Any change of government ushers in a period of uncertainty while ministers take their places and responsibilities are assigned. Under the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition, this uncertainty has been exacerbated pending details of policy positions as well as personnel.
Some of the former were clarified in the initial coalition agreement document and last week’s Our Programme for Government.  Others are emerging through documents such as Building the Big Society, speeches and media announcements, and more detailed policy papers will appear in the days and weeks ahead.
Although there are inherent tensions between the two parties’ policies, planning looks unlikely to be one of the more divisive issues. Both partners have pushed hard for devolution of power and decision-making, a theme writ large in Building the Big Society:
‘We will radically reform the planning system to give neighbourhoods far more ability to determine the shape of the places in which their inhabitants live’.
Devolution intention flagged
Structural changes in prospect include a ‘radical devolution of power and greater financial autonomy to local government’ and community groups, which will be delivered after a review of local government finance. As foreshadowed in the Tory manifesto, councils will be given a general power of competence.
Regional spatial strategies will ‘rapidly’ be abolished, with decision-making powers on housing and planning returned to local councils.  The party’s Open Source Planning green paper will serve as the basis for further long-term reform.
The coalition’s programme deals with the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) head-on.  The IPC is to be replaced by an ‘efficient and democratically accountable system that provides a fast-track process for major infrastructure projects’. While not explicit, it seems clear that the unified consents regime at the heart of the Planning Act 2008 will however be retained.
The coalition recognises that planning needs to speed up on nationally important infrastructure while tackling the perceived lack of democracy in the new structure.  What this ‘democracy’ will look like is not detailed, but there may be that a greater role for parliament in setting the national policy backdrop and through hybrid or private bills for some projects, along with ministerial decisions on other major projects.
The government will also present to parliament ‘a simple and consolidated national planning framework covering all forms of development and setting out national economic, environmental and social priorities’.  This may sit above national policy statements (NPSs), although the exact relationship is not discussed.
Nuclear power has caused the coalition problems, as the Lib Dems oppose it.  According to the agreement, nuclear stations would be progressed with reference to the NPS but ‘subject to the normal planning process for major projects’.  Whether this would be under a revised IPC arrangement or other, possibly locally based, procedures is not discussed.  The Lib Dems will not stand in their way in a parliamentary vote.
Enterprise partnership mooted
Other big issues relevant to planning include the future of the regional development agencies (RDAs).  Local enterprise partnerships, described as ‘joint local authority-business bodies brought forward by local authorities themselves to promote local economic development’ will come forward to replace the RDAs.
These bodies may take the form of the existing RDAs in areas where they are popular. More detail on their powers and their relationships with mechanisms such as the regional funding allocation is awaited.  The Government Office for London, and possibly others, is to be abolished.
The role of elected mayors could put a schism in the coalition.  While the Conservatives are fully committed, the Liberal Democrats – and Labour – may campaign against them despite mention of them in the coalition programme.  The delicate issues of third party rights of appeal and the community infrastructure levy also remain to be dealt with.
Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg calls the big society ‘the most radical programme of reform, empowerment, and enfranchisement in over a century’.  Planning’s role will be critical in its delivery.  Any first session bill will only be the beginning.  The ‘radical reforms’ promised to the planning system will take considerably longer.
This article was co-authored with Robbie Owen and Matthew Davies
Planning, 28 May 2010Â