50 Shades of Planning

Hosted by Samuel Stafford

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184

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Oct 2026

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About the show

50 Shades of Planning is Sam Stafford’s attempt to explore the foibles of the English planning system and its aim is to cover the breadth of the sector both in terms of topics of conversation and in terms of guests with different experiences and perspectives. 50 Shades episodes include 'Hitting The High Notes', which are a series of conversations with leading planning and property figures. The conversations take in the six milestone planning permissions or projects within a contributor’s career and for every project guests are invited to choose a piece of music that they were listening to at that time. Think Desert Island Discs, but for planners. 50 Shades episode also include the 'All Around the World' series, which is being led by friend of the podcast, Paul Smith . Paul put it to Sam that debates about the planning system in England tend, for the most part, to focus solely on the planning system in England. Planners here very seldom look to other countries for inspiration and ideas. Paul wanted to remedy that and so in this series he chats with planning professionals and academics from a number of countries to find out what works well there, what works less well, and what can be learnt. Sam is on Bluesky and Instagram , and his blogs can be found here . The 50 Shades platforms are expressions of Sam's personal opinions, which may or may not represent the opinions of his past, present or future employers. 50 Shades of Planning is by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use the podcast or the YouTube channel for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then do please feel free to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com or the 50 Shades WhatsApp Community . Why Fifty Shades? Well, town and country planning is very much not a black and white endeavour. There are at least fifty shades in between....

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October 10, 2026Episode 18455 min

The New Local Plan-Making System

The previous Government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 introduced the legislative framework for a new system of local plan-making and in March 2026 the current Government introduced the regulations concerning this new regime. The headline changes are that local authorities will be required to complete plans within a condensed 30-month period; conduct three public consultations rather than the two currently required; and pass through three mandatory gateway checks on the way. 39 authorities, those that had submitted, but not adopted, a plan for examination on or before 12 March 2025 that proposed meeting less than 80% of local housing need, had to publish a notice of intention to commence plan-making by 30 June 2026 and will have to publish a gateway 1 self-assessment by 31 October 2026. For those authorities not intending to submit a plan for examination under the existing system by 31 December 2026, they must give notice of an intention to commence plan-making by 31 December 2026 or by the time an adopted plan is 4 years and 8 months old, whichever is the latest, and then publish a Gateway 1 self-assessment by 30 April 2027 or by the time a plan is 5 years old, whichever is the latest. It seemed to Sam Stafford then high time that the podcast takes a look at the new local plan-making system, which it does in this episode by way of a conversation between old friend of the podcast Nicola Gooch and new friends of the podcast Mary Cook and Sarah Matile . Nicola is a partner at Birketts, Mary is a consultant at Town Legal and Sarah is Planning Policy Manager at Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council. In a conversation recorded online in July 2026 they dwell largely on the difference between the legacy and new regimes, but also talk about the looming deadline for the submission of legacy plans and the influence of Mr Pennycook’s pragmatism letter, as well as NDMPS, LGR, EORs and Grey Belt. Some accompanying reading. The New Plan-Making System: Zen and the Art of Timetable Maintenance New local plan-making system roadmap Local plans: the examination process legacy and new system Planning Alliance Some accompanying viewing. Plan, Prepare, Progress - A practical guide to the new local plans system Some accompanying listening. Old Stuff, New Glass – The Orielles Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review, but do please feel free to let Sam know why via samstafford@hotmail.com or the 50 Shades WhatsApp Community . Feedback on 50 Shades episodes is always welcome. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are also very welcome to get in touch with Sam.

