Rethinking Planning for Growth and Infrastructure Delivery

File type: pdf

File size: 92.7Mb

Download Report

A new chapter for strategic planning in England 

The UK’s ambitions for housing delivery, economic growth and infrastructure renewal are increasing the scale, complexity and interdependence of planning decisions. Responding effectively requires strategic planning to operate beyond local boundaries, align priorities across sectors, and provide clearer long‑term direction and confidence for investment and delivery. 

Against this backdrop, the introduction of Spatial Development Strategies (SDSs) across England creates a new opportunity to plan at the scale at which economies, infrastructure systems and housing markets function in practice. For the first time, many Strategic Planning Authorities will be expected to set a shared spatial direction that coordinates growth ambitions with infrastructure capacity, environmental constraints and long‑term investment decisions. 

Developed as part of our Future of Planning 2.0 programme, this report responds to that moment. While SDSs are positioned as a key mechanism for translating national missions and Local Growth Plans into spatial direction, statutory compliance alone will not be enough. To be effective, they must function as credible, investable and enduring strategic frameworks that guide decisions across sectors, institutions and political cycles.

The six components for effective strategic planning 

Drawing on in‑depth research and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, the report identifies six core components below, each supported by a set of strategic actions that underpin effective strategic planning: 

• Vision‑led and long‑term strategic direction 

• Future‑proofing through foresight, scenarios and resilience 

• Robust, reliable and shared data 

• Integrated cross‑sector and multi‑scale alignment 

• Skills, capability and organisational capacity 

• Delivery, monitoring and strategic stewardship 

The report goes further by setting out how these components can be applied together through a joined‑up, programme‑based approach to operating SDSs, while highlighting opportunities to strengthen SDS delivery through capability building and innovation.  

Who is this report for? 

For Strategic Planning Authorities, government bodies, infrastructure and utility providers, delivery partners and innovators involved in shaping, supporting and delivering SDSs, this report provides practical guidance on making strategic planning work effectively at scale.

Rethinking Planning for Growth and Infrastructure Delivery

File type: pdf

File size: 92.7Mb

Download Report

Reflections from thought leaders on the report: 

"We are at a critical moment in time to deliver essential growth and infrastructure. Now that the Planning and Infrastructure Act has been introduced, it is vital that we get on with the job of preparing Strategic Development Strategies. This will require a concerted effort to ensure we achieve alignment across different policies and sectors, and respond effectively to the evidential needs of individual places. This new report provides invaluable guidance to policy makers. It creates a framework to secure a robust and responsive planning process for collaboration, innovation, and digitalisation." 

Prof Mark Tewdwr-Jones – Professor of Cities and Regions, UCL

“I am delighted to see the cross-sector interest and discussion on how spatial development strategies can leverage the power of digital planning innovation. The Connected Places Catapult's report clearly demonstrates that, to achieve meaningful transformation, we all need to play a part at this crucial point in national planning reform. The Digital Task Force for Planning welcomes the report and encourages more public and private organisations to actively contribute to the ongoing dialogue.”

Dr Wei Yang OBE – CEO, Digital Task Force for Planning

“The Government is re-introducing an effective and mandatory approach to strategic planning in the form of spatial development strategies.  It is vital that these are delivered quickly to support more stable investment conditions for development and infrastructure, that they provide an integrated solution to place-based growth and that they remain live frameworks, underpinned by robust data.  A digitally enabled system will help us tick all of these boxes and will be transformational in the way we plan for the future.” 

Catriona Riddell – Director, Catriona Riddell & Associates