Experts

Policy briefings
Consultation responses
Evidence to select committees

Policy briefings

Briefing for MPs on National Policy Statements and new major infrastructure development
(PDF† 106K) January 2010
This briefing explains how National Policy Statements are to be used to assess the proposal of new major infrastructure developments, highlighting problems that will arise in the consultation and decision making process.

Briefing for MPs on the Planning Bill
(PDF† 111K) December 2007
This briefing outlines the problems with the Planning Bill as published in November 2007 and makes the case for improvements to the Bill so that Planning Reform does not come at the expense of people's rights, democracy and the environment.

Planning for the Future
(PDF† 132K) July 2007
This briefing demonstrates the democratic and sustainable development principles that underpin the planning system, explores a possible "new vision for planning" and suggests how we could get there.

Planning White Paper: MPs' briefing
(PDF† 79K) June 2007
The Government's Planning White Paper sets out a series of reforms to make the planning system better for business. This briefing for MPs summarises our concerns on the serious implications the White Paper has for local people and the environment.

Tackling climate change through the planning system. Looking at the new planning policy statement on climate change
(PDF† 181K) April 2007
This briefing focuses on the Government's "Planning Policy Statement: Planning and Climate Change", determining how we can use it to deliver our vision of a low carbon society.

Tackling Climate Change Through Planning: a discussion paper for PPS 26
(PDF† 456K) September 2006
A report produced by Friends of the Earth and the Town and Country Planning Association. It recommends the scope and detail for the Government's forthcoming Planning Policy Statement on climate change. It aims to address the currently patchy delivery of climate change policy, suggesting a systematic approach and provides best practice guidance.

Barker Review of Land Use Planning: analysis of the Interim Report
(PDF† 93K) August 2006
The Barker Review will have a dramatic impact on the way we shape the future of our communities. This interim report heralds the beginning of a further major program of reform and deregulation. But the analysis in the interim report is based on a flawed understanding of the purpose of planning, and lacks a rigorous evidence base and a coherent analytical approach.

Planning Shake-up: the Treasury's agenda for our local communities
MPs briefing
(PDF† 60K) August 2006
The Treasury is driving forward a series of initiatives that will dramatically change land-use planning. Friends of the Earth fears these will lead to a significant attack on people's rights and the environment, without improving prosperity for communities.

Regional Spatial Strategy: a blueprint for justice and sustainable development in the English regions
(PDF† 448K) March 2006
Friends of the Earth's vision of a sustainable and environmentally just society. It provides a set of clear spatial policies and is a useful resource for communities, campaigners and planning practitioners who want to achieve a positive future for their regions.

The second Barker review of land use planning
(PDF† 356K) March 2006
The Treasury sets out terms of reference for this review that aim to deregulate the planning system. Friends of the Earth's response shows that it is social and environmental goals which are presently not met. The approach chosen in the review to deliver reform will deliver damaging and inefficient results, because it does not integrate economic, social and environmental considerations.

Delivering Sustainable Housing: MPs briefing
(PDF† 158K) January 2006
The Government consultations on Planning Policy Statement 3 (PPS 3) and the Code for Sustainable Homes have missed a major opportunity to secure a step change in the environmental performance of housing. This briefing sets out practical policy recommendations for PPS 3 and the Code.

Implementing the Barker Report: or how to wreck the environment and ignore the homeless
(PDF† 155K) July 2005
The Government's consultation paper on housing supply threatens to wreck the planning system, cause massive house-building in the South East, demolitions in the North and would have a huge impact on the environment.

Planning Policy Statement 1: Creating Sustainable Communities: a summary
(PDF† 144K) March 2005
Planning Policy Statement 1 (PPS 1) is a vitally important document for anyone campaigning on planning issues at the local and regional level. PPS 1 is the Government's overarching statement on the purpose of the planning system and sets out important objectives.

Statements of Community Involvement Key Principles: A Local Authority guide
(PDF† 179K) July 2004
This guide is designed to assist Local Authorities to prepare their Statements of Community Involvement. Based on our extensive experience of the barriers to community participation in planning, the report identifies the key principles that will help promote effective public involvement.

Consultation responses

Legal Opinion in the matter of the Planning White Paper
(PDF† 249K) October 2007
This legal opinion, by top barristers and experts in environmental and planning law, shows how the Planning White Paper proposals would breach UK, EU and international law in a number of areas.

Friends of the Earth official response to the Planning White Paper consultation
(PDF† 163K) August 2007

Response to the Barker Review of Land Use Planning: Interim Report
(PDF† 155K) August 2006

Planning Policy Statement 3: Housing
(PDF† 222K) March 2006

Response to Treasury terms of reference: The second Barker review of land use planning
(PDF† 356K) March 2006

Response to ODPM consultation paper: Planning for housing provision
(PDF† 117K) September 2005

Planning Policy Statement 10: Planning for sustainable waste management
(PDF† 175K) March 2005

Planning Policy Statement 9: Biodiversity and geological conservation
(PDF† 139K) December 2004

Response to ODPM consultation paper:
Sustainability appraisal of regional spatial strategies and local development frameworks
(PDF† 103K) September 2004

Planning Policy Statement 1: Creating sustainable communities
(PDF† 129K) May 2004

Planning Policy Statement 6: Planning for town centres
(PDF† 184K) March 2004

Planning Policy Statement 11: Regional planning
(PDF† 114K) January 2004

Planning Policy Statement 12: Local development frameworks
(PDF† 93K) January 2004

Planning Policy Statement 22: Renewable energy
(PDF† 174K) January 2004

Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable development in rural areas
(PDF† 146K) December 2003

Evidence to select committees

Energy NPS evidence
(PDF† 173K) January 2010
Evidence given by Friends of the Earth on the proposals of the Energy National Policy Statements

Housing: Building a Sustainable Future - Supplementary evidence
(PDF† 144K) June 2004
Supplementary Evidence given by Friends of the Earth to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee on the issue of housing and the Barker Review.

Housing: Building a sustainable future
(PDF† 173K) June 2004
Evidence given by Friends of the Earth to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee on the issue of housing in the wake of the Barker Review.

Planning White Paper
(PDF† 92K) June 2007
The Government's Planning White Paper sets out a series of reforms to make the planning system better for business. This evidence summarises our concerns on the serious implications the white paper will have on local people and the environment.

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