New policy statement falls short, says Institute

The new draft Planning Policy Statement (PPS), Planning for a Natural and Healthy Environment, has a number of serious shortcomings, according to the Landscape Institute.

Welcoming the draft PPS in broad terms, the Institute applauded the importance it gives to the provision of green infrastructure (GI), but criticised the fact that it does not make it mandatory for local planning authorities to prepare formal GI strategies based upon local needs and opportunities.

In a full consultation response to the draft PPS, the LI policy committee outlined a series of flaws and omissions. These include the lack of recognition given to the connection between good design and functionality – even though good design is critical in delivering the wide range of functions that GI can provide – and the fact that it does not address the key issues of maintenance and management of the urban and rural landscape.

The committee also found that the importance of water contributing to the delivery of GI benefits is not adequately covered, while the PPS fails to address some of the key themes of the European Landscape Convention (ELC), which came into force in the UK in March 2007. These include the preparation of Landscape Character Assessments and objectives, and an emphasis on public participation and the preparation of action plans.

Landscape Institute President Neil Williamson said: “The new government in Westminster has an opportunity to make good the shortcomings in this draft PPS, which it has inherited from the previous administration. We urge the new government to use the opportunity of this new PPS to give effect to the commitment in the May 2010 Coalition Agreement to promote green spaces for their health, environmental, social and economic benefits.”  

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