The document reflects on strategic planning in England, emphasizing lessons from regional planning over the past decade, particularly on processes, collaboration, and key strategic issues like housing and economy. It stresses the importance of sustainable development, clear outcomes, stakeholder engagement, and the need for effective project management. The author advocates for a long-term, integrated strategic vision that connects various activities and interventions across different areas.

1. Strategic Planning in England Some Reflections from my Experience Will Fieldhouse January 2011

2. What’s This About? Lessons from my work on Regional Planning and Regional Strategies over last ten years About process, ways of working, and “strategic issues” May be relevant to whatever planning system we may have in the future?

3. What This is Not About Eric Pickles CALA Homes “ Local Growth” White Paper Localism Bill Government Offices This is a personal view, not a Government view

4. What I mean by ….. “ Strategic ” = wider area than local authority “ Spatial ” = about places, but not just “development and use of land” “ Plan ” = document setting out desired outcomes and means of achieving them

5. Strategic Spatial Planning - History Structure Plans 1970s Strategic Guidance 1980s Regional Planning 1990s Regional Spatial Strategies (and RES, RHS, RTS) 2000s Regional Strategy 2009 ?????? 2010+

6. Lessons learned What I’ve learned from regional strategy work about Process / procedures Ways of working Strategic issues (housing, economy, infrastructure, etc) But first ………

7. Some General Stuff Sustainable development Joining things up (“integration”) Outcomes Delivery

8. Sustainable Development What makes Development “Sustainable”? The Lorax may ask How many Thneeds do we really all need? What about the Truffalo Trees and Bar-ba-Loots? So a strategic planner should consider Long term, strategic view Environmental, social and economic evidence and impacts / outcomes

9. Joining Things Up Strategic planning is about ensuring different decisions and actions reinforce each other In terms of impacts of different types of activity (economic, housing, infrastructure, investment, land use) And on different places (cities, towns, villages)

10. Outcomes A strategy needs to be very clear about what you want to achieve And express this in measurable ways This may be about homes, the economy, transport, places

11. Delivery And the strategy needs to be clear about who needs to do what to achieve the outcomes But not details about projects and money Need support from key delivery agencies

12. Preparing a Strategy Statutory process – not necessary, but has benefits? Government Guidance – too much? SA / SEA / HRA – make it useful not just bureacracy Independent Examination – useful, but could be streamlined Timetable – 3 years possible, and reasonable?

13. Ways of Working Need people with capacity and expertise Importance of working together Effective project management Engagement with stakeholders And wider public

14. Strategic Issues Vision Roles of places Economy Housing Transport Environment

15. Vision Motherhood and Apple Pie is nice of course. But make your Vision Long term and ambitious (but realistic) Spatially specific (about places) Quantified/quantifiable Linked to clear outcomes

16. Roles of Places Provide clarity about future complementary roles of cities and towns This may be about types of economic activity, services, attractions, housing offer, etc

17. Economy Be clear about things with big impact Plan for the economy, not “employment land” Understand sectors, markets, supply chains Identify areas of significant economic change Be enabling, not prescriptive

18. Housing Understand housing markets and areas Be clear about where new housing should be (but “targets”?) But also existing homes Regeneration v. market pressures

19. Transport Identify significant priorities for management and investment Need to link these to roles of places, where people will live and work Avoid wish lists

20. Other potentially “strategic” Issues Energy generation and distribution Waste management Minerals supply Green Belt

21. Essential ingredients Recipe for Mom’s apple pie: Picture Ingredients / quantities Instructions Similarly, an effective strategy should include: Diagram / map Clear outcomes Resources Who needs to do what

22. Conclusions Strategic spatial planning can be effective Provides clarity about long term aims Makes connections between different activities and interventions Not just about “planning” No perfect geography – make it work for whatever area partnerships can be effectively based on

23. Strategic Planning Will Return