Powering up planning

The state of the planning system in England is never far from the news headlines, with discussion usually centring on the extent to which it acts as a regulatory burden and a barrier to economic growth. But this popular narrative disguises an important truth: that many planning authorities are using the system to deliver good outcomes for their people, place and the planet.

This paper is a call to arms. It uses case studies from Islington, Salford, Preston and Scotland to identify practical ways that planning authorities can take a bold stance and make developers work harder for our places. It contains two sets of recommendations: for planning authorities who want to put these practical approaches into action and for the new government to set the conditions for planning authorities to go further and do better.