The Vision: Sustainable Planning

05-Jan-07

Successful spatial planning is sustainable...

Sustainable planning integrates the objectives of:

  • economic development,
  • social justice and inclusion,
  • environmental integrity, and
  • integrated transport.

Sustainable planning consciously mediates between:

  • Short term social and economic benefits, and
  • Longer social and environmental needs.

 

There is often conflict between short term economic and social benefits and the longer term environmental and social implications arising from development. There is often no natural equilibrium between them. Spatial planning must offer a means to mediate consciously between these competing objectives.

The resolution of these matters will require:

  • Planning for the long term in order to effect the strategic shifts necessary to ensure change and to meet growing needs. As a corollary prudence requires us to take account of possible longer term consequences of action even where there is not yet unequivocal proof of adverse impacts. Planning decisions therefore cannot be based exclusively upon an open-ended presumption in favour of development.
  • Planning for the medium term to ensure the careful consideration of social inequalities and wise use of natural resources. This must be based upon social as well as economic and environmental assessments to enable development impacts and requirements to be considered over their whole life-span.
  • Planning for the short term, action orientated and responsive to changing circumstances and available opportunities, negotiating the directions of change set out in the longer term visions.

Spatial plans and planning must be integrated with delivery mechanisms, and include a genuine commitment to monitoring and review.

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Author:
Rynd Smith
Publisher:
The Royal Town Planning Institute
Date:
05-Jan-07
Categories:
Practice 

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