sustain

the alliance for

better food and farming

Good planning for good food

How the planning system in England can
support healthy and sustainable food

January 2011
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This report was written by Harriet White and Suzanne Natelson.

We would like to thank the following people for their comments and assistance in the production of this
report. However, responsibility for the text remains with Sustain.

Alan Goodman Sandwell Council

Celeste Giusti London Borough of Camden
Clare Devereux Food Matters
David Carlisle London Borough of Croydon
David Wilson London Borough of Camden
Ed Woodall Association of Convenience Stores
Gordon Glenday London Borough of Waltham Forest
Graeme Willis Campaign to Protect Rural England
Helen Rimmer Friends of the Earth
Helen Woodcock The Kindling Trust
Hugh Ellis Town and Country Planning Association
Ian Butcher London Borough of Waltham Forest
James Gummery London Borough of Enfield
Jack Winkler Professor/campaigner
John Dixon Plymouth City Council
Karen Leach Localise West Midlands
Anna Watson Localise West Midlands
Naomi Pomfret London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
Paul Miner Campaign to Protect Rural England
Richard Grant Plymouth City Council
Ruth Newton London Borough of Islington
Shane Brennan Association of Convenience Stores
Sophie Donaldson London Borough of Newham
Tammy Riordan London Borough of Lambeth
Thanusan Gunabalasingham Campaign to Protect Rural England
Tim Lang City University
Tim Madelin Tower Hamlets PCT
Toby Clempson West Somerset Council
Joy Carey
Georgia Machell City University
Richard Wiltshire Kings College, London
Anna Francis Bioregional
Veronica Barry Ideal for All, Sandwell

2
CONTENTS
1. Introduction.................................................................................................................... 4
About Sustain................................................................................................................... 4
About this report .............................................................................................................. 4
Our food and agriculture system ..................................................................................... 5
Food and the planning system ......................................................................................... 6
What planning can do to improve our food .................................................................. 6
Current trends in planning ........................................................................................... 6

2. Food, planning and sustainable development ............................................................. 7

Health and community well-being .................................................................................. 7
Access to food shops ..................................................................................................... 7
Diverse food retail environments.................................................................................. 9
Community food growing............................................................................................ 12
The Environment ........................................................................................................... 17
Land for growing food ................................................................................................ 17
Food waste .................................................................................................................. 20
Biodiversity ................................................................................................................. 21
Economic development ................................................................................................. 22
Farm businesses.......................................................................................................... 22
Regionally focused and localised distribution networks ............................................ 24
Small and independent retailers ................................................................................. 25

3. Conclusions and recommendations............................................................................ 27

Planning policy .............................................................................................................. 27
Planning decisions ......................................................................................................... 27
Collecting evidence ....................................................................................................... 29
Working with other professionals and with the public.................................................. 30

Sources of more information .......................................................................................... 32

Planning organisations................................................................................................... 32
Green infrastructure and food growing ......................................................................... 33
Healthy urban planning.................................................................................................. 33
Food waste ..................................................................................................................... 33
Food Retail..................................................................................................................... 33

Appendix........................................................................................................................... 34

3
1. INTRODUCTION

About Sustain
Sustain: The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices
that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment,
enrich society and culture and promote equity. We represent around 100 national public interest
organisations working at international, national, regional and local level. Sustain’s projects and
campaigns include:
• Good Food for our Money (to change the law so that tax payers’ money is routinely spent on
healthy, sustainable food),
• Ethical Eats (helping London’s restaurants to buy and cook more sustainable food), and
• Making Local Food Work (part of a national Big Lottery-funded programme coordinated by the
Plunkett Foundation, working with community food projects and others to reconnect people and
land through local food by increasing access to fresh, healthy, local food with clear, traceable
origins.)

Much of our work touches on parts of the planning system; so we decided to explore in more detail the
relationship between spatial planning and the UK food system.

About this report

We hope this report will:
• inform planners and associated
professionals about the importance of
incorporating food into their work;
• assess the potential of the current planning
system to help create more sustainable food
and agriculture systems, including how the
national policy framework supports this;
• highlight some of the initiatives that
already include good food and farming in
planning policy and practice, to inspire
others to do something similar.

The report has been compiled using information

from desk research, a seminar with planning
experts, and informal interviews with relevant
professionals. It is based around the classic three
pillars of sustainable development: social (in this
case we focus on health and community well-
being); environmental (where we concentrate on
land use, waste and biodiversity); and economic
(particularly support for small businesses). Where
possible, we illustrate the links between food and Curious cattle
planning with case studies.

4
Our food and agriculture system
It is widely recognised that our food and agriculture system is damaging, rather than enhancing
sustainable development. The information below summarises, very briefly, the large and growing
volume of evidence on this subject.

Health and community well-being

Alongside the acute problems of food poisoning, it has been known for decades that an unhealthy diet
increases the risk of a number of chronic diseases such as coronary heart diseases, stroke, diabetes, and a
number of cancers, digestive disorders and oral health problems. Evidence is now growing that the same
unhealthy diet – too high in fat, sugar and salt and too low in fibre, vitamins and minerals – contributes
to or exacerbates some mental illnesses 1 . In addition, it has long been recognised that people on low
incomes find it more difficult to eat a healthy diet 2 , and therefore suffer disproportionately from diet-
related diseases 3 . Difficulties include not only lack of money, but also worse access to transport and to
shops selling affordable and good quality food, particularly fruit and vegetables.

The environment

Similarly, some of the damage to the environment from the food and farming system is very familiar,
such as loss of biodiversity from using pesticides, and from destroying habitat-rich environments to
create farmland growing a narrow range of crops. More recently, it has been estimated that the food and
agriculture system accounts for almost a third of UK greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (emitted directly
or indirectly from intensive livestock farming, and from artificial fertiliser) 4 . The food and farming
system also generates very large amounts of waste and uses prodigious quantities of water. WRAP
(Waste and Resources Action Programme) estimate that 20 million tonnes of carbon emissions could be
saved by ending avoidable food waste, the equivalent of taking 1 in 4 cars off UK roads 5 .

