The Planner July 2016 by The Planner

JULY 2016 MATTHEW CARMONA: RECONCILING PUBLIC INTEREST AND PRIVATE GAIN // p.24 // • KEEPING THE RTPI AWARDS RELEVANT IN A CHANGING ENVIRONMENT // p.28 • CURING KENYA’S DELTA BLUES // p.32 • HOUSING: THE GENERATION GAME // p.40

T H E B U S I N ES S M O N T H LY FO R P L A N N I N G P R O F ES S IO N A LS

WHAT PLANNERS CAN DO TO SAFEGUARD TREES FOR SUSTAINABLE TOWNS AND CITIES 01_cover_july.indd 1

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CONTENTS

PLANNER 06 18

THE

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NEWS

6 Strategic development plans should be replaced, says Scottish planning review 8 How to plan for garden communities

OPINION

9 New Wales Bill offers ministers more powers over energy planning 10 Griffiths outlines her 5 ‘asks’ of the planning system 11 Planners feature in Birthday Honours 12 RTPI and IPPR launch blueprint for Great North Plan

14 Chris Shepley: Neighbourhood planning and the decline of localism 16 Daniel Mohamed: Why planners should embrace ‘Proptech’ 16 Hannah Budnitz: Are we planning for the school run walk? 17 Anthony Aitken: Scotland needs to get on with the job 17 Sam Thistlethwaite: How closing coalfired power stations undermines the North’s development

“WE GENERALLY OVERLOOK THE ROLE THAT TREES PLAY IN URBAN ENVIRONMENTS AT OUR PERIL”

COV E R I M AG E | N E I L W E B B

FEATURES 18 Tracy Clarke argues the case for more trees in planning 24 Matthew Carmona, of the Bartlett School of Planning, talks to David Blackman 28 The RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence are the profession’s most coveted accolades. Huw Morris explains why 32 Case study: Tana River Delta Land Use Plan

QUOTE UNQUOTE

“… WE GOT IT INTO OUR HEADS THAT WE CAN PLAN CITIES FROM SCRATCH ON A DRAWING BOARD AND BUILD IT EXACTLY AS WE CONCEIVE THEM… IT DOESN’T WORK” DAVID RUDLIN, DIRECTOR, URBED

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INSIGHT

22 Career development: Planning for trees 36 Decisions in focus: Development decisions, round-up and analysis

40 Legal landscape: Opinion, blogs, and news from the legal side of planning 42 Plan Ahead – our pick of upcoming events for the planning profession and beyond 44 RTPI round-up: News and interviews from the institute 50 Plan B: Tinker, Tin tailor, dier, planner soldier,

Draft 3 d Plan – e t n a w n U A Most t

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PLAN UPFRONT

Leaderr In or out, a bold approach to planning is key – Deadlines are never an editor’s friend, but they’re a particularly annoying fact of life this month. This edition of The Planner went to press four days before the EU referendum and so, by the time you read this, the nation – and the arguments about planning’s place in shaping it – could now be very diﬀerent. Much of the debate about the UK’s presence within the EU has focused on the suggested lack of democratic accountability. In that context it’s interesting to note, in the middle of all the often rancorous debate, the launch of a blueprint for a project that has already has plenty of democratic activity informing its structure. Similarly dubbed a “once in a lifetime opportunity”, with the potential to transform English democracy and make the “long overdue return of this

Martin Read country to its 19th century dynamics”, the blueprint for the Great North Plan was introduced a couple of weeks ago. This project, involving the development of a strategic spatial planning framework to work across the north of England, was developed by the RTPI’s three northern RTPI regions (North East, North West and Yorkshire) in partnership with IPPR North. To inform its structure, these past few months have seen plenty of

local democracy in action through regional roundtables and a ‘Northern Summit’ conference. The blueprint now published is bold, creative, comprehensive – and imbued with the logic, as described at its public launch in Leeds, that an economic powerhouse cannot succeed without a “coherent approach to economic planning”. Of course, the next step is to turn this blueprint into a plan. The cities of Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheﬃeld and Newcastle have been invited to give their input together with Transport for the North, Business North and central government (as well as "businesses, universities, the wider city-regions and the many

“ONE THING’S FOR SURE; WHATEVER THE RESULT PLANNERS WILL PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN OUR FUTURE, IN OR OUT”

smaller towns and cities that lie outside city region boundaries,” the blueprint suggests. Unsurprisingly, RTPI Yorkshire chair Phil Crabtree said that “planning can play a vital role in fostering the vision, collaboration and ﬂexibility necessary to deliver the economic, social, technological and environmental beneﬁts across the whole of the north of England”. Crabtree picked out the region’s local authorities for particular attention, saying they needed to use “their combined planning, economic development and regeneration powers to guide private sector investment and to lead the process of change.” Whatever the result of the EU referendum, one thing’s for sure; planners will play a crucial role in our future, whether we voted in or out. And projects such as the Great North Plan only go to show the extent to which the planning profession is and should be.

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Average net circulation 19,072 (January-December 2014) © The Planner is published on behalf of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) by Redactive Publishing Ltd (RPL), 17 Britton St, London EC1M 5TP. This magazine aims to include a broad range of opinion about planning issues and articles do not necessarily reﬂect the views of the RTPI nor should such opinions be relied upon as statements of fact. All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced, transmitted or stored in any print or electronic format, including but not limited to any online service, any database or any part of the internet, or in any other format in whole or in partww in any media whatsoever, without the prior written permission of the publisher. While all due care is taken in writing and producing this magazine, neither RTPI nor RPL accept any liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein. Printed by Southernprint

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NEWS

Analysis { SCOTTISH PLANNING REVIEW

Strategic development plans should be replaced, says Scottish planning review By Laura Edgar It was announced last year that Scotland’s planning system would undergo a “root and branch review”, as part of the Scottish Government’s programme A Stronger Scotland. It aimed to “increase delivery of high-quality housing development by delivering a quicker, more accessible and efficient”, focusing on six key themes: Development planning; housing delivery; infrastructure; development management; leadership; resourcing and skills; and community engagement. Now, the independent panel – Crawford Beveridge, Petra Biberbach, Planning Aid Scotland, and John Hamilton, Scottish Property Federation – has published its review recommending that a “A MORE POSITIVE National Planning Framework AND EFFECTIVE should replace strategic PLANNING SYSTEM development plans. FOR SCOTLAND” EMPOWERING PLANNING TO DELIVER The report says “strategic GREAT PLACES development planning authorities should be repurposed to pioneer a different way of working where planners proactively co-ordinate development with infrastructure delivery at the city-region scale”. A national infrastructure agency with statutory powers should be established, involving all infrastructure providers as well as planning representatives. In Empowering Planning To Deliver Great Places the panel said the planning system should provide “certainty, consistency and efficiency to secure investment in infrastructure and people”, protect and enhance “distinctive places and high-quality environment” and build “greater spatial cohesion”. Although some “further technical adjustments” could be helpful and “much can still be achieved” by continuing to improve processes and promote good practice, the panel believes “a fundamental rethink of the system as a whole is needed to ensure the planning system is much better equipped to deal with future challenges and opportunities”. n Empowering Planning to Deliver Great Places can be found

here: www.tinyurl.com/planner0716-scot-resource

VIEWPOINTS

What do you think? In the December 2015 issue of the magazine, The Planner spoke to a number of interested parties about what the review should cover. What do they think about the recommendations put forward by the panel, in particular replacing strategic development plans? ‘Aspirational and nebulous’ Margaret Bochel, director, Burness Paull LLP, said that while some of the recommendations are “very speciﬁc” and it is easy to see how they could be implemented, others are “nebulous and aspirational”. “That is positive in many ways, but it does mean that much of the success of the reforms will depend on how the government interprets and

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PLAN UPFRONT

responds to those recommendations.” Any changes that occur following the response to report by Scotland’s housing minister, and the detail of how to implement them should, Pam Ewen, senior manager, planning, at Fife Council, “involved planners from across different sector to best ensure we get it right”. Replacing strategic development plans The National Planning Framework provides Scotland with a spatial plan at the national level, said Tammy Adams, head of planning, Homes for Scotland. “In that sense, removing strategic development plans would not have as wide an effect as the abolition of regional strategies had in England.” Adams said that if strategic development plans were removed, Homes for Scotland would want to see their role in setting housing targets for city-regions moved up to national policy, rather than down to local development plans. “That is the best way to achieve the Scottish Government’s ambition to move planning discussion on from numbers to place,” she explained. The role of the strategic development plan is one that Katherine Sneeden, director, Jigsaw Planning, has always had misgivings about. She said: “Streamlining the policy position whereby there are national policies, which are then only set out in development plans where they are required to be varied to reflect local circumstances will remove a lot of repetition.” Ewen said replacing strategic development plans with a National Planning Framework would be “challenging”. She believes strategic planning – having a long-term vision, spatial strategy and an implementation plan to deliver it – “is essential”. She is sure new models of joint working will emerge across city regions, with a focus on city deals. “The role strategic planning can have in this needs to be understood and discussed,” Ewen added. For Bochel, the recommendation to removed strategic development plans was not a surprise. She explained that Burness Paull advocates the introduction

of a single regional level plan that integrates planning, transportation and economic development, and she believed that to be a “better solution”. Although an enhanced National Planning Framework will give “increased prominence to issues such as housing”, the challenge with this approach will be, said Bochel, “ensuring that it does not erode accountability in decision-making at a local level, which is likely to reduce the buy-in and commitment required from communities for eﬀective implementation”. The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) and its members

wanted the planning review to bring forward strategic development plans that set out the housing need to be delivered in each area. A “clear picture of eﬀective sites” would accompany this. In the view of David Stewart, policy lead, SFHA: “The jury remains out on whether the best way to achieve this is for the National Planning Framework to be the document to set these targets. “The most important thing is that a target for quality aﬀordable housing is set nationally and that this is a key priority for the planning system to deliver for Scotland’s people.

Key recommendations Strong and flexible development plans • The primacy of the development plan should be retained. They should be recognised as a “central and powerful driver” of the place agenda. To achieve this, there is a need to focus on outcomes, rather than policy and procedure. • An enhanced National Planning Framework (NPF) should replace strategic development plans. The delivery of high-quality homes • The National Planning Framework should define regional housing targets as the basis for setting housing land requirement in local development plans. • Mechanisms for planning authorities to take action to assemble land and provide infrastructure upfront should be established as soon as possible. An infrastructure-first approach to planning and development • A national infrastructure agency or working group with statutory powers should be established, involving all infrastructure providers as well as planning representatives. • A development delivery infrastructure fund should be established.

Efficient and transparent development management • The Scottish Government should work with local authority enforcement officers to identify and/or remove any barriers to the use of enforcement powers. • The panel suggests that the scope of powers of the Cairngorms National Park Authority should be reviewed. Stronger leadership, smarter resourcing and sharing of skills • Planning fees on major applications should be increased substantially, so that the service moves towards full cost recovery. • The Scottish Government, Heads of Planning Scotland, and RTPI Scotland should establish a planning graduate intern programme. Collaboration rather than conflict – inclusion and engagement • Communities should be empowered to bring forward their own local place plans and these should form part of the development plan. • A working group should be established to identify greater involvement in planning, taking account of measures contained in the Community Empowerment Act and the Land Reform Act.

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NEWS

Analysis { GARDEN COMMUNITIES

How to plan for garden communities By Laura Edgar How do you address a need for up to 50,000 homes over the next 20 years? That’s the problem facing three councils in Essex – Colchester Borough Council, Braintree District Council, and Tendring District Council. The solution they are working on? The creation of large-scale garden communities. The councils – together with Essex County Council and the University of Essex (in Colchester) – have been working together to align their proposed local plans and assess their housing needs. The local plans up to 2033 have been prepared in parallel with one another, and the preferred options were published in June 2016. The Planner spoke to Ian Vipond, strategic director, commercial and place, Colchester Borough Council, about the plan.

What is the housing need for the area in total? This is a high-growth area and in total therefore the three authorities need to deliver approximately 2,315 homes per year going forward. Over a 20-year period that would mean 45,000 homes and perhaps 55,000 jobs will be required, which necessitates a different approach. By expanding the period you are planning for, the effective and efficient long-term solution becomes, more naturally, the creation of large-scale new garden communities. Three such communities are being proposed, all of which have the potential to be cross-border (one outside of the current local authority arrangements), which is

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The planning authorities have gone back to ﬁrst principles to build genuine Garden Community philosophies into their approach

why the cross working is essential. These communities have the potential to deliver a combined capacity of at least 35,000 new homes and 40,000 jobs, together with transformational new infrastructure and considerable local economic growth opportunities.

Is it a garden community or is this a name attached to the proposal in order to try to gain public support? There’s a real danger that the concept of garden communities will be devalued by the misuse of the term and its application to any development where the promoter feels it might add to its credibility in the public’s eyes. We have gone back to ﬁrst principles and built the values of genuine Garden Community philosophy into to our approach and are encapsulating that into the planning policy and the delivery mechanisms.

How closely do you intend to follow the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) garden city principles? Reference to the TCPA principles has been incorporated into the proposed local plan policy and into the proposed agreements with landowners, so they are fundamental to our approach. The North Essex councils have employed Garden City Developments CIC to ensure we are following a consistent approach to applying the principles in delivery.

Has the required land been purchased or have you come to agreements with land owners? Have you, or do you plan to use compulsory purchase orders (CPO)? This approach was never based on mass public sector CPO of land. It has always been about arrangements that persuade landowners or their promoters to allow the local authorities to take a lead through Local Delivery Vehicles (LDV), upon which they all have board representation. The critical discussions and agreements in principle had been reached before broad allocations were made. With publication of part one of the local plan the board locations have been identiﬁed for consultation.

How do you propose to ensure that homes are affordable for everyone? What proportion do you wish to be affordable? The planning policy currently envisages the provision of 30 per cent affordable housing. The intention is to take some of The three local planning authorities are working together on housing provision in their areas of Essex

I M A G E S | A P S /A L A M Y / C R O W N C O P Y R I G H T / G E T T Y / S H U T T E R S T O C K

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PLAN UPFRONT

Hazzard plans to abrogate permitted development rights for oil and gas schemes in the province

the allocation and see if “really locally aﬀordable” housing can be provided for all sections of the local community through the ﬁnancial mechanisms that are being built into structures of the LDVs. It is envisaged that there will, in some way, be a range of rented and discounted purchase options available. There would also be self-build and custom-build elements, in part to help the range of product but also to help in delivery rates.

How do you plan to engage with the community and across communities? What kinds of consultation will you be holding? It’s been frustratingly difficult for the authorities to engage in any practical community engagement while due process has been undertaken to select the best and appropriate sites. With the release of the North Essex Part 1 into the public domain it is now possible to commence that process and the consultation period on Preferred Local Plan Options will kick that off. Community ‘ownership’ of the concept and ultimately the assets of these garden settlements is a paramount principle, which the local political leaders have bought into. n To find out about capturing land value, employment provision, infrastructure and housing types, keep your eyes open for the extended version of this Q&A on The Planner website. n Answers are Ian Vipond’s opinions only. n Garden City Developments is a community interest company

Hazzard moots changes to permitted development for oil and gas in NI Chris Hazzard, Northern Ireland’s minister for infrastructure, has announced that he proposes to remove permitted development rights that enable exploratory activity for oil and gas developments to go ahead without planning permission. During a debate in the Northern Ireland Assembly about InfraStrata’s activities at

Woodburn Forest in East Antrim, the minister said that in future oil and gas developments would require a full planning application, an environmental impact assessment and public consultation. He said he would begin consulting on this shortly. The administration has consulted on possible changes to the permitted development regime. Hazzard said there was an “overwhelming response in favour of change to the existing system”. The minister said InfraStrata’s operation near a drinking water reservoir, which has been carried out under permitted development rights, had led to public concern and highlighted the need for change.

