Strategic Planning

Securing Resources for Joint Plans

2022-01-12T09:24:36Z

Hello all – I am interested in hearing from those of you that are/have been involved in producing joint plans among 2 or more LPAs. The specific ‘ask’ is whether anyone has created a means (e.g. an MOU) to ‘secure’ a level of input from participating individual councils. I appreciate that many of these plans will have relied on general commitments to ‘work together’, but I just wondered if anyone has gone a little further to secure a minimum level of commitment – e.g. minimum committed amounts of time which each authority’s Planning Policy Team (or individual officers as appropriate) will dedicate to the preparation of the joint plan? Thanks.

Legal basis for strategic plans and joint spatial plans?

2019-08-09T10:36:39Z

Dear all,

I am currently doing some work on local plan coverage in England. Besides local plans I also look at plan documents a step above local plans.

So I came across plans, such as the greater Exeter Strategic Plan

"The Greater Exeter Strategic Plan will be a new formal statutory document, providing the overall spatial strategy and level of housing and employment land to be provided in the period to 2040. When adopted, it will sit above Local Plans for each area which will continue to be prepared to consider local level issues. Neighbourhood Plans will also be promoted so communities can continue to be empowered to make the detailed planning decisions for the benefit of their area." (https://www.gesp.org.uk/overview/)

or the West of England joint spatial plan.

Unfortunately, the NPPF lacks a definition for "strategic plans" or joint spatial plans.

I know that Local Plans as Local development documents are listed in the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004, and the basis of the London Plan or the Greater Manchester Spatial Framework.

Also the NPPF lists the following definitions in the glossary:

Strategic policies: Policies and site allocations which address strategic priorities in line with the requirements of Section 19 (1B-E) of the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004.

Strategic policy-making authorities: Those authorities responsible for producing strategic policies (local planning authorities, and elected Mayors or combined authorities, where this power has been conferred). This definition applies whether the authority is in the process of producing strategic policies or not.

Therefore I know who can prepare strategic policies or who are the strategic policy making authorities.

As the NPPF more or less just refers to Local Plans, which can be prepared as Joint Plans by multiple local authorities and have to include strategic policies.

BUT I struggle to find proper definitions and a legal basis for things as these "strategic plans"or joint spatial plans.

Can anyone of you direct me in the right direction?

many thanks

5 year housing land supply

2019-05-28T15:28:10Z

Hi,

Has anyone managed to get a developer to sign a standalone Statement of Common Ground in respect of their 5 year housing land supply as suggested by the PPG (Paragraph 036 (Reference ID: 3-036-20180913) that is not also part of a Local Plan EIP?

We have got a s78 appeal coming up in July and it would be really helpful to see what other people's experience is. Thanks in advance!

Jo Bozdoganli

Development Planning and Policy Team Leader

Stratford-on-Avon District Council

Strategic Planning Committee at East Devon

2019-04-25T14:30:48Z

Thanks for starting this forum. We have some serious strategic masterplans at our Committee and the pull between Developer microplans, resident views, employer wishes and Officer silos is very evident. We started the Committee 2 years ago with the result that Planning decisions at our Development Management Committee became focused on individual site decisions

In contrast Strategic Management Committee decided on major plans such as the Masterplans for Axminster town or the major extension to our new town of Cranbrook. We looked at any policy changes including Supplementary Planning Documents on village development. We changed the CIL rates. We commissioned major studies on Employment Land and life-stage housing requirements. We reinforced policies on affordable and accessible homes.

so with both Committees working hard and an overlap of Councillors on both Committees, it seems Strategy can work very effectively in harmony with Planning delivery.

Other Council's like to take strategic decisions at Cabinet level. We prefer to spread the numbers of people involved including opposition, go for greater transparency, but accept that more of us get the blame if things go wrong..

Welcome to Strategic Planning on Khub!

2019-04-09T14:18:20Z

I had been hoping that someone else would start this off but given my remit at PAS (its Strategic Planning) it seems that I should!

I was given the incentive to do this last week when I saw a presentation by Victoria Hills (RTPI) who said that said Strategic Planning was back ‘in vogue’. It’s safe to say nothing I have ever done or been involved in has been considered as that before. I love that description and I guess it was always going to come back round, just without mentioning the R word.

Please use this forum to ask Officers from other LPA’s and PAS any questions you have and share your ideas and areas of good practice.