Economic development

The food and agriculture sectors contribute around 7% of GDP and account for 14% of UK
employment. While this is significant, it is a good deal lower than in the post-war period, with
agriculture in particular continuing to shed large numbers of jobs. In common with much of the rest of
the economy, food businesses are becoming concentrated into a small number of very large companies,
with the major high street supermarkets being the focus of particular attention due to their impact along
the whole food chain. In many town and city centres it is increasingly rare to find a good range of
independent food retailers which not only affects customer choice, but can also lead to the loss of jobs
and skills.

1
Changing Diets, Changing Minds: How food affects mental health and behaviour, (Jan 2006), Sustain,
http://www.sustainweb.org/foodandmentalhealth/
2
The London Health Inequalities Strategy; Draft for Public Consultation (August 2009), Greater London Authority
http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/priorities/health/docs/health-inequalities-strategy-draft-consult.pdf
3
“Inequalities in food and nutrition challenging “lifestyles”” (Dowler, Caraher, and Lincoln) in Challenging Health
Inequalities: from Acheson to Choosing Health (Dowler & Spencer) (2007), Policy Press
http://books.google.com/books?id=IpangCPsvoAC&pg=PA127&lpg=PA127&dq=liz+dowler+et+al+2001&source=bl&ots=
Bob9EwKOV_&sig=u9yWrPBJtZSe_uflx2UrYyfSjAQ&hl=en&ei=ZUbwSqHOLomNjAeI9fi7CA&sa=X&oi=book_result
&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=&f=false
4
Food Statistics Pocketbook 2010, (2010), Defra
http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/foodfarm/food/pocketstats/index.htm
5
Food Statistics Pocketbook 2010, (2010), Defra
http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/foodfarm/food/pocketstats/index.htm

5
Food and the planning system
What planning can do to improve our food
Historically, our towns and cities have been built around the supply and distribution of food 6 . Today,
planning can affect the food and farming system in a number of ways, and the remainder of this report
focuses on what planners and associated professionals could do to help create a more sustainable food
and farming system. They can:
• Protect and increase both the number and the diversity of types of food retail outlets – such as
small shops and markets - locally, and within easy walking distance of communities, or by public
transport.
• Create and protect food growing spaces in and around a locality. Allotments, community
growing spaces and a range of other under-utilised public and private space could be used to
increase the availability of healthy and sustainable food by expanding the space allocated for
food growing. Such spaces can also enhance the quality of productive green spaces in
neighbourhoods thereby contributing to biodiversity.
• Discourage food waste, and stimulate productive and/or environmentally benign ways of using
unavoidable food waste.
• Support jobs in the food and farming sector by encouraging small- and medium-sized food
enterprises (SMEs), such as markets and on-site farm shops, and local and regional distribution
infrastructure.

We acknowledge that planners alone cannot redress all the damage to sustainable development currently
being done by the food and farming system and will need to work closely with other professionals in
health, environment, economic development and property development. However, local authority
planners play a vital role by helping to create a policy framework that will support sustainable food
system locally and also by integrating sustainable food into local planning and development decision
making.

Current trends in planning

The role of planning in creating healthy and sustainable environments, including the food system, is
increasingly being recognised. The American Planning Association, for example, has a policy which
incorporates all parts of the food system from production to food waste, and planners are able to take
courses on planning and food for their qualifications. In the UK, the London Plan (currently being
revised) specifically notes the need to be in-line with the London Food Strategy 7 , and there is explicit
reference to “land for food” and encouragement for both commercial and non-commercial food
growing 8 .

Changes to the planning system currently being proposed may simplify the planning system and give
more control to local communities. This may, in turn, provide opportunities for people to take more
control over the food and farming system and we hope this report provides some ideas for how this
might work in practice.

6
Hungry City: How food shapes our lives (2008), Carolyn Steel, Chatto & Windus http://www.hungrycitybook.co.uk
7
The London Food Strategy and related documents can be downloaded at: http://www.london.gov.uk/londonfood/useful-
Information/mayors-food-strategy-06.jsp
8
From draft documents and discussions on the London Plan. Contact Sustain for more information.

6
2. FOOD, PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT

Health and community well-being

Below are some ways in which the current planning system can improve access to healthy and
sustainable food in communities, and thereby help to tackle the health problems and inequalities
generated by the current food and farming system.

Access to food shops

Most people buy the food they need from shops, so it is important they are located in places that are
easily accessible, by walking, cycling or public transport. This is particularly important for people on
low incomes, who may not have access to a private car to travel to more distant supermarkets. Whilst
supermarkets may offer choice and value, they can be more expensive than independent shops for some
items, and may not sell more specialist food that can be found in smaller shops (some of which may be
important for particular cultural groups). Supermarkets may also reduce the viability of smaller
independent shops, reducing diversity in the retail environment. This can have a knock-on effect, further
reducing the number of outlets for smaller and alternative suppliers (see Economic development below).
This in turn could lead to higher prices in the few shops that remain because of a lack of competition.

Food shops can also be important social centres in neighbourhoods, especially for elderly or disabled
people or others who may be isolated and struggle to carry heavy shopping. Indeed, in some areas,
neighbourhood shops are the only viable shopping option so supporting them is particularly important
for these communities.

This is recognised in the national policy framework. Planning Policy Statement 4 on Planning for
Sustainable Economic Growth (PPS4) 9 states that planning bodies should ‘assess whether there is
provision and distribution of shopping, leisure and local services, which allow genuine choice to meet
the needs of the whole community, particularly those living in deprived areas’. PPS4 also states that
‘Local Planning Authorities should support shops, services and other important small scale economic
uses in local centres and villages’, including in rural areas, where local shopping deficiencies should be
understood and remedied.

