Why is planning important for social policy?

This chapter is very much my own reflection on the current state of play with regard to government policy on the built environment in England. I have written it from the perspective of a Labour Member of Parliament (MP), a legislator and a representative of the people of my constituency, but also as someone who until a few years ago was a practising social policy academic. With two major Bills, one on housing and regeneration and the other on town and country planning, being considered in the current session of Parliament (2007/08), it seems an opportune time to think about what Labour's policy direction is in this area.

In a recent debate in the House of Commons on new planning legislation, what struck me was the number of MPs who stressed the importance of the built environment. There was recognition of the huge significance that planning plays as a lever of public policy that can shape and reshape communities, add to our heritage or detract from it, and create literally the shape of the world around us. This is especially the case because of the durability of much of the built environment; so planning decisions taken now affect the nature and form of buildings that exist for many years to come.

Perhaps it is not a surprise to have the importance of planning mentioned, especially in a debate about new planning, but its potential role in reducing social injustice, improving the quality of life in our neighbourhoods and tackling climate change can easily be understated by those not familiar with the power of planning legislation. Indeed, to a large extent planning decisions will dictate whether we promote and live in socially mixed rather than segregated communities, the extent to which different lifestyles and housing are tolerated, and whether we live in gated communities with a clear emphasis on keeping ‘outsiders’ out.

I wanted to write about planning because the way in which land is zoned, what is put on it, and for whom, has huge implications for social policy. Indeed, planning is intricately linked with the quality of our lives and what has become known as ‘liveability’. Examples of this include access to shops, general practitioners (GPs) and housing, access to public transport and where jobs are located.