New Wales Bill offers ministers more powers over energy planning The new Wales Bill, published in June, confirms potential new powers for Welsh ministers over energy projects and ports and harbours, and offers ministers responsibility for licensing coal mining for the first time. Under the bill, the development of Welsh ports and harbours would no longer be subject to the planning regime for nationally significant infrastructure projects (NSIPs) under the Planning Act 2008. Crucially, the legislation, if passed in its current form, would devolve energy planning powers to Wales of all generation projects up to 350 megawatts capacity, both onshore and in Welsh territorial waters. This means that Welsh ministers would determine the Swansea tidal lagoon project. Associated developments involved with such projects (such as overhead power lines and sub-stations) would also become a matter for the Welsh planning system. The bill provides that Welsh ministerial responsibility for marine licensing in the Welsh inshore region should be extended to the Welsh offshore region. The bill is a revised version of an earlier

draft that proved controversial because it was thought it could reduce Assembly ministers’ powers. The new bill proposes more powers to be devolved than previously planned – including the power to take partial control of income tax without a referendum. The bill is expected to complete its passage through the UK Parliament over the next year. Welsh secretary Alun Cairns told BBC Wales that he didn’t foresee any major obstacles now that the bill had been revised. Bill would devolve to Welsh ministers powers to decide on projects up to 350 megawatts

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NEWS

Analysis { RTPI CYMRU CONFERENCE

Griffiths outlines her 5 ‘asks’ of the planning system By Laura Edgar Newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths set out her five demands of the planning system at this year’s RTPI Cymru Conference. Griffiths, who holds responsibility for planning, gave the keynote address – her first major speech in the role. She referred to the '10 asks’ RTPI Cymru made before the Welsh Assembly election on 5 May, then set out her own stipulations for the planning system. A visionary and evidence-based planning system During this Assembly, Griffiths said the government would adopt a National Development Framework that would set out the Welsh Government’s main policies and investment priorities. Additionally, the Well-being of Future Generations Act would “only serve to increase the prominence of local development plans as the essential vision and policy to guide the future development of communities”. A connected planning system Legislation including the Well-being of Future Generations Acts and the new Planning (Wales) Act, as well as the Environment and Historic Environment Acts, would, Griffiths told delegates, have a “significant impact on your work as planners”. “Planners are well placed to piece together this legislative jigsaw, identify opportunities and interpret impacts at a local level. “You each should play a key role in the Local Well Being Plan process currently starting, by applying community engagement skills honed through the local development plan process.” A planning system that helps to deliver Griffiths said the Welsh Government would be investigating whether land banking plays a role in constraining the supply of housing. The response to climate change is also to be “stepped up”, while planning would have a key role in achieving the Welsh Government’s aim of providing better jobs closer to home and delivering 20,000 affordable homes. An efficient planning system The planning secretary said the changes to front-load the planning application process through statutory pre-application advice and community consultation means the system will deliver both efficiency and quality. She also announced her intention to continue to further refine the annual performance reporting process.

A valued planning system “Looking in from the outside, I believe that more needs to be done to fully explain the value of the planning system to the people of Wales,” said Griffiths. While it has protected “cherished” natural assets and building and supported the provision of homes and jobs, “in many people’s minds – including some planners, senior managers and politicians – planning is only about regulating the activities of others”. “If we want a more sustainable Wales we all need to recognise the value of planning, including the economic value that it creates.” Griffiths concluded by saying she is looking forward to working with the RTPI to explore “how we can measure and explain the value of planning, including making the case for investment in the planning service". Director of RTPI Cymru Roisin Wilmott welcomed Griffiths’s requests. She said the ‘asks’ “fit very well with the asks that we made of the Welsh Government in the run-up to this year’s elections. Our top ask was to embed the new legislation and make the plan-led system work, and this is at the heart of the minister’s asks”. “We are pleased to see the minister’s emphasis on valuing the planning system. “The RTPI has recently published a report, Delivering The Value of Planning, which sets out why we should invest in the planning system and it demonstrates the value planning brings to society and the economy. “We look forward to taking up the minister’s invitation to work closely with us to ensure the planning system delivers homes, integrated infrastructure and places shaped by communities.”

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NEWS

Analysis { RTPI CYMRU CONFERENCE

A valued planning system “Looking in from the outside, I believe that more needs to be done to fully explain the value of the planning system to the people of Wales,” said Griffiths. While it has protected “cherished” natural assets and building and supported the provision of homes and jobs, “in many people’s minds – including some planners, senior managers and politicians – planning is only about regulating the activities of others”. “If we want a more sustainable Wales we all need to recognise the value of planning, including the economic value that it creates.” Griffiths concluded by saying she is looking forward to working with the RTPI to explore “how we can measure and explain the value of planning, including making the case for investment in the planning service". Director of RTPI Cymru Roisin Wilmott welcomed Griffiths’s requests. She said the ‘asks’ “fit very well with the asks that we made of the Welsh Government in the run-up to this year’s elections. Our top ask was to embed the new legislation and make the plan-led system work, and this is at the heart of the minister’s asks”. “We are pleased to see the minister’s emphasis on valuing the planning system. “The RTPI is planning to publish a report later in the summer, which will set out why we should invest in the planning system and it will demonstrate the value planning brings to society and the economy. “We look forward to taking up the minister’s invitation to work closely with us to ensure the planning system delivers homes, integrated infrastructure and places shaped by communities.”

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PLAN UPFRONT

Planners recognised in Queen’s birthday honours

March Budget a ‘missed opportunity’ for oil and gas sector The UK Government must “urgently” provide more fiscal support for the exploration of oil and gas, says Keith Brown, the Scottish Government's first dedicated economy secretary. Brown, who holds responsibility for energy, energy consent and infrastructure, gave a speech at the Oil and Gas UK’s Open for Business conference in Aberdeen. The Scottish Government said exploration levels are currently at an “alltime low”, with recent projections for 2016 estimating half number of exploration wells compared with 2015. Brown told delegates that the UK Government must “take action” by considering how to best encourage exploration through the provision of financial support. Additionally, he said, his government plans to highlight the lack of progress made by the UK Government on its budget commitment to use the UK Guarantees Scheme for oil and gas infrastructure to secure new investment in assets of strategic importance. He said: “The Scottish Government is engaging closely with the industry, trade unions and regulator to overcome the current challenges to ensure a long-term future for the sector. “However, the UK Government retains control of the key taxation levers affecting the sector and must take the action needed to protect businesses and jobs. Although the fiscal changes announced in the March budget were welcomed, it was ultimately a missed opportunity as a number of challenges remain.”

Planning professionals featured in the Queen’s birthday honours list. Cliﬀ Hague, Emeritus Professor in the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society and Heriot-Watt University, has been awarded an OBE for services to planning. Hague (pictured) was president of the RTPI in 1996, and is also a past chairman of the Built Environment Forum Scotland. RTPI member Anthony Thompson, deputy head of planning development management, Department for Communities and Local Government, has also been awarded an OBE. Thompson has been

Coveney wants fast-track planning to solve Ireland’s housing crisis Ireland’s housing and planning minister Simon Coveney has insisted that responding to the housing crisis would require fast-track planning. Speaking at a housing conference in Dublin, he acknowledged that this would mean “making choices that aren’t perfect in terms of the planning system”. But, he said: “There is an emergency in Ireland that needs an emergency response and that means we need to do things diﬀerently, and we will do things diﬀerently." Under a fast-track regime, local councils would be sidelined in a new move to speed up house building

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honoured for services to planning and voluntary services to young people. RTPI vice-president Stephen Wilkinson said the institute is proud that Hague and Williams have been recognised for their "outstanding" contributions to planning and to wider society. The have both "made a signiﬁcant mark within the profession,

working tirelessly to make life better for others over many years". Terence Morgan has been awarded a knighthood. Morgan is the non-executive chairman of Crossrail Ltd. He has been recognised for services to UK infrastructure, skills and employment. Paul Doe, chief executive at Shepherds Bush Housing Group, becomes an MBE for his services to housing and voluntary service in tackling homelessness. David Cameron, director at Community Land Scotland, has been recognised with a CBE for services to community land ownership in Scotland.

nationwide and tackle the country’s housing crisis. Coveney said he intends to establish a new Special Delivery Unit in the department, with project managers appointed to drive speciﬁc house building projects from start to ﬁnish. He is also considering further bypassing councils by fast-tracking big building projects to An Bórd Pleanála, to expedite decisions. This process would be similar to the regime for strategic infrastructure projects. Coveney went on to say that fast-track measures would be delivered in tandem with “the normal process of planning” that would “deliver in the normal way”.

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NEWS

Analysis {

The ﬁve core cities involved in formulating the plan

THE NORTHERN POWERHOUSE

Businesses urged to take the lead in Great North Plan By Simon Wicks

The RTPI and think tank IPPR North have called for business leaders to take the lead in creating a ‘Great North Plan’ that will turn the idea of a Northern Powerhouse into a reality. The two organisations jointly launched their Blueprint For A Great North Plan in Leeds, arguing that eﬀorts to transform the north of England into an economic powerhouse cannot succeed without a “coherent approach to economic planning” that has regional businesses at the centre of the endeavour. Businesses have been invited to pledge time and resources to the project. But the two bodies say planners, too, have a vital role to play in creating a vision for the North and coordinating the region’s planning and

Blueprint details Favoured principles that emerged from the various meetings included a desire to create a “competitive North in the national and global economy” and a need to “maximise opportunities for people of all ages across the North”. The blueprint posits a plan that would: b Be “high-level, strategic and brief”, though supported by a suite of other plans and documents at a local level; b Oﬀer “an ambitious long-term vision” for the north of England; b Be “evolutionary and collaborative” and will “speak to all places across the North”; and b “Recognise the importance of the big cities” while also acknowledging the “vital hinterlands that serve them”.

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development in four key areas (transport, economics, energy and population). The blueprint, produced after months of roundtables and a summit in Northern cities, lays out the scheme for the production of an overarching plan for the region. It incorporates a vision, strategies for the four key areas, a regional investment prospectus and a delivery plan. RTPI Yorkshire chair Phil Crabtree said: “Local authorities in particular need to use their combined planning, economic development and regeneration powers to guide private sector investment and to lead the process of change.” The blueprint was created after 93 per cent of attendees at 11 roundtables and a summit in six Northern cities indicated

they were in favour of a strategic plan to reshape the region in an era of city devolution. Attendees included business leaders, local authority representatives, politicians, academics and other civic leaders. The blueprint insists that a Great North Plan should be “high-level, strategic and brief”, and focus on four industries where the North can create competitive advantages: advanced manufacturing, energy, health innovation and digital. Businesses have been invited to help turn the blueprint into a workable plan. Five core cities (Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds, Sheﬃeld, Newcastle) – working closely with Transport for the North, Business North and central government – have been approached to kick-start the process.

The blueprint suggests seven steps: (1) Agreement on a vision for the region, followed by development of four specific strategies: (2) Economic – building on the forthcoming Northern Powerhouse Independent Economic Review; (3) Transport – taking the current Northern Transport Strategy as a starting point and marrying connectivity with business hubs and Labour markets; (4) Environment – making the most of the scope afforded by green infrastructure, and incorporating concerns about flood risk and the wider environment; (5) Population and place – planning for current and future population hubs, labour market geographies, recognising the distinctiveness of cities, town and areas, understanding quality-of-life issues.

The combined vision and strategies will feed into: (6) A prospectus for investment, presenting economic, social and environmental opportunities to potential investors with the aim of attracting the investment that will enable the region to achieve its vision. The ﬁnal step in the proposed plan is: (7) A programme for action that “brings together a wide range of stakeholders and designated resources, with clear workstreams, leadership and timeframes for completion of actions”. n The full blueprint for a Great North Plan can be downloaded as a PDF from the IPPR website

I M AG E | I P P R N O RT H

20/06/2016 12:24

CORRESPONDENCE

I Inbox

YOUR NEWS, VIEWS AND QUESTIONS F E E D B A C K

Peter Latham – I read the recent supplement About Planning – Guide 2016 with interest, especially the piece ‘Six of the Best’, giving examples of good practice that have changed the world. The six examples put things in a controversial light. The prevailing system of private property interests operating in a market system will, if left unchallenged, tend to enrich the rich and impoverish the poor. Good planning must by deﬁnition put something in place that will help redress the balance. Properly planned mixed neighbourhoods and towns could be a yardstick for assessment. They might provide well-paid jobs, good homes at below-market rents or for sale to workers on a typical wage, cheap and eﬃcient public transport, local schools, health centres, parks, allotments, leisure facilities and so on. Some kind of socialisation of land ownership was an original ingredient when these aims were set out many years ago. How many of the six examples would qualify if measured against these objectives? Letchworth might. The inclusion of places with a good record on sustainability is welcome, but the question remains – what about social reform as part of planning? Peter Latham BA, Dip TP, MRTPI (Retired)

Peter Eversden — Responding to the story on The Planner Think Tank about the Housing & Planning Bill passing into

at how planning functions in practice in planning committees and departments across England, with an aim to then repeat this for other UK planning systems. Legislation and policy at a national level is hugely important, but we’re really interested in engaging with planning on the ground. Over the next 12 months we’ll look at policy and process in local government, compulsory purchase orders, and how we can make planning consultation a more eﬀective exercise.”

Two minutes with Cian Bryan

CIAN BRYAN is a director of Planning Futures, an independent planning think tank launched in late 2015.

What is Planning Futures? “We are a new planning and housing think tank dedicated to nurturing a new conversation about planning. Our reason for being is to research what we regard as the most important issues facing planning systems across the UK, but in a way that is inclusive of the views of all stakeholders.” What do you hope to achieve? “Our whole purpose is to conduct research. One of the things that struck us when we set up Planning Futures was that often when it comes to planning, there are so many diﬀerent points of view that they [people engaged in planning debates] don’t always understand each other very well. We wanted to try to build more consensus towards a better planning system that delivers better outcomes.” Why a planning think tank – where’s the need? “Partly because there isn’t one. There are many organisations that do excellent research

law, I believe peers were right to describe the Housing & Planning Bill as one of the worst they had seen, with several parts unclear, aspects not understandable until subsequent legislation and content which could harm London’s and other cities’ achievement of the required types of homes. Several amendments were withdrawn by peers on the promises by the minister

within the planning field, but they often represent a particular lobby or group within the field. What we’re trying to do is sit at the centre of all these different stakeholders, work on a national level and provide a unique space to discuss the most important issues surrounding planning.” Are you aligned to a political party? “We very deliberately set up on a cross-party basis and we spent the initial setup period recruiting an advisory board, which was multidisciplinary, reflected a broad range of different stakeholders, and included representatives from across the political spectrum.” [Planning Future’s advisory board includes former Conservative transport minister Steve Norris, and Labour MP Ruth Cadbury, to name but two.] What’s in the pipeline? “Our research for the next year will focus on the planning process itself. We’ll be looking

to consider something or discuss an issue. The outcome is that Brandon Lewis MP expects all brownﬁeld sites to deliver a percentage of starter homes, whether or not they are required. At up to £450,000 for only those under 40 these will be homes for the rich with their discounts funded by the enforced sale of council homes that are needed to house our key

Who’s supporting you? “We are a not-for-proﬁt and are looking to become a charitable organisation in the future. Currently, we operate a sponsorship model on a caseby-case basis. But maintaining our independence is key; our sponsors get advance access to our ﬁndings but they don’t edit what we produce in any way.” What issue most needs addressing within planning? “The issues of capacity and competency within planning departments, and the level of training that members have within planning committees. It’s very much a question of resource – are we resourcing our planning system adequately to deal with the challenges that we face? This concern over whether we have enough capacity within the system to deal with immense challenges such as the housing crisis is widely shared.” n www.planningfutures.org

workers and those on low to medium incomes. Does anyone understand how ‘permission in principle’ will work? Are communities likely to be engaged or conﬁdent of the outcome when third parties, rather than their local authorities, assess applications? Peter Eversden MBE, chairman, London Forum of Amenity and Civic Societies

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20/06/2016 10:55

CHRIS SHEPLEY

O Opinion Neighbourhood planning and the decline of localism “Arrrr”, said Jethro Trescothick, approaching the bar of the Jolly Roger, Penpal’s finest cider emporium. “Give us a pint of your foulest scrumpy and an award-winning pasty, Trefusis”. Jethro, who was the 2015 unnecessary Cornish cliché champion, settled himself in the snug and began to read the Queen’s Speech (a lesser-known Cornish pursuit). Yet another piece of legislation on planning (the “Neighbourhood Planning and Infrastructure Bill”) had sprung from Her Majesty’s lips, with her usual enthusiasm. Jethro had rather hoped for a pause in this sort of legislation (and indeed most other sorts), but could only admire ministers still bashing on with the fiddling. You’d have thought they’d have got it right by now. He took a sip of cider and tackled the background briefing note. Demelza Penhaligon, who ran the local clotted cream mine, and was a witch in her spare time, joined him. “Alright, my handsum?” she said. They viewed with some satisfaction the news that the government’s aim was to “further strengthen neighbourhood planning and give even more power to local people”. Much had been heard from the planning minister, Brandon Lewis, about neighbourhood planning recently. He said that eight million people were in areas where such plans were being prepared, though it was not clear how many of them were aware of the fact. It must include almost all of

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“THEY HAD PROMISED A DEGREE OF FREEDOM WHICH THEY COULD NOT DELIVER” the white middle-class retired population. But Demelza expostulated. Pausing only to tackle her cream tea (putting the jam on ﬁrst), she told Jethro about the St Ives Neighbourhood Development Plan, which contained policies to limit the spread of second homes. More than 25 per cent of local homes were used as second homes, and house prices had now soared well beyond the reach of the typical young Cornish person. New market homes were to be used only as primary residences. This plan had been backed by

83 per cent of voters in a referendum in May. “That sounds clever”, said Jethro. “If Mr Lewis is giving more power dreckly to local people then it should all be aisy”. “You might think so m’dear”, said Demelza. “But he seems to be able to carry in his head both the idea that people should decide for themselves and the idea that he knows better than them”. “No! How can that be?” “Well he has rubbished the plan”, she said. “He says it’s not in accord with his policies. He says it’s “clear that councils should plan for a mix of housing and any conditions must be reasonable and enforceable”. They agreed that he was a chucklehead and a ceague. A Cornish assessment (meaning foolish person and rogue) which none of the rest of us would share, I’m sure.

