In England, spatial planning is undertaken at the national level, through the
National Planning Policy Framework
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is a land-use planning policy in the United Kingdom. It was originally published by the UK's Department of Communities and Local Government in March 2012, consolidating over two dozen previously is ...
. The London region is the only one to have a statutory
London Plan
The London Plan is the statutory spatial development strategy for the Greater London area in the United Kingdom that is written by the Mayor of London and published by the Greater London Authority.
The regional planning document was first pu ...
. Most planning functions are exercised by local authorities, with
neighbourhood planning also taking place in some areas.
National planning
Since March 2012 there has been a consolidated
National Planning Policy Framework
The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is a land-use planning policy in the United Kingdom. It was originally published by the UK's Department of Communities and Local Government in March 2012, consolidating over two dozen previously is ...
.
Regional planning
Regional planning in England was undertaken for each of the nine
regions
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
. Although some coordination of central and local government activities existed from the 1960s onwards, it only had a statutory basis between the 1990s and 2010.
[Glasson, J. & Marshall, T., ''Regional Planning'', (2007)]
Recognisable cases of regional planning emerged in England during the 1920s as urban growth increasingly overrode boundaries of local authorities, which in several cases found cause to cooperate over common planning issues. In the later stages of the Second World War the government fostered significant plans for Greater London and the West Midlands in particular, preparing for post-war reconstruction. More significant elements of regional development and economic planning began to be established in England from the mid-1960s onwards.
[Paul N. Balchin and Luděk Sýkora, ''Regional Policy and Planning in Europe'', Routledge, 1999]
pp.89-100[ Urlan Wannop, ''Regional Imperative: Regional Planning and Governance in Britain, Europe and the United States'', Routledge, 2002]
pp.8-30 In most of the standard regions, Economic Planning Councils and Boards were set up, comprising appointed members from local authorities, business, trade unions and universities. Associated with projections of large national population growth and following tensions over urban expansion between the large cities and their surrounding counties, in the early 1970s there were produced a number of regional and sub-regional planning studies.
[ The government-sponsored regional institutions continued to operate until abolished by the incoming ]Conservative government Conservative or Tory government may refer to:
Canada
In Canadian politics, a Conservative government may refer to the following governments administered by the Conservative Party of Canada or one of its historical predecessors:
* 1st Canadian Mi ...
in 1979. However, by the mid-1980s continuing urban growth and allied difficulties caused local authorities in most regions to establish standing conferences to consider regional planning issues. Regional initiatives were bolstered by the 1986 Government Green Paper
In the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth countries, Hong Kong, the United States and the European Union, a green paper is a tentative government report and consultation document of policy proposals for debate and discussion. A green paper represen ...
and 1989 White Paper
A white paper is a report or guide that informs readers concisely about a complex issue and presents the issuing body's philosophy on the matter. It is meant to help readers understand an issue, solve a problem, or make a decision. A white pape ...
on ''The Future of Development Plans'', which proposed the introduction of strong regional guidance within the planning system,[ and by the Government's issuing of Strategic Guidance at a regional level, later termed Regional Planning Guidance (RPG), from 1986 onwards.][
In the eight English regions outside London, regional assemblies were formed in 1998, and were responsible for physical planning policy through Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS). From 1999, Regional Development Agencies co-ordinated initiatives to improve economic development. The assemblies were effectively replaced by smaller ]Local Authority Leaders’ Board
Local authority leaders' boards are voluntary regional associations of council leaders that have been established in England outside of Greater London to replace certain functions of the now abolished regional chambers. The establishment of the boa ...
s between 2008 and 2010, and formally abolished on 31 March 2010.
In June 2010, the incoming Coalition Government announced its intentions to abolish regional spatial strategies and return spatial planning powers to local government. In March 2011, the all-party Commons Communities and Local Government Committee
The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee (formerly the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee) is a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The remit of the committee is to examine ...
published its report on the implications of the abolition of the RSS system. It stated that: "The intended abolition of regional spatial planning strategies leaves a vacuum at the heart of the English planning system which could have profound social, economic and environmental consequences set to last for many years."[ ''MPs publish report on abolition of regional spatial planning strategies'', www.parliament.uk, 17 March 2011]
/ref>
London Plan
Since 2000 the Mayor of London
The mayor of London is the chief executive of the Greater London Authority. The role was created in 2000 after the Greater London devolution referendum in 1998, and was the first directly elected mayor in the United Kingdom.
The current m ...
is required to produce a London Plan
The London Plan is the statutory spatial development strategy for the Greater London area in the United Kingdom that is written by the Mayor of London and published by the Greater London Authority.
The regional planning document was first pu ...
that is published by the Greater London Authority.
See also
*Local planning authority
A local planning authority (LPA) is the local government body that is empowered by law to exercise urban planning functions for a particular area. They exist in the United Kingdom and India.
United Kingdom
Mineral planning authorities
The role ...
* Neighbourhood planning in England
References
{{reflist
Town and country planning in England