New findings from a survey of more than 2,500 planners by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) reveal that 20% of respondents in the United Kingdom expect to leave the profession within the next three years – with no clear pipeline to replace them.
RTPI writes:
The findings highlight a significant threat to the Government’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ agenda and its target of delivering 1.5 million new homes, with a significant proportion of planners looking to retire or move away from the profession.
The RTPI’s updated State of the Profession report paints a worrying picture for communities across the UK. Without sufficient planning capacity, ambitious housing targets risk leading to fragmented, piecemeal developments that lack the necessary infrastructure – from schools and GP surgeries to transport links – to support growing populations.
Perhaps worse still for the Government’s housing targets, a shortage of qualified planners could bring the system to a standstill, with insufficient staff to process planning applications or ensure developments meet local needs.
Adding to the concern, recent Government plans to restrict the Level 7 planning apprenticeship scheme to applicants aged 16–21 could deepen the recruitment crisis. According to the RTPI, this change could prevent up to 200 new planners from entering the profession each year.
In September, the RTPI and 33 other organisations — including the National Trust, the RSPB and Home Builders Federation – wrote to the Housing Minister warning that these reforms would further undermine an already fragile workforce.
Dr Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, said: ‘Without the planners needed to meet homes and commercial demand, the system simply won’t function. Not only do we risk losing the expertise required to create great places, without a scaled-up pipeline, we risk losing the workforce capacity to plan and enable new development. This report is a stark wakeup call for all to note and act.’
Robbie Calvert, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the RTPI, said: ‘Our report lays stark the multitude of issues our profession is currently facing, framed by a backdrop of years of severe disinvestment. For the government to meet its housing targets and its net zero ambitions as a part of the growth agenda we need to ensure that we have sufficient planners with the appropriate resources to undertake this critical work. Without such considerations, this constitutes a strategic risk for our country both in terms of driving our economic ambitions and creating great places of the future.’
State of the Profession 2025: England
This report assesses the ‘State of the Profession’ in 2025 in England. Using a survey of Local Planning Authorities (LPAs), and working members of the RTPI, it gives an insight into the recruitment, skills need, working practices and demographics of LPAs, and the career experiences, career plans, wellbeing and demographics of member respondents.
Background and English planning context
Planning has become an increasingly salient policy area in England in recent years. It featured prominently in party manifestos during the 2024 general election and has become a key priority of the current government’s agenda. Planning is vital to addressing a number of key policy challenges, including the housing crisis, ageing infrastructure, the transition to net-zero, and encouraging the development that will underpin economic growth. Major changes have been made to key planning documents and processes, notably, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF; which was updated in December 2024 and is expected to undergo further updates this year), and through the reintroduction of strategic planning, abolished by the last government in 2010. In addition, planning is a key component of multiple nationwide plans and strategies, like the 10-year Infrastructure Strategy, the Industrial Strategy, and the Long-Term Housing Strategy, which is expected in the coming months. Forthcoming reforms in other areas will also have an impact on planning, namely devolution and local government reorganisation.
These reforms, while presenting challenges, also provide significant opportunities to strengthen the role of planning in coordinating national priorities, unlocking investment, and shaping resilient, inclusive places for the future. Ambitious targets have been set to address these challenges, including building 1.5 million new homes in the current parliament, to break ground on a new generation of new towns, initiating 150 Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs), and to deliver clean power by 2030. However, with an unfavourable economic position, global instability and multiple domestic crises competing for the government’s attention, it is unclear if the level of funding, resourcing and training promised by the government for the planning sector will measure up to this.
Against this backdrop, understanding the capacity, skills, plans and wellbeing of planners themselves is crucial. This report explores how planners across England are experiencing this period of transition, and highlights the challenges, opportunities, and priorities that will shape the future of the profession,
This report
Given the provided context, and in a rapidly shifting planning landscape in England, this report will assess the ‘State of the Profession’ in 2025. Using a survey of Local Planning Authorities (LPAs), and working members of the RTPI, it will give an insight into the recruitment, skills need, working practices and demographics of LPAs, and the career experiences, career plans, wellbeing and demographics of member respondents.
State of the Profession 2025: Scotland
At a time of significant adaptation in the Scottish planning system, this report provides an overview of issues faced by planning authorities such as skills and resourcing challenges. It also looks at the demographics of planning services, and their working practices. In addition, using a survey of members of the RTPI, it gives an insight into what it’s like to work as a planner in Scotland in 2025, including career plans, training needs, and wellbeing.
… Background and Scottish planning context
The Scottish planning system has seen significant change over the past decade. A raft of planning reforms kicked off with the 2015 white paper, leading to the modernising Planning (Scotland) Act 2019, and more recently, the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) in 2023.