All this was overheard by an emmet (not a grockle – that’s an English term), down from Bradford, who was sat in a corner with a Yorkshire pudding. “Aye. Same up our way,” he said. “Us Yorkshire folk don’t want none of that there fracking, but t’government says we’ve got to ’ave it. So much for lettin’ t’locals decide”. A passing planner looked up from his pork scratchings. In a brief lecture with PowerPoint, he demonstrated the decline of localism. The government had taken control of most of the system. Permitted development, permissions in principle, fierce targets, the threat of takeover. There were inherent conflicts in localism. Ministers and advisers simply hadn’t grasped this, though they had been warned, and they had promised a degree of freedom which they could not deliver. Good luck to St Ives, he said. But the government will not in the end let local choice trump central policy. The Jolly Roger fell silent. Jethro nursed his scrumpy and Demelza finished her scone. The Yorkshireman took his Pontefract cakes and left. The planner closed his laptop and walked slowly into the raging storm outside, weeping.

Chris Shepley is the principal of Chris Shepley Planning and former Chief Planning Inspector

I L L U S T R AT I O N | O I V I N D H O V L A N D

20/06/2016 10:55

Quote unquote FROM THE RTPI AND THE WEB

“Passing the Land Registry into private hands would create an immediate market monopoly” RICHARD CLOSE, HEAD OF LEASE ADVISORY, DANIEL WATNEY

“Capacity is a real issue in Scotland’s planning authorities; removing processes / requirements to create more space to allow planners to plan is key” PAM EWEN, SENIOR MANAGER, PLANNING, FIFE COUNCIL, TALKING ABOUT THE SCOTTISH PLANNING REVIEW

“Abolishing SDPs will not remove arguments about housing land numbers – [it will] simply move them to the NPF” MARGARET BOCHEL, DIRECTOR, BURNESS PAULL LLP, TAKING ABOUT THE SCOTTISH PLANNING REVIEW

“After every ﬂood, politicians stride about in welly boots, throw a bit of money at the problem and commission a review” FRIENDS OF THE EARTH FLOODING CAMPAIGNER GUY SHRUBSOLE E

“After the war, when rebuilding lding Coventry, we e got it into our heads ads that we can plan n cities from scratch h on a drawing board ard and build it exactly ctly as we conceive e them them. m. We can’t. It hasn’tt worked. It doesn’t work” DAVID RUDLIN, DIRECTOR, URBED

I M A G E S | PA / G E T T Y / S H U T T E R S T O C K

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“I suspect UK ministers are quite keen to get rid of [wind farm decisions]. As we know, wind power doesn’t seem to be ﬂavour of the month in Westminster” MORAG ELLIS QC, FRANCIS TAYLOR BUILDING, TALKING ABOUT NSIPS AND WIND FARM DECISIONS BEING MADE IN CARDIFF, AT THE RTPI CYMRU CONFERENCE

“The best way of protecting the countryside is to make urban living as attractive as possible, and today urban life is resurgent” SIR TERRY FARRELL IN THE CPRE’S ‘22 IDEAS THAT SAVED THE C ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE’

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20/06/2016 10:57

B E S T O F T H E B LO G S

O Opinion

Daniel Mohamed is founder and director of Urban Intelligence

I can rem remember in 1998 (aged 8) playing SimCity 3000, a computer game where the player builds a virtual city and responds to ‘real-time’ needs such as homelessness, poverty and traffic congestion. I assumed then, and later as a planning student, that datasets in the game would have equivalents in life. I was surprised on entering the profession how primitive the technology was. Having seen the emergence of Google Earth as a teenager and used Edina’s Digimap at university, it seemed natural that technology would be part of professional life. We are used to seeing Schumpeter’s ‘creative destruction’ in action. Remember Blockbuster Video? Now we use Netflix. Woolworths? Amazon. But the planning system hasn’t really changed since the 1940s, while other industries such as finance have been transformed. Given that planning is so data-driven, I figured I’d do something about it. So far, the smart cities agenda has focused on the ‘Internet of Things (hardware with sensors that supply ‘big’ data) and open datasets from government. Now firms such as mine are looking to make sense of new data sources to enable wiser decision-making and improve productivity. Bodies such as the Future Cities Catapult and investors such as Pi Labs who are looking at

Hannah Budnitz is a freelance transport planner and chair of the RTPI’s Transport Planning Network

Are we planning for the school run walk?

Why planners should embrace ‘Proptech’

‘Proptech’ following the success of Zoopla support our thinking. What would technological transformation mean for planners? Much of our industry is susceptible to automation – we can expect consumers to cut out the middleman as data becomes readily available, and traditional business models may require change to meet this. Tech will also be a leveller between large and small consultancies. Groups that should fear technology are those that benefit from bureaucracy, information asymmetry and data monopolies. But I think we will all benefit. Computers can process information quickly, but humans have the advantage of artistic expression and empathy. My advice to firms would be to use data to get unique insights, and focus on adding ‘human value’ through creativity and customer relations. Learn to code; programmers are in short supply and your knowledge of space and property will make you valuable. Development should happen faster, in more sustainable places, based on more scientific approaches. Design will improve as new tools visualise future city scenarios. We became planners to understand cities and create better places. Technology will enable us to do this while eliminating waste and bureaucracy. Let’s welcome Proptech.

“THE PLANNING SYSTEM HASN’T REALLY CHANGED SINCE THE 1940S, WHILE OTHER INDUSTRIES SUCH AS FINANCE HAVE BEEN TRANSFORMED”

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In April, as chair of the RTPI’s Transport Planning Network, I Transpo was asked to review the government’s draft Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which was out for consultation (until 23 May). In the same week, thousands of families around the country were informed where their children had a school place. Realisation: we aren’t planning enough for the school run walk. The government’s strategy lists four objectives, two for walking and two for cycling. Yet only one of these otherwise broad objectives identifies a demographic group and a journey purpose. Namely: “Increase the percentage of children aged 5-10 that usually walk to school”. Such journeys offer greater benefits to society than other walking and cycling trips. Walking to school enables children to achieve their medically recommended physical activity levels of 60 minutes a day, combating childhood obesity. It helps children to learn road safety and independence. It promotes sustainable travel habits. It reduces congestion in the morning peak hour. It encourages spatial awareness and engagement with place. It’s a great objective and would be better with a target and dedicated funding attached. Yet, neither targets nor funding will help if planning for the walk to school falls short. Transport planners need to provide safe routes

to schools, but first the schools must be within walking distance for children. Which brings me back to that nail-biting day in mid-April for parents of September’s new pupils. The Guardian reported that day that thousands of children missed out on their first choice of primary school. Now it may be that some parents didn’t choose their catchment school as their first choice, nor a school within walking distance. But articles I saw told tales of children assigned to schools two miles away or more. Are policymakers aware of the challenge of getting a five-year-old to walk two miles? Children were being placed in schools miles from other siblings. What is a parent to do but drive in their bids to get both children to different schools that likely start at the same time? One of the children in my daughter’s pre-school class last year lives in a large new housing development with a new primary school built to serve it, but he was 18th on the waiting list. Can planners ensure that new schools in new developments provide enough places? Should education providers designate walking distance as a priority selection criteria? How will local authorities balance their responsibility for school transport with reduced powers to provide new school places? Who will do the joined-up thinking to plan for the school run to be a school walk?

“WHO WILL DO THE JOINEDUP THINKING TO PLAN FOR THE SCHOOL RUN TO BE A SCHOOL WALK?”

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Have your say Would you like to see yourself in these pages? Get in touch by email – editorial@theplanner.co.uk Topical, inspirational, angry or amusing – we consider all relevant comment

Anthony Aitken is head of planning with Colliers International

Scotland needs to get on with the job

Empowe Empowering Planning, the independent report suggesting ways penden in which the planning system can be improved to help meet Scotland’s housing needs, may have a few unwelcome recommendations among its 48 points. But it also contains a crucial change that can reinvigorate home building, and its timing cannot be faulted. It has landed on Scotland’s new communities secretary Angela Constance’s desk just a month after the new Holyrood cabinet took office, following a campaign in which politicians of most hues talked of the need to tackle the housing crisis. One recommendation in particular offers the key to reforming a planning system which in some parts of the country has broken down entirely. The authors of Empowering Planning suggest the introduction of an enhanced National Planning Framework. This may seem a minor change, but it offers the key for Holyrood to take on responsibility for allocating home building requirements. This will bring the subject into the parliamentary debating chamber and allow the politicians who have promised to deliver much-needed homes to act, or be held accountable. Since their introduction a few years ago, Scotland’s National Planning Frameworks have

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grown in authority, thanks to a healthy level of consultation. It is now time for an enhanced version to take over from the regional strategic plans, which currently act as a middle layer between government policy and the planning authorities that apply the system. Too often, this regional level has acted as a forum for obstruction by those authorities unwilling to find the space for much-needed housing. So endless is the argument between Edinburgh City Council and the strategic authority that frustrated developers are effectively having to use the appeals system as a recourse for obtaining consent to build homes and industrial units. This is happening in what everyone agrees is a growing city that needs to expand its stock of both. Other local authorities have been more welcoming of development – but the system should not have to rely on the goodwill of councillors when everyone agrees that homes are needed. By replacing the system of regional strategic plans with a national framework enforced from the top, the Scottish government can drive the system in a much more proactive manner. That would be good news for thousands of Scottish households who can’t find a suitable home, and developers who are keen to get on with building them.

“THE SYSTEM SHOULD NOT HAVE TO RELY ON THE GOODWILL OF COUNCILLORS WHEN EVERYONE AGREES THAT HOMES ARE NEEDED”

Sam Thistlethwaite is associate director of engineering, environmental and mining consultancy Wardell Armstrong

How closing coalﬁred power stations undermines the North’s development

In 2008 2008, while developing its next-generation airliner the next-ge A380, Airbus was determined to improve passenger experience by making the cabins as quiet as possible. On paper this seemed like an obvious improvement; the reality was that during those early test flights, every delicate noise generated from the toilets reverberated around the cabin. This is just one of a number of high-profile examples of the law of unintended consequences in action – and planning is no stranger to these. The government’s recent declaration that coal-fired power stations will be gone by 2025 will be welcomed by many. In March, the last remaining coal-fired power station in Scotland at Longannet, was closed and with it the indigenous Pulverised Fuel Ash (PFA) supply also ceased. PFA is the material you collect at the bottom of coal burners. It’s like the remnants from a barbecue. Speak to those who work within the ground stabilisation and remediation industries and you will be told how perfect PFA is as a product: it’s light, largely inert, easy to transport and store, and used to be inexpensive. But as coal-fired power stations in Scotland and the north-east of England have closed, the cost of obtaining PFA in these areas has grown 400 by per cent in the past

12 months. Material now has to be sourced from locations south of the M62. The irony is that development costs are increasing in those areas that have felt the cut in coal production the hardest. PFA has been traditionally used to fill former coal workings to provide a stable platform for vital housing. So by cutting off the local supply of PFA developments, costs are greatly increasing. On tight, small-scale sites in particular, the increased costs could make the difference between development going ahead or not. PFA is just one of a number of ash products generated from burning coal that feed into a variety of markets linked to the construction sector, including cement production. There is evidence that the same cost implications currently affecting the PFA supply market are also affecting these sectors. The list of unintended consequences caused by this change in energy policy will grow. Alternative minerals to fill the gap could be assessed; existing stockpiles of PFA will increase in value and ultimately the financial appraisal of development proposals will need to be reviewed, leading to perhaps a reduction in the provision of affordable or starter homes. What is certain is that what is being seen in the North will spread south.

“PULVERISED FUEL ASH HAS BEEN TRADITIONALLY USED TO FILL FORMER UNDERGROUND COAL WORKINGS”

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20/06/2016 10:59

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20/06/2016 13:41

TREES AND PLANNING

I L L U S T R AT I O N | N E I L W E B B

WE KNOW THE BRITS LOVE TREES, BUT WE DON’T SEEM TO LOVE THEM ENOUGH TO ENSURE THEY’RE INCORPORATED INTO EVERY NEW DEVELOPMENT AS A MATTER OF COURSE. TRACY CLARKE ARGUES THE CASE FOR TREES IN PLANNING

October’s UN Habitat III convention on housing and sustainable development offers planners a timely opportunity to review the role that trees and landscape play within the planning process. This is not least because of the many ways in which trees can contribute to wellbeing and resilience in an age of growing urban populations and intensifying climate change impacts. Although not legally binding, the conclusions of the once-in-a-generation Habitat conference will provide policy guidance for governments and civil society worldwide. The New Urban Agenda – the outcome document to be agreed at the conference – will effectively offer a blueprint for how nations and cities can respond to the challenges of an urbanising world. However, the conference and its outcomes will almost certainly reflect agreements that are legally binding – the 2015 Paris Accord on climate change and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Considered integration of existing and new landscaping elements within our urban environments can support the aims of both agreements. So where are we with trees and landscaping within our urban environments in the UK? Over the past 20 years there has been a variable and inconsistent approach to the consideration of landscape within the planning process, despite the legal requirements to do so within the Town and Country Planning Act. Before the downturn of 2008, arboricultural specialists were valued and given opportunity to provide muchneeded input into development projects around trees. This is not the case now. It is difficult to know why. Could it be the introduction of the NPPF in 2012, which though underpinned by an aspiration to support sustainable development, mentions trees just twice? Or is it the lasting effects of the 2008 crash?

Trees in the landscape We generally overlook the role that trees play in urban environments at our peril. Currently our trees are under threat – the National Ecosystem Assessment commissioned by the government in 2011 found that some 30 per cent of

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TREES AND PLANNING

the ‘ecosystem services’ provided by our natural environment were under threat, and seriously undervalued in our approaches to development. We know that trees provide a range of environmental and social beneﬁts, but reliable data as evidence is hard to come by, which makes it diﬃcult to make a robust case for policies for incorporating and managing trees in the built environment (see box – The value of trees in the urban environment). We are, however, fairly clear about the current natural threats to our tree population, which are compounded by issues arising from changing climate, including increased susceptibility to pests and diseases. They include massaria disease of London plane trees, plane wilt disease, ash dieback, emerald ash borer beetle and Xylella fastidiosa, a bacterial disease that attacks native broadleaved species such as oak. Some of these are already present in the UK. What’s clear from the risks to our trees is that action is needed now to improve the genetic diversity and

“WHAT’S CLEAR FROM THE RISKS TO OUR TREES IS THAT ACTION IS NEEDED NOW TO IMPROVE THE GENETIC DIVERSITY AND SPECIES COMPOSITION OF OUR FUTURE TREE POPULATIONS”

species composition of our future tree populations. This is so that when pests and diseases do arrive we have a resilient and adaptable landscape. The planning system can help deliver this diversity. Indeed, there is written best practice to tell us how to deal with these issues (see further reading on page 22) and some great good practice case studies. But what seems to be missing are strong mechanisms within the planning system to consistently deliver planned aspirations on the ground. Part of the problem is that the construction industry, too, is under pressure. Developers bemoan that costs within the construction industry have soared since 2008, leading to project managers being extremely concerned about the viability of developments. Too

+ On Ocean Road Ocean Road in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, is an A-road lined with restaurants, accommodation and shops that runs from the retail heart off South Shields’s town centre to South Tyneside’s sandy beach and parks, which attract close to two million visitors a year. The street was scheduled for simple refurbishment, but the council’s leadership team argued the case for the inclusion of trees to enhance the distinctiveness of the street. South Tyneside Council’s asset management, infrastructure, design and landscape staﬀ worked together with local business owners to create

a scheme that h incorporated d 78 hornbeams of a particular cultivar chosen for its ability to withstand the salty and windy seaside environment. The trees also have a shape that ensures maximum visibility for restaurant frontages and were planted at a spacing that complements widened footways and new on-street parking. The use of two diﬀerent underground engineered planting systems for new trees were incorporated into the design to provide a growing medium for the trees to guarantee successful establishment and load-bearing surface for footpaths. Overall, reception to the scheme has been overwhelmingly positive, with the trees adding a boulevard-style elegance to the streetscape that was formerly absent.

often, the ﬁrst line of cuts – or ‘value engineering’ – seems to be services provided by the arboricultural or landscape professions. The needs of important landscape trees and their protection is misunderstood, and they are frequently damaged during site work. Likewise, the quality of landscaping schemes is severely impaired. Local authorities could – and should – provide oversight, but there appears no mechanism or incentive within the planning system to measure the quality of the delivery of projects on the ground. Cuts to government services mean that there are limited resources to prioritise this action. Such a lack of enforcement sends a message to the construction industry that these important resources are not actually that valuable. This has to change.

