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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI

@drcarolinebrown.bsky.social

310 followers 520 following 66 posts

Town planner. RTPI Director for Scotland, Ireland & English Regions. Recovering academic. Likes green space, blue space and active travel. Sometimes knits.

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Public Health 24%

Environmental science 18%

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · 2d

A cosy fireside chat with three of the nation’s Chief Planners provides insights and commentary on planning reform, supporting and growing new planners and streamlining a complex system.

Chief planner for Wales, Scotland and England chat with RTPI chief executive Victoria Hills. Neil Hemingtaon (Wales), Fiona Simpson (Scotland) and Joanna Averley (England) are sitting on a stage with a purple backdrop

Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · 2d

National Planning Conference gets underway…

RTPI president Helen Fadipe, Dan Williams from Planning Portal and Dr Victoria Hill’s, RTPI Chief Executive are on the conference stage.

Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · 9d

Did my bit for @rtpiplanners.bsky.social today, spending 2hrs at a high school careers fair talking about planning as a career. Many thanks to everyone who came along.

I forgot to take a photo of my stall & banner, so all I have to show is this almost empty box of chocolates!

#PlanningCareers

An almost empty box of quality street chocolates.

Reposted by Rosemary A. Joyce, Leigh Sparks, Julian Petley , and 8 more Rosemary A. Joyce, Leigh Sparks, Julian Petley, Alan Lester, John Foot, Stephen Ryan, Caroline Brown, David Murakami Wood, Vaughan S. Roberts, Nikki Fairchild, Colin Talbot

Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 14d

Nathan Gill is no fringe politician.

He was the leader of the Reform Party and before that UKIP in Wales.

A Brexit Party MEP.

A friend and ally of Nigel Farage, who in 2016 called him:

"terrific," and "as honest as the day is long."

This is a MASSIVE story

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Reform UK's ex-Wales leader Nathan Gill admits pro-Russia bribery

Nathan Gill admits eight charges of bribery while being a Member of the European Parliament.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · 16d

The focus of the afternoon is on net zero - here’s Husam AlWaer talking about density…

Shows Professor Husam Al Waer standing at a lectern

Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · 16d

We had some fun playing with an ai visualisation tool brought to us my Alex MacLaren from Heriot Watt University and hearing from Aline Kirkland about using EPC data to help monitor housing policy in the digital planning session.

Alex MacLaren stands at a lectern in front of a large display screen.

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · 16d

Session 3 is focussing on the wellbeing of planners - chaired by Maura McCormack and with Craig McLaren, Susan Rintoul, Elaine Campbell, Kevin Murray and Rim Chouaib.

Craig McLaren - national planning improvement champion starts session 3. He is standing at a lectern, with other panel contributors sitting on the stage

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · 16d

Session 2 with speakers focussing on planning for health, chaired by Irene Beautyman including Rowena Statt, Margaret Douglas and Meadhbh Maguire

A panel of 4 women: Irene Beautyman, Rowena Statt, Margaret Douglas and Meadhbh Maguire sitting on the stage in Perth Theatre

Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · 16d

Keynote speaker @profjennyj.bsky.social prepares to open the RTPI Scotland Annual Conference 2025

Prof Jenny Roe prepares to speak - she is sitting in the front row of Perth Theatre studio. Her face is lit up by lights from the stage.

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · 26d

Last chance to book for the RTPI Scotland Annual Conference in Perth next week.

The theme is healthy and resilient places, and we’ve got walking tours, a sketching workshop and lots of fab speakers….

www.rtpi.org.uk/find-your-rt...

RTPI Scotland Annual Conference 2025 | Championing the power of planning

The conference will explore how to deliver resilient and sustainable communities for the health of people, place and planet.

www.rtpi.org.uk

Reposted by Caroline Brown

Royal Town Planning Institute @rtpiplanners.bsky.social · 29d

Congratulations to the 5 winning entries for the 2025 RTPI Awards for Research Excellence. 🙌

Discover the winners 👇
https://www.rtpi.org.uk/events-training-and-awards/awards/rtpi-awards-for-research-excellence/

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Reposted by Caroline Brown

C40 Cities @c40cities.bsky.social · Sep 11

Meet the young people who are ready to change the future... introducing the winners of the fourth global Students Reinventing Cities competition.

From Amman to Tshwane, over 1,200 students from 150 universities took on the challenge of reimagining urban spaces across 11 cities this year.

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · Sep 10

Sunshine after the rain: dropping into the Planning Research Conference in Belfast today.

A rainbow in a grey blue sky, above the Belfast dockyards. The yellow Harlow & Wolff gantry crane can be seen in the centre of the photo

Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · Sep 4

Had a lovely jaunt out to see old colleagues and friends at #HeriotWatt University today - and to meet the class of 2025 as they start their journeys as #FuturePlanners!

Welcome to the planning family and best of luck with your studies.

A group of people in a classroom listening to Dr Sacha Hassan, welcoming them to Heriot Watt University

A group of people in a University classroom - to the far left there is a person standing up and smiling. The person is Dr Caroline Brown…

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · Aug 19

Great to see Issue 201 of the #ScottishPlanner out this week - it’s a wee festival of planning celebrating this year’s winners in the Awards for Planning Excellence plus all the usual contents, including the latest episode of my Podlicious recommendations… www.rtpi.org.uk/media/21122/...

www.rtpi.org.uk

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · Aug 11

2 weeks ago I noticed this: a shop unit in George Street - a prime retail street in Edinburgh city centre- which has been repurposed from a bank into a screwfix store.

