In Part One of this book we set out how planning in England has been systematically dismantled and in Part Two we set out how to rebuild the planning system so that it meets the needs of society today and the needs of future generations.

In 2016 we no longer have a national or regional way of working out solutions to our problems such as housing need and regeneration or flooding and food production. More and more development is being approved in piecemeal locations, often through appeals, leading to development that is often poorly served by infrastructure such as roads, hospitals or schools. Relaxation of permitted development rights has led to tens of thousands of new homes being created without the requirement for planning permission (for example, through the conversion of commercial buildings into homes), and this means that little or no thought is given to the most basic issues, such as whether there are enough doctors’ surgeries in the area or where children will be able to play. We are producing fewer and fewer genuinely affordable and social homes, so homelessness and affordability are blighting people's lives, and the new homes that are being built are often small and inaccessible because national minimum space or accessibility standards are no longer in place. While each one of these measures on its own may not have a considerable impact, the cumulative result risks creating a legacy of poorly serviced, badly designed places that don't provide for those in greatest housing need.

The good news is that it doesn't have to be this way. We need to rebuild the planning system in England founded on positive and creative ideas that make a real difference to people's lives. This requires clear principles and a new set of structures and approaches that can deliver a system that is democratic and participative, and effective and efficient.

In this chapter we set out ten ideas to meet this challenge. Each idea on its own will make a difference, and collectively they have the potential to transform the future of our nation. Five of these ideas are designed to rebuild the foundations of English planning and five are focused on key outcomes that we need to achieve right now.