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Three Things

My Twitter friends might have spotted that I had dinner with a DLUHC Minister last week. I know. Check me out.

The conversation during dessert turned, with a set piece Planning Bill now off the agenda, to the three most impactful things that Michael Gove could do to improve the planning system. I shared my thoughts on Twitter and they provoked a bit of a discussion, which I thought worthy of exploring further in a future 50 Shades of Planning Podcast episode.

So, Dear Readers, I would like to know the three most impactful things that you think Michael Gove could do to improve the planning system. We’re not talking in general terms about things like, for example, LPA resources, and we’re not talking in radical terms about things like, for example, 'Growth, Renewal and Protection Areas'. We’re not "levelling the foundations and building, from the ground up, a whole new planning system for England". We’re talking in practical, pragmatic terms about the relatively modest changes that, with little fuss and fanfare, and certainly no requirement for legislation, could have a positive, meaningful impact on what it is that you are trying to achieve.
 
The challenge that the Minister set me after dinner was to outline my suggestions on a single page and that’s also the challenge that I’ll set you. I’m looking for one page maximum, but, if you want to send me three paragraphs or just three bullet points that too will be absolutely fine. If you want to record your thoughts onto the Voice Memo app, for inclusion in the episode, then please also feel free. I’ll review the submissions with some of the regular 50 Shades crew and then we’ll piece everything together for onward transmission to Mr Gove. The ’50 Shades Manifesto for Sensible Planning Reform’ perhaps, which he may or may not read or listen to, but we will, at least, have tried.
 
If you are interested in being involved please send your contribution to samstafford@hotmail.com before the end of April.
 
My suggestions? This is what I sent to the Minister, but let me know what you think....

3 areas for impactful planning reform

Development Management Policies
  • The ‘Planning for the Future’ White Paper recognised that local plans are too long.
  • One of the sensible proposals lost amongst the more radical ideas was for general development policies (e.g. space standards) to be set nationally.
  • Not only would this remove a policy-making burden from LPAs, but, for the development industry, it would remove both inconsistency between national and local priorities and inconsistency often between policies in neighbouring authorities.
Chief Planning Officers
  • The White Paper proposed a ‘Chief Officer for Design & Place-Making’, but was silent on the role of the Chief Planning Officer.
  • Strong local leadership at both officer and member is critical to impactful planning, but the RTPI found in 2018 that only 23% of local authorities in the UK and Ireland had a head of planning service that reported directly to the Chief Executive.
  • The Head of Planning at any authority, but especially a large one or that of a major city, should be the pinnacle of a professional career. Salaries though, and perhaps the absence of an onward career pathway to Chief Executive, make the private sector more compelling for the best and brightest.
Strategic Planning
  • Local plans do not progress, and often collapse, for three principle reasons: Green Belt, housing need and the Duty to Cooperate.
  • The recent run of local plan withdrawals across the greater South East (Basildon, Castle Point, etc) emphasise the need to plan at a greater than local level.
  • A Local Plan Expert Group recommended in 2016 that Government attaches conditions to devolution bids requiring a commitment to meet housing needs across the bid area, but strategic planning is absent from the devolution framework contained in Levelling Up White Paper.

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