Is planning really the problem?

Planning Reform has been a main focus for the current government, particularly over the last couple of years as the Levelling up and Regeneration Act has been making its way through the parliamentary process.? There have been countless consultations and “adjustments” in relation to the planning system in the faint hope that this would lead to more efficient planning services and unlock national growth.? Rachel Reeves in her Mais lecture in March stated that “the planning system is the greatest obstacle to our economic success” and is “a barrier to opportunity, barrier to growth and barrier to home ownership”.? With so much responsibility and expectation being placed on the planning system for the future of the UK, Arup assembled a stellar cast of actors within the planning and development community at UKREiiF to explore the question – “is planning really the problem?”?

It was a rich discussion which explored many different aspects of the planning system – governance, funding, policy and skills.? There were many analogies drawn – “like trying to run a car without petrol (or electricity!)”, “like the NHS – too much being demanded of it” but there was a unanimous agreement that planning was not the only problem or inhibitor to economic growth and there were, indeed, areas for improvement.? There were many great points made.? Here is a sample:?

1. Planning has a bad rep – the planning system and planners particularly have been blamed unfairly for many of the wider negative issues related to growth.? This has led to many planners leaving the profession and a lack of young planners coming into the system.? It has also diverted attention from the more fundamental issues.??
2. Need for consistent policy and decision-making – it was felt that constant “tinkering” around the edges of planning policy was in fact, having the opposite effect of slowing down the planning process.? Government policy has been focused on the speed of planning determinations.? Government guidance in relation to Accelerated Planning Service states that its aims are to “provide a prompt service or your money back”.? It was agreed that what developers want is consistency and certainty. This requires clear policy and spatial frameworks at area, local authority, and cross –boundary levels that set out how places should develop and change over the long term. We need more planning, not less.??
3. A well resourced and skilled planning workforce – Local authority planning teams have been significantly affected by the wider issues in relation to local government funding.? Although a statutory service, planning has had to take its fair share of savings over many years.? This has led to a lack of resource and incredible pressure on local planning teams. While more government funding is needed, the private sector is willing to play its part through planning fees.??
4. Innovative solutions and bridging the viability gap on a place basis – great places are created when there are good and productive relationships between the private and public sector.? Examples were cited of areas where key developers have grouped together in one area with the planning service and agreed how to work together and agreed what level of resource was collectively required. With increases in build costs, interest rates, sustainability standards and expectations on developer funding of infrastructure there is a need for the public and private sectors to work together to address the viability gap facing both residential and commercial schemes.??
5. The solutions are in the sector – there are improvements – “key hole surgery” (to use another analogy from the session) that can be made. We need to stop asking the planning system to do so much; it should focus on supporting economic and housing growth, and creating great places. The solutions need to be discussed, identified, agreed and delivered by the various players in the system – together.

Thanks to everyone who joined us. We plan to contribute to the debate at this pivotal time for planning in the UK.?