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?

Nurturing sapling icon

Climate change mitigation/adaption and nature recovery cannot be done in organisational silos;

Nature icon

A lack of integrated planning in a geography, which is acting as a key barrier to identifying catchment and nature based solutions;

Handshake icon

The need to engage potential partners at the outset to maximise the chances of co-funded schemes;

Clipboard icon

The opportunity to deliver multiple benefits for the environment and society

Place Based Planning Pilots

Map of UK North West

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.

  • Reasons for piloting in the Upper Mersey

    • The potential to influence a very significant amount of our WINEP expenditure
    • Significant development plans such as Timperley wedge, Carrington, Stockport MDC
    • Highest risk of standpipes in a drought
    • Second highest risk of internal flooding per km of sewer
    • Highest risk of climate change leading to tighter WwTW permit limits due to lack of dilution
    • Second biggest land holding (Goyt valley, Longdendale, Dovestone, Macclesfield forest) and drinking water catchment resilience highlighted as an issue
    • Third highest CSO spill volume per km of river
    • EA are reviewing their approach to flood defences for the Mersey and we need to address overflows which are close to or embedded in the flood defences.
    • History of partnership working driving innovation with Natural Course, IGNITION, Moors for the future, Ship Canal partnership)
    • Recently established strategic partnership with GMCA/EA focused on resilience and enhancing natural capital

    Partners

    • GMCA
    • Environment Agency
    • Stockport Council
    • Manchester City Council
    • Mersey Rivers Trust
    • Moors for the Future
    • RSPB
    • Forestry Commission
    • The Rivers Trust

    Outputs from the Pilot

    We have an active strategic partnership with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which has agreed to collaborate on a number of outcomes, documented in a Memorandum of Understanding. An Integrated Water Management Plan has been co-created and it was launched in October 2023.

  • Reasons for piloting in the Eden

    • Potential scale of AMP 8 WINEP based on current expectation (second largest catchment)
    • Driven by habitats directive drivers (investigated during AMP 7)
    • Green Recovery is targeting significant delivery in AMP 7 reducing catchment phosphate
    • Highest % population growth expected by 2050
    • Second highest risk of outfalls locking in a 1 in 5 year storm
    • Second highest risk of standpipes in a drought
    • Significant flood challenges and potential alignment with other stakeholders
    • Significant wastewater investment need and significant water abstraction (Cumwinton, Castle Carrock, Bowscar and Haweswater)
    • Builds on the work in the Petteril and the partnerships established
    • Like minded land owners
    • Aligned corporate interest (Nestlé etc.)
    • Established partnerships (Petteril, RSPB Haweswater)

    Potential Partners

    • Eden Rivers Trust
    • RSPB
    • Lowther Estate
    • North Pennine AONB
    • Cumbria Peat Partnership
    • Cumbria Wildlife Trust
    • Nestlé
    • Countryside Stewardship
    • National Trust
    • Cumbria County Council
    • Environment Agency
    • Natural England

    Outputs from the pilot

    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. A number of workstreams guided the collaborative work including Nature Based Solutions, Agriculture and Soil Management and Misconnections.

  • Reasons for piloting in the Wyre

    • Top priority catchment for Environmental Destination
    • Highest number of outfalls locked on 1 in 5 year storm
    • Second highest % increase in properties at risk in a 1 in 50 storm between 2020 and 2050
    • Significant population growth expected by 2050
    • Significant flood challenges and potential alignment with other stakeholders
    • Potential for significant bathing water expenditure
    • Designated a drinking water protected area (pesticides, colour, taste)
    • Green Recovery expenditure in AMP 7 to improve raw water quality for Franklaw WTW
    • Groundwater sustainability investigation in AMP 7 may lead to abstraction licence reductions
    • Builds on the Wyre NFM pilot project (Rivers Trust, Wyre Rivers Trust, EA, UU, Jriodos Bank, Co-op Insurance, FloodRe)
    • Established bathing water partnership – Turning Tides (Blackpool Council, Wyre Council, Seton Council, Keep, Environment Agency)

    Potential Partners

    • Wyre Rivers Trust
    • Ribble Rivers Trust
    • Forest of Bowland AONB
    • Natural England Catchment sensitive farming
    • Wyre, Fylde and Blackpool Councils
    • Environment Agency

    Outputs from the pilot

    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.​ 

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.

5 key counties