Development that takes from the environment increases environmental pressure elsewhere, but current housing demands mean we need to find another way: smart planning for the future that enables sustainable development.

LUC held a one-hour workshop at the 2010 Planning Convention on 30th June entitled ‘Planning for what communities want vs what they can have - who decides?’. The session aimed to tackle ways to combine multi-benefit planning with localism. It proved very popular with approx. 60 attendees, and inspired so many questions we were in danger of holding up the main conference!

LUC Principal Jeremy Owen chaired the session, and LUC Principal Lyndis Cole and client David Payne each gave a short presentation. We put the case (based on recent LUC research into multi-benefit planning) that what communities actually want are liveable, unique, green spaces rather than identikit places to live. Therefore localism could have a positive result - sustainable developments, which are healthier, better placed to deal with the effects of climate change and also work within environmental limits. The challenge will be to engage communities in planning decisions, whilst meeting demands such as waste management, affordable housing, renewable energy and low carbon economies.