Planning policies don't match

From CTC's CycleDigest (ww.ctc.org.uk)

"In mid-December the Department for Communities and Local Government at last published the supplement to Planning Policy Statement 1 (PPS1), Planning and Climate Change, and a consultation on PPS4 - Planning for Sustainable Economic Development. The latter offers policy advice in direct contradiction to the values expressed in the former.

PPS1 follows the agenda set by Planning Policy Guidance 13 (PPG13), and establishes clearly that reducing the need to travel through land use planning must be fundamental to meeting our climate change goals. Of course, that message is bundled up with a collection of recommendations on renewable energy, adaptation to climate change etc., but picking out the section on transport and repeating it back to local authorities may help to hammer home the principle that better land use planning will reduce car dependency and benefit cycling.

Draft PPS4, on the other hand, unhelpfully suggests that out-of-town developments may be acceptable, and reverses some of the maximum car parking standards set in PPG13. Mixed messages!

PPS1: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/ppsclimatechange

PPS4 consultation (closes 17/3/08):

www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/consultationeconomicdevelopment"