Ms Charlotte Sheridan:

I am in full agreement with the Senator and in fact, have listened to the RTPI and the case it was making for that corporate level of the country planner, county architect or city planner. We would equally say that both architects and planners work hand in hand. That is how we operate. Any work we deliver is done through planning and we always engage with the planning departments and most often more recently as well, in consultation with planners. What is really important, and the thrust of what we are suggesting, is a change in the culture of planning where planning is no longer just a colour on a map and a wait and see what happens approach. It needs to be something that is much more proactive and I think that is the role the architect can play, namely, the envisioning and understanding what the vision of a place can be. The skill sets of both the architect and the planner work extremely well in that context. We have compatible skill sets but also both have essential skill sets in setting that agenda for a place. It is extremely important that such a position would be within the executive at that upper level, making decisions in terms of proposing key infrastructure and in proposing development to be brought forward in order to implement a place.