Specialisations
With diversification and changes to the planning scene, a planner's scope of work have also underwent changes. Interestingly, there is a trend towards the increasing specialisation of planners. The list includes, but is not limited to:
- Economic Development
- Environmental Planning
- Geographic Information Systems
- Heritage Planning
- Infrastructure Planning
- International Development
- Metropolitan Planning
- Neighborhood Planning
- Open Space Planning
- Park Planner
- Planning Barrister
- Real Estate Development
- Regeneration Planning
- Regional Planning
- Social Planning
- Statutory Planning
- Strategic Urban Planning
- Tourism Planner
- Transport Planning
- Urban Design
All planners deal with land use, space and place, but provide different viewpoints towards the planning of the built environment. For instance, in planning for a neighbourhood centre, the economic development planner would suggest locations that are economically viable and would be subjected to a steady flow of potential customers. He or she would analyse statistics and projections like the floor-space needed, where the customers are to be drawn from, location of competitors and so forth. The urban designer will come in and suggest principles that make the neighbourhood centre 'liveable', including how to ensure safety in design, design guidelines for developers, and so forth. The infrastructure and transport planner would ensure the efficient provision of basic infrastructure services, including water, electricity and sewerage needed for the smooth running of the businesses, as well as plan for basic public transport services or delineate out cycling paths.
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