Regional Planning Series – Part 2 The Re-emergence of Strategic Planning in England: some reflections and future possibilities

The Re-emergence of Strategic Planning in England: some reflections and future possibilities

Regional planning can be a key stone bridging national and strategic planning objectives with local planning or plan. Regional planning has, however, witnessed unprecedent changes from being a core to peripheral of the development plan system over the past decades in England, United Kingdom. Faced with shrinking resources against the pressing needs for the provisions of strategic infrastructures, the void casted by the absence of any co-ordinated planning strategies from a strategic planning authority is blatantly apparent. There are sweeping reforms proposed in England to refocus on regional planning through introduction of new tiers of strategic planning authorities with associated spatial development strategies. How would this new initiative reshape regional and local planning? What are the lessons learned from the tale of strategic planning in England through the past decades? Would the experience gained be a guide to other fellow planners?

Prof. R. Baker is Professor of Urban and Regional Planning in the School of Environment, Education and Development, University of Manchester, and a chartered town planner (MRTPI) with rich professional experience in both local and central government in the UK. He was Head of the Department of Planning, Property and Environmental Management between 2019-2024, and was previously the School’s Director of Teaching and Learning. As an active member of the Spatial Policy and Analysis Laboratory within the Manchester Urban Institute, he has well-developed research interests in regional and strategic planning; planning for housing; plan-making process; and development control procedures.

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