Ten years on from the introduction of the Planning Act 2008, we are launching a study together with Barton Wilmore and Womble Bond Dickinson to capture what industry has learnt from the NSIP regime, assess how fit for purpose the existing system is, and explore how it can evolve to better meet the fast-changing needs of the UK.
We have identified three specific questions to guide our research, which each address different important principles of the Planning Act. Here, Martin McCrink, Kevin Gibbs and Tom Carpen share their thoughts on the Planning Act 2008, and how it could begin to answer some of the most pertinent questions of our time.
How can the NSIP regime’s engagement principles evolve to improve the stakeholder relationships associated with new settlements?
For more on the public engagement lessons the Planning Act has taught us, read Andrew Weaver’s thoughts here.
What can the Planning Act framework add compared to existing legal approaches for delivering large scale communities?
Does the NSIP regime offer any solutions to the challenges faced by complex development projects in the UK?
For more on Tom’s thoughts, you can follow this link.
These thoughts are only the starting blocks. We need to have an industry-wide conversation that challenges and interrogates the existing system to ensure it is efficient and reliable as it can be, and responds adequately to rapidly evolving needs of the country, so we’re asking you to take five minutes to give us your thoughts by filling out our short survey.
We want to hear both from those who have engaged with the DCO process (please follow this link), and those who have not (please follow this link).
We’d value your input.