What can planners do? There are good examples of how trees can be used to enhance development while offering some measure of environmental benefit. The Ocean Road plan (see Career Development, overleaf) is one such that relied on partnership across government services. This is the key – co-operation between engineering and planning professionals, developers, politicians, and communities to ensure that the role of trees within the urban landscape is better understood and that trees are incorporated into developments as a matter of course. We can learn from how other countries do it. In Lyon, for example, plane wilt was devastating its urban trees. Replanting and diversification of trees were necessary to increase resilience to threats and disease. The Greater Lyon Authority created a ‘tree

“TREES ARE ESSENTIAL GUARDIANS OF BIODIVERSITY, THE FRONT LINE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST FLOODING AND OTHER CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS, AND ONE OF THE KEYS TO HEALTHY, SUSTAINABLE LIVING IN OUR TOWNS AND CITIES”

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The value of trees in the urban environment charter’ that set a goal that for trees in highways and public hard landscapes no single species would represent more than 10 per cent of the whole. Where once there were just 15 tree species in the city, there are now 23; and the planes that made up 50 per cent of the tree population are now just 23 per cent. The charter achieved a very positive result in a very short space of time. Would London, a city where the plane dominates, beneﬁt from a similar tree charter? Perhaps a starting point for planners could be to recognise the availability of assessment tools such as i-Tree Eco, a software package that enables our societies to identify the ecosystem services and asset value that trees provide. This value can be considerable and, because trees grow, it increases over time.

Sue James of the Trees and Design Action Group stresses that although there has been a good deal of research into the benefits of trees in the urban environment, a lack of consistent methodology makes it hard to put exact figures against the claims made for trees. However, all the research indicates a range of environmental and social benefits: trees help to mitigate the effects of climate change by storing atmospheric carbon, removing air pollution and reducing the urban heat island effect. They protect against flooding by absorbing storm water runoff and preventing soil erosion. There is a growing body of evidence that trees

also aid the recovery of hospital patients and provide a wider contribution to mental health and wellbeing. It’s also suggested that the presence of trees can reduce crime and boost retail spending. By comparison with other tools used to achieve the same ends, trees are considerably cheaper. In Torbay, for example, the contribution local trees make to air pollution removal and carbon sequestration alone has been estimated to be worth £6.4 million a year. Yet trees are consistently undervalued in planning and development. How do we ensure that these beneﬁts are incorporated into our urban environments?

ur “Retroﬁtting our cities is possible, butt it is expensive, so getting it right in any new development is key,” says Russell Horsey, development director for the Institute of Chartered Foresters. “The use of well-worded conditions and the engagement of arboricultural professionals at the earliest stages of planning can help deliver well-thoughtout and beneﬁcial green infrastructure. At a time when planning departments are feeling stretched, arboricultural professionals can pick up some of this strain, and ensure these areas are not value-engineered to death or sidelined during development.”

The grey, the green and the blue There are many other steps planners can take. But above all, it’s vital for all built environment professionals to understand the need to integrate ‘grey’, ‘green’ and ‘blue’ infrastructure (i.e. buildings, natural landscaping and water management) within schemes. Without all of these elements working together, we cannot plan, build and live sustainably under the yoke of climate change. Trees and their associated landscaping provide vital ‘ecosystem services’ to our built environments, from nurturing biodiversity to mitigating the effects of flooding. To truly benefit from these we need to plan over long periods, in line with the Natural Capital Committee and Defra’s 25-year environment plan. Plans will need also to sit alongside and complement other long-term plans, such as the National Infrastructure Plan. No planning exists in a vacuum. Developers, too, will need reassurance that the playing field is level – that is, they won’t be losing out if they cover the costs of landscaping and their competitors don’t. One way of securing this might be to follow the lead of the London Borough of Islington, where a Development Viability Supplementary Planning Document ensures that all developers are working to the same conditions, and the needs of the I M AG E S | C R A IG L E N G /G E T T Y

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community are balanced with the needs of business to make a reasonable profit. Planners might also benefit from reading guidance being put together by the Trees and Design Action Group, particularly the forthcoming Trees, Planning And Development: A Guide For Delivery. Trees are more than simply desirable aesthetic elements of developments; they are essential guardians of biodiversity, the front line in the battle against flooding and

other climate change impacts, and one of the keys to healthy, sustainable living in our towns and cities. We need change now before it really is too late.

n Tracy Clarke is a director and principal arboricultural consultant at Tim Moya Associates. This article was written with additional input from Sue James of the Tree and Design Action Group.

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TREES AND PLANNING

CAREER DEVELOPMENT PLANNING FOR TREES IN THE URBAN LANDSCAPE

What steps can planners take to ensure that Britain enjoys the beneﬁts of a healthy and widespread urban forest? The beneﬁts of trees in urban spaces and places are well documented. The means by which planners can ensure that trees are incorporated into developments in the right way are far less clear-cut All parties stress the need for collaboration and co-operation between the various local authority departments and other professions

(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) 22

involved in shaping the urban landscape. But, in addition to the points made in her article about balancing grey, green and blue infrastructure, Tracy Clarke stresses a range of other steps. For planners to strengthen the proﬁle of trees within planning and the built environment, she says, we need development policies that ensure:

Protection of the most important trees of landscape value by using best practice approaches enshrined in the British Standard BS5837: Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction – Recommendations. Difficult decisions can be made on the removal of large trees when appropriate, and new planting can be secured more diverse tree populations. Tree protection and new planting on important consented sites. Targets are created for measuring the quality of new schemes and ensuring the development is implemented on the ground as presented in the plan. Documents with long-term goals in respect of trees and landscaping. New tree planting is prioritised where it makes a difference to the quality of life and public amenity. Our plant stock is responsibly resourced for biosecurity reasons. Post-planting aftercare of five years is secured through the planning process following the British Standard BS8545: Trees: from nursery to independence in the landscape – Recommendations. New developments contribute to a diversity of tree species, to provide greater disease resilience.

lFurther reading Trees In The Townscape: A Guide For Decision Makers – TDAG (2012) Trees In Hard Landscapes: A Guide For Delivery – TDAG (2014) The Natural Environment White Paper – Defra (2011) Trees In Towns II – DCLG (2008) A new survey of urban trees in England and their condition and management British Standard BS8545: 2014 Trees: from nursery to independence in the landscape – Recommendations British Standard BS5837: 2012 Trees in relation to design demolition and construction – Recommendations Our Vision For A Resilient Urban Forest – The Forestry Commission’s Urban Forest and Woodland Advisory Committee network (2015)

Areas for new landscaping are identiﬁed. Vulnerabilities in the local tree populations, such as age and genetic diversity, are understood.

n The institute of Chartered Foresters will be holding a conference titled ‘Trees, People and the Built Environment III’ at the University of Birmingham 5-6 April 2017. www.charteredforesters.org

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I N T E R V I E W M AT T H E W C A R M O N A

IN SEARCH OF HARMONY FROM PROTECTING PUBLIC RIGHTS IN PRIVATE SPACES TO ENSURING ‘PERMISSION IN PRINCIPLE’ PRESERVES LOCAL CHARACTER, MATTHEW CARMONA IS DETERMINED TO RECONCILE PUBLIC INTEREST AND PRIVATE GAIN IN WELLDESIGNED PLACES AND SPACES, FINDS DAVID BLACKMAN

“You can’t let it depress you,” says Matthew Carmona, professor at University College of London’s Bartlett School of Planning. He is referring to how, not long ago, his specialist field of urban design was flavour of the month, and Carmona fed in heavily into the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment’s efforts to champion high-quality public spaces and development. But while CABE is history, Carmona hasn’t given up. “If you are passionate about the built environment you have to keep pegging away,“ he says. The former head of the Bartlett School is certainly ‘pegging away’. In his day job he continues to teach at the Bartlett. He has also led the establishment of the Place Alliance, the loose coalition of individuals and organisations that is taking forward Sir Terry Farrell’s 2014 review of the built

P H O T O G R A P H Y | A K I N FA L O P E

environment. Beyond this, he advises the House of Lords select committee on the built environment, which is another output of the Farrell review. Although he notes that the discipline of urban design was more prominent a few years ago than now, Carmona, who originally trained as an architect at Nottingham University before entering academia, insists that the Noughties were no land of milk and honey. “I wouldn’t look on the period leading up to 2007 and say everything was perfect; it wasn’t. We were getting some dreadful developments. You might say that a lot of the development we are seeing recently may be better than some of the things we saw during that period.” But he admits that recent years have been tough ones for believers in the urban design crusade. “We went through a particularly diﬃcult time at the beginning of the austerity years, but we are starting to climb out of that now.” The “real challenge” now, he says, is lack of public resources, particularly in local government. “We are facing real problems in the capacity of local authorities to engage with these issues because anything related to place and design qual-

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;To achieve anything you need to engage the private sector. We will achieve little without getting them on boardâ&#x20AC;?

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I N T E R V I E W M AT T H E W C A R M O N A

ity just takes a lot of time to get right. Local authorities are under tremendous pressure to get through applications, to show that they are delivering on the numbers.”

“Some housing developers are very interested in design quality and see it as a central part of their development model, others much less so”

Resources for planners

By way of a solution to the paucity of resources in planning departments, the House of Lords built environment committee recommended in a recent report that councils should be free to set their own planning charges. “Planning needs to be properly resourced, which means letting local authorities set their own fees. If government says it is interested in localism, it has to trust local authorities to run a planning service that they deem is appropriate.” While the government has yet to respond to the committee’s report, Carmona hopes it will do so positively. “There is a gradual move to accept it. Eventually they will get there because I think it’s inevitable.” In this context of public austerity meanwhile, the onus increasingly falls on the private sector to take the lead on improving the quality of the built environment. Despite the common perception – perhaps unfair – that the big builders are more interested in proﬁts than quality, Carmona believes that a lot of learning about the importance of design quality has been embedded over the past 15 years. “It’s not entirely a wasteland. Some [private companies] really got the message during that very active period and it has remained with them. Some housing developers are very interested in design quality and see it as a central part of their development model, others much less so.”

C V

HIG HL IG HT S

MATTHE W C A R MONA

A R B , M R TP I , FR S A , FA C S S , A OU

Education: Chiswick Comprehensive School, then University of Nottingham for: BA Architecture & Environmental Design (1988); BArch Architecture (1990); MA Environmental Planning (1991), PhD Planning (1998) Born: 28 June, 1966 Timeline:

2014 present

Head of The Bartlett School of Planning

Chair of the Place Alliance

1998 2005

2004 present

2015 2016

University College London, lecturer/ senior lecturer/ reader

European associate editor, Journal Of Urban Design

1999 present

2005 present

Specialist adviser to House of Lords Select Committee on the Built Environment

199598

Nottinghamshire county architects department

University of Nottingham, lecturer in planning and urban design

199193 Freelance architect

1993 University of Reading, researcher

199395 University of Strathclyde, researcher

2003 2011

198889

Editor, Design In The Built Environment book series, Ashgate / Routledge

Professor of planning and urban design

2015 Awarded RTPI Academic Award for Research Excellence

Many of those with this commitment to quality development have found a home under the umbrella of the Place Alliance. “It’s really a place for people to meet and talk and coordinate across the built environment,” he says, stressing that it’s still “very early days” for the alliance, which has only been up and running for a year-and-a-half. “Whether the Place Alliance will be here in ﬁve or 10 years is not so important. It’s that we are doing useful things along the way. If we can do that it will be a success.”

When public meets private However, while this partnership approach may be in tune with the new world of squeezed public resources, Carmona has drawn flak for taking a rose-tinted view of the private sector in a 2015 report that he carried out on London’s public spaces. The findings of Retheorising Contemporary Public Space: A New Narrative And A New Normative run counter to increasingly fashionable concerns about the private ownership of the apparently public spaces that have been a feature of much recent urban regeneration. But Carmona robustly outlines his key conclusions. “There is much greater acceptance of the importance of public space within the private, as well as the public sector. There is a lot more public space being created than we have seen in the past. It’s not a question of public space being privatised, it’s a question of additional new spaces being created that are owned and managed by the private sector.” “If done well that can really contribute to the quality of place and the experience of place. If done badly, it’s no good for anybody – but my own research on public space in London suggests that generally it’s done pretty well.” He adds that much of what we regard as public space was originally developed by private institutions, such as churches and universities. “I react against the polemical view that we can only have publicly owned and managed public space. We have never done that.” Illustrating his argument by pointing out of the window of his Bloomsbury office, he says: “These are all pseudo public space. We have always had that diversity. In great cities like London and we need to embrace it.” Rather than the actual ownership of public spaces, he says, the key issue is ensuring that they are accessible to the general public. “Planning needs to recognise it has a role in ensuring that the rights and responsibilities for these new types of public spaces are properly safeguarded when permission is given, because if they are not safeguarded at that point they never will be. At the moment, we are not

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Cracking the codes Carmona used his slot as a panellist at June’s RTPI Convention to outline his idea for ‘co-ordinating codes’, designed to bolster the permission in principle (PiP) rules introduced in the recently passed Housing and Planning Act. He sees the codes as an adjunct to the PiP regime, under which development automatically receives consent in principle. “Whilst it [PiP] may inject more certainty in the process, it may do that at the expense of quality,” says Carmona. The code would lay down the basic parameters that give the place covered by PiP designation its character. These could include connections to the surrounding area or key aspects of the landscape that should be preserved, like mature trees. “It’s not about the detail of the site, it’s about the absolute essentials that we need to lay down right at the start of the process so those are guaranteed as the process develops.” He would like to explore whether social infrastructure, like schools and clinics, could be factored into the co-ordinating codes, but recognises that the inclusion of this much upfront detail runs counter to the government’s desire to give applicants certainty.

doing that very well.” “I always think that in public spaces our rights are often curtailed for no good reason like kids told they can’t skateboard, we can’t smoke in certain places, walk the dog or cycle. We like to put meaningless, petty restrictions on places.” He says that a set of rights and responsibilities, such as unimpeded access and being allowed to take photographs, could be laid down in a charter implementable through mechanisms like the London Plan. However, Carmona says that what is allowed in particular spaces will depend on context, arguing that a city centre square is probably a better place to hold political demonstrations than a residential courtyard. “These discussions become very polemical but we need to avoid that and say there are some broad principles and then it’s about applying them in diﬀerent contexts.”

