Knowledge

Environmental assessment / sustainability appraisal

The UK planning system has a long and respected tradition of helping to shape the places where people live and work within the context of wider economic, social and environmental objectives.

Latest news

Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology publish note on biodiversity and planning (including EcIA). The note provides a useful overview of best practice in England, including biodiversity offsetting.
Natural England release first suite of National Character Area Profiles. England is divided into 159 natural areas defined as a combination of landscape, biodiversity, geodiversity, culture and economic activity. The first tranche of written profiles have been released with the project to be completed in January 2014.
Northern Ireland revises its EIA planning advice. Changes made to align guidance with regulations that came into force in March 2012.
Growth and Infrastructure Bill could influence future EIA practice. Proposals include limiting the type of information requested and major projects to be determined within a 12-month time period. But the Bill is yet to pass through the House of Lords.

Policy changes and consultations

View all RTPI open consultations and make a contribution.

Practice and events

2 May 2013 – Ely, Cambridgeshire: A one day conference on Town Planning and Population organised as a joint venture between the RTPI East of England and the British Society for Population Studies (BSPS) to discuss the potential and principles of demographic modelling for planners.

Our viewpoint

We promote a planning system that balances short-term needs with longer term social, economic and environmental objectives including the need to be resilient, to reduce impacts on climate change and to adapt to its consequences.