Back to What we do

Spatial Planning

Found out all about the Spatial Development Strategy, our latest engagements, and other key projects.

halton

What we do

Devolution means that our Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram has strategic planning powers to help accelerate economic growth and to respond to the issues and challenges that are present here. That’s why we’re working with our local councils to create a Spatial Development Strategy which will set out which types of development will happen where across the whole of the Liverpool City Region.

A big driver behind this is our preference for a Brownfield First approach, which means that, wherever possible, houses should be built on previously developed land.

Through our Land Commission and the One Public Estate partnership, we’re also looking at how land can be best used across our city region.

Spatial Development Strategy

As part of its Devolution Deal with Government, the Combined Authority (CA) is preparing a strategic land-use planning framework called a Spatial Development Strategy (SDS). This allows the Liverpool City Region to develop its own distinctive planning strategy in response to the issues and opportunities present here – in keeping with the principles of devolution.

Strategic planning matters that the SDS will consider include housing, economy and employment, health and wellbeing, climate change and the environment.

The SDS will be the first of its kinds for the Liverpool City Region. It will form part of the overall planning framework along with plans prepared by the 6 constituent authorities.

LCR Brownfield Land Register

Brownfield Land is classified as sites that have previously been developed.

The LCR Brownfield Land Register provides up to date and consistent information on available Brownfield Land sites across the six constituent Local Authorities.

The Town and Country Planning (Brownfield Land Register) Regulations 2017 requires each Local Authority to prepare, maintain and publish an up-to-date register to demonstrate land that is appropriate for development.

The potential for a Liverpool City Region Brownfield Land Register is established as part of the Devolution Deal.

The Register will help deliver residential development across the city region and will inform funding opportunities; including the Liverpool City Region Brownfield Land Fund.

Download (EXCEL, 118kb)

One Public Estate

The LCR One Public Estate (OPE) Partnership is managed by the LCRCA and is an established national programme delivered in partnership by the LGA and the Office for Government Property (OGP) within the Cabinet Office. The partnership supports locally led partnerships of public sector bodies to deliver:

  • Public service delivery strategies;
  • Understand estates needs;
  • Opportunities to bid into revenue (OPE) and capital (Brownfield Land Released Fund, Self and Custom Build Fund) funding

Outcomes include repurposing the public estate for housing, regeneration and other locally supported uses. The LCR Partnership currently manages £2.4m of funding. Below are some of the LCR OPE Partnerships projects:

Land Commission

As part of the LCR Devolution Deal (2015), the LCR has the ability to create a Land Commission, to review how land is best used.

The LCR Land Commission was launched by the Metro Mayor in 2020 and was facilitated by CLES (Centre for Local Economic Strategies). The aim of the Land Commission was to develop creative approaches to the sustainable and economically inclusive use of land, to facilitate the LCR to become the fairest and most socially inclusive city region in the country.

The LCR Land Commission consisted of 13 experts on democratic land reform. This was England’s first Land Commission, which reviewed the use of land for community wealth building.

The LCR Land Commission was published in July 2021 setting out 13 recommendations to improve land use across the City Region.

The LCRCA is currently developing its response to implementing the recommendations.

LCR Design

Paul Monaghan is an internationally acclaimed architect and the Executive Director and Head of Design Studio at AHMM. His key projects in the workplace, arts, education, residential and masterplanning sectors have all been recognised by numerous national and international awards, including the 2015 RIBA Stirling Prize for Bruntwood School.

Appointed by the Metro Mayor in November 2018, Paul is Liverpool City Region’s first Design Champion. Paul’s role as a Design Champion is to promote good design and kick start a conversation about the importance of design throughout the City Region.

As the LCR Design Champion Paul organised the “Found Spaces” competition in 2020.

Most recently he chaired the judging panel of the “Liverpool City Region Town House Design competition”, alongside Grand Design presenter Kevin McCloud and the government’s Chief Planning Officer Joanna Averley. Completing the judging panel were Plus Dane’s former chief executive Barbara Spicer; James Soane, director of Project Orange Architecture, Hazel Rounding, director of Shedkm and Lifa Zvimbande, regional director of RIBA North West.

First prize went to Studio MUTT in collaboration with Solidspace for their Back to Life design, a “classic interpretation of the terrace house and mews”.

.

Latest News

Read all news