Last week I noticed a branch had popped up on Nicolson St too. It seems like a good thing to me - but one to keep an eye on.

Shows a stone building on a street corner in central Edinburgh. The building has some lettering above the open doorway ‘Screwfix City Centre’

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · Aug 11

I live in Edinburgh where 20mph speed limit was introduced to some streets about 10 years ago. It does feel slow at first, but you get used to it. And, evaluation studies show that it has cut RTAs. If our brains adapt to higher speeds, then they can also adapt to slower ones.

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Reposted by Caroline Brown

Scottish Land Commission @scottishlandcom.bsky.social · Aug 7

What can land reform do for urban Scotland?

Join our expert panel to explore housing, climate, and community power in towns and cities.

📅 28 August | 🕓 4pm - 4:50pm | 💻 Zoom
🔗 buff.ly/P0cbP15

#ScotLandFutures

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Reposted by Mark Tewdwr‐Jones, Caroline Brown

Daniel Slade @dslade.bsky.social · Feb 4

How can we make make sure the next wave of New Towns are flexible, adaptive, bottom-up and meet communities' changing needs?

We - @rtpiplanners.bsky.social - have just launched an Invitation to Tender for research answering these questions.

📣Budget is £35,000, deadline for proposals is 24 Feb📣.

RTPI tenders

This page contains the latest invitations to tender from the RTPI.

www.rtpi.org.uk

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · Jul 12

We were in London at the end of June and sat on some v hot buses! Agree on all counts.

Reposted by Caroline Brown

Municipal Dreams @municipaldreams.bsky.social · Jul 12

Rochdale's Medical Officer of Health made the case for housing reform and comprehensive planning in 1911. My new post examines the town's early housing history and first council housing:
municipaldreams.wordpress.com/2025/07/08/a...

Text: It is only by such comprehensive and organised schemes where every part is in its proper place and co-ordinated with the whole, that we can very hope to attain unity of purpose and economy in house building; and at the same time secure that every house, however humble, shall be a sanitary house. For although every house must be built by someone, yet in a well-ordered community the ultimate responsibility for every house should, and must rest, with the Authority in whose sanitary area it exists.

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · Jun 20

A day out of the office with Heads of Planning Scotland for the second day of their conference and AGM in Kilmarnock.

Good to hear about the vision for town-centre cultural regeneration linked to the renewal of the Theatre.

A room of delegates sitting at round tables and watching a speaker at the front of the room

A pedestrianised street in Kilmarnock looking towards the local Kirk and tower. The church has bright yellow render on the outside. The sky is pale blue and there are no clouds.

Pamela Clifford is standing outside the theatre in Kilmarnock. She is explaining the plans for upgrading the building and changing the surrounding streetscape

Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · Jun 20

One for @blackfordsaferoutes.co.uk!

bikepedantic @bikepedantic.bsky.social · Jun 20

Can you haul a brass band on bikes to accompany your #BikeBus to school? For the third time, yes.

Big thanks to all our volunteers and musicians!

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Reposted by Caroline Brown

bikepedantic @bikepedantic.bsky.social · Jun 20

Can you haul a brass band on bikes to accompany your #BikeBus to school? For the third time, yes.

Big thanks to all our volunteers and musicians!

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · Jun 20

It’s been quite the week, but very pleased to be at the HOPS AGM in Kilmarnock today. Timely conversations about digital planning led by Aline Kirkland from the Improvement Service.

A room of people sitting at tables and looking towards a big screen with a PowerPoint display. A woman is standing at the lecturn at the front of the room and speaking to the audience

Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · Jun 16

An excellent start to the week, we had RTPI chief executive @victoriartpi.bsky.social in Edinburgh to help Convenor Laura Robertson open RTPI Scotland’s new office.

And, this evening we all celebrated the best of Scottish planning practice with our RTPI Scotland awards. Well done all!

A group of around 25 people arranged across a stage. About half of the group are holding framed certificates. The backdrop reads ‘Scotland Awards for Planning Excellence 2025’

RTPI chief executive Victoria Hills and Convenor Laura Robertson cut a ribbon across and office doorway

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Reposted by Paul Nugent, Caroline Brown

The Edinburgh Reporter @edinreporter.bsky.social · Jun 12

It is very sad to hear of the death of Professor Sir Geoff Palmer. He was always a delight to speak to and a true pioneer.

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Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · Jun 10

Spending a few minutes of my lunch break looking through the programme for this year’s Edinburgh Book Festival. Looking forward to exploring the Repair theme - and hoping we can manage another #RTPIScotland team away day there!

Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · May 17

A momentous day today: after 30 months, the solar panels on our roof have generated a total of 10 MWh of electricity. The recent sunny days have helped speed us to this nice round number - but the cloudy days play their part too.

Dr Caroline Brown, MRTPI @drcarolinebrown.bsky.social · May 4

Looking forward to Reform’s forthcoming campaign re: potholes in which larger and heavier vehicles are banned, taxed or both in order to address the pothole issue…

Prof. Ian Walker @ianwalker.bsky.social · May 3

Four questions for people who say their driving is essential:

1. why is it essential to drive THAT car?
2. do you drive it as little as possible?
3. why is it essential to drive it that fast?
4. why do you need priority over people who aren't driving?