Study Skills for Town and Country Planning

Adam joined the Department of Planning and Archietecture at the University of the West of England as a lecturer in 2007 from planning practice. He has previously worked in Essex, South Gloucestershire and the Bristol urban fringe, and Herefordshire as a Local Planning Authority development control officer, involved in a diverse range of planning projects at varying scales and degrees of complexity. Adam has worked in both the rural and urban context and has experience across the planning spectrum, from Green Belt areas and open countryside to inner city redevelopment projects. He teaches modules relating to planning regulation and the decision process to undergraduate and postgraduate students, and on professional practice short courses. He is part of the programme team for the undergraduate planning courses at UWE. Nick Smith is a senior lecturer in the department and is also a university teaching and learning (associate) fellow. He is a professional town planner and a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and a member of the Town and Country Planning Association. Prior to joining the university in 2007, Nick worked for Terence O'Rourke, a multi-disciplinary consultancy in Bournemouth. During this time he worked on a range of projects for both public and private clients across the country, including an urban extension in Cambridge, a university campus in Surrey, and a heritage and technology centre for Mercedes-Benz. He was also involved with a series of design-led master plans. He is programme leader of the BSc (Hons) in Urban Planning which he has done since 2010. He has received recognition for his efforts in this role, being successful in winning the university's 'personal tutor of the year' award in 2011. In 2012 he received a teaching-led award from the Students' Union for Inspiring Students.

Preface Acknowledgements List of Boxes List of Figures List of Tables About the Authors PART ONE: STUDYING IN HIGHER EDUCATION Town Planning and Society Studying Town and Country Planning at University Finding and Using Information PART TWO: STUDY SKILLS FOR TOWN AND COUNTRY PLANNING Time Management Leadership and Team Working Engagement and Negotiation Spatial Analysis Understanding Plans and Drawings (by James Burch) Giving Presentations Presenting your Work Reports and Essay Writing Writing a Dissertation PART THREE: PLANNING IN PRACTICE A Career in Town and Country Planning The Next Steps: Continuing Professional Development Appendix One: Key Books on Town and Country Planning Appendix Two: Key Journals Associated with Town and Country Planning Appendix Three: Useful Websites Relating to Town and Country Planning Appendix Four: How Do I Reference... References Index

Sheppard and Smith provide a clear, accessible and friendly guide to studying to become a planner, with great tips, insight and advice - including what employers will be looking for and the importance of lifelong learning. This book will prove to be a valuable resource, at a time when it's critical that we engage more people in considering planning as a career. -- Michael Harris This is a very impressive book which takes the study of town and country planning very seriously and treats its complexities with respect. Whilst the book sets out the very necessary critical learning skills required to purposively engage with land use planning in the higher education sector - it would also be a humbling read for those who are ignorant of its role in a modern society and economy. The book is written in an engaging and relaxed way and takes the reader through a logically progressive sequence of skills which explain why each is necessary and well as exploring their substantive contents. Whilst set in the context of England and Wales it offers the building blocks applicable to studying planning elsewhere. There are excellent explanations of the importance of time management, team working and negotiation. The authors are to be applauded, this is a refreshing contribution to studying and reflecting on planning. -- Greg Lloyd If you are thinking of studying town and country planning at university, this book tells you what to expect and how to succeed. After introducing the way that planning works in different parts of the UK, and explaining the transition from school to higher education, it takes the reader through the range of skills they will be expected to develop as they become planners. These skills are very diverse and include negotiation, photography, understanding maps, giving presentations and working in teams. It's written in a way that helps the student to self-assess and the key messages are clearly set out. If you had not thought about planning as the career for you, maybe read this book and think again -- Cliff Hague