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Make Planning Make Sense

Centro Planning Consultancy

This podcast is for anyone trying to build, fund, design, approve, or understand development in the UK. Your host, Aaron Zimmerman MA MSc MRTPI, is having honest conversations with other leaders from across the built environment sector to Make Planning Make Sense. Follow for new episodes fortnightly on Thursdays!

Make Planning Make Sense is presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England. https://centroplan.co.uk/

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Thursday · 42 min
Beach house library: S01 E16 Something's gotta give (feat. Paul Willis)
Over the summer holidays, we're sharing select episodes from our archive that are worth another listen during the draft London Plan consultation period. We'll be back on 17 September with our full analysis. Special thanks to Paul Willis for this great conversation. Our summer favs: S01 E05 Less than substantial charm (Part 1) (feat. Laurie Handcock) S01 E06 Less than substantial charm (Part 2) (feat. Laurie Handcock) S01 E09 This is not viable (feat. Richard Ashdown) S01 E10 Daylight/sunlight/gaslight (feat. Neil Cawood) S01 E12 The SMEs are not alright (feat. Paul Higgs) S01 E13 Small and medium enterprises, big picture energy (feat. Alex Uregian) S01 E16 Something's gotta give (feat. Paul Willis) S01 E24 Agent, operative, principal, spy (feat. Dr Nancy Holman and Dr Alan Mace) S02 E05 Carbon impact, in fact (feat. James Mickelburgh) S02 E08 Forgiving ourselves the guilt of imperfection (feat. Marko Salopek) S02 E15 Fix the exit, fix the entry (feat. Will Powell of Downing) Check out these episodes wherever you listen, and see you again on 17 September! If you like today’s episode, share it with your fellow Planimals and please do follow the show! And remember, we’re ultimately here for you. Whenever you have a complex project that needs excellent planners on the team, please get in touch. Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
August 20 · 43 min
Beach house library: S01 E12 The SMEs are not alright (feat. Paul Higgs)
Over the summer holidays, we're sharing select episodes from our archive that are worth another listen during the draft London Plan consultation period. We'll be back on 17 September with our full analysis. Special thanks to Paul Higgs for this great conversation. Our summer favs: S01 E05 Less than substantial charm (Part 1) (feat. Laurie Handcock) S01 E06 Less than substantial charm (Part 2) (feat. Laurie Handcock) S01 E09 This is not viable (feat. Richard Ashdown) S01 E10 Daylight/sunlight/gaslight (feat. Neil Cawood) S01 E12 The SMEs are not alright (feat. Paul Higgs) S01 E13 Small and medium enterprises, big picture energy (feat. Alex Uregian) S01 E16 Something's gotta give (feat. Paul Willis) S01 E24 Agent, operative, principal, spy (feat. Dr Nancy Holman and Dr Alan Mace) S02 E05 Carbon impact, in fact (feat. James Mickelburgh) S02 E08 Forgiving ourselves the guilt of imperfection (feat. Marko Salopek) S02 E15 Fix the exit, fix the entry (feat. Will Powell) Check out these episodes wherever you listen, and see you again on 17 September! If you like today’s episode, share it with your fellow Planimals and please do follow the show! And remember, we’re ultimately here for you. Whenever you have a complex project that needs excellent planners on the team, please get in touch. Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
August 13 · 45 min
Beach house library: S01 E10 Daylight/sunlight/gaslight (feat. Neil Cawood)
Over the summer holidays, we're sharing select episodes from our archive that are worth another listen during the draft London Plan consultation period. We'll be back on 17 September with our full analysis. Special thanks to Neil Cawood for this great conversation. Full summer reading list: S01 E05 Less than substantial charm (Part 1) (feat. Laurie Handcock) S01 E06 Less than substantial charm (Part 2) (feat. Laurie Handcock) S01 E09 This is not viable (feat. Richard Ashdown) S01 E10 Daylight/sunlight/gaslight (feat. Neil Cawood) S01 E12 The SMEs are not alright (feat. Paul Higgs) S01 E13 Small and medium enterprises, big picture energy (feat. Alex Uregian) S01 E16 Something's gotta give (feat. Paul Willis) S01 E24 Agent, operative, principal, spy (feat. Dr Nancy Holman and Dr Nancy Holman) S02 E05 Carbon impact, in fact (feat. James Mickelburgh) S02 E08 Forgiving ourselves the guilt of imperfection (feat. Marko Salopek) S02 E15 Fix the exit, fix the entry (feat. Will Powell of Downing) Check out these episodes wherever you listen, and see you again on 17 September! If you like today’s episode, share it with your fellow Planimals and please do follow the show! And remember, we’re ultimately here for you. Whenever you have a complex project that needs excellent planners on the team, please get in touch. Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E17
