1: Vision-led planning

This underpins successful places. A well-designed settlement can deliver environmental and health benefits, reduce car dependency, and foster vibrant, walkable communities. Development has traditionally focused on the delivery of homes, roads and physical infrastructure. While these remain essential, understanding how people live day-to-day should be at the forefront of design, with masterplans that promote health, wellbeing and active travel.

Key principles:

• Start with a clear vision but allow flexibility for future development.
• Maximise internalisation of movement, through walking and cycling to local facilities.
• Create central community hubs for social inclusion and climate impact.
• Introduce mobility hubs for flexible transport options.
• Use analytical tools to demonstrate the benefits of active travel. 

2: Flexible foundations 

The majority of local planning is focused on small and medium sites, where a high level of certainty can be established around site design and delivery. ‘Super Strategic Sites’ above 2,000 homes need a fundamentally different approach to design and planning.

These sites are delivered over 10 to 25 years and, therefore, will have to meet the challenges of political and economic instability, regulatory changes and rapidly changing technology and lifestyles. The successful delivery of these places requires flexibility, led by a clear vision. This requires a trusted and collaborative approach between the developer and the local planning authority, where they can:

• Agree on principles and processes with local planning authorities for ongoing collaboration.
• Simplify and fix only essential elements in outline planning consent.
• Keep parameter plans simple, to allow for future adaptation.
• Embrace ongoing and continuous engagement.

3: Empowering communities

Delivering 1.5 million homes over the next five years puts significant pressure on existing communities, many of which already feel undervalued and pinched, and there is clear potential for resistance. How do you build new communities while balancing these tensions?

The answer lies in early inclusive engagement at the start of the process. Design must be a collaborative process where local authorities, developers, and community groups work together to shape the future. Early engagement builds trust with existing and new residents. Embedding stewardship principles ensures active community participation in the ongoing management of a place, and gives residents a stake in the development.

Key principles:

• Build trust through direct, on-the-ground relationships.
• Utilise a range of engagement techniques to maximise participation in the process.
• Balance rapid development with inclusive input – phasing is critical.
• Integrate early stewardship in land assembly and masterplanning.
• Development Corporations should centralise authority but remain guided by community voices.

Collaboration must be the way ahead.  

Further information

Contact Clare Mitchell or Andrew Raven