Other guidance

National

Shaping and Delivering Tomorrow’s Places - Effective Practice in Spatial Planning

This report commissioned by the RTPI identified 50 recommendations for more effective spatial planning.

Key parts relevant to infrastructure planning

• Local Infrastructure Programme, together with a Local Infrastructure Fund and managed by a Local Infrastructure Group to deliver places through effective resource management and coordination is essential to effective spatial planning.
• DOH should prepare a Circular and letter to all Health Chief Executives to advise them of their need to engage in spatial planning processes as part of their infrastructure and capital programmes. (Update on whether this has been done)
• DfES should prepare a Circular and letter to the whole education sector [schools, children, HE and FE] and their partners in programmes [e.g. Building Schools for the Future] to advise them of the importance of spatial approaches and their need to engage with it in their infrastructure and capital planning. (Update on whether this has been done)
• Local Authorities should establish a Local Infrastructure Group [LIG] to translate the SCS, LDF and other planning requirements into a Local Infrastructure Programme [LIP] which is committed and resourced through the Local Infrastructure Fund [LIF].

To view the report (click here)

Local Development Framework - Examining Development Plan Document: Learning from Experience (September 2009)

To view the document (click here)  

Spatial planning and infrastructure delivery (RICS)

To view the study (click here)
 

Regional  

South West Regional Assembly Infrastructure Planning Advice Note (August 2008)

The South West Regional Planning Body commissioned Arup (in conjunction with Knight Frank) to produce a guidance note for Local Authorities providing advice on how to gain a better understanding of strategic infrastructure requirements arising from development.

The note draws on best practice from within and outside of the South West. It is intended to help Local Authorities assess, manage and cost major infrastructure and to help develop the evidence base to demonstrate that infrastructure is deliverable.

Utilising best practice from within and outside of the South West, the advice note focuses on:

• the steps needed to establish a framework for infrastructure planning
• how to identify infrastructure need
• how to undertake infrastructure costings and fund infrastructure
• the importance of prioritisation and monitoring
• the scope for developer contributions towards funding infrastructure
• the importance of land valuation
• the importance of capacity building within local authorities

It highlights three key principles which Local Authorities (and others) should adopt when planning for infrastructure:

1. the need to adopt a collaborative approach;
2. the need for Infrastructure Delivery Plans to be 'live' plans given that understanding the needs of and providing for infrastructure necessitate an iterative and ongoing process; and
3. the need for contingency planning and planning for alternative development and delivery scenarios.

The full Advice Note is available to download from the South West Councils website.

The Regional Integrated Infrastructure Scoping Study

The Yorkshire and Humber RPB commissioned Arup to undertake a Regional Integrated Infrastructure Scoping Study (RIIS) in early 2008. This work sought to identify providers’ areas of operations and networks, types of strategic infrastructure, and provide a methodology for assessing capacity, to help achieve greater strategic alignment of infrastructure and inform the RSS Update 2009. The RIIS helpfully identified areas of operations, and identified some components of strategic infrastructure, although it focused on physical (or “critical”) infrastructure.

To view the study (click here)

Green Infrastructure Evidence Base Study

The Yorkshire and Humber RPB commissioned Ecotec to undertake a Green Infrastructure Evidence Base Development Study (GIEB) to provide key information to contribute to the development of a strategic approach to green infrastructure in the Region. This study helped the RPB to identify what constitutes as regionally and sub-regionally strategic green infrastructure. Further work has also been done with Natural England who is currently mapping the strategic green infrastructure assets in the region.

To view the study (click here)

Tees valley Green Infrastructure Strategy, Tees Valley Joint Strategy Unit (2008)

Although there is no Planning Policy Statement or Government guidance on planning for Green Infrastructure, PPS11 provides for spatial planning according to regional circumstances. The Tees Valley Green Infrastructure Strategy provides a model to identify existing and future Green Infrastructure. This strategy aims to create a network of green corridors and green spaces, and defines Green Infrastructure as green spaces that can link together create an informal but planned network.

The strategy distinguishes between strategic, sub-regional, district and neighbourhood levels, or scales, of Green Infrastructure, and maps major landscape designations.

To view the strategy (click here)