Delivering Sustainable

Communities through

Spatial Planning

Patrick Akindude

Local Development Frameworks

Communities and Local Government

2

Key messages

The goal is sustainable development;

A strong, healthy, just society

Living within environmental limits

A sustainable economy

Promoting good governance

PPS1 sets out key principles

3

A vision of place – Sustainable Community

Strategies and Local Development Frameworks

4

Core Strategy

The Core Strategy isn’t just a planning document, it is the

vision of what a local authority wants to achieve, linked to

the Sustainable Community Strategy, expressed in spatial

terms.

It brings together the land, infrastructure and capital

investment needs for key services / outcomes over the long

term including housing, education, health, transport,

economic development etc

Other Development Plan Documents set out more detail for

action areas or specific themes where necessary

5

New PPS12

Timely delivery of DPDs Spatial planning at the heart of

local authority strategy

formation

6

Changes to the 2004 Regulations

Improved consultation arrangements

• Single Regulation requiring authority to• a) consider who should be involved in the preparation of DPD• b) take steps they consider appropriate to involve them

• Reversal of Order of Representationsand Submission

• Publish DPD and invite reps (Reg 27)local authority expected to publish the plan at this stage which they intendto submit (ie they think it is sound)

• Representations Procedure (NOT consultation) (Reg 28)

• Conformity with RSS (Reg 29)

• Submission to Secretary of State (Reg 30)

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PPS12

Strategic sites

in core strategies

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PPS12

Infrastructure planning

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Frontloading a Development Plan

Document

Community and stakeholders must be involved from the start

• link work with Sustainable Community Strategy

• establish evidence base – with input from stakeholders

who have the specialist knowledge/data

Work up options in consultation with the community and

stakeholders

• Invite comments about the content of the plan from

“specific” and “general” consultation bodies and those

resident or carrying out business in the area, in line with

the Statement of Community Involvement (or the

Regulations where there is no SCI yet)

10

Frontloading a Development Plan

Document

Ensure developers’ and other proposals are made

early – also show how investment decisions

from infrastructure and service deliverers are

being aligned through the core strategy

Carry out Sustainability Appraisal, including

preparation of Sustainability Appraisal Report

11

collaboration with service providers

Development management section

Other parts of the local authority

Transport authorities and operators

Statutory undertakers

Organisations responsible for health, education, social and

community facilities

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collaboration with service providers

Early and continuous engagement rather than consultation on proposals

Understanding the organisation, what it does and how it works

Identifying individuals and investing in creating partnerships

Find out what others feel the LDF can do for them

Use interactive sessions where service providers get together

13

Community Infrastructure Levy (Oct 09?)

CIL will be simple standard charges, to support the

delivery of planned infrastructure.

CIL will apply to all new residential and commercial

development for which planning permission is granted,

subject to a low de minimis threshold.

The CIL will, where appropriate, supplement negotiated

planning agreements. Negotiated agreements will need

to address site-specific matters, including the provision

of affordable housing.

The CIL would be based on a costed assessment of the

infrastructure requirements arising from the

development contemplated by the development plan for

the area, taking account of land values.

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Community Infrastructure Levy

The CIL will build on the current system of planning

obligations. Some local authorities have already been

pioneering tariff arrangements and standard charges.

It will make it much simpler for local authorities to

secure funding for the cumulative impact of

development on the need for community infrastructure.

CIL policies will be tested in consultation with

developers, stakeholders and the community to ensure

they support the viability of new development and

levels of new housing required.

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Conclusions

Sustainable development should be the overarching aim.

The revised planning process provides local authorities with

greater flexibility and less regulation

Revised policy (PPS12) provides sharper focus on the key

messages, in particular the importance of the core strategy

and of making key decisions early

This needs much more effective and early engagement with

all key delivery stakeholders. Must not wait until S106!

This is a 2-way process. Co-ordination of plans is very

important. If timing cannot be aligned, then all the more

reason for involving key partners. Local authority planners

are key partners!