3rd June 2010

Hot on the heels of the General Election, leading planning and housing charity, the Town and Country Planning Association, today publish ‘The Future of Planning report: Distilling the TCPA roundtable debates'. The report is being launched at the Association's national conference in London, Making Planning Work - a new agenda for future settlements. Using the debate sparked by the general election, it examines key themes around planning which emerged from five TCPA cross-sector roundtable debates held in the spring, and proposes a series of important recommendations on the way forward.

TCPA Chief Planner, Dr Hugh Ellis said:

"The TCPA believes that reform of the planning system must be based on principles which command broad support. Today, there is wide agreement that change is needed, but as yet no clear view on what the new system should look like. ‘The Future of Planning report' begins an important series of debates that need to take place before major reforms are introduced. It reminds us to reflect on planning's explicitly radical and progressive founding principles, which had social justice at their heart. In preparing new legislation, we urge that the coalition Government should build a new consensus around the principles to underpin reforms and start an open dialogue with local communities across the country, business, investors and professionals, to agree these principles.  Failure to do so could lead to reforms which could have potentially devastating impacts on our economy, on our communities and on our environment."

"The TCPA is also profoundly concerned that Government's proposal to abolish regional planning will destroy a valuable mechanism for making essential strategic investment decisions. Unless transitional arrangements are set out and some form of strategic planning is established the abandonment of regional planning risks undermining the nation's efforts to promote economic growth, respond to the demand for new housing, and to mitigate and adapt to climate change."

This timely conference has expert speakers from across the private, public and voluntary sector discussing the key themes from the roundtable debates: housing, strategic planning, climate change, community empowerment and the guiding principles for planning. In addition to ‘The Future of Planning report', the TCPA will also be setting out what it believes are the core principles for consideration in beginning the dialogue between the coalition Government, local communities and relevant cross-sector professions. 

TCPA Chief Executive Kate Henderson said:

"Good planning creates confidence, reduces costs, and supports investment. It enables economic growth, helps to meet local housing needs, and addresses the challenges of climate change. Today, planning is not doing this as well as it should. As recognised by Government, reforms are necessary to ensure that local plans reflect the needs and aspirations of every community, while supporting economic recovery. The TCPA has developed four principles for consideration to guide the reform process: responsible localism, a national spatial framework, strategic planning and incentives for growth.  We are now inviting a wide range of organisations with a stake in effective planning to join our "Making Planning Work" coalition to develop these principles. In the words of Ebenezer Howard, who founded the TCPA over a century ago, we hope these principles will provide a "peaceful path for real reform", with social and environmental justice at its heart.  We also welcome dialogue with Government about these principles."

The TCPA is extremely grateful to all those who contributed their time and feedback to the cross-sector roundtable discussions which informed ‘The Future of Planning report' and the TCPA statement, ‘Making Planning Work: a peaceful path to real reform'  which sets out the principles for consideration. In particular we would like to extend our thanks to No 5 Chambers, Ropemaker Properties Ltd, Accord Housing Association and Swan Housing Association who have generously supported the Making Planning Work - a new agenda for future settlements conference.

The conference will be followed by the TCPA's AGM and the 2010 Sir Frederic J Osborn Lecture, which will be delivered by the world renowned TCPA President, Professor Sir Peter Hall. Sir Peter will be sharing his thoughts on creating sustainable communities and decent homes for generations to come. The TCPA is very grateful to the Lady Margaret Patterson Osborn Trust for supporting this event.