 1914 when its Articles of Association were signed. The first three of the Articles of Association were: RTPI.org.uk, ''About the RTPI''
Retrieved 17 January 2013

*To advance the study of town-planning, civic design and kindred subjects, and of the arts and sciences as applied to those subjects; *To promote the artistic and scientific development of towns and cities; *To secure the association, and to promote the general interests of those engaged or interested in the practice of town-planning.

In 1928 the institute elected its first female professional member, Jocelyn Frere Adburgham, and in 1959 received its royal charter, then becoming the Royal Town Planning Institute.The Royal Town Planning Institute, Royal Charter and Byelaws, revised 2007
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Functions

The RTPI currently states that it is: *A membership organisation and a Chartered Institute responsible for maintaining professional standards and accrediting world class planning courses nationally and internationally. *A charity whose charitable purpose is to advance the science and art of planning (including town and country and spatial planning) for the benefit of the public. *A learned society.

Members

The institute supports its membership through professional development, education and training for future planners. Fellows are entitled the use of the post-nominals FRTPI and chartered members may use MRTPI. In March 2012, it reported that it had over 23,000 members, of which 8,000 were women and 15,000 men. These included 1,100 international members, across 82 countries. There are currently eight membership classes: *Student For full or part-time students on courses related to planning or the built environment. *Licentiate Licentiate membership is the main pathway to qualify as a Chartered Town Planner. *Member Chartered membership signifies that its holder has knowledge, skills and competence in spatial planning in appropriate depth and detail. Members may use the post-nominals MRTPI. *Fellow Fellowship is the organisations most prestigious accolade and recognises those who have made a major contribution to the profession. Fellows may use the post-nominals FRTPI. *Legal Associate For qualified legal practitioners who specialise and have experience in planning law. *Affiliate For people who have an interest in planning, or are working in planning but are not yet qualified for other membership classes. *Retired For those no longer practicing or earning an income from planning.

Governance

The RTPI is governed by a General Assembly and a Board of Trustees. The General Assembly is responsible for the development of planning policy and practice. The Board of Trustees is responsible for managing the affairs of the RTPI as a chartered body and registered charity.

Research

The RTPI promotes research activity underpinning and evaluating planning practice, theory and education. The RTPI holds an annual awards ceremony recognising excellence in the field of planning and urban design. RTPI: Research
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Planning Aid

The RTPI runs

Planning Aid Planning Aid provides free Urban planning, urban and environmental planning advice to individuals and community groups who cannot afford to pay a professional consultant, via a number of charitable organisations throughout the UK. A similar scheme ...

in England, outside London where

Planning Aid for London Planning is the process of thinking regarding the activities required to achieve a desired goal. Planning is based on foresight, the fundamental capacity for mental time travel. The evolution of forethought, the capacity to think ahead, is cons ...

operates. There is a linked organization, Planning Aid Wales. Planning Aid provides free, independent and professional planning advice to communities and individuals who cannot afford to pay consultant fees. It was established by the

Town and Country Planning Association The Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) is an independent research and campaigning charity founded and based in the United Kingdom. It works to enable homes, places and communities in which everyone can thrive. Through its research, tr ...

in 1973 and involves volunteers working on casework and community planning activities.

Presidents

A full list of presidents is set out below. The first president, in 1914, was Thomas Adams. The first female president, in 1974, was Sylvia Law. *1914

*1915

Sir Raymond Unwin Sir Raymond Unwin (2 November 1863 – 29 June 1940) was a prominent and influential English engineer, architect and town planner, with an emphasis on improvements in working class housing. Early years Raymond Unwin was born in Rotherham, Yorks ...

*1916 John William Cockrill *1917 Edmund Rushworth Abbot *1918 Stanley Davenport Adshead *1919

George Lionel Pepler Sir George Lionel Pepler (24 February 1882 – 13 April 1959) was a British town planner who was influential in the development of town planning practice in the first half of the twentieth century. Life and career George Pepler was born 24 F ...

