DEVELOPMENT MANAGEMENT AND SPATIAL PLANNING PROJECT LAUNCHED

Date: 28/12/2007

An innovative new project has been set up by the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Planning Advisory Service and the Planning Officers Society to explore the practicalities of what Development Management means for Local Planning Authorities and how they can switch their current Development Control service to a new-styled Development Management service.   The project was launched at an initial meeting early in December.

Stephen Olivant, for POS, said “The project aims to give down to earth and usable advice to all English local authorities.   It will follow the fortunes of eight participating authorities as they move towards establishing their Development Management service”.     

The eight participating authorities were selected to give a wide range of types and locations; they are Allerdale, Bracknell Forest , Chorley, Hambleton, Horsham, Redcar & Cleveland, Welwyn Hatfield and Westminster .   They will be working with the POSe project team of Stephen Olivant and Geoff Cross over the next 11 months attending a further three project meetings and a series of individually tailored workshops for each authority. Three types of project outputs will be released on POS and PAS websites:

•  Guidance on Development Management – Initial Guidance released following the first project meeting.    
• Case Studies and Practice Notes covering points of interest and tips for success that arise from the project meetings and visits to authorities – to be released during the project.
• Support documents and processes that are found by the participating authorities to be of assistance, and so recommended for use by others – to be released during the project.

A major aspect of the project will examine how local authorities change their existing culture, decision-making and processes to enable a successful Development Management service to achieve high quality sustainable development on the ground. It is backed by a steering group including, Home Builders Federation, British Property Federation, National Planning Forum, Royal Town Planning Institute, LGA, DCLG, PAS and POS .