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Our vision for planning
Planning for people, planet, and future generations
The UK’s planning system is one of the powerful democratic tools we have to tackle the defining challenges of our time: the housing crisis, the climate emergency and the sustainable use of our land.
Good planning leads to thriving communities, a sense of belonging and a real stake in your future. Check back soon for opportunities to get involved and support a planning system fit for the future.
Planning matters
Planning is the solution
The planning system is frequently misunderstood. Far from being a bureaucratic barrier, it’s a democratic tool that helps make sure development:
- happens in the right places
- benefits local communities
- balances new housing and infrastructure with the need to safeguard the environment and support nature recovery
Good planning empowers local communities and protects what makes our countryside special.
A chance to get it right: the Planning & Infrastructure Bill
The government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill (PIB) is an opportunity to make sure the planning system does do its job effectively. The bill should:
- set ambitious, enforceable targets for genuinely affordable and social homes
- provide funding to recruit and train local planners
- hold big developers accountable
What needs to change
The rural housing crisis can’t wait
- Rural house prices are rising twice as fast as those in urban areas while incomes remain stagnant
- Rural homelessness has risen by 40% in just five years
- Current ‘affordable housing’ definitions aren’t working—prices must be tied to local incomes, not market rates
Big developers are sitting on land for more than a million unbuilt homes, prioritising their profit over people’s needs. The system should make sure these homes get built.
Use brownfield first
England has space for 1.2 million homes on previously developed land. These homes would:
- be close to jobs, schools, and transport connections
- regenerate town centres and urban communities
- protect green spaces and farmland from development
Planning should be democratic
Local people know their communities best. The planning system should amplify their voices, not silence them. That means:
- making sure people have a right to speak on decisions that impact them
- making it easier for communities to engage
- championing the democratic role of local planning committees
Planning for the future
Facing up to the climate emergency
Planning can lead the way towards net zero. The system should:
- promote energy-efficient and high-quality homes with rooftop solar panels
- encourage people to use public transport
- protect nature and boost biodiversity
A vision worth fighting for
Planning is a powerful democratic tool. With the right reforms, it can:
- solve the housing crisis
- tackle climate change
- protect rural communities and safeguard the natural world
