ABSTRACT
The focus of this book is on spatial planning, its role, outcomes and the processes which are related to its delivery. In this chapter, this focus moves to the role of planners and others managing the activity of spatial planning. As is clear from the rest of this book, planners cannot achieve spatial planning outcomes on their own. The development planning process has moved from one that has been focussed on the development of policy to be interpreted by others to one where planning is at the heart of local integrated delivery. The introduction of spatial planning has undoubtedly led to challenges for planners. The first has been the understanding that spatial planning requires a paradigm shift in planning practice as well as in the substance of the planning task. The second challenge has been to relocate spatial planning in the understanding of all those who are now engaged in it. This includes those within local authorities, in corporate and service delivery roles, councillors, stakeholders, public sector partners, the development industry, landowners, businesses and local communities. The extension of understanding the role of spatial planning for all of these groups is a significant task, and given the drive to join up bodies working at the local level, this may be easier for public and third-sector bodies to grasp than the development industry. Third, there is a challenge to insert spatial planning into the role and work of those developing integrated place-based approaches at the local level, including the LSP. All these issues are discussed in more detail in this chapter.