When designing and planning for new developments, and when making planning decisions for existing
spaces planners could:

9
Planning Policy Statement 4: Planning for Sustainable Economic Growth (2009), The Stationery Office
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/planningpolicystatement4.pdf Planning for Sustainable
Economic Growth

7
a) Specify ‘food shops’ as meeting day-to-day need in local planning policies

The specification of ‘food shops’ enables local planners to restrict applications for a change of use from
this specific shop type, as Hackney has done in their Core Strategy (see box).

Hackney Core Strategy 10 : ‘Shops that provide essential day-to-day needs for the local community such as baker,
butcher, greengrocer, grocer, specialist ethnic food shop, post office, dispensing chemists and pharmacies,
launderette, newsagent and post office in the borough’s town, district and local shopping centres as well as
shopping parades and corner shops will be protected from changes of use away from retail.’

Planning helps to ensure that places in the UK develop in a way that will “enhance and protect the
environment” 11 and also meet the needs and wishes of the locality (and sometimes national interest e.g.
planning for major infrastructure. The Town and Country Planning Use Classes Order 1987 12
categorises various types of building and these are used by planners to influence the mix of activities
and retail uses in a local area. The retail and service outlet categories are as follows:

A1 – Shops
A2 – Financial services
A3 – Restaurants and cafés
A4 - Drinking establishments
A5 – Hot food takeaways

Businesses will need to apply for planning permission to change the Use Class, but not the type of shop
if it would remain the same Use Class. So, for example, a greengrocer and a hairdresser are both
categorised as “A1” and a unit that is being used as a greengrocer can become a hairdresser without
applying for planning permission, but would need to apply for permission to become a hot food
takeaway (A5). The London Assembly report 13 on London’s small shops and the planning system
recommends that there is a change to the Use Class Order system to further sub-divide the A1 class to
create an “essential retail” category, such as grocers, bakers and greengrocers, that is separate from the
more “service” oriented outlets such as hairdressers, internet cafés. Although some local authorities (see
box above) do make the distinction between different A1 retail uses in their planning policy, planning
rules that differentiate between “service” and “essential retail” would give local authorities more powers
to protect shops when making planning decisions.

b) Protect ‘sole shops’

Loss of such facilities, even in urban areas, can force people into difficult or expensive travel to meet
day-to-day shopping needs. This is particularly important in rural areas, where distances to other shops
can be much greater, and also where shops may act as important social centres. This has been recognised
in North Norfolk’s Core Strategy (see box).

10
Hackney Council, Core Strategy, Proposed Submission Document (June 2009), London Borough of Hackney
http://www.hackney.gov.uk/ldf_core_strategy-proposed-submission.pdf Policy 13, Town Centres
11
Cornered shops: London’s small shops and the planning system (July 2010), Planning and Housing Committee of the
London Assembly http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/the-london-assembly/publications/housing-planning/small-
shops
12
Changes of Use of Buildings and Land; The Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1987 (March 2005), Office
of the Deputy Prime Minister http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/147573.pdf
13
Cornered shops: London’s small shops and the planning system (July 2010), Planning and Housing Committee of the
London Assembly http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/the-london-assembly/publications/housing-planning/small-
shops

8
North Norfolk Core Strategy 14 : ‘Development proposals that would result in the loss of sites or premises
currently, or last used for, important local facilities and services [within the countryside or where they are the
last of their kind within a Principal or Secondary Settlement of Service Village] will not be permitted unless: 1)
alternative provision of equivalent or better quality is available in the area or will be provided and made
available prior to commencement of redevelopment; or 2) it can be demonstrated that there is no reasonable
prospect of retention at its current site; and if it is a commercial operation, that a viability test has demonstrated
that the use is no longer viable.’

Mid Suffolk’s policy 15 states that the council’s planning system

may help in the process of retaining services and facilities,
especially where they are the last of their type in the
community, through resisting changes of use that would
otherwise result in the loss of key services. The Supplementary
Planning Guidance (SPG) sets the criteria by which applications
for changes of use in respect of such community facilities will
be judged. It also notes that resisting a change of use is only
appropriate where there is local support to retain the facilities.

c) Neighbourhood/Local Centres

There are situations where a cluster of shops provides an

essential retail service for local residents, but the cluster may
not be designated or recognised in the local plan or core
strategy. Recognising such clusters, as has been done in
Liverpool (see box), by designating them as A food co-op on Kidbrooke Housing Estate
in Greenwich outside closed down shops.
‘Neighbourhood/Local Centres’ ensures the shops in that cluster www.greenwich-cda.org.uk
are protected.

Liverpool Core Strategy 16 establishes a hierarchy of centres, and seeks to maintain the character of, and current
levels of provision within Neighbourhood Centres. Supporting text states that ‘Ensuring a mix of uses within
centres will help ensure more sustainable neighbourhoods by helping to reduce the need to travel and encourage
people to meet their needs more locally.’

Diverse food retail environments

Our built environment is recognised as an important influence on our health and well-being. As well as
building design, and the quality and quantity of green space, the built environment also includes the
concentration of outlets selling unhealthy food in particular areas. In the London Borough of Newham, a
retail survey was undertaken (see box) to look at food accessibility in the borough. It found that while
most people lived within a 10-minute walk of a fresh fruit or vegetable shop, they were only a five-
minute walk away from a hot-food takeaway.