“I react against the polemical view that we can only have publicly owned and managed public space. We have never done that”

Into the high street While the public spaces research may have been unpopular in some circles, it went down well with planners, winning Carmona last year’s RTPI award for research excellence. A separate study on London’s high streets was highly commended. One of this report’s recommendations is that the focus of regeneration eﬀorts should be in and around high streets rather than more isolated brownﬁeld sites. And high streets should be rethought as strategic locations, like town centres. Carmona says: “There is huge potential, when we are thinking about how we densify our cities, to reinvent those local high streets. There are tremen-

He is discussing the codes with the DCLG, which he hopes will trial the idea. “They have realised that they have this ball rolling and haven’t necessarily thought through all the implications,” he concludes.

dous opportunities with people working at home and wanting more facilities locally. We can really use those [high streets] as essential infrastructure around which we can reinvent and regenerate our cities and, where necessary, densify them.” “Very often planners see them as problems rather than possible solutions to problems. You have fantastic public transport, a wide range of facilities and usually lots of public services in and around these places. There is lots of potential in terms of streets rather than ignoring them and letting whatever happens happen.” However, assembling sites on high streets for redevelopment is often a big headache, given the often fragmented nature of their ownership. Again though securing private sector input will be key, Carmona argues: “To achieve anything you need to engage the private sector. We will achieve little without getting them on board.” J U LY 2 0 1 6 / THE PLA NNER

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RTPI PLANNING AWARDS

AND THE WINNER IS… For almost 40 years, the RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence have been the most coveted accolades for the profession. Huw Morris looks at how the awards have remained relevant in a changing planning environment

They are simply planning’s finest. They are the individuals, the teams but mostly the projects that transform economies, environments and their communities all over the UK (and, as of 2016, internationally). They are also a riposte to the naysayers who deny the positive difference made by the planning profession. For almost 40 years, the RTPI’s Awards for Planning Excellence have provided a benchmark, an aspirational goal, for the profession. They represent the best that the planning and planners have to offer in any one year, as determined by eminent peers. They can’t stand still. A comparison of categories over a period of less than 10 years (see box) tells us that the awards have to change to reflect the social and political environment in which planners operate. And it’s not just at the level of categories that the awards have to change to stay fresh. Until 2011, a judging panel of just three assessed the awards. For the combined 2012/13 events, the awards

were completely overhauled – some categories kept, some dispensed with, and more judges appointed. In 2016, there were 35, including the chief planner and extremely prominent public and private sector planners. The model – with a few tweaks here and there – has remained the same, says RTPI Wales and Northern Ireland director Roisin Willmott, who is a policy adviser for the awards. “Our model is now based on obtaining a large cohort of judges each year, senior representatives from all areas of planning across the UK,” she says. Their job is to assess the quality of applications across 12 categories, judging them to a set of clearly deﬁned criteria.

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But it’s not a lifelessly rigid process, says Willmott. “There is flexibility in the judging to allow for keeping an open mind, but it’s within a framework to ensure fairness for all.” Nathaniel Lichfield & Partners’ managing director James Fennell has seen the awards from both sides of the fence – as winner of the planning consultancy of the year for three years on the trot between 2011 and 2014, and more recently as a judge. “Planners take great pride in winning an award from their professional body and that’s very obvious at the award ceremony each year,” he explains. “The quality of entries has improved both in the presentation of entries and the quality of the projects themselves,” Fennell continues. “This reflects heightened awareness of the benefits of winning awards, whether that is as a reward to those working on a project or a wider marketing benefit.” The practical benefits of winning, or simply being shortlisted for an award, are also stressed by fellow judge and past RTPI president Martin Willey. “The awards emphatically offer a major boost for recruitment for winners and nominees alike. People naturally look at them and want to work for the best.”

TUNING INTO TRENDS As with every professional practice, planning goes through trends that reflect the social and political environment in which planners operate. Is it possible to read these trends in the categories, entries, nominees, and winners from year to year? “The number and types of entries will tend to reflect general activity in the marketplace,” says Fennell. “Housing entries are now much more common, reflecting general activity in that sector and also the greater attention now being given to the awards by all those involved in housing development.” He also adds that the heritage and policy categories have thrown up an increasing number of high-quality entries. Willmott acknowledges that while “influences stay relatively constant”, the RTPI maintains a flexible approach to awards categories, reviewing them each year to remain responsive to what institute members are actually doing.

“THERE IS FLEXIBILITY IN THE JUDGING TO ALLOW FOR KEEPING AN OPEN MIND, BUT IT’S WITHIN A FRAMEWORK TO ENSURE FAIRNESS FOR ALL.”

“We introduced an infrastructure category in 2015 because we had infrastructure schemes being submitted in other categories and they didn’t really fit, so weren’t recognised,” she explains. “Because of the length of time infrastructure projects take we anticipate that this category may appear every couple of years to allow new projects to come forward. I’m sure we’ll see more from this category in the future.” It was an infrastructure project – the Thames Tideway Tunnel – that won the overall prize, the Silver Jubilee Cup, in 2015. In 2016, however, there was no infrastructure category. Community engagement, which has become prominent theme in the age of localism and neighbourhood planning, is now central to all submissions. Sustainable development has become a key criterion, with the RTPI asking entrants about their project’s short and longterm benefits and how far their submissions balance planning’s three pillars of economic, social and environmental improvements. “Obviously economy will be stronger in the planning to Create Economically Successful Places category, environment in the Planning for the Natural Environment category and social considerations will be stronger in the Planning for Community and Well-being category,” Willmott says. “But they still all have to demonstrate how the three elements have been addressed.” Fennell notes two trends that have become particularly apparent. “In the aftermath of the recession, more submissions are focused on delivery and economic benefit aspects in their material. But flooding has also meant environmental issues have come to the fore.”

WHAT THE JUDGES WANT What are the judges looking for from the contenders? One tip for future entrants is to demonstrate how projects go over and above normal practice and introduce new methodologies or thinking. “Obviously there is a high standard of

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RTPI PLANNING AWARDS

work delivered across the UK by planning teams in the public and private sectors, but what makes it stand out – why is it innovative?” says Willmott. “The emphasis has to be on planning as well – planning in the lead. Some projects struggle with this. It’s a comment I hear from judges a lot: ‘But what is the planning in this?’.” It has to be made abundantly clear that planners and planning are at the heart of the project.” Is there an X factor that judges are looking for? Angus Walker, Bircham Dyson Bell’s head of planning and infrastructure, says: “One does get a feeling for whether the person compiling the entry is proud of their project or found entering a bit of a chore, and that does have an inﬂuence.” Willmott returns to planning’s evergreen principles. “The X factor is demonstrating to the judges how the project stands out as a good planning project and this can be wider than what some see as mainstream planning, but it clearly has to relate to the profession,” she says. “Has it delivered a real diﬀerence, too? Quite often, we get submissions where the projects are quite early in their development. It’s obviously an exciting time for the project teams and their project is very fresh, but has it had to demonstrate that it has delivered against its own objectives?”

“IN THE AFTERMATH OF THE RECESSION, MORE SUBMISSIONS ARE FOCUSED ON DELIVERY AND ECONOMIC BENEFIT ASPECTS IN THEIR MATERIAL”

WHAT’S NEW IN 2016? The major innovation in 2016 was the introduction of an international award. This was judged by a panel of international planning experts against the UN’s sustainable development goals. Willey calls this a “good example of the RTPI’s voice extending the inﬂuence of the profession” globally, acknowledging this might open the door to big international players in future awards. The inaugural winner, Kenya’s Tana River Delta land use plan and strategic environmental assessment (see pages 30-32), was a stunning example of how planning can tackle social challenges and provoke positive transformations. The plan had to contend with terrorist attacks, ethnic clashes, droughts, legal battles and political turmoil during its genesis. “Planning in the UK has its challenges but nothing to compare with this,” observes award judge Clive Harridge,

who is secretary-general of the Commonwealth Association of Planners. Another 2016 innovation is an award for volunteering. The aim, says Willmott, is to recognise RTPI members “promoting the profession and working with communities in their own time”. With a resurgence of community planning prompted by government policy and the housing shortage, volunteering is another area where planners are making a difference on the ground – and is thought to be worthy of recognition. The first winner, Joanne Harding, Halton Borough Council’s principal planning policy officer, is a regular visitor to schools and universities in the North-West, promoting planning as a career and explaining how the big issues for the profession are also big issues for communities. With so much changing, some things do remain the same. “I have judged for a few years now and each year I am given a different category or categories to judge and I have met and worked with lots of other fellow judges,” Fennell says. “They are all committed to the process and spend a lot of time assessing entries individually and when we meet. The quality of the judging process is very high and we all regard it as an honour to be involved.” In September, entries for the 2017 awards programme will be sought – and the whole process will begin again.

How awards categories change A comparison between awards categories for 2009 and 2016 hints at the ways in which social forces, political decisions and the evolution of the language of planning inﬂuence entries.

2009 PROJECT CATEGORIES: c City and Metropolitan Areas c Sustainable Communities c Town Regeneration c Rural Areas and the Natural Environment c Heritage c E-Government c Spatial Strategies c Climate Change c Public Realm

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JUBILEE TRENDS

2016

If any single award were to illustrate trends in planning, it would be the Silver Jubilee Cup, awarded to the outstanding entry each year. While there may be a slight leaning towards spatial planning and regeneration, the winners since 2000 demonstrate the sheer variety of planning’s work and its inﬂuence on shapin shaping haping ng g th the t ee en environments nviiro on nm men nts ts we live, work and relax in.

Plymouth Plan for Homes

2015 Thames Tideway Tunnel

2014 2 20 0

2000

Central C Cen en n Govan Action Plan

Crichton Regeneration Project, Dumfriess

2012/13 2 20

2001

(m (merged (me me awards as the process changed) Wales Coastal Path Wa Wal

Transforming the Ashby Woulds, Leicestershire (post-industrial regeneration) tion) ion

2011 20 2 0 011 11

2002

TAYPlan, TAYPlan TA TAY YPllan Tay cities, Scotland

Bristol Legible City (improving people’s understanding the city through the implementation of identity, information n and an transport projects integrated with artistic c work) wo w ork k)) k

20 2010 2 0110 01 0 The Th e Gr Gre Great eatt F Fen Project, Huntingdonshire

2005

2009 2 20 0

Plymouth Local Development Framework

Victoria Square Regeneration Project, Vict V ic ct Belfast Be Belf B elf

2006 The Merton Rule (requiring all new ew buildings bui build dings din ng gs above a certain size to generate 10% 10% off their h i own electricity renewably)

2008 20 HS1 H S1

2007 Sherwood Energy Village, Nottinghamshire

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES: c Contribution to Planning c Young Planner of the Year c Excellence in Planning Education c Outstanding Student Achievement in Planning Education c Planning Consultant of the Year

BUSINESS CATEGORIES c Employer/Practitioner Award for Commitment to Lifelong Learning and Professional Development c Planning Consultancy of the Year c Small Planning Consultancy of the Year

BY 2016: PROJECT CATEGORIES: c Excellence in Plan Making Practice c Excellence in Planning for Heritage

c Excellence in Planning for Community and Well-being c Excellence in Planning for the Natural Environment c Excellence in Planning to Create Economically Successful Places c Excellence in Planning to Deliver Housing c International Award for Planning Excellence

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORIES: c Volunteer Planner of the Year c Young Planner of the Year

BUSINESS CATEGORIES: c Employer Award for Excellence c Local Authority Planning Team of the Year c Planning Consultancy of the Year

c Small Planning Consultancy of the Year What’s most apparent perhaps is an evolution in the description of categories, reﬂecting the language of planning in the age of the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework). ‘Sustainable communities’, for example, is now embodied in the title ‘Community and well-being’. ‘Spatial strategies’ is gone, replaced by the more NPPF-friendly ‘Plan making practice’. ‘E-government’, once critical, now seems anomalous; ‘Housing’ and ‘Creating economically successful places’ are deﬁnitely the order of the day. The 2016 awards are more streamlined, too, with fewer individual categories. Meanwhile, the ‘Local authority planning team of the year’ provides an encouraging nod to resourcefulness amid dwindling public sector resources.

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RTPI AWARDS: PLANNING EXCELLENCE

More than 130,000 hectares in the delta face commercial threats to wildlife habitats

CASE ST UDY

HOW PLANNING IS CURING KENYA’S DELTA BLUES AWARDS: RTPI INTERNATIONAL AWARD FOR PLANNING EXCELLENCE PROJECT NAME: TANA RIVER DELTA LAND USE PLAN AND STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT KEY PLAYERS/PARTNERS: THE GOVERNMENTS OF TANA COUNTY AND LAMU COUNTY, THE GOVERNMENT OF KENYA, DELTAS INTER MINISTERIAL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE, TANA PLANNING ADVISORY COMMITTEE, NATURE KENYA, RSPB, PLANNING GREEN FUTURES, NETHERLANDS COMMISSION FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT, UK AID, WETLANDS ALLIANCE, AND THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE BY H U W MOR R I S

T H E PROJ ECT The Tana River Delta Land Use Plan and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is Kenya’s first integrated spatial plan and SEA. Launched in 2011 and published in June 2015, it provides a framework for protecting one of Africa’s most important wetlands. This is an area of 130,000 hectares that faces competing demands of commercial agriculture, oil and gas exploitation and infrastructure development, which are threatening wildlife habitats and traditional pastoral practices. The project aims to support livelihoods, resolve land conflicts and create economic opportunities in ecotourism, food processing and resource development. This was confirmed when, three months into the planning process, the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Commission review panel challenged members of the local planning advisory committee to state what the plan was for. The committee’s representatives, who had never taken part in a planning exercise, replied: “This project will bring us peace, resolve our natural resource conflicts and

give us back our land and water.” The scheme and its values were severely tested during its composition. During the next two-and-a-half years, the planning process was confronted by ethnic clashes between Orma pastoralists and Pokomo farmers, which killed 120 people. Terrorists from Al-Shabaab attacked a local town. A severe drought destroyed livelihoods and increased poverty. Meanwhile, local communities were involved in bitter legal battles with international and national developers over building plans and land rights. On top of this came a ﬁercely competitive general election, which saw a change of government. The new administration transferred planning powers from the centre to two county councils in a new system of devolved local government in the region.

C R E AT I N G T H E P L A N Kenya’s planning system had previously focused on urban development and township plans. Although legislation had allowed special spatial plans regionally, the Tana Delta project broke new ground by containing elements of a national,

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W H A T T H E J U D G E S S AY RTPI awards adviser Roisin Willmott commented: “The development of the plan through the planning process had to contend with ethnic clashes, a terrorist attack, drought and legal wrangling between developers and communities. In addition, there was a national election which saw a change of government who subsequently transferred planning functions from national government to county councils. These planners faced adversity to deliver a plan that provides a sustainable balance between industry, resources and wildlife, and oﬀers a model plan for other similar regions to adopt. “This outstanding entry strongly addressed all of the criteria and the judges were impressed by the entry’s ability to draw inspiration from other planning projects and tailor them to their unique situation. In doing this they have left a legacy for future planners in the area.”

regional and local spatial plan. It was a complicated process: The project looked at equivalent planning systems in Botswana, Scotland, the Netherlands and South Africa, which were used as benchmarks. Moreover, it had to be adopted simultaneously by national government and the two new councils, and endorsed by 106 villages heavily divided by ethnicity and livelihoods. Sarah Sanders, who was the RSPB’s head of partner development, said particular challenges were presented by Kenya’s change of government, and the consequent devolution of all environmental responsibilities to two regional counties. Yet the determination of the planning team to be inclusive opened working relationships with a wide range of groups, denoting a bottom-up approach that had been largely absent from previous eﬀorts to manage land use on a large scale in the delta. For Sanders’ colleague, Helen Bryon, then the RSPB’s head of international casework, working with the local planning advisory committee was a highlight. Its 21 members, she told The Planner after

“THE PROJECT AIMS TO SUPPORT LIVELIHOODS, RESOLVE LAND CONFLICTS AND CREATE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES”

collecting the award, came from “all the stakeholder groups representing diﬀerent community factions, including pastoral, farming, ﬁshing and conservation”. Overall, the land use plan tackled crucial land and natural resource issues within the delta, while the SEA addressed external pressures on the delta from national and regional decisions. Both the plan and SEA ran in parallel. The land use plan’s components included:

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RTPI AWARDS: PLANNING EXCELLENCE

A land of plenty – and conflict • Review of statutory and policy instruments; • Stakeholder mapping; • Formulation of guiding principles; • Benchmarking against other land use planning systems; • Goal and objectives setting; • Data collection and analysis and preparation of baseline report; • Scenario-building for alternative land uses; • Selection of the preferred land use option; • Plan approval & implementation; and • Monitoring, evaluation and review. The planning area – of more than 200,000 ha in total – has few landmarks or boundaries apart from the main perimeter road, some dirt tracks and the 105 settlements scattered throughout. Even the 700 km Tana River frequently changes its course during major flooding. Property boundaries are marked by beacons – which can be moved and are often disputed as most of the area has no land titles. To tackle this problem, the delta was divided into land use zones based on topography, soils and vegetation, and current use. Potentially suitable long-term uses were examined for each area. The plan ignored the existing ownership status of each land zone because the historical acquisition of much of the Tana River delta by government agencies or international developers was bitterly contested by the local communities. Significantly, the land use plan framework seeks to move the area from total reliance on agriculture and livestock to the introduction of an industrial and manufacturing sector. This also aims to harness tourism potential by developing eco-lodges, conservation areas and jobs in nature conservation.

