Two-thirds of councils are facing severe pressure on their infrastructure and urge the government to rapidly implement a new strategic planning model as part of reforms to closer align housebuilding and infrastructure in county areas, a new report suggests
The study from the County Councils Network (CCN) and Catriona Riddell Associates proposes new arrangements to ensure that new housing development does not encumber local infrastructure and could help with the government’s levelling up agenda.
‘Accountable strategic planning bodies’ comprise of senior councillors in a county area. They make sure that infrastructure is appropriately planned and financed in line with new developments and climate and health considerations.
A new survey of county authorities, released in the report, uncovers that two-thirds of those councils are facing ‘excessive’ pressure on their local infrastructure – roads, health centres, schools, public services – due to new housing development.
Strategic planning model
Strategic planning encourages greater collaboration between local authorities, especially in county areas where a council is responsible for infrastructure across the whole county and several district councils are responsible for housing in their area.
However, strategic planning has not been formally incorporated into the system since the late 2010s, and currently the only informal method to motivate councils to work together is the ‘Duty to Co-operate’ – which is likely to be scrapped by the government soon anyway.
Planning reform is on the horizon
As part of the new Planning Bill in 2022, the Levelling-Up Secretary is due to revise government planning reform. County leaders welcome the opportunity to re-introduce a strategic planning model – claiming that there has ‘never been [a] better time’ to feature today’s reports’ recommendations in the final reforms package.
Short-term, the new model could be piloted through forthcoming county devolution deals – the government is currently negotiating with a cohort of areas across the country.
How strategic planning arrangements should work?
An ‘accountable strategic planning body’ should be set up across each county area.
This body would be made up of senior councillors from all councils in the area and would work on a majority voting system. Is it recommended that the chair will either be a councillor from a county authority – like in a Growth Board – or a directly elected leader.
The body would test out the local areas for housing, economic growth, or larger regeneration, and match these with the right infrastructure – setting out a vision for the local community. This ‘Strategic Growth Plan’ would provide a framework but not supersede individual councils’ Local Plans.
Proposals would be scrutinised by a ‘strategic planning advisory body’ comprised of local councillors and business, health, climate, and civic leaders. They would also advise the ‘accountable strategic planning body’ on whether the shared vision in the ‘Strategic Growth Plan’ is being delivered. This body would be similar to the London Assembly, which scrutinises the London Mayor’s London Plan.
County council concerns
The CCN has warned that the infrastructure pressures in county areas will only increase if the government does not include this new model for strategic planning.
In fact, every single respondent to the CCN survey said that new development was causing pressure on their local infrastructure, and 58% described this pressure as ‘excessive’.
Since 2010 the CNN analysis shows that just over half – 1 million (51%) – of the 2 million new homes in England have been built in county and rural areas.
The report also explores that councils in these areas are unsatisfied with the funding they receive to finance infrastructure upgrades along developments and three-quarters of those surveyed said this gap in funding is ‘severe’.
Currently, there is no replacement for the Duty to Co-operate mechanism proposed by the government. In the survey very council, bar one, made it clear that it was of concern to them that strategic planning was not part of the initial proposals. CCN is urging the government to include this in the revised planning reforms.
Final comments from CCN
Cllr Tim Oliver, chairman of the County Councils Network, said:
“The present fragmented system not only makes [it] more difficult to build the right homes in the right places, but it does not allow us to properly plan for and finance infrastructure. As a result, many of us are facing severe pressure on our roads, health services, and schools because of development.
“With the government reconsidering its planning reforms, and ministers looking to agree several county devolutions deals across the country, there has never been a better time to implement strategic planning arrangements. Failure to do so could only intensify the pressures on infrastructure that we are all experiencing in our areas.
“Strategic planning provides the impetus to bring all councils and local leaders together to set out ambitious and deliverable visions for their areas, scoping out the right places for housing and ensuring that infrastructure is financed. Local planning operates best when everyone is working together, and strategic planning is the way to bring all of the pieces of the jigsaw together.”
