On the 23rd of October 2025, Karen Daye MRTPI came to visit us! Karen is a Chartered Town Planner with over 25 years’ experience in development management and planning appeals within local government. Specialising in appeals, she brings extensive expertise in handling complex cases and regularly appears as an expert witness at Planning Inquiries and Hearings.
Passionate about promoting diversity and supporting emerging talent in the profession, Karen is an active mentor and a dedicated member of the RTPI’s General Assembly and former Co-Chair RTPI London Region, as well as a Steering Group member of the BAME Planners Network. Congratulations Karen on your recent appointment as the new Trustee of the Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation, and thank you for paying us a visit, it was a pleasure to interview you!
- What initially inspired you to pursue a career in urban planning?
I originally dreamed of becoming an Olympic athlete, then later developed an interest in law, thanks in part to the glamorous ‘90s TV show LA Law. Around the same time, I was drawn to architecture and environmental issues, particularly the growing focus at the time on the ozone layer.
When I discovered urban planning, everything clicked. It combined my interests in the environment, law, and society. Planning is incredibly powerful – it shapes where and how people live and work, and the quality of the environment around them. It’s deeply fulfilling, though often challenging, as it requires balancing competing interests that directly affect people’s lives.
- How did your time at Greenwich University and London South Bank University shape your understanding of planning and development?
Studying in the 1990s gave me a solid grounding in planning law, the history of planning, and community engagement. However, the courses were quite theoretical -we didn’t get much insight into the day-to-day reality of being a planner.
I still remember my first professional report being handed back with a note that it was “too flowery.” The academic side hadn’t fully prepared me for the fast-paced, practical world of planning. My early days were gentle, though – I spent months working on small extensions, learning the ropes before tackling larger projects. In comparison new planners today are thrown into things much more quickly!
- You’ve spent over 15 years with the London Borough of Bromley. What’s kept you there?
I started at Bromley as a fresh graduate, and the borough gave me opportunities to explore every corner of planning – policy, ecology, urban design, enforcement, and appeals. I began in policy, moved into development management, and later specialised in appeals. That rounded experience gave me a solid grounding in the art and science of planning!
Bromley is a great place to work – a supportive, experienced team and leadership that trusts me to take the reins. Now, I enjoy mentoring new planners and watching them grow from handling minor extensions to major applications. The balance of trust, challenge, and flexibility, especially while juggling motherhood, has kept me committed.
- What have been some of the most challenging planning appeals you’ve handled?
Appeals aren’t for the faint-hearted, but they’re incredibly rewarding. One that stands out involved strong community engagement, the residents came together, created a video, and attended the Inquiry on mass to share their concerns. It was powerful to stand alongside residents to ensure their views were heard.
Appeals are about collaboration and preparation. The aim isn’t just to stop development- it’s to ensure what does get built is appropriate and high-quality. Even when we don’t win, we can improve a proposal by advocating for robust conditions and negotiating meaningful legal agreements. The process is intense and detail-driven, but the teamwork and sense of purpose make it worthwhile.
- What leadership qualities are essential in local government planning?
Local government planning is demanding. My leadership style is inclusive – I involve my team in decision-making and encourage collaboration, especially under pressure. It’s about balancing strategic vision with operational delivery.
I’m open about my weaknesses and encourage others to play to their strengths. Leadership isn’t about always being popular – it’s about making consistent, fair decisions. Over time, that consistency earns respect and trust.
- What motivated you to become Co-Chair of the RTPI London Region?
For many years, I couldn’t engage much with the RTPI due to family commitments, being a mother and caring for my parents. But I love planning, and I’m a self- confessed “planorak!” Planning can create huge social value, whether through major regeneration schemes like Battersea Power Station or something as modest as a rear extension that improves a family’s life.
As Co-Chair, I delivered several CPD events, including one with MHCLG on the digitalisation of planning, a mock planning Inquiry. Bringing public and private sectors together was invaluable. The role gave me the chance to connect London’s planners, encourage learning, and give back to the profession that’s given me so much.
- Can you tell us about the CPD events and Planning Excellence Awards you help organise?
The Planning Excellence Awards are a highlight of the year. They celebrate achievements across planning, from local plans and development projects to ecology, heritage, digital planning, planning consultancies, specialist planning teams, Young Planner of the Year and a lot more!
Planning often gets unfairly criticised, so these awards are vital in recognising the hard work and innovation across the profession. Judging them is inspiring, especially seeing how much responsibility inspirational young planners now take on compared to when I started.
- As a member of the BAME Planners Network Steering Group, how do you see the profession becoming more inclusive?
This year marks the Network’s fifth anniversary, founded by Helen Fadipe, now RTPI President, which shows how far representation has come. Part of the Network’s mission is to raise the profile of ethnic minorities in planning, and last year’s annual awards, kindly sponsored by Stonehouse, celebrated emerging “rising stars.”
When I started in planning it took nearly 6 years before I met another black planning professional. Seeing people who look like you in the profession is powerful – it builds confidence and belonging. The Network has created that sense of connection and support, helping people feel seen and encouraged. Everyone deserves that foundation to thrive.
- Looking back, which projects or milestones are you most proud of?
There have been appeals I’ve won against the odds and projects that gave me that “spring in my step and even those that made “caselaw” But what I’m proudest of now is legacy; the mentoring and guidance I can offer others. I still sometimes feel like an imposter, but when people reach out for advice, it reminds me how far I’ve come and how much I can give back.
- What advice would you give to someone starting out in planning today?
Explore every area – heritage, urban design, ecology, enforcement, infrastructure, appeals, policy and many more. Try them all before you specialise. Find a mentor, someone you can talk to, and someone who quietly inspires you from afar.
Be open to moving around; career progression often comes from new experiences and nowadays you climb the ladder by moving around and you network more that way. RTPI and the BAME Planners Network both offer mentoring schemes, take advantage of them. Above all, stay engaged, stay curious, and find the part of planning that truly excites you.