NEW GOVERNMENT TAKES OFFICE

A new Government has now been formed by the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. 

The future of the planning system has played an important role in the 2010 General Election, with each of the parties having significantly different views on what the system should look like.

Over the past twelve months we have had many meetings with each of the parties to try to influence their thinking ahead of the election, and throughout the campaign we were analysing what the different parties manifestos could mean for planning, and highlighting how RTPI members can get involved both during and beyond the election.

We will work with the new government to press our central message that the planning system is key to economic recovery. 

We have invited the new Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Eric Pickles MP to give the keynote address at the RTPI Planning Convention 2010 - ‘Planning – shaping the future’, taking place in London from 28th - 30th June 2010. This is likely to be the first major event at which the new Secretary of State will set out the Government's policies and way forward on planning, and so will be keenly anticipated by the planning sector.

THE RTPI'S MANIFESTO FOR PLANNING

This sets out what the Institute believes in and how it will seek to influence the next Government to ensure that the planning system is effective, responsive and fit for purpose; and importantly, that it delivers truly sustainable development. 

The manifesto has been developed by the RTPI Executive Board following in-depth discussion of principles by the General Assembly. It also takes account of extensive meetings over the past twelve months with the political parties.

Martin Willey, Chair of the Planning Policy and Practice Committee said:

“The RTPI’s Manifesto for Planning could not come at a more important moment. It is absolutely essential that the importance and value of planning is restated to an incoming government and that a clear view of what the profession stands for and seeks in the future is widely promoted. The Manifesto sets out the way forward for an effective and responsive planning system, and the Institute and its members are ready to play their key role in shaping economic recovery through the planning system, ensuring that development is sustainable and climate change proof.” 

• The full manifesto is available to download here - ‘Planning: Shaping the Future’.

A two page summary available, alongside the full manifesto. 

WHERE DO THE TWO GOVERNING PARTIES STAND ON PLANNING?

We have collated the declared policies relating to planning, housing, local government and the environment, and you can find below a short overview of each of the two parties' positions. 

CONSERVATIVE PARTY

The Conservative Party believes that 'Britain’s planning system is vital for a strong economy, for an attractive and sustainable environment, and for a successful democracy.' It sees the current system as unnecessarily centralised and bureaucratic and in need of a radical overhaul in order to promote the wider aims of a Conservative Government.

The guiding principle behind the Conservative future vision for planning is ‘localism.’ This means the abolishment of, what it sees as, undemocratic top-down structures like the Infrastructure Planning Commission, regional planning structures, including Regional Spatial Strategies and housing targets, and the power for the Planning Inspectorate to amend local plans. They have however endorsed a key RTPI ‘ask’, which is consolidating national guidance in a National Planning Framework.

They envisage a move towards a more bottom-up approach that gives decision making power back to local communities, through what they call ‘Open Source Planning’. Local communities will be able to specify what kind of development they want to see in their area into neighbourhood
plans, these would then be consolidated into a local plan. Developers will have to pay a tariff to the local authority to compensate the community for loss of amenity and costs of additional infrastructure. A portion of this tariff would be kept by the neighbourhood in which the development takes place, providing clear incentives for communities which go for growth. Communities would also be empowered to take over local amenities such as parks and libraries that are under threat and parents would be enabled to start new schools.

They have proposed amendments to the Use Classes Order, allowing a change use within a range allowed by the local plan without planning permission; a presumption in favour of sustainable development giving a right to build provided they conform to national standards and the local plan. The Conservatives think significant local projects, like new housing estates, should be designed through a collaborative process that has involved the neighbourhood. Immediate neighbours would have a new role with a faster approvals process for planning applications where neighbours raise no objections. They propose supporting the localism agenda by introducing a ‘Duty to Co-operate’ on local planning authorities and other public authorities.

Transport policies include opposition to a third runway at Heathrow. Instead Heathrow would be directly linked to the high speed rail network, connecting major cities across England, Scotland and Wales which the Conservatives have pledged to begin work on immediately.

