Provision of adequate physical infrastructure such as public transport networks, roads, telecommunications and energy infrastructure is essential for underpinning urban development and has a major bearing on the wellbeing of the community.   

latest news

• Government sets out plans for transport
• The Government gave the go ahead to HS2 on the 10^th of January 2012.
• Read the RTPI’s response to the Government’s decision on  HS2.  
• The BBC report on proposals for a new Thames Estuary Airport.
• MPs from Kent have called for a meeting with the Prime Minister to discuss the proposals for the new airport. 

Policy changes and consultations

DfT: Devolving local major transport schemes: The Government has produced this consultation paper to take forward discussion about a new system for prioritising and funding local major schemes after the end of the current Spending Review period. The current system for prioritising major schemes is a competitive process, which was put in place in October 2010 to deliver an affordable programme of schemes left over from the previous Government’s Regional Funding Allocation. The Government now has the opportunity of designing a new system for the next Spending Review period. The RTPI date for comments on this consultation has now closed.

Read the RTPI's response to Community Infrastructure Levy: Detailed proposals and draft regulations for reform. Covering Letter & Response.  

Read the RTPI's response to High Speed Two (HS2).  

Practice

• An independent examiner has approved plan to raise money for Crossrail through CIL
• The latest good practice exemplars in infrastructure planning are available here.

Networks

The Development Planning Network is a virtual community of planning professionals with an interest or involvement in development planning. Join the Network.

The RTPI-TPS Transport Planning Network is a member-driven forum for transport planners and those with an interest in transport issues. Join the Network.

RTPI Projects and research

• The RTPI has been involved in a study undertaken into the issue of Peak Oil and the implications for spatial planning. 

Our viewpoint

The RTPI supports the provision of a wide range of physical infrastructure to support development and to provide for the quality of life of its users. We believe that the need to plan for major infrastructure projects should be fulfilled at the national level, with the wider aim of sustainable development. We also believe that infrastructure should be funded by the uplift of land value arising from development consent.

The regime for providing nationally significant infrastructure introduced by the 2008 Planning Act and the accompanying National Planning Policy Statements, is a major step forward in streamlining procedures for delivering much needed major infrastructure projects in the UK.

More information/events/cpd  

• Peak Oil: Developing a Cross-Discipline Agenda for Action, 02 May 2012, London, email: enquiries@templegroup.co.uk
• Transport and Development, 16 October 2012, London.
• View our events calendar for all forthcoming RTPI events.
• Get involved: email policy@rtpi.org.uk.

More planning topics.

Policy, Practice, Networks

Author:

PPN

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

30-Mar-11

Sections:

What Planning Does

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