14
North Norfolk: Local Development Framework – Core Strategy (2008), North Norfolk District Council
http://www.northnorfolk.org/files/Core_Strategy_(incorporating_Development_Control_Policies)_Adopted_2008.pdf
15
Mid Suffolk’s Retention of Shops, Post Offices and Public Houses in Villages Supplementary Planning Guidence (2004),
http://www.midsuffolk.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/2DC5119A-AC81-4E31-89EE-
1A8603713C3D/0/SupplementaryPlanningGuidanceRetentionofShopsPostOffices.pdf
16
Liverpool Local Development Framework – Liverpool Core Strategy Preferred Options (January 2010)
http://www.liverpool.gov.uk/Images/tcm21-170943.pdf Preferred Options 2010

9
London Borough of Newham: Food Outlet Mapping (2010) 17 Survey data recorded the number, location and
nature of food and drink outlets in the Borough. The key aim was to identify ‘hot spots’ of unhealthy food and
drink and ‘cold spots’ of poor access to healthy food. This evidence should inform retail policies and in planning
decision-making and enforcement work. The report maps: clustering of hot food takeaways (including in relation
to secondary schools); healthy food outlets; and low price alcohol hotspots.

There will be a range of factors influencing

decisions to give planning permission for
development e.g. whether the development
will regenerate the area, provide new jobs, or
contribute to green spaces. Planners play a
pivotal role in balancing the various demands
of local people, the policy priorities of the
local authority, and developer interests. They
are also well placed to see the spatial impact of
policy decisions such as over-concentration of
particular types of retail, and how this might
affect, for example, the health of local people.

Below are some initiatives that local

authorities are exploring to increase retail
diversity in their areas, as part of policies to
tackle rising rates of obesity and diet-related
illness.

A street market in Hackney

Restricting the over-concentration of hot-food 18 takeaways

The London Borough of Waltham Forest (see box) is reported to be the first local authority with a
Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) restricting the growth of hot-food takeaways (designated A5
units in the planning system) around schools. The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham now also
has an SPD 19 which restricts the over-concentration of hot food takeaways around schools, and the
clustering of units. In the SPD, businesses who received planning permission to set up hot-food
takeaways would be required to pay up to £1,000 to community-led initiatives. Since the SPD’s
adoption, the Council has refused five applications for new premises, with no new applications having
been approved. The Council has also successfully upheld one appeal case 20 . This also shows how
councils can use a more specific Class Use category to shape their area, and supports the case for a
differentiated A1 Class Use category to stipulate “essential” retail from “service” retail (see above).

17
Food Outlet Mapping in the London Borough of Newham (2010) http://www.newham.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/C8D96F95-
8A3D-4702-824D-8C3022F7DC25/0/FoodOutletMappingintheLondonBoroughofNewham190710.pdf
18
“Hot-food takeaways” is the planning Class Use Order A5 given to premises that sell hot food for consumption off the
premises. This classification does not necessarily mean that the food sold in these outlets is unhealthy, or that food sold in
other outlets is healthy, but it is a planning tool to distinguish between different types of retail outlet.
19
Saturation Point – Addressing the health impacts of hot food takeaways Barking and Dagenham Supplementary Planning
Document, (March 2010), London Borough of Barking and Dagenham http://moderngov.barking-
dagenham.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=25199
20
Planning Advisory Service webpage on Waltham Forest’s hot food takeaways supplementary planning document
http://www.pas.gov.uk/pas/core/page.do?pageId=590384

10
Waltham Forest SPD: Hot Food Takeaway Shops (2009) 21 . The SPD seeks to restrict ‘over-concentration’ of
A5 units by establishing that ‘Within Primary, Secondary and Retail Parade Zones, no more than 5% of the units
shall consist of A5 uses; within Tertiary Zones and outside designated centres, no more than 1A5 unit will be
allowed within 400m of an existing A5 unit’. The SPD also seeks to restrict clustering of A5 units; and restrict
new A5 units which fall within 400m of schools, youth facilities or parks.

Some local authorities and health services are also looking at the quality of food served in takeaways
and working with the businesses to improve its safety and nutritional quality for example the “Healthy
Towns” initiative 22 . As these initiatives are not part of the planning process they are outside the scope of
this report. However, such projects illustrate that planning can be part of an integrated approach to
improve food, health and sustainability in a locality.

An inner city community food growing space

21
Hot Food Takeaway – Supplementary Planning Document (2009), London Borough of Waltham Forest
http://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/spd-hot-food-takeaway-mar10.pdf
22
Food & Drink, (2010), London Borough of Tower Hamlets, page 4
http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/pdf/12555%20FoodDrink_Ed18_v3.pdf

11
Community food growing
Community food growing can mean individuals
growing on allotment plots, in each other’s gardens,
in public spaces, or on private spaces. In recent years
there has been an explosion of interest in food
growing, leading to lengthening allotment waiting
lists, and new food growing projects springing up all
over the country. The benefits have been known for
years 23 and include:
• mental and physical health benefits, from
eating more fresh food and being physically
active outdoors;
• more biodiversity, due to turning barren
spaces into green, productive areas, and also
often using organic growing methods that
attract diverse species;
• regeneration of derelict or underused urban
spaces which can improve the perceived (or
actual) safety of an area;
• more community cohesion, because food
growing sites can bring diverse groups of
people together around a common interest;
• the potential for economic development,
through learning new skills and exploring
commercial options for dealing with surplus
produce.
The national policy framework notes that allotments,
community gardens and city farms are part of the
broad range of open spaces that are of public value
(PPG17) 24 . Local authorities also have statutory
duties for the protection and maintenance of
allotments, and must provide allotments under
section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotment Act
1908. Statutory allotments regarded as surplus to
requirements may only be sold with the consent of
the Secretary of State under section 8 of the
Allotment Act 1925 25 . Consent of the Secretary of
State is still required for the erection of any dwelling
(but not sheds or greenhouses) on allotment land
under section 12 of the Land Settlement (Facilities)
Act 1919.
Design principles
The following are landscaping design principles
to support and enable the integration of food
growing into open spaces such as parks, public
squares, streets, schools, community centres,
private gardens, and courtyards. 26
Productive
The use of edible plants – fruit, vegetables and
herbs - in the landscaping of public open spaces
can be a source of food for the local community,
but also a source of inspiration to passers-by.
Wherever possible, where trees are to be
planted, use fruit or nut trees. Alongside edible
plants, ensure the habitat also attracts beneficial
insects, birds and natural predators of garden
pests, supporting an environment for pollination
and natural forms of pest control.
Walls and rooftops
Where open space is in short supply, rooftops
and walls can be perfect spaces for food
growing. While ‘green walls’ can be expensive,
the use of lattice trellises, vines, and espaliered
trees are a productive, attractive and cheaper
alternative.
Flexible and adaptable
Make sure landscaping is flexible so that open
spaces may be adapted for food growing in the
future should there be demand from the local
community.
Schools
Food growing projects in schools can be the
perfect outdoor classroom, where young people
can learn about food growing, plants,
biodiversity, the water cycle, nutrition and more.
Food growing sites should be landscaped into
new schools, and planners should encourage
their inclusion in landscaping proposals.

