AIMSIntroduction• AIMS to revise and update earlier 1998 Planning

Guidelines for focusing in the most common planning issues faced by institutions

• To provide an opportunity for the HE sector to examine different ways of engaging with and influencing key planning policy makers

• To provide an insight into the HE sector for those concerned with the formulation and administration of planning policies

• Appointed in January 2006• Funded by HEFCE/UUK• Input from around 80 institutions

AIMSPlanning Guidelines Summary

• Chapter One – The Higher Education Sector• Chapter Two – Planning and the Higher Education

Sector• Chapter Three – Regional Planning and Major He

Change• Chapter Four – The New Local Planning System• Chapter Five – Sustainability and Green Travel

Planning• Chapter Six – Urban Regeneration• Chapter Seven – Universities and Green Belts• Chapter Eight – Student housing• Chapter Nine – Design and Quality• Chapter Ten – Heritage and conservation

AIMS

Professor Colin Fudge,Uni of West of EnglandJustin Carr, Planning Officers’ Society, GLADavid Crook, Planning InspectorateLee Scott, CABESusan Adams, University of GreenwichGraham Rhodes, Birmingham City UniversityIan Caldwell, Kings College, LondonPat Thomas, OBEProfessor Malcolm Grant, UCLDerek Stroud, UUKRichard Goodwin, Department of Community and Local GovernmentJohn Stambollouian, DGLGProfessor Peter Roberts, ASC

Planning Guidelines Summary

AIMSLocal Planning

In England, the old system of county structure plans and district wide local plans or unitary plans has been replaced by a new ‘portfolio’ approach involving a number of local development and supplementary planning documents

Higher education institutions should engage with local plan-making processes at an early stage and, where appropriate, seek the inclusion of their own estates proposals as a formal part of local plan documents.

AIMS

AIMSSustainability and Green Travel

An emphasis on sustainable development now permeates the planning system and most local authorities are actively promoting sustainability policies. Many higher education institutions have well-articulated environmental policies and are in the vanguard in promoting ‘green travel’ (for example by providing dedicated bus services).

Sustainability and green travel considerations are best dealt by higher education institutions at a corporate or site-wide level.

AIMSUrban Regeneration

It is now well recognised that the higher education sector can have a significant role to play in urban regeneration; several examples of universities engaging successfully with regeneration initiatives are given in the new guidance. Institutions should seek to influence regional economic strategies

Suffolk, Sheffield Hallam

AIMSGreen Belts

An ever-increasing emphasis on urban regeneration tends to make further development on out-of-centre sites problematic.

Institutions in these locations should be vigilant in ensuring that their needs are kept in mind as regional and local planning policies are updated.

Warwick

AIMSPlanning Obligations

Recent government guidance has helped to clarify the limits of appropriate practice, but there is a great variation in the requirements imposed on the higher education sector.

Higher education institutions should develop informed negotiation strategies in response to these changes, as they are sometimes wrongly perceived by local authorities as private developers.

Ring fencing

AIMSStudent Housing• In common with a general lack of

references to Universities throughout the planning system

• Lack of charity in national, regional and most local planning guidance as to how student housing should be treated

• Most local authorities produce housing strategies, very few strategies specifically consider student housing needs or demands

• To some extent understandable as student housing is not always clearly distinct

AIMSStudent Housing• An assumption that student housing can be

considered separately ‘on its merits’ is common. However, has interactive consequences elsewhere within the local housing markets

• With the rapid expansion of the HE sector, concentrations of student accommodation in particular, localities are sometimes seen as a problem by local communities and in turn by planning and / or housing authorities

AIMSStudent Housing• A lack of clarity about student housing

extends to the Use Classes Order• Two categories that may be regarded as

applicable to student housing– C2 Residential Institutions– C3 Dwelling House

• The main residential use class C3, use as allowing for up to six unrelated residents living as a ‘single household’ law has supported arguments that a ‘single household’ can include student groups

AIMSStudent Housing

• A balanced view needs to be taken. Investment in student housing accommodation, both in communal and new build schemes and as part of the wider private housing market, is significant in economic terms and can have a positive role in regeneration