*1920 Henry Edward Stilgoe *1921 Robert Armstrong Reay-Neadin *1922 Henry Vaughan Lanchester *1923

Thomas Hayton Mawson Thomas Hayton Mawson (5 May 1861 – 14 November 1933), known as T. H. Mawson, was a British garden designer, landscape architect, and town planner. Personal life Mawson was born in Nether Wyresdale, Lancashire, and left school at age 12. H ...

*1924 William Thomas Lancashire *1925

Sir Patrick Abercrombie Sir Leslie Patrick Abercrombie (; 6 June 1879 – 23 March 1957) was an English regional and town planner. Abercrombie was an academic during most of his career, and prepared one city plan and several regional studies prior to the Second World ...

*1926

William Robert Davidge William Robert Davidge (1879–1961) was an architect and surveyor, who combined these skills with an enthusiasm for urban improvement to become one of the pioneering leaders of the British town planning movement of the early twentieth century. He ...

*1927 George Montagu Harris *1928 Edward Willis *1929

Richard Barry Parker Richard Barry Parker (18 November 1867 – 21 February 1947) was an English architect and urban planner associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement. He was primarily known for his architectural partnership with Raymond Unwin. Biography ...

*1930 Frederick William Platt *1931 Richard Cowdy Maxwell *1932

Francis Longstreth Thompson Francis Longstreth Thompson, OBE (3 May 1890 – 19 March 1973) was a British town planner and writer. He was born in Croydon, Surrey, and studied at University College, London, where he took a degree in engineering. In 1917 he published ''T ...

*1933

Thomas Alwyn Lloyd Thomas Alwyn Lloyd (11 August 1881 – 19 June 1960), known as ''T. Alwyn Lloyd'', was a Welsh architect and town planner. He was one of the founders of the Town Planning Institute in 1914 and its President in 1933. He was also a founding memb ...

*1934 Sir Herbert Humphries *1935 Maj. Leslie Roseveare *1936 Ernest Gladstone Allen *1937

Ewart Gladstone Culpin Ewart Gladstone Culpin (3 December 1877 – 1 December 1946) was a British Labour Party politician and town planner who served as the Chairman of London County Council. Biography The son of Ben Ephraim Lamartine and Eliza Culpin, Ewart attend ...

*1938 Joshua Edward Acfield *1939 William Harding Thompson *1940 Oswald Alfred Radley *1941 Robert Henry Mattocks *1942 Col. William Spottiswoode Cameron *1943 William Dobson Chapman *1944 Sir

Thomas Peirson Frank Sir Thomas Peirson Frank (23 July 1881 – 12 November 1951) was a British civil engineer and surveyor. He is particularly remembered as "the man who saved London from drowning" in the Blitz. Frank was born in 1881 at Kirkbymoorside, Yor ...

*1945

Thomas Wilfred Sharp Thomas Wilfred Sharp (12 April 1901 – 27 January 1978) was an English town planner and writer on the built environment. Biography Sharp was born in Bishop Auckland in County Durham, England. He attended the local grammar school and, between 19 ...

*1946 Henry William James Heck *1947 Sir James Reginald Howard Roberts *1948 James Whirter Renwick Adams *1949 Sir George Lionel Pepler *1950 Lt-Col. Henry Philip Cart De Lafontaine *1951 Ernest Hone Ford *1952 Samuel Leslie George Beaufoy *1953 Lord Holford *1954 Ernest Harvey Doubleday *1955 Sir Desmond Heap *1956 Maurice James Hellier *1957 Bernard John Collins *1958

Udolphus Aylmer Coates Udolphus Aylmer Coates, OBE FRIBA (1908 – 2000) was a British town planner. Life He attended the University of Liverpool. Coates became the first town planning officer for the City of Hull and his new development plan helped the city rec ...

