Planning for a Natural and Planning for a Natural and Healthy Environment - Healthy Environment -

Whither PPG17?Whither PPG17?

Kit CampbellKit CampbellKit Campbell Associates, EdinburghKit Campbell Associates, Edinburgh

Planning for a Natural and Planning for a Natural and Healthy EnvironmentHealthy Environment

Streamlining of national guidanceStreamlining of national guidance– PPS7PPS7, Sustainable Development in Rural Areas , Sustainable Development in Rural Areas

(landscape protection, soil , agricultural land (landscape protection, soil , agricultural land quality and forestry)quality and forestry)

– PPS9,PPS9, Biodiversity and Geological Conservation Biodiversity and Geological Conservation– PPG17PPG17, Open Space Sport and Recreation, Open Space Sport and Recreation– PPG20PPG20, Coastal Planning (coastal access, , Coastal Planning (coastal access,

heritage coast and undeveloped coast)heritage coast and undeveloped coast) Introduction of national policy on GIIntroduction of national policy on GI Amended policy stance on floodlightingAmended policy stance on floodlighting

PPG17PPG17 No overt change to policy other than floodlighting and No overt change to policy other than floodlighting and

encouragement for co-location of facilitiesencouragement for co-location of facilities LPAs should still undertake… assessments and auditsLPAs should still undertake… assessments and audits Local standards remainLocal standards remain

But there are some important changes …But there are some important changes …

Cross-boundary workingCross-boundary working Keeping assessments and audits up to dateKeeping assessments and audits up to date GI added in to local assessmentsGI added in to local assessments Local standards stance apparently softened slightlyLocal standards stance apparently softened slightly No mention of open space strategy linked to SCSNo mention of open space strategy linked to SCS Bolting on GI to existing policies isn’t as simple as it Bolting on GI to existing policies isn’t as simple as it

might seemmight seem

IssuesIssues First impressions?First impressions? Objectives?Objectives? Balance?Balance? Definition of GI?Definition of GI? Scope of GI?Scope of GI? The planning cascade?The planning cascade? GI strategies?GI strategies? PPG17 assessments?PPG17 assessments? Open space strategies?Open space strategies? A Charter for NIMBYs and lawyers?A Charter for NIMBYs and lawyers? The new Government?The new Government?

First ImpressionsFirst Impressions

Disconnect between Policy Discussion and Disconnect between Policy Discussion and Policy – eg no mention of health in policyPolicy – eg no mention of health in policy

Lack of clarity over GILack of clarity over GI Silo-based – lacks holistic visionSilo-based – lacks holistic vision InconsistenciesInconsistencies Lacks ambition – stated overall aim is “no net Lacks ambition – stated overall aim is “no net

loss of biodiversity”loss of biodiversity” Why not include climate change policy as well?Why not include climate change policy as well? Several references to planning obligations appear Several references to planning obligations appear

to contradict the guidance on CILto contradict the guidance on CIL

ObjectivesObjectives

Conserve and enhance the natural Conserve and enhance the natural environmentenvironment

Minimise vulnerability to climate changeMinimise vulnerability to climate change Deliver safe and attractive places to live … Deliver safe and attractive places to live …

access to high quality spaces, GI and access to high quality spaces, GI and sports, recreation and play spaces and sports, recreation and play spaces and facilities facilities

Provide recreational opportunities in rural Provide recreational opportunities in rural and coastal areasand coastal areas

Note the order … people come 3Note the order … people come 3rdrd and 4 and 4thth

BalanceBalance

Biodiversity driven; people low priority?Biodiversity driven; people low priority? Should appeal to the biodiversity part of Should appeal to the biodiversity part of

NE - but little on landscapeNE - but little on landscape Health seems to relate to the environment, Health seems to relate to the environment,

not peoplenot people Fairly negative: 3+ pages on policy, 5+ on Fairly negative: 3+ pages on policy, 5+ on

development management - or is it development management - or is it control? (avoid, refuse, mitigate, protect)control? (avoid, refuse, mitigate, protect)

Definition of GIDefinition of GI

“… “… there are subtle differences between there are subtle differences between planning for OS and planning for GI”planning for OS and planning for GI”

GI is a strategic network of MFGS, both new GI is a strategic network of MFGS, both new and existing, both rural and urban, which and existing, both rural and urban, which supports natural and ecological processes supports natural and ecological processes and is integral to the health and quality of life and is integral to the health and quality of life in sustainable communities (NE definition)in sustainable communities (NE definition)

PPS objectives: “access to high quality open PPS objectives: “access to high quality open spaces, GI and sports, recreational and play spaces, GI and sports, recreational and play spaces and facilities”spaces and facilities”

Confusing references to “open space or GI”Confusing references to “open space or GI”

