Planning Tools: The Development Plan

1. Planning Tools: The Development Plan Sara Dilmamode, Citiesmode & Andrew Barry-Purssell, Westminster City Council

2. Urban planning consultancy Research Training / Implementation of new systems (digital) City Plan/ strategic evidence and policy development

3. I am a RUPSIE! BA Geography, LSE Masters in urban and regional planning, LSE Started at GVA, public sector for 12 years Southwark Council, Tower Hamlets Council, Westminster) then private practice for last three years. Re-joined Westminster as Lead Spatial Planning Advisor in January 2018

4. Development Plan as a ‘tool’ • What is the the development plan for how is it prepared? • What are some of the challenges in making a development plan? • A practical perspective from Andrew Barry- Purssell • Tools for creating a development plan

5. What is the role of a the development plan?National planning policy places Local Plans at the heart of the planning system, so it is essential that they are in place and kept up to date. Local Plans set out a vision and a framework for the future development of the area, addressing needs and opportunities in relation to housing, the economy, community facilities and infrastructure – as well as a basis for safeguarding the environment, adapting to climate change and securing good design. They are also a critical tool in guiding decisions about individual development proposals, as Local Plans (together with any neighbourhood plans that have been brought into force) are the starting-point for considering whether applications can be approved. It is important for all areas to put an up to date plan in place to positively guide development decisions.National Planning Practice Guidance

7. How is a local plan developed?National planning policy sets clear expectations as to how a these Development Plans – or Local Plans - must be developed Conformity with national planning policy - and the plans it sits underEvidence Sustainability appraisal Housing targets and trajectoryDuty to cooperate statement  new: statement of common groundConsultationInfrastructure delivery planSimilar – but not the exactly the same - process for neighbourhood plans

8. There are clearly defined legal steps to prepare a plan Direction of travel/ issues and options and sustainability scoping report [Often: Preferred options/ Draft Plan and assessment of alternative options for the sustainability appraisal] **Submission Draft ** (and sustainability appraisal) [Usually - any proposed modifications before examination] Examination and then Examiners report [Any modifications before adoption] Subject to the examiners report, with ‘adoption’ by a meeting of the full council Similar – but not the exactly the same - process for neighbourhood plans

9. A draft development plan has to pass a testIt is ‘tested’ these through a public local examination process. A local planning authority should submit a plan for examination which it considers is “sound” – namely that it is:Positively prepared – the plan should be prepared based on a strategy which seeks to meet objectively assessed development and infrastructure requirements, including unmet requirements from neighbouring authorities where it is reasonable to do so and consistent with achieving sustainable developmentJustified – the plan should be the most appropriate strategy, when considered against the reasonable alternatives, based on proportionate evidenceEffective – the plan should be deliverable over its period and based on effective joint working on cross-boundary strategic prioritiesConsistent with national policy – the plan should enable the delivery of sustainable development in accordance with the policies in the Framework

10. Simple? Reality: It is simply complex Local Plans can take about 5 years to produce (some up to 10+)

11. Multiple purposes and multiple users

12. Documents/ Policies most used by…Developers – and their agents (architects and planning consultants)Major developers SME developersHouseholdersCouncil officers – Development ManagementSpecific / defined use related to planning applications

14. Who else uses the plan for and what for?

15. Council (not just planning) – expression of spatial development prioritiesInfrastructure providers – to assess likely demand and feed in where additional infrastructure is neededNeighbouring authoritiesResidents and businesses

16. Multiple purposes and multiple users - with different objectives between these groups of plan users Developers Council and Development Management Planners Infrastructure providers Business (of different sizes) Communities – residents – but also interest groups Future people!

17. Different objectives at different levels of government/ plan making National planning policy framework (London Plan) Local Plan Neighbourhood plan

18. Different timelines of planning documents Different planning policies being updated at different times National planning policy framework (London Plan) Local Plan Neighbourhood plan

19. And different timelines of infrastructure providers Different timelines of different agencies Local Plan 20/ 25 years Versus Infrastructure plans on 5 years cycles and subject to service delivery changes

20. The economic cycle and the local economic development context Different points in the development cycle – viability of policies – and the inevitable lag between market conditions and policies Spatial variances between but also within plan areas.

21. The challenges in practice Andrew Barry-Purssell

22. Multiple purposes and multiple users - with different objectives between these groups of plan users Different objectives at different levels of government/ plan making Different timelines of planning documents/ infrastructure delivery plans The economic cycle and the local economic development context

23. The response? 1. Multiple users – different objectivesDrafting the policies - with the audience in mind – which means understanding their priorities Clear spatial strategy which is driven by the evidence but in which people can identify their priorities or at least understand why they may not always have been reflectedIt also means understanding the way users use the plan in very practical terms – UX

24. The response? 2. Different objectives at national/ local/ regional levelAcceptance - planning is political Good place making is good place making3. Different timescales4. Economic varianceNot waiting for certainty or for all of the plans to line up or for the economy to improveA spatial strategy with flexibility and that is realistic and has a plan B Radical economic shifts will demand a new plan

25. The response? New Tools for Development Plan making?Future Cities Catapult

26. Thank you!