The Next Generation of Planning: Reflections from Kent Junior Planners’ Day 2026

On the 5th of November 2026, our graduate planners attended the Kent Junior Planners’ Day, hosted by DHA Planning and Medway Council.

 

The event, which was Chaired by DHA's Emma Hawkes, brought together early-career planners from across both public and private sectors, providing a valuable opportunity to learn from experienced professionals, share ideas and discuss some of the key points shaping the planning system recently.

 

The programme covered a range of topical subjects, including recent Planning Updates, Biodiversity Net Gain, Planning Law Updates and the implications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for both the public and private sectors.

 

Throughout the day, attendees engaged in presentations, participated in question-and-answer sessions and networked with early-career planners from a range of private planning consultancies, housebuilders and local authorities.

 

The event provided a valuable opportunity for our graduate planners to broaden their knowledge, hear different perspectives and gain a greater understanding of the challenges and opportunities shaping the planning profession.

 

Planning Update

Emily Hallett, Associate at DHA Planning, presented the “Planning Update”, including the planning reform, the 2026 NPPF update, the Local Plan-making reform and the National Scheme of Delegation. As the first session of the day, the opportunity to break into small groups to discuss the slides and to be introduced to networking, served as a beneficial opportunity.

 

A particularly interesting point of discussion was on the new NPPF. With the change of policies, now referencing the "Grey Belt" and "well-connected stations", having a break-down what this means for planning now and in the future, promoted critical thinking.

 

Alongside this, the Local Plan-making process was clarified, with the new gateways defined. For junior planners, Local Plans provide a great learning resource in the early stages of the career, as they demonstrate how policies are applied at a local-level, and how policies shape areas. Overall, Emily provided an excellent start to the Junior Planners’ Day, with the planners already gaining a significant amount of knowledge from the session.

 

BNG

Since February 2024 all major applications (residential developments with 10 or more dwellings, or where the site area is greater than 0.5 hectares) have the mandatory requirement to include Biodiversity Net Gain within applications.

 

Claire Munn (Southeast Ecology, MSc BSc (Hons) MCIEEM) presented the new BNG exemptions (as of 6^th August 2026) to the planners. Although most were somewhat familiar with the concept of the BNG Metric, used to support applications liable for BNG, Claire provided valuable insight into the methodology behind the calculations and how to interpret them, improving everyone’s understanding greatly.

 

Relevant case studies of where BNG has helped to improve the ecological value of a site were illustrated, demonstrating the importance of considering BNG at the start of a development. Claire Munn conveyed her expertise excellently, allowing the junior planners to develop their knowledge on the topic.

 

Planning Law

Eleanor Bennett from Landmark Chambers, member of the Attorney General’s “Junior Junior” scheme and a member of Advocate’s panel of barristers, delivered an insightful presentation on key case law, which set a foundation for understanding the role of law within planning. At a junior planning level, with limited knowledge of planning law, this was incredibly helpful to develop an understanding of the core principles associated with planning.

 

Eleanor discussed a range of cases, outlining the key principle of each case. These included Tesco Stores v Secretary of State for the Environment [1995] 1 WLR 759 and Hillside Parks Ltd v Snowdonia National Park Authority [2022] UKSC 30. Collectively, these cases demonstrate the importance of understanding both the policy framework and the relevant legal considerations for individual proposals.

 

The presentation then considered key cases from 2026, highlighting how recent proposals may shape planning practice. Listening to these cases highlighted that planning decisions involve more than the application policy, with careful consideration of each proposal's circumstances and the potential legal implications.

 

Overall, Eleanor's presentation introduced junior planners to key legal principles and recent cases, broadening the understanding of planning law in practice.

 

AI & Implications for Public and Private Sectors

Carlyn Kan, Senior Strategic Infrastructure Planner at Sevenoaks District Council, and Greg Filmer, Associate at DHA Planning delivered an engaging and interactive presentation delivering the ways in which we use AI within the planning sector and the implications it can have on our working environment.

 

They demonstrated how AI is used within both public and private sectors, providing examples of how they are similar but also differ, and provided examples showing the wider perspective and how AI could have the potential to change how we perform tasks in future years.

 

The presentation provided a great understanding for all junior planners on how to use AI in the workplace effectively, while also reiterating the importance of declaration and how to responsibly use AI.

 

Conclusion

The day brought together young planners working across both the private and public sectors in Kent, providing an opportunity to hear about key topics relevant to our day-to-day work. It also offered a valuable chance to build and foster connections that can support our careers in the longer term.

 

It was particularly useful to discuss the challenges facing both the private and public sectors, how these are shaping the planning profession, and what this may mean for junior planners as we begin to develop our careers.