Infrastructure delivery and spatial planning: The case of English Local Development Frameworks

This paper examines the delivery of infrastructure requirements related to the plan-making (LDF) process in England introduced as part of the 2004 planning system reforms. Success or otherwise in terms of plan implementation and infrastructure delivery is crucial if the reformed spatial planning system is to be successful. The paper draws on research undertaken as part of a government-sponsored research project into the operation of the new LDF process. The research reveals a significant gap between government expectations and current practice. It suggests that longer-term commitments by central government, alongside improved understanding of the spatial planning process and the role of local government as part of a continued drive for 'culture change' among local planning authorities and delivery partners, will be required if the current barriers to the delivery of infrastructure are to be overcome. Otherwise, the new-style LDFs are as likely to be plagued by implementation gaps as were their predecessors.