August 6 · 1 hr 2 min
S02 E17 We can do better, today (feat. Darren Rodwell)
Our guest for this episode is Darren Rodwell, a man who needs no introduction, who you’ll recognise as the former leader of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Council. Darren has a new book called ‘Building Communities One Brick and One Heart at a Time’, which is out now. I was most interested to talk with Darren about creating momentum in a planning system that is structurally indifferent to its outcome and how Darren was able to change the future for Londonders in his borough by building community support and forward momentum for the ambitious regeneration of Barking. The conversation again begs the question of whether we should have a planning system that is otherwise content to be as inert as dry clay. But more to the point, in the system that we do have, Darren shows how leadership, vision, and an incredible amount of effort can still get good things done. We’ll be back in September with our analysis of the draft London Plan and the changes it will need if it is going to succeed in its most urgent priority: delivering for Londoners. If you like today’s episode, share it with your fellow Planimals and please do follow the show! And remember, we’re ultimately here for you. Whenever you have a complex project that needs excellent planners on the team, please get in touch. Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E16
July 23 · 48 min
S02 E16 Boundaries aren't just for site plans: Emotional intelligence in our sector (feat. Jay Marway of Pulse Consult)
We've been longlisted in the Business category for the 2026 British Podcast Awards! We set off a year ago without one ounce of media experience to create a bit of content about why our work matters, the fact that we’re damn good at it, and how the sector can do better for the people of the UK. Being longlisted for a British Podcast Award is both humbling and affirming for a show we’re really proud to put out there for you. Thank you to our amazing team, guests, and listeners. Our guest for this episode is Jay Marway MRICS PMP, Project Manager at Pulse Consult. Jay joins us to discuss the brilliant and important topic of emotional intelligence in our sector. The conversation gives a nod to the surface level traits of politeness and temperament, and then opens up into the rich concepts of awareness, perception, trust, and boundaries. I hope you find the conversation timely, relatable, and relevant, but, of course, it is not health advice. Jay and I are practitioners in the built environment sector, not the healthcare sector. I would warmly encourage anyone seeking advice on these issues to speak with a medical professional. If you like today’s episode, share it with your fellow Planimals and please do follow the show! And remember, we’re ultimately here for you. Whenever you have a complex project that needs excellent planners on the team, please get in touch. Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
July 16 · 38 min
BONUS! One year on: behind the mic (feat. Centro's own Mariam Malakzi)
Make Planning Make Sense is turning 1! Thank you, guests, listeners and team!!! 365 days, 44 expert voices, 40 episodes, 1 nod from the British Podcast Awards, and 1 community of passionate professionals - We are absolutely stunned by the warm welcome you've given to this project. As a way of saying THANK YOU to our amazing guests, listeners and team, Aaron and Mariam are taking you behind the scenes to learn the why, the how, and the metrics of this bonkers journey. If you like today’s episode, share it with your fellow Planimals and please do follow the show! And remember, we’re ultimately here for you. Whenever you have a complex project that needs excellent planners on the team, please get in touch. Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E15
July 9 · 1 hr 3 min
S02 E15 Fix the exit, fix the entry (feat. Will Powell of Downing)
Our guest today is Will Powell, Investment Director at Downing. With incredible clarity, Will sets out the private sector’s needs with the aim of restarting housing delivery. We cover: How to catalyse home sales De-cluttering decision taking Having the right people in your team Reviving a culture of partnership And more. Be sure to check out the podcast that Will hosts: Downing Funding Foundations (especially Episode 02). If you like today’s episode, share it with your fellow Planimals and please do follow the show! And remember, we’re ultimately here for you. Whenever you have a complex project that needs excellent planners on the team, please get in touch. Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E14