GI – An Alternative DefinitionGI – An Alternative Definition

The planned incorporation and The planned incorporation and harnessing of natural systems and harnessing of natural systems and

processes in order to make new and processes in order to make new and existing settlements and the existing settlements and the

countryside more environmentally and countryside more environmentally and financially sustainable than they would financially sustainable than they would

be if they continued to rely only on be if they continued to rely only on traditional infrastructuretraditional infrastructure

GI Systems and Processes - GI Systems and Processes - ExamplesExamples

Reducing rainwater run-offReducing rainwater run-off Flood storageFlood storage SUDSSUDS Carbon capture/air qualityCarbon capture/air quality Shade and micro-climateShade and micro-climate Biodiversity and habitatsBiodiversity and habitats Food productionFood production Fuel productionFuel production Water powerWater power

Scope of GIScope of GI

PPG17 typologyPPG17 typology + Green roofs and walls+ Green roofs and walls + Back gardens+ Back gardens Potential significant implications Potential significant implications

The Planning CascadeThe Planning Cascade

Regional planning to address GI Regional planning to address GI issues in regional strategyissues in regional strategy

LPAs to “build on” regional work and LPAs to “build on” regional work and set out a strategic approach to set out a strategic approach to creation, protection and creation, protection and management of GI in the LDFmanagement of GI in the LDF

But if there are no regional spatial But if there are no regional spatial strategies …strategies …

GI StrategiesGI Strategies

LPAs must “take a strategic and big LPAs must “take a strategic and big picture approach”picture approach”

No requirement for a GI strategy: No requirement for a GI strategy: “information already collected for PPG17 “information already collected for PPG17 open space strategies can be used at open space strategies can be used at regional, sub-regional and local level to regional, sub-regional and local level to develop the evidence base for GI delivery”develop the evidence base for GI delivery”

RSS, NE, LI and other guidanceRSS, NE, LI and other guidance

PPG17 AssessmentsPPG17 Assessments

NE1.3(i): Assessments of need NE1.3(i): Assessments of need should include GIshould include GI

NE1.3(ii): audits should cover NE1.3(ii): audits should cover quantity, quality, accessibility, quantity, quality, accessibility, typology and locationtypology and location

GS StrategiesGS Strategies

Not mentioned – unlike PPG17Not mentioned – unlike PPG17 Relationship to GI strategies (if any)?Relationship to GI strategies (if any)?

A Charter for NIMBYs and A Charter for NIMBYs and Lawyers?Lawyers?

““Surplus” OS – “consideration should be Surplus” OS – “consideration should be given to all the functions that OS can given to all the functions that OS can perform” perform”

GI introduces additional functions over and GI introduces additional functions over and above PPG17above PPG17

If significant harm to biodiversity cannot be If significant harm to biodiversity cannot be mitigated or compensated for, permission mitigated or compensated for, permission should be refused should be refused

Various expectations of LPAsVarious expectations of LPAs

The New GovernmentThe New Government

Open Source Planning (Tory paper)Open Source Planning (Tory paper) Modern Conservatism: Our Quality of Modern Conservatism: Our Quality of

Life Agenda (Tory paper)Life Agenda (Tory paper) Partnership for Government (Coalition Partnership for Government (Coalition

paper)paper)

Open Source PlanningOpen Source Planning

Planning is in a messPlanning is in a mess Piecemeal reform is not enoughPiecemeal reform is not enough New system to be based on civic New system to be based on civic

engagement and collaborative engagement and collaborative democracydemocracy

Neighbourhoods to specify what they Neighbourhoods to specify what they wantwant

Bottom up local plansBottom up local plans

Quality of Life AgendaQuality of Life Agenda

Bottom up is good; top down is Bottom up is good; top down is very badvery bad Green is good (Tory logo is a tree!)Green is good (Tory logo is a tree!) Parks are goodParks are good Biodiversity is goodBiodiversity is good Safer neighbourhoods are goodSafer neighbourhoods are good Tariffs are good; CIL is Tariffs are good; CIL is badbad

Partnership for GovernmentPartnership for Government

Rapidly abolish RSSRapidly abolish RSS Longer term, radically reform the planning Longer term, radically reform the planning

system based on Open Source Planningsystem based on Open Source Planning Simple and consolidated national planning Simple and consolidated national planning

frameworkframework New powers to help communities save local New powers to help communities save local

facilities .. threatened with closurefacilities .. threatened with closure Jings … another redisorganisation of Jings … another redisorganisation of

planning!planning!

The Future?The Future? The greenspace agenda is here to stayThe greenspace agenda is here to stay The GI agenda is here to stayThe GI agenda is here to stay The health agenda is here to stayThe health agenda is here to stay The biodiversity agenda is here to stayThe biodiversity agenda is here to stay Planning will have to respond better to local Planning will have to respond better to local

communitiescommunities Communities want to protect greenspacesCommunities want to protect greenspaces But as for the PPS …But as for the PPS …