Comment

Local Plans and the Oxford-Cambridge Arc Spatial Framework: which will come first?

Alongside the March 2021 Budget, the Project Speed taskforce identified the Oxford-Cambridge Arc as one of a number of high-profile ‘pathfinder projects’ which could accelerate and improve delivery across the UK Government’s infrastructure portfolio. Its importance was reinforced in February 2021’s policy paper. But with the imminent publication of the Arc Spatial Framework alongside Local Plans within the region, how will the plans help realise the Arc’s potential?

See our earlier article on February’s policy paper ‘Planning for sustainable growth in the Oxford-Cambridge Arc: An introduction to the Oxford-Cambridge Arc Spatial Framework.

The Spatial Framework appears to mark a bold new approach – and return – to strategic planning.

It is hard to disagree with the case being made in some quarters that the Arc is an attempt to resolve, with a wider reaching and permanent solution, the short term uncertainty that results in political cycles, which can have significant impacts on a local authority’s approach to planning. Two recent local elections are a reminder of this, both the Peterborough and Cambridgeshire Mayor and Leader of Oxfordshire County Council lost their seats. It has been suggested this was a direct result of their vocal support for the Arc.

A bold, long term version is needed, and it appears that the Government is grasping this in order to realise the area’s full potential. The publication of the Economic Prospects (October 2020) and the Arc Environment Principles (March 2021) highlight the challenges, issues and opportunities across the three pillars of sustainability. But also the seriousness and investment of the Government, with more work underlying the emerging evidence base in production, highlight its commitment to the Arc.

The emerging Spatial Framework

As we move towards the release of, and consultation on, the proposed vision for the Arc this summer it is important to consider what status the emerging Spatial Framework will have.

It will be a non-statutory document, and will most likely have the status of a spatially specific national planning policy, with individual Local Plans subsequently left to ultimately deliver the framework’s vision and aspirations. What is not known is whether the Spatial Framework will identify housing numbers or employment land requirements – or how it will deal with the extensive array of other development types that are necessary to support its growth aspirations. Similarly, will it take on some of the themes in last year’s Planning White Paper, and look to identify areas for ‘regeneration’, ‘growth’, or ‘protection’?

One thing is clear – it will look to address the concerns of increasingly vocal residents regarding the environment, and identify opportunities to enhance biodiversity and sustainability within the Arc.

We expect the imminent vision and approach to reflect that of one of it’s the component parts, the Oxfordshire 2050 Plan, which “…. will not allocate sites for housing or employment. Instead, it will identify key areas for sustainable growth with associated housing / employment numbers, while considering how to help tackle climate change, improve water efficiency and mitigate flood risk. Districts will then use this to produce future Local Plans which will provide a detailed view of how housing and infrastructure will be delivered, and how they will address the climate emergency” (https://oxfordshireplan.org/about/).

The Government is striving to make quick progress. It is keen to publish the final Spatial Framework before the end of 2022. We wholeheartedly welcome this ambition.

Local Plans

Are Local Plans capable of moving in step with the Government to realise the Arc’s potential in the short term?

So far no Local Plan has sought to address the Arc’s potential. We have been active at all Local Plan examinations across the Arc since it was first announced in November 2017. Without exception, any talk of exponential growth associated with the Arc, beyond that of a district’s own needs or Duty to Cooperate agreements, has been kicked into the long grass, to be dealt with once more detail regarding the Arc and its infrastructure is known. As a result, a number of plans across the Arc include policies requiring immediate reviews to address this likely growth. However, many also do not yet have a time horizon into the mid-2030s – halfway through the projected Arc timeline.

Hopefully the Spatial Framework will provide the certainty local planning authorities have requested to progress plans which include growth for the Arc. But how can the current timescales for Local Plans in the Arc align with those for the emerging Spatial Framework?

The graphic in the below downloadable PDF demonstrates that the majority of Local Plans will evolve with the preparation of the Spatial Framework, with a number following on it.

The Spatial Framework will be prepared jointly by all the local planning authorities in the Arc. The scale of the Arc’s opportunity, including its infrastructure and overall development needs will be known before the final framework is published, so the final document should not be a reason to delay plan preparation.

It is critical that the Arc’s opportunity is realised as soon as possible, so delays to Local Plan preparation must be avoided (a point made by Tim Burden in Planning Magazine). Their production should be expedited, and if need be, Government intervention may be required. With Buckinghamshire being the first to ‘break cover’ and withdraw from the Arc Leaders Group, will they be the first to test the Government’s nerve?

Perhaps a solution to this is legislation requiring all Local Plans in the Arc to be placed on an immediate review, with a requirement for the review to be adopted within the following two years.

We will continue to monitor progress and push for plan preparation to continue across the Arc. Please contact Tom Armfield, Emily Rickard or Tim Burden if you would like to discuss plan timescales further.

27 May 2021