UK PLANNING POLICY

Current Important Challenges Facing UK Planning Policy and Practice

Current Important Challenges Facing UK Planning Policy and Practice

Introduction

As I have progressed through in my professional career, climbing the hierarchy ladder onto a middle management position, it has become more apparent how challenging planning policy is. Planning policy for prosperity, inherently aims to use the system to develop a strong, flexible and sustainable economy. It enhances the system to provide infrastructure and a suitable development fit for the country's current and future needs. Moreover, the global factor has to be considered in the policy planning processes, as well. Understanding what each community requires and to fulfil cultural needs is an important challenge for local planners too. As well as keeping developments sustainable, planners must also make a decision which is in keeping with community needs.

As per the NPPF document, it is accentuated that policies that are aimed for sustainable development in the UK, cover three critical dimensions. These are economic, social and environmental considerations. These need to be considered in policy initiatives. However these planning considerations are a long way from proper planning and implementation processes. As such these initiatives are still plagued with certain challenges that need to be affectively assuaged in order to attain sustainable development of the region.

This paper would initiate discussions about various challenges and critical issues faced by the UK policy planning practitioners. Some of the challenges that would be identified and discussed includes: economic challenges, challenges to include community in policy planning and finally challenges in policy planning juxtaposed by cultural diversity and its overall societal acceptance.



Discussion

Challenges in Planning Policy

England is facing pressure from many fronts. These include social, economic and environmental issues. The planning processes, till now, have not delivered social equity and economic balance, through their planned policy initiatives. As such fundamental reconsideration is required of the country's development model. Some of the challenging themes in critical need of appraisal from policy makers include: Community Participation in Policy Planning; Climate change and environmental factors; polarization of England; Unplanned Population Movements; Non Availability of Effective Regional Framework; Cultural Diversity in Policy Initiatives and other Economic Pressures.

Community Participation in Policy Planning

The Localism Act was introduced in 2011. This enabled community groups to make proposals to the Local Authority which are beneficial for the neighbourhood. This is now part of the planning system which empowers local people to shape their local environments. Furthermore, parishes and community groups can also set policies for the use of land and development. This is a very good initiative that has provided a way for promoting local community member participation in the policy planning processes of the local body. As such this act has provided each member of the community with an opportunity and a right to live in a community that at least considers that individuals proposals. Though, after inclusion of the aforementioned Act in policy planning processes for the local bodies, it has also opened an array of challenges. Mainly, these challenges are in relation to time ...