Lambsquay Consulting of Cambridge Limited Spatial Planning Consultancy

September 2023

Future Cities Forum in Oxford

Simon Payne took part in a Forum event at St Johns College, Oxford in September 2023. The event debated future challenges for developing science cities and included Susan Brown, the Leader of Oxford City Council, senior built environment practitioners and representatives from commerce.

Simon observed that:

'The main lesson from my experience working in Germany is that there is a lot more certainty and long term thinking there, that goes well beyond the local and sub-regional. There was a (UK government) announcement today about biodiversity, but we are planning for generations to come. Garden towns, for instance, need a 30 year vision to plan and develop. It needs a different mechanism and also a move to long term thinking. How do you get over the ad hoc approach and short term thinking that we have now? There are all sorts of partnerships cobbled together to do what the RDAs (regional development agencies) originally did. We are facing fundamental issues on water, waste, energy and net zero and how can we tackle these with a fragmented approach? Susan, with your influence, can we expect the next government to address this?’
 

Cllr Susan Brown responded:

‘One of the things we have suffered from for years in this country is a lack of confidence in local and regional government to act with long term vision for policy. It seems even more fragmented at the moment, and some of the decisions around net zero are appalling. The pan-regional partnership we have in place, is one area which can allow us to address issues around energy, for instance. Talking to cities and twin towns in Europe, the Mayor of Grenoble couldn't believe we don't have regulation powers over energy, water and power suppliers locally, to try and get what we need as a city. We don't have powers to ask them to provide. That has to change, and we need a way of progressing planning with them.'

More information about the Forum is available at https://futurecitiesforum.london/

July 2023

Planning Officers' Society Annual Conference

In June Simon Payne attended the Planning Officers’ Society Annual Conference at Gateshead. The event was hugely successful with an inspiring keynote speaker, Professor Sir Michael Marmott, on the importance of planning in health.

A range of topics were covered in the two days and the finale was delivered by Joanna Averley, Chief Planner at DLUC, when she set out the opportunities of Planning Reform and the year ahead.