23
Garnett, T (1999) City Harvest – The feasibility of growing more food in London, London: Sustain.
24
PPG17: Planning for Open Space, Sport and Recreation (2002)
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/planningpolicyguidance17
25
Section 23 of the 1908 Small Holdings and Allotments Act foes not apply to the Inner London Boroughs – where other
local authorities across the country “shall provide” allotments, the 1963 London Government Act revises this to “may
provide” for the Inner London boroughs (i.e. provision is discretionary).
26
Many of these principles are taken from Designing Urban Agriculture Opportunities For Southeast False Creek (prepared
for the City of Vancouver). Holland Barrs Planning Group, March 2007.

12
Because of these statutory obligations, and because allotments give security of tenure to allotment
holders, many local authorities are reluctant to create new allotment sites. Some food growers also find
allotments a problem, often because they cannot get one, but sometimes because of the restrictions on,
for example, selling surplus produce, or for community or group growing (allotments are specifically for
the benefit of the plotholder and family). Some food growing projects (such as Salop Drive Market
Garden in Sandwell – see box) are therefore exploring how to create more community growing sites that
give security of tenure to growers, but are not covered by the same regulations as allotments.

Salop Drive Market Garden in Sandwell 27

Salop Drive is a three-acre growing site in Sandwell in the West Midlands, built up from a derelict allotment site
and opened in 2000. Led by a local user-led charity of disabled people, Ideal for All, and working closely with the
Public Health team, the gardens were developed in close consultation with local and disabled people. It is now a
working market garden, as well as a space for community growing projects with a range of activities designed to
support local and disabled people in promoting health and well-being and benefit the mental and physical health
of local disabled and non-disabled people.

The site has six commercial size polytunnels, a propagation glasshouse, toilets, community garden, wildlife area
and pond, outdoor growing beds and raised beds, fruit trees, and mini allotment plots. The site is supervised by a
horticultural therapist and garden support worker. Over 80 bags of fruit and vegetables are sold every week to
local residents and delivered on bicycle or foot, and over 50 varieties of fruit and vegetables are grown.

The 2008-2012 community agriculture strategy for Sandwell 28 mentions that community growing projects like the
one in Sandwell are not only contributing to people's health and well-being, but also "encouraging local
'resilience' at household and community level by increasing access to healthy, reasonably priced fresh produce,
and acting as an incubator for the development of knowledge, skills and capacity for food growing, healthy eating
and food budgeting among both professionals and lay people".

Underpinning the success of Salop Drive Market Garden, especially in the beginning, was working with the
planning and environmental departments of Sandwell Council. In the strategy for 2008-2012 one of the aims is to
develop these partnerships, in order to:
• "Undertake a review of potential green and brown space sites for community agriculture, taking account of
existing knowledge and information, for example the Green Space Audit and the Local Development Plan
and the need to reach underserved areas
• Develop and apply a method of evaluating the suitability of sites for what kind of productive use
• Investigate the potential of Sandwell Valley for a major initiative
• Act to secure up to three of the most promising sites for community agriculture
• Contribute to developing site infrastructure to ensure fitness for purpose and readiness for productive use
• Act to secure a provider to take the project through its community engagement and participative planning
process, and to take the project to implementation and production;
• Embed the environmental, economic, and social principles of sustainable development in all aspects of
project design and implementation;
• Contribute to adaptation to climate change by improving Sandwell's green space network to support
biodiversity, reduce the heat island effect and assist sustainable urban drainage."

27
Salop Drive Market Garden in Sandwell is supported by the Sandwell Food Network, for more details see:
http://www.sandwellfoodnetwork.org/viewProject.php?id=1
28
Growing Healthy Communities: A community agriculture strategy for Sandwell 2008-2012 (NHS Sandwell & Sandwell
Metropolitan Borough Council) http://www.sandwellfoodnetwork.org/viewNews.php?id=11

13
Planners can support this type of non-commercial, community food growing by:

a) Supporting community food growing in the core strategy

Food growing spaces can be designated in Core Strategy documents, as has been done in Tower Hamlets
(see box). Planners could also develop a policy that, when land has been used to grow food for a number
of years, it can become a “designated food growing space”; similar to how public rights of way are
treated.

London Borough of Tower Hamlets Core Strategy 29 : ‘Support opportunities for healthy and active lifestyles
through…Promoting and supporting local food-growing and urban agriculture’.

b) Protecting existing allotments and growing spaces and identifying new spaces

Public open spaces, parks, or where the council or developer is already managing the green space can be
used to incorporate food growing. Trees in open spaces, for example, could be productive fruit or nut
trees, as well as being decorative. Brighton, Islington and Redbridge councils are among those formally
pledging to protect allotments and similar spaces (see box).

