We were commissioned by Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and the Environment Agency, in collaboration with Land Use Consultants, to produce a toolkit to help Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) in the North West support improvements in water status.
The toolkit, funded under the Natural Course EU LIFE Integrated Project, focuses on the delivery of River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) objectives and the broader aims of the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England & Wales) Regulations 2017 (WFD); many of the resources provided are also relevant to aspects of Integrated Water Management.
We adopted a co‑design approach, working directly with planners and water‑environment experts to create a tool grounded in current water management guidance and presented in a format and language meaningful for local planning authorities.
The resulting Planning for the Natural Environment and Water Toolkit (PNEWT) is a navigable document that can be updated as needed. It provides information relevant for nine planning stages, covering:
Policy Development:
- Developing the Evidence Base
- Engaging with Stakeholders
- Drafting the Plan & Policies
- Examination
- Monitoring & Review
Development Management:
- Pre-application
- Submission & Validation
- Consultation
- Determination
For each planning stage, the toolkit provides checklists, resources, and case-studies to support LPAs in delivering RBMP objectives in their areas. To test and embed the toolkit, we delivered training sessions attended by 24 planners, who provided feedback and suggestions for refinement that have been incorporated.
