Resourcing a New Planning System
Public Practice’s response to the Planning for the Future White Paper
Public Practice’s consultation response to the Planning White Paper focuses on skills and resourcing. This is because, in our experience, it is the people more than the policies that make the biggest difference to what is delivered on the ground. Good planners can work around an imperfect planning system, but a perfect planning system can’t work around a shortage of good planners.
We believe the White Paper has the potential to create better outcomes through planning, not necessarily as a result of legislative change, but by helping to transform the role of the public planner. But this will only happen if the new system is matched by a new national programme of investment to level up resourcing and enable planning authorities and communities to plan more proactively. This consultation response sets out seven steps towards building capacity for proactive planning:
- Create a new national investment programme to level up capacity
- Resource Authorities to produce design codes at speed and scale
- Establish a robust framework for public plans to be made in the public interest
- Present funding with a presumption in favour of building in house capacity
- Align new funding with new solutions for recruitment
- Set a mission for public planning to represent the diversity of the communities it serves
- Support public planners throughout their careers
Associated Resources:
Resourcing a New Planning System: Public Practice Capacity Building Survey Data 2020
Data / Planning
Resourcing a New Planning System: What does the planning department of the future look like?
Event Record / Planning
Other Related Resources:
Making Participation Happen: How can Authorities lay the foundations for meaningful public participation?
Practice Note / Communities
Community Consent: How should Authorities approach a resident ballot for estate regeneration?
Practice Note / Delivery
Fostering Design Culture: Design Charrette Facilitator Notes
Tool / People
Agile Procurement: Supporting transformation through data transparency
Case Study / People
Pathways to Climate Action: How can officers respond to the climate crisis within an Authority?
Practice Note / Climate
Engaging Members: An Introduction for Planning Committee Members
Guidance Note / People