English Planning in Crisis: 10 Steps to a Sustainable Future

by Hugh Ellis, Kate Henderson

The English planning system is in crisis, argue the authors of this provocative new book. Reflecting on controversial new Government reforms and deregulation, Kate Henderson and Hugh Ellis provide a comprehensive analysis of these reforms, assessing the implications and significance for the future. They highlight why planning is so essential to quality of life and set out 10 evidence-based steps to rebuild the planning system in England. Drawing on policy and practice examples from across the UK and internationally, the book is a manifesto for change. It provides a direct and vigorous challenge to the current structure and policy of planning that should ignite a debate about the values that shape its future.

104 pages, Paperback

Published August 1, 2016

Reviews

[Leah F C S · Rating 4 out of 5]

A concise book explaining the issues faced within the English Planning system and 10 recommendations of how to combat these procedural challenges. Short and sweet in its messaging of hope for change for a broken system, yet still very idealistic from the perspective of local government planning.

The authors note that these ideas seem radical in the context of an extremely deregulated system that has been detached piece by piece from its utopian foundations. The discussions about this piecemeal reform occurring to service the interests of private developer sector really resonated, particularly in the context of decision-making in the absence of a 5-year housing supply. However, it would have been great if this argument was expanded upon to further analyse policy wording that allows this, specifically the 'presumption towards sustainable development'. I arguably see this policy wording as greenwashing through the use of the word 'sustainable' to really mean a push towards supporting housing applications due to the vagueness of criterion under NPPF 11d.

Overall, a good overview of issues and recommendations for planning system reform. Though 3.75 stars since it was still quite vague and maybe had scope to go into the specifics of how these recommendations could potentially be recognised. The European case studies were also very very brief.