*1959 Joseph Stanley Allen *1960 Rowland Nicholas *1961 John Jefferson *1962 Denis Wearing Riley *1963 Sir Colin Douglas Buchanan *1964 Leslie William Lane *1965 Lewis Bingham Keeble *1966

Nathaniel Lichfield Nathaniel Lichfield (29 February 1916 – 27 February 2009) was a British urban and environmental planner who played a key role in the development of the 1960s new towns. In 1962 he founded the planning consultancy, Nathaniel Lichfield Associates ...

*1967 Sir Wilfred Burns *1968 Arthur George Ling *1969 Phipps Turnbull *1970 Walter George Bor *1971 Francis John Clarke Amos *1972 John Stanley Millar *1973 Graham William Ashworth *1974 Sylvia Law *1975 Ewart West Parkinson *1976 Sir John Keyworth Boynton *1977 Tom Clarke *1978 Gordon Cherry *1979 Geoffrey Booth *1980 John Frederick Norman Collins *1982 Andrew Thorburn *1983 John Edgar Finney *1984 John Stewart Anderson *1985 Stephen Philip Byrne *1986 George McDonic *1987 John Dean *1988 Francis Tibbalds *1989 Chris Shepley *1990 Robin Thompson *1991 Peter Fidler *1992 Michael Welbank *1993 Martin Bradshaw *1994 Hazel McKay *1995 Jed Griffiths *1996

Cliff Hague Cliff Hague (born 1944) is a British town planning practitioner and Emeritus Professor of Planning and Spatial Development at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh. He was educated at Alfred St Elementary School in Manchester, North Manchester Gramma ...

*1997 William Anthony Keith Struthers *1998 Trevor Roberts *1999 Brian Raggett *2000 Kevin Murray *2001 Nick Davies *2002 Mike Haslam *2003 Vincent Goodstadt *2004 Mike Hayes *2005 Ron Tate *2006 Clive Harridge *2007 Jim Claydon *2008 Janet O'Neill *2009 Martin Willey *2010 Ann Skippers *2011 Richard Summers *2012 Colin Haylock *2013 Peter Geraghty *2014 Cath Ranson *2015 Janet Askew *2016 Phil Williams *2017 Stephen Wilkinson *2018 John Acres *2019 Ian Tant *2020 Sue Manns *2021

Wei Yang Yang Wei or Wei Yang may refer to: *Shang Yang or Wei Yang (Chinese: 衞鞅; c. 390–338 BCE), ancient Chinese philosopher and politician *Yang Longyan (897–920) or Yang Wei (楊渭), King of Wu of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period *Yan ...

*2022 Timothy David Crawshaw

Gold Medal

The RTPI's most prestigious award is its Gold Medal. It is awarded at the discretion of the RTPI for outstanding achievement in the field of town and country planning. There have been 15 recipients of the Gold Medal since its inception in 1953. It's been awarded to: *1953 Sir George Pepler *1955 Sir Patrick Abercrombie *1957 Lewis Mumford *1961 Sir William Holford *1963 Sir Frederic Osborn *1967 Sir Colin Buchanan *1971 Lord Lewis Silkin *1974 Sir Robert Grieve *1978 Sir Frederick Gibberd *1983 Sir Desmond Heap *2003 Sir Peter Hall *2006 Professor Patsy Healy *2013 Alison Nimmo *2016 Professor Michael Batty *2017 Sir Terry Farrell

References

External links

RTPI Royal Charter of 1959, as amended, October 2012, and Byelaws and Regulations
* {{Authority control 1914 establishments in the United Kingdom Interested parties in planning in the United Kingdom Organisations based in the City of London Organizations established in 1914

Town Planning Urban planning, also known as town planning, city planning, regional planning, or rural planning, is a technical and political process that is focused on the development and design of land use and the built environment, including air, water, ...

Professional planning institutes Town and country planning in the United Kingdom