September 26, 2026Episode 1831 hr 5 min

A Framework-Led Conversation

Whilst in London recently Sam Stafford took the opportunity to catch up with old friends of the podcast Simon Ricketts , Andrew Taylor and Mike Kiely . Simon is a Partner at Town Legal, Andrew is Group Planning and Sustainability Director at Vistry and Mike is a former Chief Planner, now independent planning consultant working mainly in the public sector as well as chairing the board of the Planning Officer's Society. In a conversation recorded at Brazen Studios in Southwark they kicked around a few of the issues exercising the planning profession at the minute. Their ramblechat took in evidenced unmet need; the pause to local government reorganisation; housing targets; Reform’s planning teal paper; the importance of next month’s Budget; and reports from the RTPI of an increasing use of its professional conduct complaints process as a way of people seeking to challenge LPA decisions. Some accompanying reading. 50 Shades of Planning T-Shirts! England's Greatest Place Evidenced Unmet Need A Problem With The Draft London Plan? Stacey Robbins’ LinkedIn post about settlement boundaries What does the 2026 NPPF say about construction traffic? Podcast episode 182: Meet a MP and an AM - Reform UK Evaluation of the Help to Buy scheme Land Matters: Removing Barriers to Housebuilding Professional standards and accuracy Some accompanying viewing. Nature Restoration Fund – Business Readiness Forum, September 2026 Some accompanying listening. The Summer Has Flown – Katherine Priddy Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review, but do please feel free to let Sam know why via samstafford@hotmail.com or the 50 Shades WhatsApp Community . Feedback on 50 Shades episodes is always welcome. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are also very welcome to get in touch with Sam.

September 19, 2026Episode 1821 hr 10 min

Meet a MP and an AM - Reform UK

As regular listeners know there is often talk on the 50 Shades of Planning podcast about the role of local councillors in the planning system, in the context of, for example, overturning officer recommendations or a decision to withdraw a local plan. There is talk less often about the role of MPs, which is something that friend of the podcast Andrew Taylor wanted to remedy and this is the third of what he and Sam Stafford hope will be five episodes exploring what it is to be a member of a parliament by way of conversations that Andrew records with representatives from the now five major parties. Andrew, again regular listeners will know, is the Group Planning & Sustainability Director at Vistry. This time he speaks to representatives of Reform UK. The title of this episode is not 'Meet the MPs', as with the previous episodes in the series with representatives of Labour and the Liberal Democrats. In this episode listeners will meet a MP and a London Assembly Member (AM). The AM in question is Alex Wilson. In a conversation recorded online in August 2026 Alex tells Andrew about his time, before switching allegiances, as a Conservative councillor in Redbridge that included a spell as the Cabinet member for planning. They then touch on the London Plan and the package of emergency measures proposed by the government and the Mayor of London to support housebuilding in the capital. Having heard from Alex listeners will then hear from the MP for Boston & Skegness, and the Deputy Leader of Reform UK, Richard Tice. In a conversation recorded online in September 2026 Richard tells Andrew about his background in property and the live property-related issues in his constituency, which also include viability. This led them to the planning teal paper, which was published during the recent Reform Party Conference and upon which Sam offers some reflections at the end of this episode. Some accompanying reading. Affordable Social Housing for Working Britain Planning Teal Paper Buckaroo! Buckaroo! The burdens that have become a big problem for house building Some accompanying viewing. Local Government Reorganisation Paused: What happens next? Some accompanying listening. Immigrant Song – Led Zeppelin Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review, but do please feel free to let Sam know why via samstafford@hotmail.com or the 50 Shades WhatsApp Community . Feedback on 50 Shades episodes is always welcome. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are also very welcome to get in touch with Sam.

September 5, 2026Episode 18159 min

We Can't Stop Planning

Sam Stafford was in Manchester recently and took the opportunity to catch up with old friends of the podcast Lisa Tye , Shaun Knights and Jaimie Ferguson . Lisa is a Partner at Town Legal, Shaun is a Senior Planning Officer at Preston City Council and Jaimie is a Company Director at Lucid In a conversation recorded at Reform Radio they discussed, principally, the new NPPF, but also touched upon the current live consultations on standard planning agreements for medium-sized sites and planning powers for mayors in England. Some accompanying reading. Planning Teal Paper Another NPPF Mega-Blog Standard planning agreements for medium-sized sites Planning powers for mayors in England When Should Strategic Authority Mayors Be Able To Reverse Local Authority Planning Decisions? Wigan Council voices its opposition to five green belt sites being included in the borough's development plan Some accompanying listening. Relentless – Stereo MCs Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review, but do please feel free to let Sam know why. Feedback on 50 Shades episodes is always welcome. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are also very welcome to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com or the 50 Shades WhatsApp Community .

