Friday 2nd September 2011

Shaun Spiers
Campaign to Protect Rural England
London SE1

2nd September 2011

SIR – As past presidents of the Royal Town Planning Institute, this is the first time in more than 50 years that so many of us have come together to sign a public letter. The current debate in the media about planning reform, with claim and counter claim, highlights the importance of planning for economic growth, building communities and the conservation of our cherished spaces and places.

However, this debate has now descended into open hostility on all sides, with each party interpreting the same policy in very different ways.

The government also wants to bring in a new system almost overnight, reflecting the urgency of delivering localism and stimulating both housing and economic growth.

While we recognise this urgency and support the government’s overall objectives, the unintended consequences of this haste are greater confusion, uncertainty for the development industry and anxiety for communities.

Good planning is also about the long, as well as the short term.

What we need is a reasoned debate and clear thinking on managing this major change.

As the voice of the professionals, in the public, private and voluntary sectors, who will be charged with making any new system work, the RTPI stands ready to bring the parties together to address the confusion and to resolve the conflict.

Martin Willey
Janet O’Neill
Clive Harridge
Ron Tate
Professor Vincent Goodstadt
Mike Haslam
Nick Davies
Kevin Murray
Brian Raggett
Trevor Roberts
Tony Struthers
Jed Griffiths
Hazel McKay
Martin Bradshaw
Professor Peter Fidler
Robin Thompson
Chris Shepley
Stephen Byrne
John Anderson
Andrew Thorburn
John Collins
Ewart Parkinson
Professor Graham Ashworth
 

The Royal Town Planning Institute
London EC3