The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has published its key demands for the next UK government in a manifesto ahead of the 2019 General Election.
From Neighborhoods to Nations – the importance of planning has been sent to every current Member of Parliament seeking re-election in December.
The document sets out key issues that need to be addressed at a political level to ensure town planners and the planning system are able to create sustainable, well-designed, successful urban and rural places into the future, and planning’s role in delivering zero-carbon targets.
Chief Executive of the RTPI, Victoria Hills, said: “Planners and the planning system have a critical role in meeting the future challenges of climate change and population growth over the coming decades.
“However, local authority planning teams have seen a reduction of 42% in funding over the last decade. We therefore call on the next government to ensure local planning authorities are adequately resourced to enable local planning teams to deliver for communities.
“This document sets out our key priorities and I call on politicians to equip planners to help achieve their goals.”
The manifesto also urges the next government to protect and grow devolved powers to city regions, remove barriers to city-regional spatial strategies for development and infrastructure and remove legal barriers to allow city regions to fully use their devolved planning powers.
It also highlights that the future pipeline of urgently-needed planners via apprenticeships and planning schools should continue to be strongly supported by government.
Source: RTPI