• Students are part of the wider community. Successful integration is evident in many towns and cities

AIMSImpact on Existing Housing Stock

• In some towns and cities, a relatively rapid increase in student numbers and / or an increase in purpose built student accommodation are resulting in noticeable changes in local demography

• An important point to keep in mind is that choice of accommodation for students is just as important as choice within the wider housing market

AIMSAffordable Housing• In recent years, Government has relied

heavily on the planning system to provide significant amounts of “affordable housing”, funding this by planning obligations on private market housing development

• The drivers for this combine planning aspirations to achieve social mix and ‘value capture’

• The effect is to require private developers to subsidise the construction of new dwellings for those in housing need off-setting costs of which might otherwise be funded by Government

AIMSAffordable Housing

• One issue, about which some planning authorities have expressed concern, relates to sustainability

• They argue that if student housing is so specifically designed, it may not be adaptable for other uses in the future

• There seems no particular reason why this should be the case

AIMSConservation and Heritage

With more Victorian and twentieth century buildings being listed and more conservation areas being declared, more institutions now have to deal with the associated constraints, responsibilities and procedures of statutory protection.

Institutions should understand which of their heritage assets are most important in heritage terms. Those institutions with several listed buildings having similar characteristics should consider seeking agreement to a heritage management plan.

AIMSDesign

The need to achieve high standards of design in new buildings with the aim of reflecting local identity and improving the environment is increasingly emphasised in planning policies.

Institutions should be alert to the increased attention being given to design and be prepared to explain the design of any particular project in terms of a wider master or area development.

AIMSAwareness, Communication and Dialogue

Where difficulties have arisen between institutions and planning authorities, there is often either a failure by the planning authority to appreciate or respond to their needs, or a lack of understanding by an institution of the need for a robust planning case, which reflects current planning policies. Sometimes, there is insufficient or uncoordinated engagement of a planning authority by an institution or vice versa.

AIMSRecommendations• Establishing a national sector planning group to pursue

national policy agendas – possibly linking with health-based groups and private student accommodation providers. This could be progressed by Universities UK in consultation with the Association of University Directors of Estates (AUDE) and the higher education funding councils.

• Establishing regional groups to coordinate the influence regional policy. These could be formed by the higher education regional associations with support from AUDE.

• Establishing sub regional specialist representation at regional level which might, for example, seek to influence the development of growth zones or market renewal areas.

AIMSAUDE’s Future Role• Sponsorship of website and establishment of Central National Co-ordination

Group?• Could meet quarterly and include Professor Malcolm Grant, Professor Peter

Roberts, DCLG, Planning Inspectorate, UUK, HEFCE• Remit to research and coordinate National Planning Policy representation on

matters such as viability of joint representation with NHS Estates, Student Housing/HMOs, staff housing/social housing, community engagement, travel and sustainability, overview of regional agendas (growth points, etc), government’s main point of contact in respect of HE sector planning issues.

• Funding for development of regional agendas and subsequent representation. London Higher could assist. Direct input to RSS via close engagement with RDAs and ABECs

• Development of training including planning awareness for directors and senior non-estates University staff and possibly governors.

Other funding sources include LGM, possibly via a national bid, Academy of Sustainable Communities Funding

AIMSAUDE’s Future Role• Sponsorship of website and establishment of Central National Co-ordination

Group?• Could meet quarterly and include Professor Malcolm Grant, Professor Peter

Roberts, DCLG, Planning Inspectorate, UUK, HEFCE• Remit to research and coordinate National Planning Policy representation on

matters such as viability of joint representation with NHS Estates, Student Housing/HMOs, staff housing/social housing, community engagement, travel and sustainability, overview of regional agendas (growth points, etc), government’s main point of contact in respect of HE sector planning issues.

• Funding for development of regional agendas and subsequent representation. London Higher could assist. Direct input to RSS via close engagement with RDAs and ABECs

• Development of training including planning awareness for directors and senior non-estates University staff and possibly governors.

Other funding sources include LGM, possibly via a national bid, Academy of Sustainable Communities Funding