The Government has set out in the draft NPPF that they wish to introduce new mechanisms for cross boundary strategic planning which will play “a vital and increasing role in how sustainable growth is delivered”. This would include policies relating to meeting housing needs, delivering strategic infrastructure, growing the economy and improving climate resilience.
The draft NPPF emphasises the importance of cross-boundary strategic planning by mandating collaboration among local planning authorities. Policy-making authorities would need to identify the topics on which collaboration is necessary and then ensure their plan policies align with their neighbours, unless a clear justification is provided. This includes coordinating on major infrastructure projects, addressing unmet development needs from neighbouring areas, and managing allocations or designations that span multiple plan areas.
The introduction of stronger cross-boundary strategic planning in the draft NPPF, whilst not going as far as bringing back regional planning authorities in the formal sense, is a significant and positive development.
It is important to note that the geographic areas in which these strategic mechanisms will work is not being prescribed. It appears to be left to each local planning authority to agree a position with their respective neighbours and work together on that basis. Where plan preparation timetables are too divergent, it would be left to each authority and their appointed Inspector to agree what is possible based on the evidence available.
Effect of these changes
This approach clearly show that there is a huge appetite from the Government to support further devolution to regional or sub-regional areas when it comes to setting strategic policies and a clear shift away from Localism as adopted by the Localism Act 2011.
If this works as intended to encourage and enable strategic cross-boundary development proposals to be allocated in Local Plans and delivered on the ground, this has the potential to achieve a step change in development opportunities. However, it would require a step change in the mindset of many local planning authorities to truly work collaboratively with their neighbours and not allow local issues to override strategic objectives.
