Sequence shortened

6 Jan 2010, 16:01 Add Comment

Like a lot of people, I probably watch too much TV. Being at the 'phile' end of techno-phile/phobe continuum, I enjoy the TV adverts for all things technological. I continue to resist the lure of the iPhone (resistance is futile, I know) but few can fail to be impressed by Steve Jobs' little 'computer in your pocket'. However, all is not necessarily as it sometimes seems with the iPhone and its Sony Ericsson/Nokia wannabe lookalikes.

Next time you watch an iPhone advert, look out for the words "sequence shortened" being flashed quickly at the bottom of the screen. Yes, that's right...in reality you can't do things quite as quickly as the adverts suggest - all of the boring key press / waiting / key press / wait-a-bit-more elements are taken out of the adverts to make what is actually pretty neat look even neater (and quicker).

If only we could apply the "sequence shortened" principle to planning (yes, I have belatedly remembered that this is a Planning Blog, after all). In fact, the Government may have already embraced the principle when they claim that Local Development Frameworks and their extended families are much better and quicker than the now fondly remembered (the mists of time tend towards fondness, don't they?) local plans and structure plans of yore.

I suspect that the Planning Inspectorate may also adopt a version of the sequence shortened principle. Appellants and Local Planning Authorities have to meet stringent timescales when dealing with appeals, whereas the internal timescales in the Inspectorate seem to be much more malleable and "sequence shortened."

Of course, local plans are still around in their "saved" forms - held in stasis like Austin Powers, but probably not equally groovy baby! By the time that the emerging Local Development Frameworks are finally found to be sound (or not) at the end of their long journey through time and space, the likely new Conservative government will have devised another simpler, quicker and just plain better system of development plans for us planners to get our heads around. They may even call them local plans again.

Now, if I can just shorten that particular sequence, I'll be very happy.

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