August 22, 2026Episode 1801 hr 3 min

Viable Options

The basis of this episode was a series of posts Sam Stafford spotted that Nick Cuff at Urban Sketch had shared on his Prop Views blog about the Parkhurst Road judgement and the implications thereof. Sam asked Nick if he would like to explore the themes that he writes about with another new friend of the podcast Jamie Ratcliff , and old friends of the podcast Gilian Macinnes and Anthony Lee . Jamie co-founded PlaceBase and is chair of the Housing Forum; Gilian advises LPAs on improving planning and place-making services and is presently Interim Assistant Director of Planning and Building Control at the Royal Borough of Greenwich; and Anthony is the Managing Partner at Quintic Advisory. In a conversation recorded online in July 2026 they talked, philosophically, about how to test viability through the planning process and the conflict inherent between a desire on the part of most landowners to maximise land value and a desire on the part of most policy makers to maximise planning gain. They talked more practically about how Parkhurst begat the London Affordable Housing and Viability Supplementary Planning Guidance, which led onto to talk of fast tracks, thresholds and emergency measures. Then towards the end they discuss what approach might work better than which we have now. Some accompanying reading. Parkhurst: The judgement nobody read but shut down the London land market for a generation Parkhurst Part 2: Before and After, Land Strikes and Practical vs Theory Parkhurst Part 3: The Age of Enforcement Viability – Elephant in the NPPF room? Small sites: Unlocking housing delivery Planning Anew The Cost of Building a House Building new homes not financially viable across half of England Some accompanying viewing. NPPF 2026: An Initial Look at the New National Planning Policy Framework Some accompanying listening. You Never Give Me Your Money (Take 36) – The Beatles Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review, but do please feel free to let Sam know why. Feedback on 50 Shades episodes is always welcome. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are also very welcome to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com or the 50 Shades WhatsApp Community .

August 8, 2026Episode 1791 hr 11 min

Why do places look the way they do?

Sam Stafford was at a symposium organised by Create Streets at Hatfield House in June last year called ‘Building for generations’. All of the presentations on the day and the conversations there upon led Sam back to the fundamental question as to why places look the way they do, which, it seemed to him on the train back that evening, would make for a good episode of a town planning-based podcast so he convened some experts in the field of design and placemaking to try to answer that question. Those experts are old friends of the podcast Hana Loftus (who steers the conversation), Andrew Taylor , and Katie Wray . They are joined by new friends of the podcast Eleanor Fawcett and Peter Maxwell . Hana is a Director at HAT Projects; Andrew is Group Planning and Sustainability Director at Vistry; Katie is a Director at Deloitte; Eleanor is the Built Environment Fellow for the 1851 Royal Commission; and Peter is an Assistant Director at the Cambridge Growth Company. In a conversation recorded online in January 2026 they talk about what it is that makes the places that we like (what makes them ‘sticky’, asks Katie); they talk about culture, are places the way they are because ultimately that is the way we want them to be; they talk about the role of planning, does it make places better or worse; they talk about highways adoption standards, and they finish by talking about the changes that they would want to see to help deliver better places. Some accompanying reading. Parking – what works where Delivering quality: mobility hubs Delivering quality: local centres Building for a Healthy Life Building for generations: the Hatfield Symposium Some accompanying listening. Episode 116 - Critical Infrastructure First Aid Kit – Perfect Places Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review, but do please feel free to let Sam know why. Feedback on 50 Shades episodes is always welcome. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are also very welcome to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com or the 50 Shades WhatsApp Community .

