Planners & Development Economists

Roger Tym & Partners
Roger Tym & Partners

Planning our way out of the downturn

June 2009

Can planners and the planning system help UK economic recovery?

There are three fundamental priorities where investment by the public and private sectors can help stabilise employment, stimulate economic growth, build productive capacity and support sustainability objectives – thus achieving both short-term and longer-term priorities:

Affordable housing built to sustainable standards

There is a need for investment in new technologies and their application in the building industry.  This will help grow a new house-building sector with suppliers working to the highest sustainable construction standards, commissioned to build affordable housing (and thus work to supply risk-free demand).  Planning can assist through

  • identification and release of appropriate sites
  • promotion of demonstration projects
  • supporting initiatives which build the new productive capacity.

Is there a need for a change in planning policy to identify and release sites?

Environmental technologies and renewable energy

R&D, manufacturing and skills have a key role to play in economic recovery. Planning can help by ensuring that:

  • sites for renewable energy generation are planned and released
  • energy transmission infrastructure is planned and constructed
  • other technologies are supported both in production and consumption.

Flood risk management, investment in sustainable drainage systems and the broader response to climate change impacts need to be integrated and prioritised within the planning system. Planning should engage with manufacturers, developers and key agencies to prioritise planning in these fields at local and strategic levels

Transport and communications infrastructure

Investment is essential in the infrastructure, manufacturing and skills to support high-speed rail, improved public transport and communications networks. The planning system can help at local and strategic levels by

  • ensuring that settlements are planned around new approaches
  • sites / corridors are made available
  • new networks are planned and constructed
Planning has the potential to lead the agenda for a new sustainable “green” economy across the UK. We need to be pressing hard for this agenda – it is key to helping the UK remain an economic power for years to come.
 
John Forsyth, Partner, Roger Tym & Partners