Plan-Making Getting a Local Plan in place is a priority for planning authorities. An adopted Local Plan provides a framework for delivering the development necessary for future prosperity, provides the context for the preparation of neighbourhood plans and reduces the risk of local authorities having to defend their areas against inappropriate development. The Local Plan is central to delivering the spatial strategy and vision for an area and for promoting sustainable communities. Preparing sound Local Plans based on realistic but aspirational visions which effectively guide community development over the longer-term represents a significant challenge, not least in an era of constrained public sector expenditure and changes to the planning system. URS has unrivalled expertise in strategic planning and we can assist local authorities in negotiating the complexities of the plan-making process and prepare sound plans for managing future development and change.
WHY URS? URS is a leading global integrated services provider. We are at the forefront of Local Plan-Making and have supported over 100 local authorities on plan-making assignments in recent years. We have developed expertise across all aspects of the plan-making process - from scoping and robust evidence based production, to stakeholder engagement, appraisal and optioneering, to plan production, design, delivery, adoption, monitoring and overall project management. URS has been retained by the Planning Advisory Service (PAS) since 2007 to advise local authorities on key aspects of plan preparation. To date, we have worked with over 80 local authorities through a combination of training workshops, document review and critical friend services. Particular areas of support include whole plan viability, training for Elected Members and reviews of emerging Local Plans. URS has 59 Members of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and our consultants are at the forefront of spatial
planning, particularly Local Plan preparation. Our planning expertise has led to several key awards including RTPI Planning Consultancy of the Year 2009 and Best for Impact Assessment and Planning at the 2011 Edie Awards for Environmental Excellence. URS is also the sole consultancy firm to hold the position of Corporate Fellow of the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA).We work with the TCPA to advise Government and local authorities on applying Garden City principles to contemporary developments. In partnership with Locality, URS is also a member of the Neighbourhood Planning Consortium funded by CLG, providing advice and support to Neighbourhood Forums, front-runners and parish Councils around the country.
ALTHOUGH THERE ARE CHANGES TAKING PLACE IN THE PLANNING SYSTEM – AND MORE MAY COME – THE MAIN PRINCIPLES OF GOOD PLAN-MAKING REMAIN THE SAME: A PLAN-LED SYSTEM, ROOTED IN SOUND EVIDENCE AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT - PAS (2012).
As a multidisciplinary consultancy, our planners are able to call on specialists from a wide range of related disciplines, from air quality and archaeology to waste and water resources management. Our emphasis is on providing clear recommendations which can feed directly into policy development and so help ensure a sound plan. Examples of the numerous influential studies that we have undertaken include analyses of spatial growth options for Nottingham and Harlow and an Area Action Plan in inner city Hull.
URS EXPERTISE Our experience and expertise can be summarised around the following key plan making stages:
Engagement Community participation events Stakeholder workshops Neighbourhood planning Bespoke charrette and planning for real exercises
Production & Delivery
Strategic environmental assessment Sustainability appraisal Equality impact assessment Health impact assessment Habitat regulations assessment Urban and rural proofing
ence + Optio ns
G KI
P
Visioning and objective setting Options generation and policy development Project management (by RTPI and PMI accredited professionals) Soundness review and critical friend Community infrastructure levy, planning obligations and funding advice Specialist representation at EiP Masterplanning and urban design frameworks Plan design and production Design guidance Graphic design Plan monitoring
P
N
uctio
A
agement
LAN
Eng
n + Deliv e
ry
id Ev
M
Community infrastructure levy delivery and feasibility testing Ecosystems services assessments Employment land reviews Green belt reviews Infrastructure delivery plans Neighbourhood Planning Place Analysis (using Oikos - an in-house tool developed by URS) Open space and green infrastructure studies Renewable and low carbon energy studies Strategic flood risk assessments and site-specific flood risk assessments Strategic housing land availability assessments Growth studies and assessments Surface water management plans Transport assessments Viability assessments Water cycle studies
Appraisal
rod
Evidence
Appraisal
ADDITIONAL CONSULTANCY SERVICES As a multidisciplinary consultancy, we provide a wide range of other services including: Local economic development strategies Urban design and masterplanning
Environmental impact assessment Sustainable design
Development management Site promotion and development advice
Transport planning Structural and civil engineering
GOVERNMENT
OIL & GAS
INFRASTRUCTURE
POWER
INDUSTRIAL
For further information please contact our Local Plan and plan making specialists: Tony Batten (London and SE) Tel. +44 (0)20 7821 4287 tony.batten@urs.com
Š 2013 URS Corporation
George Whalley (South West) Tel. +44 (0)117 917 1212 george.whalley@urs.com
Paul Tomlinson (Midlands) Tel. +44 (0)121 214 8211 paul.tomlinson@urs.com
Alan Houghton (North) Tel. +44 (0)161 237 6047 alan.houghton@urs.com