These are extraordinary times, and to some extent we have set aside our work programme to help you respond to them. Our FAQ page brings together our thoughts and advice on the most immediate challenges.
We have also begun a "hints and tips" guide to running a virtual planning committee and accompanying it is a video of a “fireside chat” that Martin from PAS had with three excellent councillor peers on their views of how committees respond to the present challenges.
We have three excellent blogs of how we are rethinking our normal planning work:
Validating applications: validation during coronavirus – a guest blog by Debbie Tresidder from Cornwall
In case you missed it, the ONS has just done some really useful updates to the way they package and share key statistics, and the Geospatial Commission also has some big news:
The ONS’ GSS Strategy Delivery Team is pleased to announce the publication of:
The Geospatial Commission (GC) announced that UPRNs and USRNs are going to be released in July. This is a high value dataset created by local government and it is going to revolutionise what can be done with datasets linked by property.
To celebrate the GC has put together a new webpage bringing together open housing, land and planning geospatial datasets.
We know that MHCLG had intended to consider and possibly update the standard methodology for calculating local housing need before autumn. There has been speculation that the method will be updated with the new, generally lower household projections but perhaps with a sharper focus on affordability.
The "Planning for the Future" statement suggested something more fundamental - a new approach which encouraged building within and near urban areas. It is difficult to predict what happens next or when. This sort of uncertainty can have a terrible impact on local plan progress, and 2023 remains the target for full local plan coverage. Our advice is to allow for several scenarios and ensure that your planned production timetable recognises the potential for a change to the standard method in the Autumn.
We have produced an advice note and template to help LPAs produce their Local Plan Regulation 22 Consultation Statement of Main Issue for examination.
The note gives advice on how to make the submission statement not just to fulfil the regulation requirements but as an opportunity to draw the Inspector’s attention to the issues that are most pertinent to the LPA’s Local Plan and, more importantly, the council’s responses to these challenges.
Local authorities have a fundamental role in leading the coordination and delivery of infrastructure. This will be ever more critical post pandemic as we consider the impacts and demands on people, places and public health. To help senior leadership teams understand how developer contributions can contribute towards the delivery of infrastructure to support development and places we have published advice on the role of CIL and Section 106 which includes key questions that will help you to 'health check' your systems and resources.
Alongside the main contract we do for councils on behalf of MHCLG, we also do the occasional bit of commercial work. Recently we were part of a bid with dxw digital to do some inventing and testing out how people might use data to explain their planning policies. It's called an 'alpha' so it's early days, but we are looking forward to being on the inside of one of these trendy projects. We have, for the moment, enough volunteers - Richard explains a little bit more on the PAS blog.
The RTPI Awards for Research Excellence 2020 are now open for entries. Closing date 18 May.
We know that planning teams up and down the country are making time for some informal get-togethers. Work is a big part of all our lives, and it can leave a big hole. Some are having a virtual pint, others are quizzing to continue the friendly banter which is part of the social side of work. It's quite a lot of effort to assemble a good quiz, so we've put one together for you. It's a weird mash-up of some notes we made for ourselves when we recently swapped projects around along with some random bits and pieces. We guarantee no one will know it all and you may need to work in teams to have any chance of a good score. Let us know if you'd like a copy, and if it goes well let us know and we'll make another for next month.
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