The 130,000 hectare Tana River Delta is a vast seasonal wetland complex with a rich mixture of habitats, from sand dunes to riverine forest. A wetland of international importance, it is home to around 105,000 people and a vast collection of flora and fauna, among them unique and threatened species. The plan’s chief technical adviser Peter Nelson describes the area as having “spectacular biodiversity and habitats”. Among its treasures are the Borassus Palm savannah on flooded grasslands, forest elephant, buffalo, and a wide assortment of aquatic animals, including crocodile, hippopotami and eels. There are more than 350 species of birds, including the globally threatened Basra reed warbler. The endemic primates the Tana River red colobus monkey and the Tana River crested mangabey are among other endangered species in the delta. Traditionally, land use in the delta has been dictated by the annual regime of two seasonal floods during the short and long rains, which are followed by intensely dry periods. When the floods fail, owing partially to development in the Upper Tana, prolonged drought can reduce the delta to a wilderness. Farmers cultivate land close to the river, while pastoralists herd their cattle, goats and sheep over the entire region, concentrating on the rich grasslands during the dry season. Nelson says this pattern of grazing and the intense demand for water for humans and cattle during the droughts has caused long-standing conflicts between the two communities. Other conflicts are driven by the Delta’s location and its suitability for commercial agriculture. The delta inhabits a fairly isolated coastal frontier that borders Somalia to its east, and has long been a haunt of bandits and smugglers. Various international businesses have also attempted to lease very large tracts of land in the delta for biofuel production and growing food for export. The Tana River Delta Land Use Plan is a big step towards resolving many of these issues and reducing threats to the land, its biodiversity and its communities.

A big challenge was obtaining detailed evidence to defend the plan against powerful interests that would prefer to see it collapse. But the biggest challenge was giving the plan teeth. Here, the plan introduced the idea of the “planning statement” at local level. There are 30 statements, each of them agreed by the county councils. These can only be altered or scrapped with the agreement of both authorities. The plan cites planning legislation to give the statements the full force of law.

KEY OUTCOMES The strongest message from the process is the need to build the trust of local com-

Winners Paul Matiku (NatureKenya’s director), Helen Byron, former RSBP head of international casework, Peter Nelson from Planning Green Futures, and Sarah Sanders (former RSPB head of partner development in Africa and Asia)

munities in the planning process and to put in place a framework that demonstrates that this trust will be repaid. “They had seen so many diﬃculties in the past, they felt why would they trust this process,” says Nature Kenya executive director Paul Matiku. “Through this process they discovered they had rights, particularly a right to consultation when development takes place.” Local communities have accepted the project, which has been adopted at national and county levels. Its principles are being rolled out elsewhere in the country. It is also being advocated for use in the Sierra Leone river estuary. As a result of the plan, land grabbing has stopped, conservation is being taken seriously, the government is in charge, and communities are living peacefully. Peter Nelson, principal at Planning Green Futures and chief technical adviser to the project, says another key objective was building experience and expertise within Kenya rather than remaining as “a report on the shelf with the expertise existing only in international circles”. He points out that the plan and SEA team are now working on a second project, the Yala Swamp, largely unaided. n Read more on the RSPB website: www. tinyurl.com/planner0716-rspb-casework

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DiF { D

DECISIONS IN FOCUS

Decisions in Focus is where we put the spotlight on some of the more signiﬁcant planning appeals and court cases of the last month – alongside your comments. If you’d like to contribute your insights and analyses to future issues of The Planner, email DiF at editorial@theplanner.co.uk HOUSING

A developer has been given permission to build 120 homes in Dalkeith’s green belt

120 homes approved for Scots green belt ( SUMMARY Gladman Developments has been given permission to develop 120 homes (including 25 per cent affordable homes) in Dalkeith, Scotland, after a reporter concluded that the level of housing need in the area justified development on green belt land. ( CASE DETAILS The site constitutes 7.8 ha of agricultural land at the edge of Dalkeith and lies partly within the designed landscape of Melville Castle. Reporter Michael Cunliffe first issued a decision notice saying he was minded to approve the plan in December 2015. Permission was then granted following the completion of a planning obligation. He asserted that having regard to the most recent housing land audit, Midlothian Council could not prove a five-year supply of deliverable housing land, so the planning balance weighed in favour of sustainable development. He said there was no inherent conflict between the principle of residential development and the character of the surrounding

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area. He found that while planning conditions could be used to ensure that distinctive trees and hedgerows were maintained, it “might not prove possible to accommodate as many as 120 units while protecting woodland features.” ( CONCLUSION REACHED The reporter acknowledged that redevelopment of brownfield sites to support regeneration is a priority, but said that “there is simply not enough brownfield land to accommodate the additional housing requirements” identified in the South East Scotland Strategic Development Planning Authority (SESplan) strategic

development plan. He said the proposal represented a “logical extension of Dalkeith/Eskbank” and, subject to infrastructure capacity, “would be an appropriate location for new residential development”.

Appeal Ref: PPA-290-2030

HOUSING

Aﬀordable housing clause fails tests ( SUMMARY A clause requiring an annual ﬁnancial contribution to

affordable housing has been removed from a planning obligation attached to an approved wind farm in Turriff, Aberdeenshire, after a reported ruled that the clause failed four out of five tests. ( CASE DETAILS The clause required the developer of the threeturbine wind farm to pay Aberdeenshire Council £1,870 a year towards the provision of affordable housing. In refusing the application to discharge the planning obligation the council said the developer had signed a (then called) Section 75 agreement that was legally binding. But Reporter David Russell said that in line with the 1997 Act (Scotland) provision was now made for those who had previously entered into such an agreement to submit a challenge regardless of whether circumstances had changed. The decision would then be based on the compliance at the current time with tests relating to the obligation’s necessity, planning purpose, relationship to the development, scale and kind and reasonableness. ( CONCLUSION REACHED Russell said the relationship of affordable housing to the erection of the wind farm had not been explained or

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Communities secretary Greg Clark has ruled that a 550-home development in Stockton-on-Tees would not conjoin Ingleby Barwick and Thornaby

justified, adding that “planning obligations should not be used to extract advantages, benefits or payments from landowners or developers which are not directly in relation to the proposed development.” The reporter ordered the council to pay the cost of expenses to the appellant after finding that the council had acted unreasonably.

Appeal Ref: POA-110-2010

HOUSING

Clark reconsiders Ingleby Barwick homes decision ( SUMMARY Communities secretary Greg Clark has backed an inspector’s decision to grant planning permission for 550 homes and a new local centre in Ingleby Barwick, Stocktonon-Tees, after ﬁnding that the development would not compromise the separation between two settlements. ( CASE DETAILS In January 2015 former communities secretary Eric Pickles contradicted an inspector’s approval of the scheme, ﬁnding that the urban quality of the development

would have an adverse impact on the area, and that it would not maintain the separation between Ingleby Barwick and Thornaby. This decision was subsequently quashed by the High Court in July 2015. Based on submitted evidence, Clark concluded that Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council is unable to prove a ﬁve-year supply of deliverable housing land, and so the previous inspector’s assessment that relevant housing policies are out of date is still correct. But he did note the improvement in the ﬁve-year supply status since the last inquiry. Clark said relevant policies in the emerging development plan document did not appear to be inconsistent with national planning policy, but that given the early stage of this document, it should be given little weight. Inspector John Braithwaite argued that the view of the council and residents that the appeal land is within a green wedge is not supported by the Core Strategy’s Strategic Diagram. Clark agreed that when certain core strategy policies were introduced to replace a local plan policy relating to green wedge designation, the related proposals map became no longer relevant for indicating the extent and location of Plans for a windfarm in North Newbald,York, would not be an ill wind for the local community

green wedge areas. As such, there is no development plan support for the conclusion that the appeal site lies in a designated green wedge. Clark found that the gap that there would be between the proposed development and the Teesside Industrial Estate would not undermine the strategic objective of maintaining a green wedge, and would not undermine the separation of Ingleby Barwick and Thornaby. ( CONCLUSION REACHED It was agreed that as the development would largely fill the gap between existing development and the site of a consented development for 350 homes, the loss of openness would have a negligible impact on the area. Clark accepted that the proposal would offer muchneeded market and affordable housing (a proposed split of roughly 467 homes and 83 homes respectively).

Appeal Ref: APP/ H0738/A/14/2214781

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Local concerns addressed in York wind turbine approval ( SUMMARY Communities secretary Greg Clark has supported an

inspector’s decision to allow a single turbine and ancillary works to be erected in North Newbald, York. The appeal was recovered because it relates to a proposal that raises “important or novel issues of development control and/or legal diﬃculties”. ( CASE DETAILS Clark found that the proposal would comply with the development plan as the turbine would be screened from view by vegetation and the rolling landform. He also said the cumulative impact of the turbine with existing wind developments at Sancton Hill, Sober Hill and Wrangmandale would be negligible. He gave great weight to the scheme’s compliance with his written ministerial statement of 18 June 2015, which requires proof that concerns raised by local communities about wind development have been addressed. ( CONCLUSION REACHED Clark found that as the development would not have a signiﬁcant impact on the character of the landscape, or result in cumulative impact, and would be compliant with development plan policies on landscape and renewable energy, the concerns raised by the parish councils had been adequately addressed.

Appeal Ref: APP/E2001/A/14/2217703

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DiF { D INFRASTRUCTURE

Removal of permitted development rights approved at railway alterations ( SUMMARY A condition allowing Newark and Sherwood District Council to remove permitted development rights from an approved change of use to an operational railway facility in Lowdham, Nottinghamshire, has been approved by an inspector. ( CASE DETAILS The council had approved Network Rail’s application for the installation of an equipment building and maintenance access for a level crossing upgrade. Network Rail sought to dispute an attached condition to remove rights granted under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 2015, to ensure that the local planning authority can control development within this sensitive area. The appeal site lies within ﬂood zones 2 and 3, is partly within the green belt and is near the grade II listed Lowdham Railway Station. Inspector Ian McHugh explained the eﬀect of the condition is that the appellant would be required to apply to the council for any development that it proposes to carry out on the site, which the appellant argues would be “unduly restrictive” and would place a “disproportionate burden” on Network Rail. McHugh drew attention to comments of the council’s

DECISIONS IN FOCUS planning officer in originally granting the proposal, in particular his conclusions that the small area of land involved meant that little harm would be imposed on the openness of the green belt, and any harm to the setting of the listed building could be mitigated by landscaping. With regard to flood risk, the council also states that railway infrastructure is considered to be essential infrastructure, and is thus acceptable in this case. ( CONCLUSION REACHED McHugh proffered that these statements could have led to the conclusion that the disputed condition is not necessary, but that in his opinion the council’s concerns were not “wholly unreasonable” as certain forms of permitted development, particularly the erection of new buildings, could exacerbate the sensitive elements of the appeal site. Therefore, he replaced the condition with a modified version limiting the condition to control over the erection of new buildings only.

Appeal Ref: APP/ B3030/W/16/3143096 Birmingham’s metro system has been granted an extension

INFRASTRUCTURE

Midland Metro extension approved despite heritage impacts ( SUMMARY Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has overruled an inspector’s decision to refuse permission for an extension to the metro in Birmingham city centre after deciding that the proposal’s beneﬁts outweighed its impact on local heritage. ( CASE DETAILS The Land Acquisition and Variation Order sought by developer Centro would confer fresh compulsory acquisition powers required for the construction and operation of part of the tramway, originally authorised by the Midland Metro (Birmingham City Centre Extension, etc.) Order 2005 (“the 2005 Order”), between New Street Station and Centenary Square in the city centre. This is referred to as the CSQ extension, and powers for the route between New Street Station and Edgbaston lapsed in 2010. McLoughlin accepted that the scheme would impact on elements of the city’s heritage, and would speciﬁcally have a

moderate adverse impact on Birmingham Town Hall, and a minor impact on two other landmarks and four listed buildings. He also found that the extension would be beneficial to the townscape and visual amenity of some streets, but harmful to others. But McLoughlin said a growing need for the access to the west of the city that the CSQ extension would provide had been proven because of the major developments in Centenary Square, the limited transport provision in the area and the need for access to the Birmingham City Enterprise Zone. ( CONCLUSION REACHED The secretary of state thought that by improving accessibility and connectivity, reducing traffic congestion and supporting economic growth the extension would make a significant contribution to facilitating sustainable development – a fundamental aim of national planning policy. These benefits, he said, outweighed the identified harm to designated heritage assets.

Case Ref: TWA/13/APP/06

RESIDENTIAL CARE

Loss of pub would ‘harm’ local community ( SUMMARY Permission has been refused for a 64-bed care home on the site of a public house in Great Broughton, Chester, after an inspector determined that loss of the pub would “cause signiﬁcant harm to the cultural and social well-being of the local community.”

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Permission has been given to turn a grade II listed fort in Tenby, Wales, into a visitor attraction

( CASE DETAILS Inspector Roger Catchpole noted that the Centurion pub ceased trading in January 2016 after an alleged steady decline in trade. A report produced by the appellant in April 2015 concluded that any income made by the pub would be insufficient to support the estimated investment required to bring the property into full repair, and therefore the chances of finding a willing investor would be “extremely unlikely” – but Catchpole asserted that this assumption was not tested through the open market and was therefore unsubstantiated. Catchpole noted that despite interest from developers who wished to retain the Centurion as a pub, the owner decided not to place it on the open market. This contradiction to lack of interest plus the lack of wider marketing undertaken by the appellant undermined the argument that the current proposed use was preferable, as the appellant had failed to make “an adequate case” concerning financial viability. Catchpole acknowledged that the pub was clearly of cultural and social value to local residents, supported by the existence of the Centurion Community Action Group. When in operation, the pub supported various local events such as christenings, weddings and funerals, and was used as a meeting place for local groups and raised funds for charity. The pub was also listed as an Asset of Community Value under section 87 of the Localism Act 2011. The inspector accepted that the proposed care home would provide specialist dementia care for elderly residents, with the council also acknowledging that within a market area of 5.5 miles there will be a shortfall of 72 places for this type of accommodation in 2016. I M AG E S | A L A M Y

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( CONCLUSION REACHED Finding the beneﬁts of both the pub and the care home to be equally weighted, Catchpole contended that as 53 per cent of the parish population are aged between 18 and 65, most of the population would not beneﬁt from the care home.

Appeal Ref: APP/ A0665/W/15/3139409

TOURISM

Historic fort visitor attraction approved subject to conditions ( SUMMARY Permission has been approved for the change of use of the grade II listed fort at St Catherine’s Island in Tenby, Wales, into a visitor attraction, despite the appellant disputing a number of imposed conditions. ( CASE DETAILS The change of use and construction of various associated works was approved in July 2015. The appeal site had previously been subject to another appeal decision in 2014, when an inspector rejected the proposal to use the island as a visitor attraction owing to

concerns about the impact on protected species, although in all other respects the inspector found the proposed use to be acceptable. In the current appeal, the appellant had disputed a number of conditions relating to issues including the light and noise impact of the development, and its impact from viewpoints in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Inspector James Ellis noted that the previous inspector had questioned the broadness of the term “visitor attraction”, contending that a wide range of activities could plausibly fall under this category and as such potentially harmful limited uses could also take place without planning permission unless controlled. A condition (condition 3) requiring further definition of the intended uses was subsequently suggested. The appellant argued that the inclusion of a variation of condition 3 would be anti-competitive and affect business viability. Ellis countered that this was not a material planning consideration. He also noted that no detailed business plan was submitted in support of the appeal. Ellis found that the site’s significance as a heritage asset and its nearness to residential properties

rendered it sensitive, and thus deemed condition 3 appropriate. Due again to the island’s proximity to neighbours, a condition (condition 5) to restrict the hours during which visitors are allowed on the island was imposed on the previous planning permission. The appellant said this condition would aﬀect his human rights in the context of his business, but Ellis said that even if this were true, it would be heavily outweighed by a permission without condition, which would constitute an interference with the human rights of the adjacent residents. Ellis ruled that detailed planning conditions were needed to restrict the nature of activities that can be carried out under the umbrella of the description “visitor attraction”. The appeal succeeded in relation to a number of conditions, but variations of conditions 3 and 5 were retained. ( CONCLUSION REACHED Ellis did ﬁnd the previous imposition of a condition relating to advertisements to be unreasonable, and so granted the appellant a partial award of the appeal costs.

