Coalition has new plans for local government, the planning system and environment...but nothing unexpected.

The Coalition: our programme for government was unveiled on 20 May 2010. It sets out the government's key policy proposals across all departments, including Communities and Local Government. It is the first time in half a century that two parties have come together to put forward a programme for partnership government.

For Communities and Local Government the document makes few fresh announcements but confirms a fundamental shift in power in this area away from Westminster and ‘back to the people'. As such the programme actively promotes decentralisation by giving new powers to local councils, communities, neighbourhoods and individuals. This has been a long held aspiration of the Conservative Party and much will be based primarily on the principles set out in their publication Open Source Planning.

Furthermore, if the government gets it way, Regional Spatial Strategies (RSS), the Infrastructure Planning Commission (IPC) and Government Offices will be abolished and new powers to stop ‘garden grabbing' will be implemented. The government will also present to parliament a more simplified national planning framework that will cover all forms of development including national economic, environmental and social responsibilities.

There is a strong commitment to bringing empty homes back into use. With specific regard to affordable housing, shared ownership will be further promoted and social tenants and others will be helped to own or part own their own homes. The Liberal Democrat's ‘Home on the Farm' scheme is also included, which will see farmers encouraged to convert existing buildings into affordable housing.

Other pledges include the maintaining of the Green Belt and other environmental protections including SSSIs, together with the creation of new local designations that would be equivalent to SSSIs.

Subject to referendums and full scrutiny by elected councillors the government will also create directly elected mayors in 12 of the largest English cities and councils will be allowed to return to the committee system if they wish to. In addition, the restructuring of council's in Norfolk, Suffolk and Devon will stop.

On the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs front the government states that it will introduce further measures to protect wildlife and promote green spaces and wildlife corridors. It will also up targets for increasing renewable energy, including improving the energy efficiency of new housing and creating an overall presumption in favour of sustainable development in the planning system. The government will also seek to prevent unnecessary building in areas of high flood risk.

The government concludes that the proposed ‘deficit reduction programme' will take precedence over all other commitments and aspirations outlined within the agreement.

You can download a full copy of the document here