An agenda for planning reform

In the forthcoming book The Future of Planning: beyond growth dependence I set out, in the final chapter, an agenda for reform of the planning system to support more community-based approaches. There are three areas where change is urgently needed if alternatives to growth-dependent planning are to become a real possibility in the localities where this is needed. The first reform is change to planning guidance, which has such an influence on local planning practice. The argument here is that just sustainability needs to be embedded in such guidance. The second set of reforms focus around the need for new planning tools. As well as specific proposed changes to planning regulation and new fiscal measures, the role of landownership as a planning tool needs to be readdressed. This has been a major lacuna in UK planning, particularly as compared to many other European countries. And thirdly, new forms of community engagement needs to be put into practice. This agenda is set ou fully in the book but also summarised in a UCL Public Policy Briefing available at: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/public-policy/public_policy_publications/Rydin_Policy_Briefing_September_2013.pdf

Lecture invitation 24th October at UCL

Sorry for blog silence but back from holidays and recovered form the chaos of the start of term. 

For those in London, you are cordially invited to a Public Lecture that I will be giving at UCL on Thursday 24th October from 17.30 - 19.00 with a wine reception afterwards. The location is the Gustav Tuck Lecture Theatre, Wilkins Building, UCL, London WC1E 6BT and you can book a ticket on Eventbrite at:

http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/planning/centenary-news-events-repository/centenary-lecture-yvonne-rydin

The topic will be The Future of Planning and I will be discussing some of the key themes of the new book as well as putting them in the context of current debates in planning theory. I look forward to seeing some of you there.