Decision details

This report seeks approval for the Executive Leader and the Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Environment to attend the Town and County Planning Association (TCPA) Garden Cities and Suburbs Seminar on 25^th June 2015, to be held at Arun District Council.

Councils are now firmly in the driving seat in planning for and stimulating growth. This seminarfor councillors, officers and delivery partners will highlight that in a localised planning system the real power is the Local Plan - this is a major opportunity to think about the long-term future and consider whether a Garden City or Suburb could provide the right solution. If the right plan is established for an area, it can help steer development to where it is needed and stop bad planning applications being made in the first place.

Significant momentum has been gained recently, both politically and across the built environment sector, on recognising the potential of the Garden City approach to development. The Prime Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister have both pledged their support for new Garden Cities; the Garden City principles have been enshrined in the Government's National Planning Policy Framework; and there is support for 'locally planned large scale development' in the Housing Strategy for England.

The new TCPA publication “Creating Garden Cities and Suburbs today: a guide for councils” will be presented at the seminar. The guide explains that well planned new communities, based on the Garden City principles, provide an opportunity to create high-quality inclusive places. By adopting the Garden City approach councils can rebuild trust in the development process, offering people a better quality of life by allowing for the highest sustainability standards, economies of scale, and better use of infrastructure. Given the scale of the challenges facing our communities, there has never been a more important time for councils to be innovative and ambitious in meeting local housing needs and aspirations, seizing the opportunities to create world-class new communities.

That approval be given for the Executive Leader and the Executive Member for Strategic Planning and Environment to attend the Town and County Planning Association (TCPA) Garden Cities and Suburbs Seminar on 25^th June 2015, to be held at Arun District Council.