August 1, 2026Episode 17856 min

Vibes and Stuff

Sam Stafford was in Birmingham recently and took the opportunity whilst there to catch up with old friend of the podcast Myles Wild Smith and new friends of the podcast Mike Knott , Bart Shirm and Beth Pywell . Myles is a Director at Lichfields, Mike is a Regional Practice Lead at Stantec, Bart is a Senior Planning Policy Officer at Sandwell and Beth is an Associate Director at Nexus. During a good ol’-fashioned, Shades-style ramblechat, recorded at Podhaus studios in Digbeth’s Custard Factory, they talk about the NPPF's non-appearance before the parliament summer recess, local plan progress and the recent Pennycook pragmatism letter, changes to the BNG regime, Bart’s recent trip to Canada, which led them back to the reform agenda here, and towards the end, application fees. Some accompanying reading. Local Plan examinations: letter to the Chief Executive of the Planning Inspectorate (July 2026) Biodiversity Net Gain: Amendments and transitional arrangements published A Biodiversity Net Gain Solution for a High Value Brownfield Site FUSION Montréal: Confident planners delivering resilient outcomes Why NPPFs fail #1 - planning by committee Some accompanying viewing. Plan, Prepare, Progress: A practical guide to the new local plan system What does Team Burnham mean for housebuilding Some accompanying listening. Vibes and Stuff – A Tribe Called Quest Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review, but do please feel free to let Sam know why. Feedback on 50 Shades episodes is always welcome. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are also very welcome to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com or the 50 Shades WhatsApp Community .

July 25, 2026Episode 1771 hr 6 min

Hitting the High Notes - Richard Schofield

This is another episode in the Hitting the High Notes series, which, if you have not listened to one before, is town planning's equivalent, nee rip off, of Desert Island Discs. During these episodes Sam Stafford chats to preeminent figures in the planning and property sectors about the planning permissions or projects that have helped to shape them as professionals and, so that listeners can get to know people a little better personally, for every permission, project or stage of their career, Sam also asks his guests for a piece of music that reminds them of that period. Unlike Desert Island Discs you will not hear any of that music during the episode because using commercially-licensed music without the copyright holders permission or a very expensive PRS licensing agreement could land Sam in hot water, so, when you have finished listening to this episode, please have a look at the YouTube videos and a Spotify playlist to which there are links below. This episode features a conversation that Sam recorded at PodFirst studios in Nottingham in January 2026 this with Richard Schofield . Richard began his career in planning as a policy officer in local government, becoming the Head of Planning at Bassetlaw. As listeners will hear, having got a local plan adopted and in need of a fresh challenge, Richard joined the Planning Inspectorate, becoming Chief Planning Inspector, before departing for a now extended secondment within the Chief Planner’s Department in MHCLG. Over the course of an hour or so, as well as talking through his career to date, Richard touches upon the case for national development management policies, how to adopt a local plan in thirty months, and the best way to wind up an inspector at an inquiry. Some accompanying reading. Confessions of a curious mind: An interview with Richard Schofield SDO Speedwagon Some accompanying listening Richard’s Spotify Playlist Unbearable - The Wonder Stuff Vagabonds - New Model Army You held the World in your arms – Idlewild I Believe – REM Follow Your Arrow – Kacey Musgraves Hunger in your haunt – Biffy Clyro Some accompanying viewing. Justified Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review, but do please feel free to let Sam know why. Feedback on 50 Shades episodes is always welcome. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are also very welcome to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com or the 50 Shades WhatsApp Community .

