17/11/2014
The Royal Town Planning Institute published two reports aimed at policy and decision-makers at all levels of government. The latest report, ‘Creating Economically Successful Places’, reveals that an overwhelming majority of the public (79%) want a bigger say over the development of their communities, and that 61% of people think that the best way to grow their local economy is to invest in local services and amenities. The report argues that what makes an ‘economically successful place’ goes well beyond a narrow approach to development, and that alongside other professions, planners have a critical role to play in creating and sustaining attractive, liveable places.
The earlier report published this week, ‘Making Better Decisions for Places’, outlines the need for policy-makers to take a different approach to decision-making – one that takes more account of places when responding to major challenges such as housing, transport and economic growth.
Both reports are part of the RTPI’s Planning Horizons series, which take a long-term and global view of planning and the contribution it can make to the challenges we face in the twenty-first century, published during the Institute’s Centenary year in 2014.