Planning Xchange

About Planning Xchange

Planning Xchange is an interview series of built environment professionals doing interesting work beyond the ordinary. Guests include town planners, architects, urban designers, landscape architects, academics, historians, CEO's (and much much more!). Featuring podcast hosts Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell.

Publisher

Jess Noonan & Peter Jewell

Category

education · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 Dec 2014

Latest episode

28 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

145 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Jul 2026

   PlanningxChange 145: Robyn Annear on Cities, Memory and the Art of Noticing

   In this episode of PlanningxChange, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell speak with historian and writer Robyn Annear about cities, memory and the art of noticing. Robyn has written extensively about Melbourne, lost places, everyday life, archival fragments and the small details that open up larger stories. Her recent book Shutter City looks closely at early photographs of Melbourne, but the conversation ranges more widely across her work as a historian and writer. The discussion explores place-based history, the previous lives of cities and towns, and the question that sits behind much of Robyn's work: what was here before? Robyn reflects on how photographs, newspapers, buildings, signs, shopfronts, street furniture and passing figures can reveal the ordinary rhythms of urban life, including work, trade, movement, amusement, language, humour and sociability. The episode also considers whether history has become a niche interest, how historical knowledge can help planners, architects and city managers resist generic "anywhere" urbanism, and how memory can survive even when buildings and places change. Robyn also discusses AI-generated versions of the past, the danger of confident but invented historical narratives, and why human curiosity and judgement remain central to historical understanding. Podcast extra / culture corner Robyn recommends the poetry of John Clare, Jess recommends Pete's children's book Kaizo at Dog Beach (soon to be released on Amazon), and Pete recommends the Korean drama Teach You a Lesson on Netflix. Podcast released 29 July 2026.

2. 

   1 Jul 2026

   PlanningxChange 144: Waste, Recovery and the City with Maree Marshall

   In this episode of PlanningxChange, Jess Noonan and Peter Jewell speak with Maree Marshall from Urbis about waste, resource recovery and the city. Maree has worked in the waste and resource recovery sector for more than 25 years, advising councils, government agencies and designers on how waste systems operate in practice. The discussion begins with the ordinary household bin, but moves quickly into the larger planning and infrastructure questions behind waste collection, recycling and recovery. Topics include FOGO, glass recycling, container deposit schemes, textile waste, op shops, apartment buildings, transfer stations, repair spaces, tool libraries, landfill, waste-to-energy and the idea of local circular economy hubs. Maree explains why recycling is not the whole solution, and why better outcomes depend on reducing consumption, separating materials properly, designing buildings and precincts more intelligently, and making reuse and repair easier for communities. The conversation also considers how waste moves through cities, whether Australia relies too heavily on trucks, the role of technology and AI in sorting systems, and the importance of realistic policy that works for households, councils and the built environment. Podcast extra / culture corner includes home repairs, tuckpointing, the op shop challenge and Peter reading Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway. Episode released 1 July 2026.

3. 

   29 May 2026

   PlanningxChange 143: Place and Longevity: Reflections with Marcus Pearce

   Living Better for Longer: Blue Zones, Longevity and the Places We Create Guest: Marcus Pearce What do a small Greek island, a mountain village in Sardinia, and a Californian faith-based community have in common? They are among the world's famous Blue Zones - places where people routinely live into their nineties and hundreds, not because of miracle diets or expensive health interventions, but because of the way their communities are structured and how people live their everyday lives. In this episode, Peter Jewell and Jess Noonan speak with Marcus Pearce, longevity educator, host of the 100 Not Outpodcast, and founder of wellbeing experiences to Blue Zone communities. Marcus shares his personal journey from sports journalist to one of Australia's leading voices on healthy ageing and wellbeing. The conversation explores what planners, designers and policymakers can learn from places where longevity is not the exception but the norm. In this episode we discuss: What Blue Zones are and how they were identified The six recognised Blue Zones, including the recent addition of Singapore Marcus's personal transformation from sports media to longevity advocacy Why attitudes towards ageing can significantly influence lifespan The role of social connection, purpose and community in healthy ageing What makes places such as Ikaria (Greece) and Sardinia (Italy) unique The importance of walkability and natural movement in daily life Why loneliness may be one of the greatest public health challenges of our time The relationship between urban design, wellbeing and longevity How modern technology and changing work patterns may be weakening social connections Lessons planners can draw from village-scale living and human-centred environments Whether Blue Zone principles can be applied in contemporary cities Marcus also reflects on the concept of an "ageing mentor" - someone whose approach to life and ageing inspires us to think differently about our own future. Key Takeaway The most powerful lesson from the Blue Zones may be that healthy ageing is less about individual optimisation and more about creating places where connection, movement, purpose and belonging occur naturally. In other words, the environment often shapes healthier behaviours without people consciously trying to pursue them. Guest Marcus Pearce Host of the 100 Not Out podcast and founder of Blue Zone-inspired wellbeing experiences. Marcus has spent more than a decade interviewing centenarians, longevity experts and wellbeing leaders, helping people rethink what it means to live a long and meaningful life. Podcast Extra In Culture Corner: Marcus reflects on David Attenborough's remarkable longevity and asks: Who is your ageing mentor? Jess discusses The Mushroom Tapes by Helen Garner, Sarah Krasnostein and Claire Hooper. Peter talks about rediscovering fountain pens following a recent trip to Japan. Podcast released 29 May 2026.

Who has been a guest on Planning Xchange

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Scott Matheson
• Alfonso Morales
• Edna Ely-Ledesma

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 55 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

86

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

60