National planning - Transport Policy and Planning in Great Britain - page 278

a rounded, place-related view of all development and related activities (not merely
those which are subject to the statutory development planning system), transport being
one. This is in order to improve the efficiency and coherence of publicly sponsored
programmes in contributing to the qualities of individual places and the opportunities
available to their local populations.
... the spatial planning approach concentrates on establishing better coordination
of territorial impacts horizontally across different [policy] sectors, vertically among
different levels of jurisdiction and geographically across administrative boundaries.
(Cullingworth and Nadin 2006 p. 91)
Despite its concern with spatial outcomes the overall planning process described
thus far is nevertheless 'top-down' in character. A very different conception of 'place-
shaping' derives from harnessing the energies and aspirations of people who live and
work in an area in contributing to its well-being - very much a 'bottom-up' approach.
At the centre of the place-shaping idea is the notion that local leadership is crucial
to the economic, social and physical fabric of a locality. Places that are successful
have economies where business investment, labour markets, public infrastructure
and services share a set of objectives … Such places create civic pride, partnerships
between public and private sector, a belief in the importance of the public realm and
a willingness to tackle complex social and environmental problems.
An integrated approach to a locality and its problems is only possible in the
locality and is most successful when locally owned.
(Briscoe 2007)
Place-shaping is central to a distinctive agenda focused on 'communities' that
has been developed in recent years by ODPM/DCLG, linked to its programme of
reform in the workings of local government. Local Strategic Partnerships - voluntary
associations comprising a local authority and representatives of other interests in an
area - have been formed, charged with preparing 'Community Strategies'. These are
designed to articulate local needs and priorities and to co-ordinate the actions of
public, private and voluntary agencies in an area in fulfilling them. Local transport
and development plans in England are now required to take account of these strategies
as well as operating within the more established framework of 'top-down' policies and
plans noted above, although the extent to which it will prove practicable to marry
these two very different processes is unclear.
17.4 The meaning of 'national planning'
The term 'national planning' is somewhat confusing in the context of the political
union that is Great Britain. Much legislation embodying transport policy - for example
concerning traffic regulation, vehicle licensing and motoring taxation - was, and
continues to be, framed for the whole of Great Britain.
Critically fiscal policy remains with central government, both in terms of revenue
(taxation) and expenditure (although Scotland has a degree of discretion over income
tax levels which it has not yet exercised). For Scotland and Wales - and also for London
- payment comes in the form of a block grant which these devolved administrations
have the discretion to allocate between 'domestic' services (including transport) as