Local plans

Planning policy helps to set out a vision at national, regional and local levels for shaping the places where people live, work and spend their leisure time, within the wider context of economic, social and environmental objectives.

Latest news

• Consultation on the Abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies extended, read statement from Baroness Hanham.
• The RTPI's President has called
  for action on local plan making.
• Final NPPF gives one year to produce conforming local plans. See para 214.
• Final Local Planning Regulations issued.

Policy changes and consultations

Royal Assent for the Localism Act was announced on 15 November 2011. It made changes to the way local plans are examined and introduced neighbourhood plans.

Read the RTPI's responded to the draft NPPF consultation: high level points and response to questionnaire.

Read the RTPI's response to consultation on: draft Local Planning Regulations.

New consultation. Strategic environmental assessment of the revocation of the East of England regional strategy - Environmental report: this environmental report is a consultation document on the likely significant environmental effects of revocation of the East of England Plan and the Regional Economic Strategy, which together form the regional strategy in force for the East of England. The consultation closes on the 20 September 2012.

Practice

• The latest good practice planning policy exemplars are available.

RTPI projects and research

• The policy paper Local Plan Delivery in England was published by the RTPI in June and details the RTPI’s initiative to encourage local plan maing.

Our viewpoint

We support forward planning and a plan led system. Forward planning is about mapping a future vision for a local area and allows planning decisions to be made on a rational basis in the public interest. Policies and proposals within a plan should be driven by community aspirations and a robust assessment of the evidence of need for development and the need to safeguard important assets. Many important aspects of social, economic and environmental policy have little variation between local areas and so it is right that some policies and standards should be set at a national or sub-national level. National policy also has a role in setting out national aspirations and commitments for such issues as housing, employment or waste recycling.

More information, events and CPD

• View our events calendar for upcoming RTPI events.
• Get involved: email policy@rtpi.org.uk.