Appeal Ref: Appeal Ref: APP/ L9503/A/15/3135582

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LLegal landscape ALL FOR YOUNG AND NONE FOR OLD “THE ONUS ON PERSONAL WEALTH IS UNACCEPTABLE AND UNREALISTIC FOR A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE POPULATION”

The Housing and Planning Bill’s focus on starter homes leaves little room for new housing for the elderly – to our collective detriment, says Bernadette Hillman Has housing for older and vulnerable people hit crisis point? Following promising announcements from the government in 2015 to tackle housing demand for older and vulnerable people, the housing crisis for this demographic was set to be tackled. However, just one year on, the Housing and Planning Act 2016 has been ﬁrmly geared towards a ‘starter-home generation’, rather than those with care needs or simply moving later in life. This change in focus has meant that not enough new homes are being built to meet the growing need of the UK’s ageing population. Housing associations are at the forefront of this debate – seeking to address the issue by building extra care and independent living units to enable people to live in their own homes despite age or capacity-related issues. But ﬁnding suitable sites and ‘persuading’ local authorities to agree practical planning conditions is a challenge. Unfortunately, the current uncertainty around the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) has meant that a large number of housing associations have placed

Bernadette Hillman on hold their development programme for this sort of provision, as no answer is likely to present itself until 2017. This is further damaging the prospects of development for those requiring care in the foreseeable future. In addition to the uncertainties facing housing associations, the trend towards extra care facilities has been a mixed picture since 2010. There has been a marked reduction in the provision of new extra care schemes in the publicly funded and HCA (Homes and Communities Agency) stimulated sectors, along with a decline in spending on Supporting People Programmes (housing-related

support) services. Such initiatives are largely designed to provide support for people to keep them in their own homes for as long as possible. The decline in spending on such initiatives has aﬀected housing associations that were providing a large number of these schemes before 2010. But the success of commercially oriented schemes of the type provided by Richmond Villages (part of BUPA), Extra Care Charitable Trust and McCarthy & Stone’s Assisted Living product, demonstrates that the demand exists for such provision. As demand is currently outstripping supply, all of these organisations have and are continuing to increase their rate of development. But these schemes require either a ‘for sale’ or, at least, a mixed-

“UNCERTAINTY AROUND THE LOCAL HOUSING ALLOWANCE HAS MEANT THAT A LARGE NUMBER OF HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS HAVE PLACED THEIR DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ON HOLD”

tenure model to make them viable for development. With the UK’s ageing demographic and the increased incidence of complex co-morbidities and dementia, it would appear that for those who can afford to live in a commercially oriented scheme (assuming there is even one nearby), a Housing with Care environment could be of significant benefit. But for those with limited personal wealth the options become much more limited. Some people may be lucky and, despite not having equity from a house to buy into a scheme, are still able to secure a place in a mixed-tenure development. Unfortunately, the numbers of those being built are pitifully small at present. The onus on personal wealth is unacceptable and unrealistic for a large proportion of the population and is causing those who can afford it to vote with their feet and money, and those who can’t afford to buy to have very limited choices. The UK housing market must rapidly adapt to meet the needs of an ageing population or face crisis over the next 20 years. Bernadette Hillman is a partner and head of planning at Shakespeare Martineau in London

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LATEST POSTS FROM THEPLANNER.CO.UK/BLOGS

B LO G S The government has used powers in the Housing and Planning Act 2016 to force a delay in the adoption of the local plan for Birmingham City Council, the local authority with the largest population in England. Is this a sign of things to come?

L E G I S L AT I O N S H O R T S Government's temporary local interventions: interfering or persevering? Jennie Baker

A change to local plan procedure is the most recent Housing and Planning Act 2016 measure to commence. Section 145(5) of the act inserted a new section 21A into the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (PCPA 2004) to enable the secretary of state to direct a local planning authority not to take any step in connection with the adoption of a development plan document pending possible use of other intervention powers. The existing local plan intervention powers provided by s21 of the PCPA 2004 are seldom used; the 2015 interventions in the Maldon Local Development Plan and North Somerset Core Strategy being the only examples we know of. On this basis, one might have expected the new power in s21A to have limited use, and be an unlikely candidate for early commencement. Not so. The new s21A power was used immediately; on the same day the secretary of state directed Birmingham City Council (BCC) “not to take any step in connection with the adoption of the Birmingham

Development Plan 2031”. There had been vociferous local objections to at least one element of the Birmingham Development Plan (BDP), but no prior indication that there might be an intervention from the government – the Planning Inspectorate endorsed the BDP in April 2016, and BCC plans to adopt the BDP in July 2016. According to the Impact Assessment (IA) for the version of the Housing and Planning Bill introduced in the House of Lords in January 2016, the aim of the local planning measures in the act (sections 143-148) was that every local planning authority has a local plan in place. So it is surprising that the temporary intervention measure has been brought into force to delay the adoption of the local plan for the local authority with the largest population in England, and one of the largest in Europe. The DCLG has intervened in response to the local MP’s “concerns about a proposal for 6,000 new homes on green belt land in Sutton Coldﬁeld”; BCC expressed disappointment at the intervention. One wonders whether a challenge to the validity of the development plan (under s287 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990) would have been a more appropriate route for those concerns to

have been played out further? Having said that, if DCLG officials were to swiftly advise that the secretary of state does not wish to intervene, could it discourage opponents of the BDP from attempting a lengthy legal challenge that would delay local plan adoption significantly? Could DCLG’s endorsement of the BDP (if forthcoming) – or another local plan in the future mean that an application to the High Court for a s287 challenge is less likely to succeed? In other words, if DCLG chooses to temporarily intervene in a local plan process, could this represent a last-ditch attempt to keep on track a plan that has followed due process in the face of significant local objection, rather than seemingly meddling in local politics? And could it be an example of one of the “smarter tools for the secretary of state [intended to] allow for more focused and proportionate approaches to intervention” referred to in the IA? At the time of writing it all remains to be seen, but it is already questionable whether the power has been used to allow, as the IA suggested, “the majority of local decisions to remain at the lowest appropriate level whilst ensuring a local plan is in place”. Jennie Baker is associate director at NLP. Read her full article: bit.ly/1XoQ2aD

Judicial review for £17.9m sports centre A High Court judge has given permission to claimants to bring a judicial review to challenge the approval of planning permission for a £17.9 million sport and leisure complex in Walton, Surrey. The plans would see the development of a former landﬁll site into a sports hub comprising a football and athletics stadium. Elmbridge Borough Council allowed the scheme, which is being funded by the sale of another sports ground, in January 2016. Following a hearing in May, Mr Justice Supperstone concluded that the claim over the development at Waterside Drive was “arguable”. But Mr Justice Jay had previously decided that the claim was not arguable. A spokesman for the council said it would “accordingly prepare its case in defence to the claim on a date to be set by the court”.

Enfield battles over cycle lane plan Save Our Green Lanes has launched a judicial review against the London Borough of Enfield over its plans for a cycle lane scheme. Costas Georgiou, chairman of the Green Lanes Business Association, said: “Save Our Green Lanes has repeatedly raised concerns about the negative impacts of the proposed Cycle Enfield scheme for the A105. Enfield Council’s own consultants have stated that the proposals will have adverse effects on residents’ parking, the viability of businesses, air quality, traffic congestion, bus journey times, bus passenger and disabled pedestrian safety, as well as emergency services response times.” He said the council didn’t provide key documents during the consultation that would have revealed these adverse effects. “We have been left with no option but to start judicial review proceedings in the High Court,” said Georgiou. The council has acknowledged receiving notification that a judicial review has been issued but said it “did not consider it appropriate to comment as the matter is before the court”.

Campaigners fail in Beagle-breeding farm judicial review Cruelty Free International (CFI) has lost a judicial review against government approval for a company in East Yorkshire to breed dogs for medical experiments. CFI challenged the decision in the High Court over planning permission for the B&K Universal site in Grimston. It said the decision violated EU law, as the dogs would have no outdoor space. East Riding of Yorkshire Council rejected the proposals in 2014 and the Planning Inspectorate agreed. But Eric Pickles, then the communities secretary, approved planning permission in 2015. CFI said the government’s decision broke EU Directive 2010/63, which says that “animal welfare considerations must be given a high priority and that dog breeding establishments are required to provide their dogs with outside access whenever possible”. CFI expressed dismay at the decision, but B&K said the result was the right one, following “four years of struggle with the planning system to obtain planning permission”.

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INSIGHT

Plan ahead P Mastering the plan Can a masterplan create a place that is not just functional, but “delightful”? Looking at the successes and failures of the Dickens Heath Masterplan raises this question and more, Emily Walsh tells Martha Harris “Dickens Heath is a unique place because although there were some existing dwellings there, it is essentially a newly built settlement,” says Emily Walsh, associate director of JMP Consultants. Lying in green belt on the affluent southern edge of Solihull, the West Midlands village was identified in 1989 by Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council as a site that could help meet the borough’s need for up to 8,100 new houses between 1988 and 2001. At the time, Dickens Heath was little more than a hamlet. Building began in 1997 and, when fully complete, the expanded village will consist of 1,672 dwellings for a projected population of 4,000 people. The emergence of what is effectively an entirely new settlement is the result of a deliberate policy to build afresh rather than extend existing settlements. For this to happen, of course, it needed a masterplan. ‘The Dickens Heath Masterplan – what did it deliver in practice?’ at the Council House in Solihull on 13 September gives planners the opportunity to review and discuss the plan agreed in 1995. Organised by RTPI West Midlands, the event will examine the extent to which the original vision for Dickens

Heath has been realised and consider the lessons for planners. Among the topics for discussion will be the functionality of the ‘new’ village, including acknowledged shortcomings in parking and street design. “The fact that the main route through the village goes around the edge from a retail point of view is one of the reasons why there’s not as many shops there as people hoped,” Walsh explains. As an urban designer and transport planner, she is particularly interested in why masterplans often struggle to establish successful ‘movement’ in new settlements. “Links are so important – we often don’t get the basic streets right, and this is what interests me,” she says. “One of the issues with Dickens Heath is the relatively standard highway layout, which doesn’t really respond to how people want to park. “Because of where it is there is a high proportion of car ownership,” Walsh adds. “There’s not a genuine choice in terms of public transport even though it set out to be quite a sustainable settlement.” But any settlement is more than merely functional. The event will deliberately consider the “emotional response” to Dickens Heath, too. “Did the masterplan deliver a delightful place or is it just functional? If it’s not delightful, why not? What’s missing?” To produce masterplans that are more than simply technical documents, planners need to listen to a range of voices, says Walsh. Thus, the event will include contributions from residents of Dickens Heath and elected council members, as well as professional planners and developers. “We don’t want this to be just a technical exercise with planners, urban designers

Send feedback to editorial@theplanner.co.uk Tweet us @The Planner_RTPI

Emily Walsh: “The event will deliberately consider the ‘emotional response’ to Dickens Heath”

“LINKS ARE SO IMPORTANT – WE OFTEN DON’T GET THE BASIC STREETS RIGHT, AND THIS IS WHAT INTERESTS ME” and highways engineers going back and scratching their heads,” says Walsh. “We want to understand from the people that actually live there about what it’s like to live there.” The day will be punctuated by a split-group walking tour of the village, allowing attendees

to view the settlement close up. The groups will then reconvene for “a collaborative discussion which draws together a full set of conclusions” regarding the successes and pitfalls of the masterplan. This is where the real purpose of the day should emerge, says Walsh. “This is about place shaping and the role that masterplanning can play in creating great places, and the things that it perhaps doesn’t do terribly well. “It’s a question of how do we deliver really good places – and that’s very diﬃcult, because everywhere you look we’re doing masterplanning but we are not achieving this.”

D I C K E N S H E AT H M A S T E R P L A N What: The Dickens Heath Masterplan – what did it deliver in practice? Where: The Council Chamber, Council House, Solihull, B91 3QB When: 13 September 2016 Find out more and book: tinyurl.com/planner0716WM-1309

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DIARY

LISTINGS Talks, conferences, training, master classes – everything you need to keep on top of the latest thinking and developments in the planning world.

LONDON 6 July – Giving evidence at inquiries This masterclass will provide you with the tools and techniques to prepare properly for such a situation, present your evidence to the best of your ability at the inquiry and deal conﬁdently with crossexamination. Venue: Prospero House (etc Venues), 241 Borough High St, London SE1 1GA Details: www.tinyurl.com/ planner0716-LO-0607 7 July – Enforcement of planning decisions This brieﬁng and workshop will explore the issue of planning enforcement, including current national policy and practice, the impact of the planning enforcement fund and the issues that practitioners need to be aware of. Venue: The Hatton (etc Venues), 51-53 Hatton Garden, London Details: www.tinyurl.com/ planner0716-LO-0707

SOUTH EAST 8 July – Devolution: Revolution or evolution? Making it work for the beneﬁt of all The government has embarked on granting a series of devolved powers to combined local administrations, mostly city regions, with bids from parts of the South-East to participate. What are the implications for planners and politicians as such bids are successful, and what is needed to make it work? What resources and expertise will be available? Venue: Public Service Plaza, Civic Centre Road, Havant, Hampshire PO9 2AX Details: www.tinyurl.com/ planner0716-SE-0807 8 July – Planning Sans Frontieres 2016 In 1870, a 78-gun fort was constructed to defend the

city of Portsmouth from attack. In 2016, town planners from across the region will occupy the fort and try to gain victory in the biggest battle of all – PSF 2016! Venue: Peter Ashley Activity Centre, Fort Purbrook, Portsdown Hill Road, Portsmouth PO6 1BJ Details: www.tinyurl.com/ planner0716-SE2-0807

SOUTH WEST 8 July – Infrastructure – issues and impacts This conference will consider the lessons to be learnt from nationally signiﬁcant infrastructure projects, such as Hinkley Point, and the site-speciﬁc issues of wind energy and other construction projects. The ‘below ground’ impacts of mineral working and archaeological resources will also be considered. Reference will also be made to legal aspects, together with the experiences and legacy of projects in Bristol in its role as European Green Capital in 2015. Venue: At Bristol, Harbourside, Anchor Rd, Bristol BS1 5DB Details: www.tinyurl.com/ planner0716-SW-0807

EAST OF ENGLAND 15 July – Conference for councillors – East of England Key speakers have been invited to this annual conference to help inform delegates of current issues and good practice. It will be of real importance to councillors relatively new to planning, who may require training, as well as a refresher and update for longer established members. Venue: Suffolk Coastal District Council Offices, Melton Hill, Woodbridge, Suffolk IP12 1AU Details: www.tinyurl.com/ planner0716-EE-1507

DON’T MISS 2040: Where shall we all live? RTPI Yorkshire annual lecture & reception 2016 In the current housing crisis, what lessons can be drawn from the extensive housing review (The Lyons Review that Sir Michael led three years ago, and what more now needs to be done, especially in the north of England? The speakers will be Sir Michael Lyons, chairman of English Cities Fund & SQW Ltd, RTPI president Phil Williams, and Councillor Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council. The lecture is followed by Q&A session and regional awards presentations. Date: Thursday 28 July Venue: Civic Hall Banqueting Suite, Leeds LS1 1UR Details: www.tinyurl.com/planner0716-YO-2807

WEST MIDLANDS 21 July – The ‘Forgotten Rural’ of the West Midlands This workshop will examine how rural areas of the are key to planning in the West Midlands. Speakers will examine the diﬀerent areas in the West Midlands covering both resource planning (agriculture, forestry, energy, water and minerals) and countryside planning (housing, broadband, rural development, deprivation and aﬀordability). Venue: Harper Adams University, Edgmond, Shropshire TF10 8NB Details: www.tinyurl.com/ planner0716-WM-2107

YORKSHIRE 5 July – Transforming Castleford: Playing the long game This year’s RTPI Yorkshire seminar programme will be working with planning consultancies and local authorities in some of the smaller towns within Yorkshire. It will assess what has happened to the place over the past 50 years, and what has worked there, whilst also looking forward to the future. Venue: Castleford Civic Centre, Ferrybridge Road, Castleford WF10 4JH Details: www.tinyurl.com/ planner0716-YO-0507 13 July – Rural planning: Key issues and the green agenda This conference explores the key planning issues

for rural planning, notably the green agenda method for developing and implementing local sustainable development strategies, balance for rural connectivity and plans for transport, housing, green infrastructure and health. It will also reflect on the practical role of the Green Commission for sustainability. Venue: Stoddart Building, Sheffield Hallam University, Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 1WB Details: www.tinyurl.com/ planner0716-YO-1307

