B uilding c onsent

This was one of the conclusions of the government-appointed Local Plan Expert Group3 in its 2016 report, finding that the lack of an effective approach to strategic planning was one of the main concerns of respondents in both the public and private sector “who recognise that some issues of agreeing the distribution of housing needs may prove intractable without a wider plan” and that the Duty to C. [...] Strategic spatial planning has a key role to play in getting the homes we need delivered but it will only work if it goes hand in hand with a change in attitude towards planning and the positive role it can and should play at the local level, supported by strong leadership, a cultural change in the value placed on the role planning and planners play, and the right resources. [...] A position paper drafted by officers advocating new procurement arrangements has since been prepared to deliver these projects, which again helps to place the benefits to be derived from the s106 monies in the hands of the local community but with checks and balances built in so officers can oversee and ensure the projects are delivered in the right way. [...] Therefore, we call on the government to mandate that there is a professionally qualified Chief Planner in every council to help improve the quality of planning services and significantly improve their capacity to deliver the support that councillors and the public expect and need. [...] From understanding the needs of the communities and responding in the way we design our developments, to working closely with our partners and clients to engage and empower communities throughout the whole development process, we place communities at the heart of everything we do.