Designing the Future of Planning
Ongoing lessons from England’s local authorities on preparing for change, delivery, and growth in every place.
The interim research paper, Designing the Future of Planning, addresses the critical need to focus on local authorities' organisational capability alongside policy reform as England undergoes major local government reorganisation and devolution. Based on qualitative interviews with a dozen senior planning leaders across diverse local authorities, the study identifies six key characteristics of high-performing planning bodies.
Through illuminating case studies and insight reflections, the paper provides six core recommendations — such as establishing integrated place directorates, investing in leadership development, and creating a national peer-learning system — to help new unitaries and strategic authorities build delivery-focused planning institutions that drive long-term economic growth and community stewardship.