Redbridge Core Strategy 30 : ‘The cultural life of the Borough will be enhanced for residents and visitors by: a)
protecting open space, including allotments’

Islington Core Strategy 31 : ‘The council will provide inclusive spaces for residents and visitors, and create a
greener borough by…Supporting local food production through the protection of existing food growing sites’

Brighton and Hove Core Strategy 32 : ‘Planning will support programmes and strategies which aim to reduce
health inequalities and promote healthier lifestyles through the following:…Recognise, safeguard and encourage
the role of allotments; garden plots within developments; small scale agriculture and farmers markets in providing
access to healthy, affordable locally produced food options’1

c) Integrating food growing into new and existing housing and commercial
developments

The case studies below show what can be done when food growing is integrated, in imaginative ways,
into existing housing estates (Project Harvest – see box), and into new housing developments (Kettering,
Islington and BedZed – see boxes). For example local authorities could stipulate that food growing
spaces should be included in all new housing developments. In addition, developers could be involved in
community consultation, once the buildings begin to be occupied, to agree with the residents how the
spaces should be shaped.

29
Core Strategy – London Borough of Tower Hamlets (2010) http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/851-
900/856_local_development_framewor/core_strategy.aspx
30
Core Strategy – London Borough of Redbridge (2008)
http://www.redbridge.gov.uk/cms/planning_land_and_buildings/planning_policy__regeneration/local_development_framew
ork.aspx
31
Core Strategy (submission document),(2009), London Borough of Islington http://www.islington.gov.uk/
32
Core Strategy (proposed submission document), (2010), Brighton & Hove City Council http://www.brighton-
hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1148443

14
RISC roof garden in Reading www.risc.org.uk

Kettering Open Space Supplementary Planning Document 33 outlines ten types of open space which it will
require developers to provide with new residential development. One of these is ‘Allotments and Community
Gardens’. Whether a new development creates the need for new open space, and how large that space may be, is
based on the distance from any proposed development to existing allotments and community gardens, and the area
of provision (e.g. 0.4 hectares per 1,000 people is established for allotments and community gardens). The SPD
states that developers are required to provide costs for 12 months of maintenance, after which maintenance is
transferred to the Council.

BedZed/Bioregional 34
BedZED is a sustainable community built by Peabody developed in partnership with BioRegional and
ZEDfactory. Located in the London Borough of Sutton, it was completed in 2002 and houses over 200 people.
Planning for food was integral to the design of BedZED and included on-site composting and green space for
every household. In 2009 a community farm was established and 30 regular volunteers from BedZED and the
local area help out on the site. The community is not within walking distance of a wide range of shops so there is
a mobile fruit and vegetable shop - The Veg Van - which sells local produce once a week outside the rail station,
pub and in some schools. It also sells produce from the community farm.

33
Open Space Supplementary Planning Document (2008), Kettering Borough Council
http://www.kettering.gov.uk/downloads/OS_SPD_final.pdf
34
Information about BedZed is available at: http://www.bioregional.com/what-we-do/our-work/bedzed/

15
Project Harvest - Brighton and Hove Food Partnership 35
Harvest is a BIG lottery funded project aiming to encourage more food growing in the Brighton and Hove area.
The project began in 2009 and the focus so far has been to test different ways of increasing land for food
production in the city as well as provide training to develop food growing skills.

Some of the ideas have included:

• Halving the size of all new allotments created. This applies to new plots as well as dividing allotment plots
when a previous tenant has left. Many allotment tenants did not use all the space on their plot for production
and felt they could grow just as efficiently on smaller plots. Having smaller plots has helped to reduce the
allotment waiting lists and also give people more manageable sites to grow on. Community groups are also
encouraged to become tenants on allotment plots (traditionally allotment plots are allocated to individuals).
A scheme called “Grow your Neighbour’s Own” has been successful at increasing production by providing
co-workers to share the work on allotment plots and matching up many of the city’s unused gardens with
budding growers nearby.
• Establishing a demonstration growing garden in Preston Park, the largest public park in Brighton.
• The growing site is run by volunteers, and they have built raised beds for growing vegetables, organised
some public food festivals and run training sessions on food growing. Early fears about vandalism and theft
from the site have been unfounded and it is hoped that after the project funding ends, the Friends of the
Park will continue to support this initiative.
• Designating food growing on Council-owned housing estates. The project is currently working with
community groups and the council to help negotiate minimum three year leases for community growing
spaces on the housing estates. One site will be a communal community growing space and the other lease
under discussion will be run by the residents association and plots allocated to individuals to use.
Negotiating a site for individual plots is more complicated because the landowner needs to be satisfied that
the plots are not sub-leased or de facto allotments, which would then come under statutory obligations.
• Promoting growing spaces in new development proposals. This could mean including food growing in the
“landscaping” element the new proposal, or creating “community spaces” under Section 106, or Community
Infrastructure Levy requirements.

Islington Core Strategy 36 : ‘The council will provide inclusive spaces for residents and visitors, and create a
greener borough…Opportunities for new food growing spaces will be sought elsewhere including from new
private developments.’

35
Harvest Brighton & Hove is a partnership project co-ordinating a city-wide, integrated approach to producing more food
within the City, see: http://harvest-bh.org.uk/
36
Core Strategy (submission document),(2009), London Borough of Islington http://www.islington.gov.uk/

16
The Environment
This section outlines some ways that planners can help to reduce the environmental damage being
caused by the food and farming system.

The Chilterns in winter

Land for growing food

One of the government’s objectives for rural areas is ‘to promote sustainable, diverse and adaptable
agriculture sectors where farming achieves high environmental standards, minimising impact on natural
resources, and manages valued landscapes and biodiversity; contributes both directly and indirectly to
rural economic diversity; is itself competitive and profitable; and provides high quality products that the
public wants’ 37 . Planners can contribute to this by:

a) Protecting the best and most versatile agricultural land

National planning policy aims to protect all of the ‘Best and Most Versatile’ (BMV) agricultural land
(i.e. Grades 1, 2 and 3a) to restrict the loss of valuable farmland 38 . This has been taken up and
incorporated into local planning policies (for example, Breckland Core Strategy – see box), and needs to
continue to be because, once land is lost, it is almost impossible to return it to agricultural use.
37
Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas (2004), Department of Communities and Local
Government, http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/pps7
38
Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas (2004), Department of Communities and Local
Government, http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/pps7

17
Breckland Core Strategy: 39 ‘development should nevertheless avoid the unnecessary loss of high-grade
agricultural land which is a finite resource and is important to the rurality of Breckland location.’

