The Planning Convention London 2006

29 June – 30 June 2006 The Queen Elizabeth II, Conference Centre, London The Planning Convention is the most important date in the planning's calendar year. The Convention allows us, professionals and experts, politicians and campaigners, to share experiences. It gives us the opportunity to integrate innovative programmes and thinking with the work that we are currently doing. It allows us to take a step back from your day-to-day work and affords the breathing space to think creatively about how planners work to deliver projects and plans. The Convention also allows us to use the knowledge you have gained through practice to influence thinking about how the profession should move forward. The Planning Convention provides us all with an opportunity to participate. For the UK to succeed we need a planning system that delivers the masisve changes we as a nation seek to achieve. The position we find ourseleves in is unprecedented in my twenty-five years plus in planning. We have both the opportunity and the responsibility to put sustainable development at the heart of everything we do as planners! The Planning Convention allows us to pass on best practice, to learn from each other and to make sure we deliver success now and a successful future for generation's to come. We just have to get it right! This year's theme – 'Planning – the cutting edge' aims to raise delegates awareness of the latest practically based approaches to planning. Every year the Convention delivers both practical advice and offers leading thinkers the opportunity to talk about their work and to share with planners from across the country, and often around the world. The RTPI is heavily involved with with World Urban Forum, which takes place a week prior to the Planning Convention and we will build on this international event in the Convention programme, and continue the progress made. The buzz of the Convention always manages to inspire. Last year we had 700 people in attendance, sparking debates, sharing experiences and learning about innovative and cutting edge practice. The Convention is not to be missed – the one conference you 'must attend'in 2006. But don't just take my word for it – ask anyone who attended in previous years. This is an exciting time for planning and a challenging one too. This Convention is about raising the bar further – for us to achieve more and help put sustainable development at the heart of planning. We know what is expected of us, but we also need the knowledge and skills to deliver. The profession needs to be challeging the Government on issues such as climate change, challenging architects on design quality and challenging communities to get involved in transforming their environments for the better. Further details available on the RTPI website at http://www.rtpi.org.uk