With the Planning Act, the Scottish government aimed to create a more efficient and effective planning system which accounted for modern priorities, including climate change. This was reflected in the NPF4, which was ambitious in implementing national planning policies, and elevating the importance of climate and biodiversity. While this focus has been welcomed, additional unfunded duties on planning authorities have not necessarily been supported with additional resources.
Moreover, the Planning Act introduced a requirement for gate check reviews in the local development plan process, where a reporter examines the local development plan evidence base. The intention of the change was to reduce the amount of debate around the plan and smooth its passage upon formal examination. These reviews have potentially, however, contributed to delays in plan preparation. At the time of writing, 17 of 34 Scottish planning authorities have completed a gate check, while 5 are currently under review, according to Scottish Government’s list of plan examinations [1]. Of those completed, nine were found insufficient, six were passed and two were withdrawn. It is debatable, therefore, whether Scottish Government’s aim to have all local development plans updated by May 2028 will be realised.
This report
At a time of significant adaptation in the Scottish planning system, this report will provide an overview of issues faced by planning authorities such as skills and resourcing challenges. It will also look at the demographics of planning services, and their working practices. In addition, using a survey of members of the RTPI, it will give an insight into what it’s like to work as a planner in Scotland in 2025, including career plans, training needs, and wellbeing….
State of the Profession 2025: Wales
With the Welsh planning system navigating this legislative change, this report assesses the ‘State of the Profession’ in 2025. Using a survey of working members of the RTPI, it gives an insight into the career experiences, career plans, wellbeing and demographics of member respondents.
Background and Welsh planning context
Multiple significant pieces of legislation have been introduced in Wales in recent years that will have a direct or indirect impact on planning practice, including the Infrastructure Act 2024, the Environment (Principles Governance and Biodiversity Targets) Bill, and most recently, the Planning (Wales) bill. As a result, the Welsh planning system is preparing for a period of transition.
Though the Planning (Wales) Bill does not add to or amend current laws, it does consolidate and modernise them, removing obsolete provisions and references, and providing them bilingually in Welsh and English. Meanwhile, the infrastructure act is intended to streamline infrastructure consenting processes, reducing duplication between the local and national level, while the Environment Bill embeds stronger ecological and biodiversity principles, in line with Wales’s net-zero commitments. In combination, these reforms are designed to accelerate delivery while safeguarding the environment and communities.
However, the period ahead will not be without challenge. The consolidation bill should simplify access to planning law in the long term but in the short term, may require users to familiarise themselves with a new legislative structure and terminology. This coincides with existing pressure on resources, recruitment and workloads across Welsh planning teams. Effective implementation will depend on sufficient investment in training, systems, and specialist expertise.
Despite existing challenges, the reforms are an opportunity to create a more coherent, forward-looking planning framework that supports efficient delivery, strengthens environmental stewardship, and provides greater clarity for practitioners, developers, and communities alike. If matched with the necessary resourcing and professional support, the coming years could mark a decisive step toward a more integrated and resilient Welsh planning system.
This report
With the Welsh planning system navigating this legislative change, this report will assess the ‘State of the Profession’ in 2025. Using a survey of working members of the RTPI, it will give an insight into the career experiences, career plans, wellbeing and demographics of member respondents.
An update to this report containing data from a survey of Welsh Planning Authorities will be published in due course.
State of the Profession 2025: Northern Ireland
After a decade of devolution of planning in Northern Ireland, the sector is reflecting on the changes made. This report provides a summary of issues currently faced by planning authorities such as skills and resourcing challenges. It will also look at planning services’ working practices. In addition, it gives an insight into what it’s like to work as a planner in Northern Ireland in 2025. Using this, and respondents’ own thoughts about future challenges, it assesses the issues faced by Northern Ireland’s planning profession going forward.
Background and Northern Irish planning context
It has been 10 years since the two-tier planning system was introduced in Northern Ireland, where local planning responsibilities were devolved to councils from the Department of the Environment, and the Department for infrastructure (DfI) was formed to handle remaining responsibilities. DfI retained regional planning policy, regionally significant planning applications, planning legislation and guidance, and performance management, while councils were given responsibility for local planning, development management and planning enforcement. This happened alongside significant local government reform, where 26 former council districts were condensed to 11. A decade on, and the Northern Irish planning profession are taking stock of the successes and challenges of the reforms.
This report
After a decade of devolution of planning in Northern Ireland, the sector is reflecting on the changes made. This report will provide a summary of issues currently faced by planning authorities such as skills and resourcing challenges. It will also look at planning services’ working practices. In addition, it will give an insight into what it’s like to work as a planner in Northern Ireland in 2025. Using this, and respondents’ own thoughts about future challenges, it will assess the issues faced by Northern Ireland’s planning profession going forward.