However, according to research undertaken for Defra 40 on the effect of the BMV classification on
planning decisions, many local authorities do not use BMV land classification as a reason to refuse
planning applications. Other factors such as transport, housing, economic policies and designations for
landscape and environment were considered more important than preserving agricultural land. The
report notes that BMV needs to be recognised as a “national resource for future generations” to secure
the future of this land.

The UK Foresight programme reports directly to the Cabinet Office and Chief Scientific Advisor and in
2010 produced a report on Land Use on the challenges that will face land management in the UK for the
next 50 years 41 . Out of the report came a strong recognition of the potential need to increase the amount
of food produced as well as to mitigate against climate change. Various incentives are explored in the
report for planners, developers, local communities, farmers and government to look at including how to
give incentives to farmers to produce more food and how businesses, local government and residents can
work together to decide on land use.

The following example illustrates the challenges involved in using loss of high-grade agricultural land as
a reason to refuse planning permission for a development.

Cadogan v S.O.S & others (1992) 42

In this case, a planning application for sand and gravel extraction operation had been refused on the basis that
high grade agricultural land would be lost. This refusal was appealed, and on appeal to the Secretary of State, the
application for extraction was subsequently allowed. However, a tenant farmer sought judicial review on the basis
that Structure Plan policy on the protection of high grade agricultural land had been ignored. The Court of Appeal
quashed the Secretary of State’s decision to uphold the appeal, and held that the Inspector (who informs the
Secretary of State in their decision-making) had misinterpreted Structure Plan policy in not considering whether
there was an alternative site of lower quality available.

b) Supporting farming in the Green Belt

A recent report noted that designated Green Belt land covers nearly 13% of land in England 43 , and
provides an opportunity to develop more sustainable, localised food systems. Food produced on a Green
Belt is close to urban markets, near a labour force, can help connect urban dwellers to the rural
landscape and encourage shorter (and potentially more transparent) supply chains. The same report
found that people living in cities are keen to buy food that has been produced in their surrounding Green
Belt and so could help to develop a market for such produce (see also section below on Economic
development)

39
Breckland Adopted Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Development Plan Document (2010), Breckland
Council, http://www.breckland.gov.uk/adopted_core_strategy_08012010.pdf
40
Effect of BMV on Planning Decisions. ADAS (for Defra), 2004:
http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=LE0217_8867_FRP.pdf
41
Land Use Futures: Making the most of land in the 21st Century Executive Summary (2010), Government Office for
Science http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/foresight/docs/land-use/luf_report/8614-bis-land_use_futures_exec_summ-
web.pdf
42
Effect of BMV on Planning Decisions. ADAS (for Defra), 2004:
http://randd.defra.gov.uk/Document.aspx?Document=LE0217_8867_FRP.pdf
43
Green Belts: a greener future (2009). Campaign to Protect Rural England. www.cpre.org.uk

18
The planning policy guidance on Green Belts (PPG2) states that Green Belt land is designated:
• To provide opportunities for access to the urban countryside for the urban population
• To provide opportunities for outdoor sport and outdoor recreation near urban areas
• To retain attractive landscapes, and enhance landscapes near to where people live
• To improve damaged and derelict land around towns
• To secure nature conservation interests
• To retain land in agricultural, forestry and related uses.

Another report, by the London Assembly, 44 argues that sustainable food production can contribute to all
of these objectives. However it is often difficult to support commercial food growing in Green Belts
because of higher labour costs, costs associated with vandalism and protection measures, lack of
development grants and competition with cheaper produce in the city.

Local authorities can, and do (for example, in the Draft Replacement London Plan, and Chelmsford Core
Strategy – see boxes) help to overcome these obstacles, especially if they own the land, or are leasing it to
tenant farmers, by developing criteria for the acceptable type of development for Green Belt land.

A wind farm near a cabbage field

Draft Replacement London Plan 45 : ‘The Mayor will seek to encourage and support thriving farming and land-
based sectors in London, particularly in the Green Belt.’

Chelmsford Core Strategy 46 states that ‘Planning permission will be refused for development within the area
shown as Metropolitan Green Belt on the Proposals Map,” except where the proposed development is for very
specific purposes, e.g. agriculture or forestry, or developments “that would have no material effect on the
openness of the Metropolitan Green Belt, or on the fulfilment of its purposes”.

Planners can also help by supporting appropriate farm businesses (see Economic development below).

44
Cultivating the Capital; Food growing and the planning system in London (Jan 2010), London Assembly
http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/assembly/reports/plansd/growing-food.pdf
45
The London Plan: Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London – Consultation draft replacement plan (Oct 2009),
Greater London Authority http://www.london.gov.uk/shaping-london/london-plan/docs/london-plan.pdf
46
Chelmsford Borough Core Strategy and Development Control Policies, February 2008, Policy DC1:
http://www.chelmsford.gov.uk/media/pdf/i/q/Complete_Document_March_2009_-_bookmarked-web.pdf

19
Food waste
Many local authorities are responsible for waste planning and need to meet various obligations for
recycling and waste minimisation. Given that around one third of the food we buy is thrown away 47 ,
more and more local authorities are exploring how to reduce food waste and reuse it in various ways,
such as in composting and generating energy from food waste. This is in line with PPS10: Planning for
Sustainable Waste Management, which states that waste planning authorities should ensure their waste
management is pushed up the ‘waste hierarchy’ 48 . Planners can therefore:

Support composting of food waste, including at the individual, commercial and

community scale

All local authorities have to meet waste reduction targets and food is one of the largest sources of waste.
Many authorities are running kerbside composting schemes, and as well as producing valuable compost,
there is potential to use gas from anaerobic digesters to generate electricity and heat 49 The UK is lagging
behind many European countries in the amount of digesters being built and planners have a role in
facilitating the process. Companies such as Ecotricity (http://www.ecotricity.co.uk/) are exploring
generating energy commercially from food waste which could also potentially generate revenue for local
authorities.