June 25 · 1 hr 21 min
S02 E14 That was gendered... (feat. Charlotte Morphet and Marina Milosev)
Our guests for this episode are Charlotte Morphet, Programme Leader for Urban Planning at the University of the Built Environment and Marina Milosev, co-founder of Beyond the Red Line and, recently, Urban Planning Expert at the United Nations. We're also joined by Andrew Lightstone, Associate Director at Centro. If you’re listening to this podcast, you’re probably the sort who has been following the public discussion about mainstreaming sex and gender in the NPPF and planning more broadly. We dive into this topic with our sights set on the practical questions of implementation for applicants and decision takers. If you like today’s episode, share it with your fellow Planimals and please do follow the show! And remember, we’re ultimately here for you. Whenever you have a complex project that needs excellent planners on the team, please get in touch. Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E13
June 11 · 52 min
S02 E13 A COL to Action: When LBC is OTT (feat. Helen Walker of Bowman Riley)
Our guest this week is Helen Walker, Head of Heritage and Associate at Bowman Riley. Helen lets us in on a pleasant little heritage hack that can spare folks a bit of time, expense, and grief. Along the way, we touch on the perils of the "only Grade II" mindset and the risk of losing the living knowledge of the building crafts. Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E12
May 28 · 47 min
S02 E12 Live from the London Centre - Everything but the nettle (feat. Centro's own Tarun Cheema)
Live from the London Centre: Tarun Cheema MRTPI and Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI present the latest on planning reform...and how the devil is always in the details. We give a TLDR run-through of: The draft NPPF The Mayor’s kickstart measures and new call-in powers The PIA including the National Scheme of Delegation How these reforms will play out for developers and decision making Special thanks to New London Architecture for hosting this live event and to Women in Property South East for co-sponsoring the event with Centro Planning Consultancy. Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E11
May 14 · 48 min
S02 E11 REiiF WEEK (feat. Nathan Spencer, Managing Director of UKREiiF)
Our guest this week is Nathan Spencer, Managing Director of UKREiiF. REiiF Week is upon us, and in tingling anticipation of UKREiiF , which runs 19th to the 21st of May, Nathan talks about who’s lined up to anchor the event this year and what the event means for Leeds. We also get into B2B business development in the built environment sector, the challenges the sector faces in communicating its priorities and sheer importance to the public, and the lost opportunity own goals created by the planning system. Just to say, Centro’s own Managing Director, Luke Raistrick, and Director of Operations and Partnerships, Reece Raymond, will be at UKREiiF. Reach out to Reece if there’s an opportunity to connect in Leeds: Reece@centroplan.co.uk Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E10
April 30 · 52 min
S02 E10 Election Dissection (feat. Joanna Christophides of Cratus Group)
Our guest this week is Joanna Christophides, Director at Cratus Group. We’re just one week out from the local elections, and there’s been a lot of chatter about more seats going to candidates outside the traditional blue, red and yellow parties. Our conversation covers what appears likely to change for the built environment sector and what will still hold true after votes are counted. We also discuss communication more broadly – between developers teams’ and the public, between developers and councillors, and between councillors and constituents. Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E9
April 16 · 43 min
S02 E09 Development & business development (feat. Adam Green and Emily Wilson of Ninety Four Group)
Our guests this week are Founding Director Adam Green and Director of Partnerships Emily Wilson of Ninety Four Group. Adam and Emily share insights about a sector that’s just as much P2P as it is B2B. How do we grow our businesses? How do relatively young companies navigate the public sector procurement process? What makes a company one of the firms that comes to mind when it’s time to tender? We cover it all, as well as the delicate topic of karaoke. Be sure to follow for new episodes fortnightly. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E8
April 2 · 1 hr 1 min
S02 E08 Forgiving ourselves the guilt of imperfection (feat. Marko Salopek, Senior Project Manager at Muse)
