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Amid the confusion over the future of the planning system, planners around the country are waiting to see how various tweaks and changes will take effect.
One of those waiting with bated breath is Sue Ansbro, director of planning and design at WYG in Leeds. She is less than confident that government reforms will work out well in the end.
Ansbro began her career as a planning officer at Leeds City Council before moving into the authority's new economic development arm.
Following a break to start a family, she began taking on more consultancy work. Her practice is now focused on major mixed-use regeneration schemes in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
She recognises that the government is still finding its feet in terms of planning but identifies localism - and the delivery of new homes in particular - as a key driver. If localism is going to work, she argues, it needs a much clearer locally-based policy framework.
"There isn't a structured approach within districts as to what the localism agenda means for what kind of development should be brought forward," she explains. "Local community groups are willing to deliver stronger community leadership, but my concern is that we need a mechanism to ensure that localism is properly democratic."
While there might be some groups who make their views heard, Ansbro points out that there is no evidence that those groups represent the community in the wider sense. "The people who shout the loudest and object to schemes are those who already live in an area and have homes. How is the localism agenda intending to reflect those social groups that aren't able to make their voices heard?"
She stresses the need for government and local authorities as well as developers to be aware of community requirements. Developers, local authority officers, councillors and key stakeholder groups should have a wide debate on what the priorities are at local level, she argues.
One sticking point, in her view, is the conflict between localism and developments with a much wider significance beyond the local area.
"There are national priorities that are not reflected in the localism agenda and I think that the government is starting to acknowledge that this is an issue that needs tackling," she suggests. "What we need is an overriding strategy that is missing completely from the government's agenda. We have to identify where the sensible places for growth are and where regeneration money, if there is any, should be spent."
Local enterprise partnerships are being touted as an alternative means of delivering a strategic level of planning, but Ansbro makes clear that she has reservations about this prospect. "One of my concerns is that it requires busy private sector companies to embrace partnerships at a time when they themselves are struggling to keep their own heads above the water in the economy."
She fears that the coalition's approach is likely to lead to a policy that is fragmentary and inconsistent, leading to delay, uncertainty and frustration on all sides. "One would hope that over the next few months it would sort itself out, but I don't see much sign of guidance on how to go about doing that. Local authorities are going to deal with this in very different ways and there won't be any consistency of approach," she predicts.
"Some authorities are saying it suits them very well to reduce their housing figures, while others are welcoming the opportunity to increase numbers. The question is whether these homes are going to be built where people want them to be. If a local authority's decision to raise its housing targets doesn't reflect the demand for new homes, the problem remains."
Ansbro is also dubious about whether policies imposing a wholesale ban on greenfield development - in many areas due to local opposition - is realistic when population predictions are already indicating the need for additional homes.
"Without truly embracing the need to deliver homes in the right place for the right sorts of people, we are not going to be able to respond to the pressures we face," she says.
Another inherent problem she identifies is the lack of clarity as to how infrastructure will be funded at a time when local authorities are having to tighten the belt still further on public spending.
"The government seemed to suggest that the money would come from the new home bonus scheme, but now it is hesitating on whether it has the money to do that," she observes.
On the positive side, Ansbro reflects that all parties are realising that they need to work together more closely. "Developers and house builders recognise that effective community consultation is valuable for delivering quality schemes. That has to be good news because local residents can only benefit as a result," she maintains.
Moving forward, she stresses the need for realism on all sides about what lies ahead. While there may be a number of potential pitfalls with the radical changes happening in the planning world, the sector has little choice but to embrace the localism agenda and try to make it work, she acknowledges.
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CV
Age: 56
Family: Two children
Education: Degree in geography, University of Birmingham; masters in
town and regional planning, University of Sheffield
Interests: Gardening, walking
2003: Director, WYG Planning
2001: Planning director, RPS
1998: Director, Town Planning Consultancy
1990: Associate planner, Clive Brook Associates
1985: Independent consultant
1982: Development officer, Leeds City Council
1977: Planning officer, Leeds City Council
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