July 18, 2026Episode 1761 hr 16 min

Emerging Planners

A couple of months ago Sam Stafford saw that Shaun Knights at Preston City Council and national vice chair of the Young Planning Officers Society (POS) had posted on LinkedIn encouraging nominations for POS’ ‘Emerging Planner Award’ (EPA). “I’ve already seen some genuinely impressive submissions that show the amazing day‑to‑day work young planners are doing and the fresh ideas they’re bringing into LPAs”, Shaun wrote. Sam was interested in the amazing day‑to‑day work that young planners are doing and the fresh ideas they’re bringing into LPAs, and thought that 50 Shades listeners would be too. He sent Shaun a message asking if he and his Young POS colleagues would be interested in making an episode of the podcast with some of the planners that were subsequently short-listed for the award. He was, and some of them were, and so they put this together ahead of and after the POS Conference in Nottingham at which the winner of the award was announced. Young POS is a network for public sector planners with less than ten years post qualification experience and it provides opportunities for planners to support one another through the sharing of experience, learning and knowledge. Developed by Young POS and supported by the Society’s Rising Star bursaries, the EPA is an initiative created by young planners for young planners with 2026 marking its inaugural year. The award celebrates the everyday achievements of young public sector planners, whose work often lacks the visibility and recognition it deserves. It shines a light on the valuable contributions these planners make to practice, communities and place-making across England. The episode that Shaun and friends have put together is in four parts. First you will hear Shaun and Imogen Hopkin at South Staffordshire Council and national Chair of Young POS talk to shortlisted EPA nominee Annie Utting. Annie is at Be First Ltd (for the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham). Then you will hear Shaun and Imogen talk to nominee Charlotte Greenhow at South Ribble Borough Council. Then you will hear Shaun and Imogen talk to nominee Will Lawrence at Nottinghamshire County Council Then finally you will hear a conversation between Shaun, Annie, Charlotte and Will. The first two conversations were recorded online and the second two were recorded at The Createry in Nottingham. The four conversations take in, amongst other things, their respective careers to date, managing application backlogs, facilitating service improvements, why householder applications can be worse than majors, why no two council planning teams are the same, the dreaded role of duty planners, local government reorganisation, managing abuse, on one side of the coin, but the best part of their roles on the other. Some accompanying reading. Emerging Planners in Practice – Young POS on LinkedIn British Podcast Awards Some accompanying viewing. Planning on the Frontline: Navigating Abuse, Misinformation and Public Pressure Leadership Skills with Graham Stallwood Parks & Recreation Some accompanying listening. Stay Young – Oasis Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review, but do please feel free to let Sam know why. Feedback on 50 Shades episodes is always welcome. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are also very welcome to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com or the 50 Shades WhatsApp Community .

July 11, 2026Episode 1751 hr 3 min

Meet the MPs - Lib Dems

The role of local councillors in the planning system has been a familiar topic of conversation on the podcast in the context of, for example, overturning officer recommendations and the case for a national scheme of delegation. There is less talk about the role of MPs in the planning system, which is something that friend of the podcast Andrew Taylor wanted to remedy. This then is the second of what he and Sam Stafford hope will be five episodes exploring the role of a member of a parliament by way of conversations that Andrew records with representatives from the now five major parties. This time, the Liberal Democrats, and a conversation recorded with Vikki Slade and Sarah Gibson at Soho Radio Studios in April 2026. Andrew, regular listeners will know, is Group Planning and Sustainability Director at Vistry. Vikki represents Mid Dorset and North Poole and is a former group leader on Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council. Indeed Vikki still represents the Broadstone ward. Some listeners might have come across Vikki during her three years at Cratus. Sarah represents Chippenham and has a background in local government and architecture. Over the course of hour an hour so they talk about Vikki and Sarah's respective routes to Westminster, the rural economy, forging strategic links on issues of pan-constituency significance, the role of a MP in day-to-day planning matters, planning committee reform and, towards the end, Biodiversity Net Gain. Some accompanying reading. Removing the grit from the system - Changes needed for a more efficient planning application process Some accompanying viewing. What does team Burnham mean for housebuilding? Some accompanying listening The Snagging List The Snagging List II Politics – Personal Trainer Any other business. If you enjoy the episode do please consider bolstering Sam's fragile self-esteem by leaving the podcast a nice rating and a nice review wherever you listened to it. Obviously though if you have not enjoyed it then please do not leave a review, but do please feel free to let Sam know why. Feedback on 50 Shades episodes is always welcome. If you have enjoyed to the extent that you feel compelled to share the podcast on one your social platforms then, if you tag Sam, you will be entitled to an exclusive and much-sought after 50 Shades of Planning mug. If you are a new listener do please check out the back catalogue where you will find episodes on myriad planning topics, as well as the other episodes in the All Around the World series, and remember that by subscribing new episodes will magically appear in your phone as soon as Sam has published them. 50 Shades of Planning is the podcast by planners and for planners and so if you would like to use it as a platform for sharing anything you think that the sector needs to be talking about then you are also very welcome to get in touch with Sam via samstafford@hotmail.com or the 50 Shades WhatsApp Community . Sam is grateful to Richborough , Town Legal and Tyler Grange for supporting the podcast; to Vistry for sponsoring the 50 Shades mugs; and to Adrian Meehan for recording and editing this episode.