Join us as we mark a decade of training first-class heritage officers in York who thrive around the globe.
For ten years, the Planning Club [or more formally ‘The Heritage Planning Studio’] —a unique and award-winning collaboration between York Civic Trust and the University of York— has provided postgraduate students with real-life, hands-on experience of the planning process. Working with professional mentors, students assess live planning applications and submit detailed recommendations to City of York Council through York Civic Trust in its role as a local planning consultee.
As the only programme of its kind in the UK, Planning Club has enabled over 350 postgraduate students to contribute constructively to the planning process. Each year, students review in detail around 100 applications, helping to enhance the quality of urban life in York while safeguarding its historic buildings.
Originally established to bridge a gap in professional training, Planning Club continues to demonstrate the value of informed, well-supported planning in historic cities. We believe this model can contribute to the nationwide need for planning expertise serving the needs of economic regeneration, the national housing shortage, and the experience of residents and visitors.
Our tenth anniversary celebration will help us raise awareness of Planning Club, a model of professional development that could be usefully replicated across the country.
Planning Club gave me an irreplaceable knowledge of the possibilities of legislation, available guidance, and a unique opportunity to have a say when it comes to the local built heritage.
A recent report by Historic England identifies ‘capacity within local authority historic environment teams has shrunk considerably over the last decade’, and with a 35% fall in the heritage specialists between 2006 and 2018. The need for more conservation professionals in the UK is clear, especially in the face of rising numbers of applications for retrofitting historic homes and how this can contribute the UK reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Through their work in Planning Club, students have an exemplary record of quickly finding professional heritage-related positions in public, private and charity sectors – helping to meet national capacity needs.
Testimonials
Paula Burbicka
Heritage Planning Officer, Leicester City Council, Inspector of Historic Buildings & Areas, Historic England
“I joined the Heritage Planning Studio to get some outside of class experience connected to my course. As an EU student from Poland, it allowed me to become familiar with the local planning system, different categories of applications, and a whole range proposals that may negatively or positively affect York’s local historic environment. Finding arguments to oppose applications that I disagreed with, or reasons to support the ones we found appropriate and positive, gave me an irreplaceable knowledge of the possibilities of legislation, available guidance, and a unique opportunity to have a say when it comes to the local built heritage.”
“I truly believe that it was predominantly the experience from the Planning Club that enabled me to get the job of Heritage Planning Officer in Leicester City Council and tackle the interview case study so well. In all, Planning Club helped me consolidate my knowledge about built heritage conservation and got me even more hooked on historic architecture.”
Eirini-Christina Dimerouki
Historic Buildings & Areas Officer, Colchester Borough Council
“Having worked for ten years as an architect in Greece, I came to York for the MA programme and new development and conservation projects. Participation in Planning Club complemented the MA in Conservation Studies (Historic Buildings) perfectly by offering the opportunity to experience and discuss conservation in real-life situations.”
“I particularly appreciated the chance to improve my confidence and presentation skills through the sessions, discuss the cases with experienced heritage professionals, benefit from their knowledge, as well as the opportunities for public engagement, such as a YCT Workshop on the York Central site, and the YCT Civic Days. Involvement in the York Design Awards also offered exclusive access to sites and the chance to explore and get to know some of York’s less well-known parts.”
“Planning Club was a crucial factor for my development after the Masters. It was an experience that encouraged me to consider other career options in the heritage sector, other than working as an architect.”