Our guest this week is Marko Salopek, Senior Project Manager at Muse. Marko comes at the discussion from his particular perspective as part of a prestigious public-private partnership placemaking powerhouse, Muse. This conversation was a lot of fun, but it also makes a compelling a compelling argument for imperfection and grace. It’s been remarkable that so many conversations within the built environment sector carry themes of anxiety, perfectionism, overwhelm, and the fear of guilt. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the negative themes live in those gaps between how the system was designed and how it’s come to operate. And what I’ve really appreciated is how our conversation with Marko and other guests on the podcast identify practical opportunities to fix and fill those gaps. Be sure to follow for new episodes every other week. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E7
March 19 · 49 min
S02 E07 Development Finance: A Modern Fairytale (feat. Uliana Kuzmis, Chief Credit Officer at Pallas Capital UK)
Our guest this week is Uliana Kuzmis, Chief Credit Officer at Pallas Capital UK. Our conversation is a window into the world of development finance. Uliana sets out how development is actually financed – or not – including the functional constraints on finance that aren’t easily visible to other parts of the built environment sector. It’s a must-listen for anyone in the sector who knows the value of the full picture, outside our own silos. Be sure to follow for new episodes every other. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E6
March 5 · 41 min
S02 E06 Reform isn't NPPFfortless (feat. Melissa Murphy KC of Landmark Chambers)
Our guest this week is Melissa Murphy KC of Landmark Chambers. Melissa talks us through the draft NPPF from fresh angles, puts the power of planning committees in perspective, and considers the limitations of the metaphor of the planning balance. Just to note, International Women’s Day is coming up on 8th March. The day commemorates women's continuing fight for equality and liberation and the proud history of the women's rights movement. Let’s give the women in our lives the fist bump, windmill high five, respect, appreciation and solidarity they deserve. Be sure to follow for new episodes every other week. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E5
February 19 · 39 min
S02 E05 Carbon impact, in fact (feat. James Mickelburgh, co-founder of Jensen Hunt)
Our guest this week is James Mickelburgh, co-founder of Jensen Hunt. As town planning agents, part of our role is to make sense of a subjective and often open-ended policy context that’s always changing. The conversation with James shows how policies regarding environmentally sustainability are amongst the most open-ended, the effects that can have on decision making, and where we find optimism about these issues. Be sure to follow for new episodes every other week. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E4
February 12 · 47 min
S02 E04 Inefficiency doesn’t make pence (feat. Viktor Rohacs, Founder and Director of Rohacs Architects)
Our guest this week is Viktor Rohacs, Founder and Director of Rohacs Architects. As town planning agents, we know it’s as important to secure a successful permission as it is to secure a deliverable permission. Our conversation with Viktor shows that commercial-mindedness is part and parcel rather than an opposing force to delivering successful places. Be sure to follow for new episodes each week. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E3
February 5 · 48 min
S02 E03 Planning's prickly intersections (feat. Phineas Harper)
Our guest this week is the one-and-only Phineas Harper. The team at Centro is in the built environment sector because we’re dedicated to the outcomes we achieve. We’re invested in the nature of our work. That’s why it was such a good time speaking with Phineas, who has a unique position in the sector as an activist, an organiser, and – dare we say – a provocateur. Be sure to follow for new episodes each week. Make Planning Make Sense is presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.
S2 · E2
January 29 · 42 min
S02 E02 Adrenaline straight to the Kickstart? (feat. Reuben Taylor KC of Landmark Chambers)
Our guest this week is Reuben Taylor KC of Landmarks Chambers. Reuben is a brilliant planning barrister, and, as you’ll hear, our conversation covers a wide range of topics. From the kickstart measures for housing delivery in London to the Building Safety Regulator, the draft NPPF and Mötley Crüe, this one has it all. Be sure to follow for new episodes each week. Make Planning Make Sense is hosted by Aaron Zimmerman MRTPI, presented by Centro Planning Consultancy and recorded in beautiful London, England.

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