"Regional Spatial Strategies bridged the gap between those planning issues determined by local policy or concern, and those subject to policy goals defined at a national level – such as those for housing or renewable energy. 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”

So concluded, presciently, the all party Commons Communities and Local Government Committee in March 2011.

What is to be done about the ongoing vacuum at the heart of the English planning system? Is it time to contemplate a 'Plan for England' and, if so, what does that look like? What is it for? What does it include? Is it a single document with nation-wide coverage or a composite of regional priorities? Where does responsibility for it sit? From which organisations and institutions does power have to be taken or conferred in order for a Plan for England to be prepared?

These are questions that four friends of the podcast, Catriona Riddell, Ian Wray, Jim Steer and Matthew Spry, ruminate on during an online conversation recorded for this episode.

Catriona runs her own consultancy business, is strategic planning advisor to the Planning Officers Society, and vice-chair of the TCPA.

Ian is an Honorary Professor and Fellow at the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice & Place at the University of Liverpool and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences .

Jim is a pioneer of current day transport planning having founded renowned consultancy Steer Davies Gleave, now Steer Group of which Jim remains a board member. Jim is a Fellow and Past President of the Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport, and is a Director at Greengauge21, a group he established in 2006 to foster debate on a high-speed rail network for Britain.

Matthew Spry is Head of Lichfields’ London office and also a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences.

Some accompanying reading.

Abolition of Regional Spatial Strategies: a planning vacuum? - Communities and Local Government Committee

https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmselect/cmcomloc/517/51708.htm

Why England needs a spatial plan and what we can learn from the devolved nations

https://www.thersa.org/blog/2019/06/england-plans

Do We Need a Plan for England?

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/heseltine-institute/blog/doweneedaplanforengland/

Labour’s planning proposals

https://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2023/10/labours-planning-proposals.html

Hacking Housing: Nine supply side hacks to fix out housing system error

https://www.appghousing.org.uk/

Rachel McLean’s letter to Harborough (Appendix J)

https://cmis.harborough.gov.uk/cmis5/Meetings/tabid/73/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/410/Meeting/5787/Committee/846/SelectedTab/Documents/Default.aspx

The National Housing and Planning Advice Unit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Housing_and_Planning_Advice_Unit

Some accompanying viewing.

Peter Kay’s Taxi

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cDXc3VYylk

Some accompanying listening.

Episode 98: The Power of Plans – New York

https://pod.co/50-shades-of-planning/the-power-of-plans-new-york

Music To Plan Towns To – The ultimate town planning-themed playlist

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/73JzYK9UqCXRiUjQhgSID4?si=9a0ceb021338436a

50 Shades T-Shirts!

If you have listened to Episode 45 of the 50 Shades of Planning you will have heard Clive Betts say that...

'In the Netherlands planning is seen as part of the solution. In the UK, too often, planning is seen as part of the problem'.

Sam said in reply that that would look good on a t-shirt and it does. Further details can be found here: http://samuelstafford.blogspot.com/2021/07/50-shades-of-planning-t-shirts.html