Last week, as voters went to the polls across England, the nation’s housing crisis sat firmly on the agenda. But, while some results across England showed that citizens are hungry for change, some, like recently re-elected mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, note continued challenges. “People can see things are broken and they are losing faith that any politicians can fix them,” wrote Burnham in The Guardian.
Missed targets for housing and politically motivated decisions on local developments are slowing down affordable housing and sustainable development, and leaving communities with little confidence that politicians can truly help them in their areas. As some struggle to get on the housing ladder, others worry that new homes will put too much strain on their local infrastructure.
The UK’s planning system is the primary means by which the public decides how land is used. If we want to create areas that work for everyone, we must seize the opportunities created by these recent elections to ensure our system is being used for the good of everyone.
To do this, newly elected councillors in England must work closely with planners to prioritise the needs of their communities and ensure that planning decisions are based on evidence and expertise, rather than political agendas.
To enhance the collaboration between politicians and planners in local authority, we’re asking all councillors to sign up to our Politicians In Planning Network (PiPN) newsletter, a valuable resource designed to facilitate informed decision making in local planning matters.
PiPN was established in 2021 to bridge the gap between politicians and planners. The newsletters have proven instrumental in informing and empowering councillors to make well-informed decisions that benefit our communities.
If you’re a planner working for a local authority, I strongly encourage you to forward the link to the PiPN newsletter to the newly elected councillors once they resume duties. By offering a platform for sharing insights, best practices, and updates on planning policies and initiatives and engaging with newly elected representatives, we can ensure they are equipped to contribute effectively to local planning decisions.
