Transport Development Planning 2025
Breaking Old Habits – Reshaping the Way We Plan for Transport

About the Event

The planning system is at a crossroads.

With a target of 1.5 million new homes by 2029, and a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) that puts transport at the heart of plan-making, the stakes for how we plan, assess, and deliver sustainable development have never been higher.

The updated NPPF sets a bold ambition:

“Transport issues should be considered from the earliest stages of plan-making and development proposals, using a vision-led approach to identify transport solutions that deliver well-designed, sustainable and popular places.”

But the question remains — can we really break old habits?

Despite progress, many local authorities are still relying on outdated plans and traditional modelling approaches. The result? Sites that fail to enable active travel, overdependence on car-based access, and lost opportunities for creating healthier, more connected communities.

This one-day national conference will bring together policy leaders, planners, developers, legal experts and transport professionals to ask the difficult questions and share the practical answers.

Why Attend

Transport Development Planning 2025 is where the transport and planning communities come together to challenge old assumptions and explore what “vision-led” planning truly means in practice.

Expect keynotes, panels, case studies, and ‘Ask the Experts’ sessions designed to equip you with the tools, ideas, and evidence to reshape the way we plan for housing and transport in the era of net zero, devolution, and design-led growth.

This event will:

• Explore how to connect visioning to delivery and decision-making

• Debate what constitutes a sustainable location – and how to find one

• Showcase new tools, data, and methodologies for sustainable site selection

• Examine how transport hierarchies and travel plans need to evolve

• Address the tension between highway requirements and planning ambition

• Ask how the Planning Inspectorate and government can support genuine change

?? Core Themes

• Visioning for Transport Practitioners – from ambition to delivery

• Defining Sustainable Locations – putting accessibility first

• Building Confidence in the Vision – using quality data and modelling

• Tools, Services and New Approaches – supporting sustainable location-finding

• Legal, political and commercial realities – navigating what’s possible

Programme and Speakers

Session 1: Visioning for Transport Practitioners – The Practicalities

• Chair: Colin Black, Director, Mayer Brown

• Charlene Rohr, Technical Director, Mott MacDonald

• Amy Burbidge, Head of Master Development and Design, Homes England

• Rob Singleton, Head of Planning, Housing and Transport, DfT

• Ben Plowden, Chief Executive, Campaign for Better Transport

Session 2: So What Is a Sustainable Location?

• Chair: Mike Axon, Global Director of Transport, SLR

• Sheila Holden OBE, Consultant, former Inspector, PINS and past President, CIHT

• David Milner, Managing Director, Create Streets

• Rob Pellow, Policy Advisor – Planning, CIHT

• Joely Hill, Associate Transport Planner, WSP / Board Director, TPS

Session 3: Confidence in the Vision

• Chair: David Knight, Director of Transport Planning, NRP

• Jayne Meyrick, Associate Partner, i-Transport LLP / TPS Working Group

• Jon Sandford, Senior Manager, Homes England

• John Dales, Chair, Urban Movement

• Colin Black, Director, Mayer Brown

Session 4: Finding Sustainable Locations – Tools and Services

• Chair: Andrew Browning, CEO, Schemeflow

• Marco Picardi, Deputy Head of Planning, Housing & Transport, DfT

• Ian Coles, Managing Director, TRICS

• Dan Saunders, Chief Product Officer, Basemap

• Nick Small, Head of Built Environment & Infrastructure, Go-Ahead Group

Session 5: Ask the Experts – The Legal, Policy and Commercial Reality

• Chair: Phil Jones, Chairman, Phil Jones Associates

• Ralph Smyth, Trustee, Foundation for Integrated Transport / Campaigner, TAN

• Robert Williams, Joint Head – Planning and Environment, Cornerstone Barristers

• Jonathan Smales, Founder & CEO, Human Nature

• Laura Emmerson, Strategic Transport Manager, BANKS Group

• Katie Coles, Strategic Planning Manager, Bloor Homes South Midlands

Networking and Discussion

The day concludes with networking drinks and canapés, giving delegates the opportunity to continue the debate and make valuable new connections.

Why This Event Matters

This isn’t just another planning conference — it’s about reshaping culture and practice.

We are at a pivotal moment where transport planning can genuinely influence how and where we build. This event is your chance to be part of that shift — to understand how vision-led planning can move from policy text to reality on the ground.

If you work in planning, transport, housing, development, or policy, this event will help you navigate the evolving framework, connect with peers, and contribute to shaping the future of sustainable place-making in the UK.