NORTH EAST 6 July – Diﬀerent scales, new solutions; Forward planning at the strategic and neighbourhood level and the implications of LPEG This seminar will explore the various strands of forward planning including evidence-base preparation, strategy, regulation and examination. There will be a wide range of speakers who have practical experiences to share on preparing local and neighbourhood plans and promoting sites through the forward planning system. It will focus on the practical skills and data needed to navigate the local planning system and an up-to-date policy and legal discussion for both the public and private sector planners. Venue: Centre for Life, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear NE1 4EP Details: www.tinyurl.com/ planner0716-NE-0607

14 July – YP Northern Powerhouse lunchtime event The Northern Powerhouse continues to be at the forefront of political, planning and infrastructure discussions in the North. The RTPI NE Young Planners Northern Powerhouse event will oﬀer a presentation followed by a panel discussion to include Jenny Chapman MP (MP for Darlington) and others from academia, local government and business. Venue: Newcastle University, Planning Exhibition Space, Claremont Tower, Newcastle NE1 7RU Details: www.tinyurl.com/ planner0716-NE-1407

SCOTLAND 19 July – Tour of Peter Pan Moat Brae House: Dumfries and Galloway Chapter Event Moat Brae, designed by Dumfries architect Walter Newall in 1823 for solicitor Robert Threshie, is a signiﬁcant property in the area, both as a private residence and as a private hospital/nursing home. It was also acknowledged by JM Barrie as an inspiration for Peter Pan. It was abandoned to neglect in the late 1990s and the Peter Pan Action Group was set up in 2009 with a vision for Moat Brae to be a place that promotes imagination, creativity and play. Venue: Peter Pan Moat Brae House, George Street, Dumfries DG1 1EA Details: www.tinyurl.com/ planner0716-SC-1907

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NEWS

RTPI {

RTPI news pages are edited by Josh Rule at the RTPI, 41 Botolph Lane, London EC3R 8DL

Becoming a Chartered Member from January 2017: new routes to membership launched Following an extensive review of the membership process by a working group of Chartered Members with a wide range of professional experience, we have launched the new routes to membership that will be in place from January 2017, as announced at June’s Planning Convention. As a working group, our attention in 2016 has been on producing the guidance needed to launch our streamlined routes. Member feedback during the 2015 consultation period was invaluable for shaping and developing proposals that reflect the different ways people come into the planning profession and enable all candidates, including those who gained qualifications and experience outside the UK, to demonstrate that they meet the high standards required for Chartered membership.

How will the routes to membership look from 2017? From January 2017 there will be three routes to Chartered membership. Though the destination is the same for all routes, the choice of route depends on candidates’ educational background and experience. All three routes are based on the established competencies of the Licentiate Assessment of Professional Competence. Licentiate Assessment of Professional Competence (L-APC) This route is unchanged: it is for those who graduated from a fully RTPIaccredited degree in 2005 or afterwards. To apply through this route, the ﬁrst step is to become a Licentiate straight after completing the course. Licentiates spend one to two years in that class, depending on their experience, before applying for Chartered membership. The L-APC builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding that graduates have acquired during their accredited qualiﬁcation. It is a structured process of

WORKING GROUP MEMBERS: Keith Thomas Tony Crook Janet Rangeley Iram Mohammed John McCarthy Wei Yang

work-based learning designed to assess their competence. Associate Assessment of Professional Competence (A-APC) This route already exists but will be modified – the modified route comes in from January 2017. This route is for those who do not have a fully RTPI-accredited degree. The first step is to become an Associate and from there gain at least a further two years’ experience in that class before applying for Chartered membership. The A-APC builds on the years of experience already gained, and the partial professional qualification of Associate membership. It assesses candidates’ competence in additional areas of knowledge, and ability to progress to the next step – Chartered membership. Experienced Practitioner Assessment of Professional Competence (EP-APC) This is a new competency-based route to enable experienced planning professionals to apply directly for Chartered membership. The EP-APC builds on the considerable skills, knowledge and understanding that a candidate has acquired over an extended period of time. This route provides a way for experienced planners from all over the world to become Chartered Members, providing more opportunities to widen and diversify the institute’s

future membership. This route includes an optional leadership competency for those who can demonstrate signiﬁcant strategic level spatial planning experience.

What else is changing? • Updated experience requirements will be in place from January 2017, including options for those undertaking the RTPI Town Planning Technical Support Apprenticeship and for those without a degree or other qualification (who will be able to use their additional experience to demonstrate how they meet the required standards). • Competencies will be introduced from January 2017 for those applying to become an Associate. These will be proportionate to the partial professional status of the class and not at the same level as required for Chartered membership. • From January 2017, the Affiliate class will be broadened to welcome those working in planning who are waiting to gather the experience they need to progress to another class. n For detailed guidance documents and experience requirements for new or modified routes: www.rtpi.org.uk/membership. Contact: Routes To Membership project manager catherine.middleton@rtpi.org.uk and Membership Team +44 (0)20 7929 9462

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Editorial E: rtpinews@rtpi.org.uk

RTPI (switchboard) T: 020 7929 9494

Registered charity no. 262865 Registered charity in Scotland SCO37841

3 POINT PLAN A planner explains how they would change the English planning system

Laura Emmerson, Principal transport planner WSP|Parsons Brinkerhoff VICE CHAIR OF THE RTPI TPS NETWORK Strategic Transport Planning plays a vital role in unlocking land to develop improved connectivity and change travel behaviour. More attention and investment should be afforded to this element of the planning process. Transport planning should not just be about managing the capacity of roads and achieving journey time savings. Training for existing and future planners should include a consideration of all the key stakeholders involved in the transport and highway sectors and appropriate tools to assist with infrastructure delivery. An appreciation of all modes and how they are best served is essential. The National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 32 specifies that “Development should only be prevented or refused on transport grounds where the residual cumulative impacts of development are severe”. The current definition is open to interpretation, which can lead to extended discussions, so a clearer, more workable policy would benefit all.

YOUR INSTITUTE, YOUR QUESTIONS What support can Planning Aid England provide for local planning authorities? WILL SPARLING, SENIOR PLANNING POLICY OFFICER

JOHN ROMANSKI, SENIOR PLANNING AID ENGLAND ADVISER Planning Aid England (PAE) has a remit to empower communities to take an active role in the planning system. Helping communities who want to get involved in shaping their areas reduces conflict between local planning authorities (LPAs) and their wider communities. PAE provides planning advice, supports communities engaged in neighbourhood planning, and works with local authorities to support local plan consultations. Earlier this year PAE assisted Mansfield District Council in its local plan consultation. Our volunteers participated in dropin sessions to give attendees independent advice. This reduced pressure on officers and increased understanding and trust in the community. Our free support to LPAs working with deprived communities means that groups often marginalised by the process can be brought into it – making for a truly inclusive local plan review.

1 Prioritisation of strategic transport planning to help create more sustainable, efficient growth, better communities and opportunities

2 More emphasis on specific training in transport planning and infrastructure delivery

3 Greater clarity with regard to defining ‘severe’ transport impacts

POSITION POINTS

GOVERNMENT WHITE PAPER ON UK HIGHER EDUCATION PUBLISHED ANDREW CLOSE MRTPI, HEAD OF CAREERS, EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Proposals on teaching excellence, social mobility and student choice at universities are now available. Student satisfaction scores will reward teaching and other training providers may enter the university market. Ten agencies will be streamlined into a research funding body and an ‘Oﬃce for Students’ to oversee education quality. The RTPI responded to last year’s consultation and highlighted our partnership board model as a key basis for professionally led quality assurance and standards setting, and questioned increased fee options. We will look at how government support for degree apprenticeships develops as we consider the feasibility of new study pathways.

n www.tinyurl.com/planner0716-knowledge-economy

MAKING BETTER DECISIONS FOR PLACES JOE KILROY, POLICY OFFICER

Decentralisation is an important national policy issue. City Deals and Devolution Deals have increased the visibility of the topic. The Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies at Newcastle University has weighed into the debate with Decentralisation: Issues, Principles And Practice, a report that translates academic research in this area into a series of recommendations for policymakers. The RTPI’s Making Better Decisions For Places also argues that policymakers should identify decisions with a primarily national impact and those with a primarily sub-national impact, and put in place governance arrangements to ensure eﬀective decisions can be made.

n www.tinyurl.com/planner0716-decentralisation www.tinyurl.com/planner0716-better-decisions

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NEWS

RTPI { RTPI ELECTIONS

Do you want to shape the future of the institute?

The following places will be subject to election this year. The elections are for a twoyear term (2017 and 2018)

SUSANNAH GLOVER, GOVERNANCE OFFICER The RTPI is holding its annual elections. Our strength comes from members’ involvement and we hope you will get involved by considering standing and using your vote in this year’s elections. We are looking for a range of different life and work experiences, diversity, a zest for new ideas, and a desire to make a contribution and a difference. It is important that the Board and General Assembly reflects its community, therefore we need a good balance of gender, age, skills, ethnicity and geographic diversity around the table. Involvement may also help your career development as you become actively involved with a body that enjoys a strong national and international reputation.

n Vice-President for 2017

(will become President in 2018) n Board of Trustees

Chair n Board of Trustees

Treasurer n Board of Trustees

Trustee representing Scotland n Board of Trustees

3 Chartered Members n General Assembly

PHIL WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT OF THE RTPI, SAID: “Being the president of the RTPI is an honour and a learning experience for me. I am enjoying every minute of it. It gives me the chance to apply my experience to help promote planning and the work of a prestigious professional body in the UK and overseas. At the same time, getting involved in the many issues facing the profession provides fresh perspectives to what I do every day. This two-way interaction is what makes being involved such as rewarding experience, and it applies to all the roles open in this year’s election.”

2 Technical Members n General Assembly

14 Chartered Members n General Assembly

3 Students or Licenciates n General Assembly

Legal Member/Legal Associate

Election timetable LUCY SEYMOUR BOWDERY, TRUSTEE FOR YOUNG PLANNERS, SAID: ‘I have gained a wealth of experience that I never would have thought possible at this early stage in my career. This includes board-level decision-making, public speaking and meeting an exciting and diverse range of people from the planning profession.’

Nominations: 27 June - 31 July Voting: 1 – 30 September Notify candidates of results: October Candidates asked to express interest in serving on a RTPI Committee for 2017: October

PAM EWEN, CORPORATE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEMBER 2016 17 , SAID: “Getting involved in the General Assembly is really rewarding. Not only do I enjoy helping shape the institute’s policy and business, but I have met many planners from across the UK. This has given me a deeper insight into how the issues in our profession unfold and how they impact planners diﬀerently.”

Induction for elected candidates: October/November

n More information www.rtpi.org.uk/about-the-rtpi/ governance/rtpi-elections/ RTPI governance oﬃcer, Susannah Glover susannah.glover@rtpi.org.uk 020 7929 8172

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RTPI Y ACTIVIT E PIPELIN Current RTPI work – what the Institute is doing and how you can help us MEMBERS’ VIEWS SOUGHT ON EDUCATION REVIEW The RTPI is gathering information and evidence in a review of its Policy Statement on Initial Planning Education including the type of accredited courses, learning outcomes and criteria to evaluate planning schools. For example, would a three-year undergraduate planning degree be suﬃcient to progress onto chartership rather than masters level? This follows discussion and recommendations from a memberled working group to the RTPI’s Education & Lifelong Learning Committee. The consultation runs from now until October. See www.rtpi.org.uk/educationreview. We will talk to universities, employers and graduates. A workshop for accredited planning schools will be held on 5 September in Cardiﬀ.

n Email comments on the proposals or other ideas to: educationreview@rtpi. org.uk

BOOK YOUR FREE STUDY TOUR AT THE YOUNG PLANNERS’ CONFERENCE IN BELFAST Four fascinating study tours have been organised at this year’s Young Planners’ Conference in Belfast on 14-15 October. The tours, which include some of Belfast’s most famous landmarks such as the prominent peace lines, Titanic Quarter, the culturally dynamic Cathedral Quarter and the World Heritage Site at the Giant’s Causeway, will offer delegates the opportunity to examine the challenges facing planners in this growing and dynamic region. Places are available to conference delegates on a first come, first served basis.

PAE NEWS

FOCUSING ON THE WORK OF PLANNING AID ENGLAND ROSSLYN STUART, DIRECTOR OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND DEVELOPMENT Planning Aid England (PAE) has been central to RTPI’s charitable activity for over 40 years, helping individuals and communities in need to engage with the statutory planning system. This unique public service is funded exclusively by the RTPI and run on limited resources, relying heavily on volunteers working with a small staﬀ team. We need to keep looking at how to deliver services that can add value in the most eﬃcient way. Planning Aid Direct – our free, public, independent and professional planning advice service, delivered until now through a telephone hotline, online resource, and bespoke casework support for those who are eligible – will always be at the heart of PAE’s work. But phone and online use patterns over the years have prompted a need to refocus and adjust resources to this free service. After a careful review, we have decided to implement a few changes, the outcome of which will be reviewed at the end of the year: b

We will respond to public need for more and better online resources by enhancing what we have. There will be more up-to-date guidance covering more planning topics available on our website, free to read and download and we will keep adding to our current c.200 items that receive 3,500 website hits each quarter. In particular, we will develop materials to address questions most frequently asked about development management and enforcement. Visit the library at: https://planningaid.zendesk. com/hc/en-us

The telephone hotline will be temporarily suspended from the end of July to allow us to better understand the real value of this service, the capacity of others providing something similar, and the potential for it to be developed in a more sustainable way.

We will continue to provide free planning advice by email to members of the public. If the query needs more extensive advice, and our eligibility criteria are met, an appropriately qualified volunteer will provide bespoke casework support, as is the current practice. With increasing pressure on the planning system to deliver more housing and economic growth, we are fully aware that now more than ever the public needs good information and advice. Local councils offer free advice, many of which still provide a ‘duty planner’ service, which is sometimes charged for. The Planning Portal (https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/) remains one of the most popular online resources for the public. For our part, we hope that the improvement to PAE’s service outlined above should reduce pressure on local authority staff, as well as better inform and support communities and individuals to engage in the planning system.

n View the programme and book your tickets now: http://rtpi.org.uk/events/ young-planners-conference-belfast-2016/

THE GEORGE PEPLER INTERNATIONAL AWARD SUBMISSIONS OPEN FROM EARLY JULY The George Pepler International Award is a bursary granted biennially to a person in their first 10 years of post-qualification planning experience who wishes to undertake a short period of study on a particular aspect of spatial planning. It is open to candidates living in the UK who wish to visit another country, and to overseas candidates wishing to spend some time in the UK for study purposes. The successful candidate will document their project through a blog, produce a short report and will be offered the opportunity to speak at the 2017 Young Planners’ Conference, as well as having their work publicised through The Planner magazine and social media. Submissions will open in eary July.

n Judging criteria and full application guidelines are available at: http://rtpi. org.uk/events/awards/george-pepler-international-award/ b

DO YOU HAVE THE SKILLS AND VISION TO HELP LEAD OUR INSTITUTE? We invite our members to get involved in shaping the future of the institute by putting themselves forward to be a new face on our Board or General Assembly. Elections for a number of posts take place each autumn, presenting all our members with a great opportunity to get more involved in the running of the institute on many different levels. Being a trustee or member of our GA is your chance to make a difference and influence the future direction of the RTPI. It is a challenging, but richly rewarding experience that will broaden your planning expertise and give you the opportunity to contribute to the big discussions, debates and decisions that affect the profession.

n For more information, and a list of the places subject to election this year, please visit www.rtpi.org.uk/about-the-rtpi/governance/rtpi-elections/

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INSIGHT

Plan B ge Chan ull' a m ' 'm o t

F Found d on a train t i – the th opening pening pages of what appears to be a new novel by spy author Ron le e Barré, about intrigue, doublecross and deception in the murky world of neighbourhood planning.*

Ita ta alilics - R le B

* Editor’s note: For those who pay attention to these things, the real spy author John le Carré has launched a broadside against planning as his contribution to the CPRE’s recently published 22 Ideas That Saved The English Countryside.

n The dead drop Tweet us @ThePlanner_RTPI 50

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