A Conservative government would transform the energy network, based on a new smart grid allowing a huge increase in renewable power, and greater choice for consumers. They would take steps to encourage new low carbon energy production, including clearing the way for new nuclear power stations, supporting the development of a new generation of offshore wind power, and establishing at least two Marine Energy Parks. They would also give local authorities the power to establish new district heating networks which use low carbon fuels.

The Conservatives would produce a White Paper on protecting the natural environment, including a focus on restoring habitat, pioneering a new system of conservation credits to protect habitats. The Green Belt protection, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, National Parks, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and other environmental designations which protect the character of the country’s landscape would be maintained.

To cope with the increased risk of flooding associated with climate change, the findings of the Pitt Review to improve flood defences would be taken forward, and unnecessary building in areas of high flood risk would be prevented.

• Overview of relevant sections to planners from the Conservative manifesto
• The Conservative Manifesto

• Conservative planning policies
• Conservative localism policies
• Conservative housing policies
• Conservative climate change and energy policies
• Conservative transport policies

LIBERAL DEMOCRAT PARTY

In their manifesto, the Liberal Democrats state that they want to build an economy that is based on innovation and sustainability, where the infrastructure the country needs is in place for individuals and businesses to thrive. Like the Conservative proposals, many of the Liberal Democrats policies have a focus on strengthening the role of local communities, with the party stating that ‘local people and families know best about how things should be done in their area.’ Politics would be decentralised so that local people have the powers and the funding to deliver what they want for their communities. In part, this would be achieved through the implementation of the Sustainable Communities Act Amendment Bill, which gives local communities the right to propose actions in their area to improve sustainability.

They plan to give control to local communities on planning issues by giving greater control over what is built in their area, by giving the power to appeal against planning applications where an authority has given approval. This will be done via introducing a ‘Third Party Right of Appeal’ in cases where planning decisions go against locally agreed plans.

They plan to ‘cut back central government’, abolish the Infrastructure Planning Commission and scrap regional spatial strategies and regional house-building targets, along with reforming Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) to focus solely on economic development, removing duplication with other parts of government.

The Liberal Democrats state that there is a shortage of affordable housing in rural areas which needs to be addressed, and so they would introduce a new planning use class for second homes, so that communities and councils can control the number of homes given over to holiday-makers as well as promoting schemes for affordable homes.

The Liberal Democrats have announced a number of policies relating to climate change. They say they aim for a ‘Zero carbon Britain’ and will ‘raise the requirements of building regulations further to ensure that all new homes are energy efficient’; ‘launch a massive programme of investment in renewable energy sources’ and ‘instil a new urgency into the drive to adapt to the consequences of climate change, in particular by improving management of water resources and by enhancing flood defences.’ Make sure every new home is fully energy efficient by improving building regulations. Alongside this they would bring 250,000 empty homes back into use with cheap loans and grants.

They are committed to introducing VAT on new build homes, with the eventual intention of equalising VAT rates on new build and repair and refurbishment.

A target for 40 per cent of UK electricity to come from clean, non-carbon-emitting sources by 2020, rising to 100 per cent by 2050 is proposed; and an assurance that at least three-quarters of this new renewable energy comes from marine and offshore sources. Supporting this would be a transformation of the electricity network into a dynamic grid that can better connect and integrate new, clean energy technologies. The Liberal Democrats is the only major party to reject a new generation of nuclear power stations.

The Liberal Democrats would introduce a new strategy to halt the loss of habitats and species and restore biodiversity by 2020; and create a new designation, similar to Site of Special Scientific Interest status to protect green areas of particular importance or value to the community. They would aim to double the UK’s woodland cover by 2050. Open space in urban areas would be protected by the closure of loopholes that allow playing fields to be sold or built upon without going through the normal planning procedures and stop ‘garden grabbing’ by defining gardens as greenfield sites in planning law. Major new housing developments would be stopped in major flood risk areas.

• Overview of relevant sections to planners from Liberal Democrat manifesto
• The Liberal Democrat Manifesto

• Liberal Democrat local government policies
• Liberal Democrat housing policies
• Liberal Democrat transport policies
• Liberal Democrat energy and climate change policies

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