Place Based Planning
Place Based Planning is a key capability within our Catchment Systems Thinking approach as it requires the alignment of outcomes and development of plans across multiple stakeholders to achieve a resilient catchment. Place Based Planning recognises that addressing the risks and impacts of climate change and a growing population cannot be achieved in organisational silos, and therefore seeks integrated long-term planning, within a specific geography, between multiple stakeholders to maximise the opportunity to deliver synergistic interventions with multiple and greater benefits than would otherwise be achieved.
Why do we need Place Based Planning?
Climate change mitigation/adaption and nature recovery cannot be done in organisational silos;
A lack of integrated planning in a geography, which is acting as a key barrier to identifying catchment and nature based solutions;
The need to engage potential partners at the outset to maximise the chances of co-funded schemes;
The opportunity to deliver multiple benefits for the environment and society
Place Based Planning Pilots
In AMP7 we undertook three place-based planning pilots in the Upper Mersey, the Eden and the Wyre catchments.
In the Upper Mersey, this work has evolved into an integrated water management plan (IWMP) for Greater Manchester, developed with Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the Environment Agency. Head over to the Environmental Partnerships Page for further information on the IWMP.
In the Fylde coast/ Wyre catchment the work centred on the Natural Course project ‘Fylde Hub’ with partners including the EA, Natural England, Wyre and Ribble Rivers Trusts to better understand water quality and water quantity challenges and develop shared plans.
Across the Eden the work has focussed on scaling up following a Petteril Trial by identifying catchment wide opportunities to work with numerous stakeholders to improve water quality and reduce flood risk.
An area of emerging interest is Merseyside where we’ve started working in the Liverpool City Region to develop an integrated water management investigation in AMP8.
Click on the drop downs below to find out more the pilots.
We will build on the pilots into AMP8 and further develop our place based planning approach, working in partnership to further progress this approach.
The place based planning approach is no longer a pilot. As we move forwards into AMP8 (2025 – 2030) we are building on the work that we have completed in AMP7 (2020 – 2025) piloting place based planning. We are rolling this out across our region through our county based approach to planning. This confirms our commitment to grow the place-based planning capability which will drive our partnership working across the entire North West region to bring about multiple benefits to society and the environment.
The PBP Managers will engage with potential partners much earlier to identify opportunities to integrate, enable more catchment and nature-based solutions and deliver wider benefits.
We will continue to post updates on how place based planning progress across the five North West counties.
