The Royal Town Planning Institute is the principal body representing planning professionals in the United Kingdom and Ireland. It promotes and develops policy affecting planning and the built environment. Founded in 1914, the institute was granted a Royal Charter in 1959. In 2018 it reported that it had over 25,000 members.
Origins
Following the Housing, Town Planning, &c. Act 1909, surveyors, civil engineers, architects, lawyers and others began working together within local government in the UK to draw up schemes for the development of land. The idea of town planning as a new and distinctive area of expertise began to be formed. In 1910, Thomas Adams was appointed as the first Town Planning Inspector at the Local Government Board, and began having meetings with practitioners. In November 1913, a meeting was convened of interested professionals to establish a new Institute, and Adams was elected as the group's President. The Town Planning Institute was launched with an inaugural dinner in January 1914, and it was formally established on 4 September 1914 when its Articles of Association were signed. The first three of the Articles of Association were:
To advance the study of town-planning, civic design and kindred subjects, and of the arts and sciences as applied to those subjects;
To promote the artistic and scientific development of towns and cities;
To secure the association, and to promote the general interests of those engaged or interested in the practice of town-planning.
The institute received its royal charter in 1959, then becoming the Royal Town Planning Institute.
Functions
The RTPI currently states that it is:
A membership organisation and a Chartered Institute responsible for maintaining professional standards and accrediting world class planning courses nationally and internationally.
A charity whose charitable purpose is to advance the science and art of planning for the benefit of the public.
A learned society.
Members
The Institute supports its membership through professional development, education and training for future planners. Fellows are entitled the use of the post-nominals FRTPI and chartered members may use MRTPI. In March 2012, it reported that it had over 23,000 members, of which 8,000 were women and 15,000 men. These included 1,100 international members, across 82 countries. There are currently eight membership classes:
Student For full or part time students on courses related to planning or the built environment.
Licentiate Licentiate membership is the main pathway to qualify as a Chartered Town Planner.
Member Chartered membership signifies that its holder has knowledge, skills and competence in spatial planning in appropriate depth and detail. Members may use the post-nominals MRTPI.
Fellow Fellowship is the organisations most prestigious accolade and recognises those who have made a major contribution to the profession. Fellows may use the post-nominals FRTPI.
Legal Associate For qualified legal practitioners who specialise and have experience in planning law.
Affiliate For people who have an interest in planning, or are working in planning but are not yet qualified for other membership classes.
Retired For those no longer practicing or earning an income from planning.
Governance
The RTPI is governed by a General Assembly and a Board of Trustees. The General Assembly is responsible for the development of planning policy and practice. The Board of Trustees is responsible for managing the affairs of the RTPI as a chartered body and registered charity.
Research
The RTPI promotes research activity underpinning and evaluating planning practice, theory and education. The RTPI holds an annual awards ceremony recognising excellence in the field of planning and urban design.
The RTPI runs Planning Aid in England, outside London where Planning Aid for London operates. There is a linked organisation, Planning Aid Wales. Planning Aid provides free, independent and professional planning advice to communities and individuals who cannot afford to pay consultant fees. It was established by the Town and Country Planning Association in 1973 and involves volunteers working on casework and community planning activities.
The RTPI's most prestigious award is its Gold Medal. It is awarded at the discretion of the RTPI for outstanding achievement in the field of town and country planning. There have been 15 recipients of the Gold Medal since its inception in 1953. It's been awarded to:
