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Abstract
The modernization of governance systems continues to heavily impact the practice of planning in the UK, as in many countries. The UK Coalition government has moved quickly to introduce a programme of planning reform, particularly in plan-making. Yet this was also a focus for major reforms introduced by the previous Labour government, namely, the local development framework (LDF) system which was meant to encapsulate a shift to a spatial planning approach in England. This paper draws on extensive empirical material to consider the views of frontline local authority planners to the new system as it was put into place. Drawing on implementation theory and highlighting differing conceptions as to where the cause of problems enacting the new system lay, I argue that detailed consideration of the frontline is vital if we are to better understand the contours of modernization.
Acknowledgements
The research this paper is based upon was undertaken as part of a PhD sponsored under the ESRC-ODPM joint scheme, award number PTA-039-2005-00001, with additional support to fund the in-depth interview research received from the University of London Central Research Fund. I am extremely grateful to the three anonymous referees and Vincent Nadin for their detailed and helpful comments on an earlier draft of this paper. All responsibility for the interpretation of their feedback is, of course, my own.
Notes
Under the devolution settlement, the United Kingdom (UK) government is only responsible for planning policy in England, whilst the devolved governments of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are responsible for planning in their territories.
Regional spatial strategies (RSSs) were statutory regional spatial development plans produced in England under the 2004 Act.
An internal target for a central government department's staff to be held accountable to
Originally, SA was required for all LDF documents, including each SPD as well as DPDs. The requirements were reduced under amendments to the process made in 2008.
This was also amended in 2008.
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, then the government department responsible for planning in England (since replaced by the Department for Communities and Local Government).
PDG was money given by central government to local authorities to develop their planning services, awarded on the basis of performance.
Plan making in England prior to the 2004 Act involved district councils producing ‘Local Plans’ and county councils producing ‘strategic plans’ in areas with two-tiers of local government. After 2004, these were combined into the LDF, produced by district councils.
Government Offices were branches of central government departments in the regions of England. The Planning Inspectorate is an agency of central government who is tasked with hearing appeals relating to the granting of planning permission and checking the preparation of development plans has followed correct procedures.
In fact, by the end of March 2011, just 98 local planning authorities had adopted ‘sound’ core strategies (PINS, Citation2011). Since election, the Coalition government has abolished the Housing and Planning Delivery Grant and attempted to encourage progress on local plans by inserting a stronger presumption in favour of development into the new National Planning Policy Framework for situations where adopted, up-to-date plans are not in place (DCLG, Citation2012).
