Planning authority expertise must be reflected in regional plans
The Government has been consulting on proposed geographies for producing spatial development strategies (SDSs).
SDSs are high-level regional plans looking ahead at least 20 years, which will be led by combined authorities – or county councils/unitaries where combined authorities are not yet established.
They will set the framework for councils’ local plans, which will have to be in general conformity with the relevant SDS.
SDSs, according to the consultation, will ensure that sub-regional areas can plan effectively to: meet their housing needs; coordinate the provision of strategic infrastructure; grow their economies; and improve the environment and climate resilience.
The LGA welcomes the commitment to achieve universal coverage of SDSs across England to tackle genuinely cross-boundary challenges such as housing and infrastructure.
“The success of SDSs is dependent on councils and communities being heard”
However, it is vital that these strategies are led at a local or locally agreed appropriate level: it should be ensured that all constituent local authorities, and local communities, have a meaningful voice and role within regional approaches to spatial planning.
Local authorities are best placed to work collaboratively and tackle cross-boundary challenges such as housebuilding, delivering infrastructure and resilience.
Any mayoral power to determine an application of potential strategic importance should not override the role, knowledge and leadership of democratically accountable, elected local councillors and their communities.
The success of SDSs is dependent on constituent councils and communities being heard and represented throughout the preparation of the plan.
Not permitting a seat at the table or a voting role for planning authorities on SDSs could have significant implications on a strategic area’s ability to meet housing need, as local knowledge and evidence may be overlooked. Appropriate consideration should be made to proportionality and agreed at a local level.
The LGA has significant concerns regarding the governance arrangements, set out in the Planning and Infrastructure Act, that underpin SDSs. Specifically, we do not support powers for the Secretary of State to approve a strategy where a resolution to adopt it is not passed by local leaders. This undermines the democratic role of local government, particularly if the Secretary of State can override a unanimous vote against adoption.
We are concerned that the grounds for intervention (where a strategy ‘may be’ failing) effectively grant the Secretary of State a blank cheque to intervene. Intervention should be reserved for exceptional circumstances only.
Constituent local authorities must also have a statutory right to appear, and be heard, at the public examination of an SDS. Currently, this right is limited to the strategic planning authority, which risks marginalising the voices of individual councils and their communities.
The LGA also has concerns about the move to simple majority voting in strategic authorities, and urges the Government to remove the mayor’s casting vote in instances where decision-making is tied for SDSs.
This is a period of significant flux, change and uncertainty within local planning authorities, with devolution, widespread local government reorganisation, the introduction of SDSs, and the largest shake-up of planning policy since 2012.
It is essential that councils, with their local knowledge and expertise, have a key role in shaping the geographies that are right for them and in preparing spatial development strategies.
The LGA calls on the Government to take a coordinated approach to boundary changes, safeguard effective and balanced decision-making, and ensure that the role and expertise of local authorities are fully engaged.
- ‘LGA submission to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government’s consultation on areas for producing spatial development strategies’ can be read in full at the LGA website. See also ‘Reforming the planning system’