The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has written an open letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, emphasising the potential value to the UK economy that could be lost without investments into planning, and outlined the importance of planning to kickstart economic growth and address the UK's housing crisis.
Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of the Royal Town Planning Institute, said: “The Labour Party has made the UK's housing crisis a top priority during their campaign and has shown a strong understanding of the importance of planning. This change in government presents a unique opportunity for planners to demonstrate their value to the economy.
“I have written to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to discuss how planning can be a part of the solution, rather than the problem. I’ve outlined clear steps his government can take to help implement planning reforms that will help to ‘Get Britain Building’ quickly. This includes fast progress to restore funding for planning services, kick-starting stalled local plans, and ensuring the involvement of strategic direction at a mayoral level from day one.
"We enlisted the services of economic experts at Public First to demonstrate the economic impact of well-resourced, proactive planning. Our letter outlines their findings, demonstrating how our profession has the potential to kickstart economic growth and generate over £70 billion in additional value over the next 10 years. This would be achieved by stimulating local economic activity and creating well-planned communities where people can thrive.
"We are at the beginning of Sir Keir Starmer's first 100 days in government, and there is significant work ahead to address the key issues facing Britain today. Starmer's party has emphasised the need for swift action on planning reform and the revision of the national planning policy framework. They will need to collaborate with planners to achieve their ambitions."