Composting in schools in Devon 50 : Devon County Council’s Waste Management Team has set up food
composting projects in schools across the county (after paper, food is the largest waste stream in schools).

The Waste Management Team is responsible for the collection, disposal and management of municipal waste
(this includes school waste). With funding from Investing in Devon the Team was able to set up composting
projects in eight secondary schools (including their feeder primary schools). Over two years, the schools were
given support, advice, risk assessment expertise, in-vessel composters, and curriculum-linked workshops and
assemblies. Alongside the council services, Devon Community Composting Network also works with schools,
including providing technical support, classroom work and advising on compost systems.

Although this work is not being done through the waste planning authority, targets set by the planning authority
guide the work of the Waste Management Team, and projects such as these help the local authority to meet its
waste targets.

47
Statistics from the Love Food, Hate Waste campaign run by the Waste Resources Action Programme (WRAP), see:
http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com/
48
A hierarchy of waste management options has the least 'favourable' at the bottom and the most favourable at the top. In
Europe, the waste hierarchy - starting with the most favourable – is: reduce, reuse, recycle, recovery and disposal. Some
include an additional layer labelled 're-think', implying that our current relationship with our waste may require a complete
overhaul.
49
Briefing – Anaerobic Digestion (2007), Friends of the Earth
http://www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/anaerobic_digestion.pdf
50
For information about Devon County Council’s work on composting, see: http://www.devon.gov.uk/composting.htm

20
A Painted Lady on a Buddleia near a food growing site

Biodiversity
Sustainable food systems can play a significant role in supporting greater biodiversity, for example
through land management practices adopted by farmers (e.g. maintaining hedges and meadows) and
organic growing methods. However, for planners, protecting and promoting community food growing in
both urban and rural areas is more relevant. As noted in the ‘Community food growing’ section above,
many such projects adopt organic growing methods which promote biodiversity. In urban areas, growing
sites may also be developed on brown-field sites, where previously little biodiversity existed. Research
by the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens found projects increased biodiversity by 80%
since their establishment 51 . The ‘greening’ of developed land in urban areas can also help create “green
corridors” to overcome habitat fragmentation in towns and cities, and enhance the ability of the natural
environment to provide a wealth of ‘ecosystem services’ 52 .

51
Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens (FCFCG) (2008) The true value of community farms and gardens,
Bristol: The Green House: http://www.farmgarden.org.uk/news
52
Green Infrastructure Guidance (2009) Natural England,
http://naturalengland.etraderstores.com/NaturalEnglandShop/NE176

21
Economic development
Farmers are responsible for managing around 75% of the UK’s surface area so play a major role in
landscape management. They can provide a range of supporting ecosystem services that we all take for
granted, including water absorption, carbon sequestration, waste decomposition, and recreational
experiences. Agriculture also underpins rural communities and, of course, provides the majority of our
food. Despite these vital roles, UK farming continues to decline. There are very many reasons for this
and planning cannot tackle them all. However, as food production and prices become more volatile, in
an era of climate change and economic crises, planners can play a role in protecting the economic
viability of those farms that remain.

Farm businesses
Farms increasingly need to diversify their
activities to become financially viable and
may need to upgrade existing structures or
build new ones for a business to work
efficiently and effectively. These structures
include on-farm processing facilities,
packing and distribution centres, on-site
farm shops, abattoirs, composting/anaerobic
digestion facilities, and changes to ensure
compliance with national standards. This is
recognised in PPS7 53 . Some of these
developments may require planning
permission and it would be helpful if local
planners assessed such requests in the
context of supporting a sustainable and local
food and farming system, as has been done
in Breckland, and Bath and North East
Somerset (see boxes).

Breckland Core Strategy: 54 ‘The diversification of existing rural enterprises and the development of new
enterprises where a rural location is either environmentally or operationally justified will be supported, provided
there are no significant detrimental environmental, landscape, conservation or highway impacts.’

Bath and North East Somerset Core Strategy 55 : ‘actively encourage local food production, including local
farm shops and farmers market…make sure that re-use of redundant buildings will be considered primarily for
small scale employment purposes.’

53
Planning Policy Statement 7: Sustainable Development in Rural Areas (CLG, 2004) states that ‘Planning policies in LDDS
should recognise [the important and varied roles of agriculture, including in the maintenance and management of the
countryside and most of our valued landscapes] and support development proposals that will enable farming and farmers to:
i) become more competitive, sustainable and environmentally friendly’.
54
Breckland Adopted Core Strategy and Development Control Policies Development Plan Document (2010), Breckland
Council, http://www.breckland.gov.uk/adopted_core_strategy_08012010.pdf
55
Core Strategy Spatial Options Document (2009), Bath and North East Somerset Council
http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/21CFEB94-AF41-4639-9C8E-
019BC85E2DBA/0/CoreStrategyv7finalapprovalversionweb.pdf

22
Producers in the Green Belt generally have smaller areas of land, higher costs and more competition
from the urban area. Planning support would therefore be particularly welcome for appropriate
development of farm businesses in these areas, and Brighton and Hove has successful experience with
this approach (see box).

Brighton and Hove City Council Farm Diversification Planning Advisory Note 56 aims to help
farmers/landowners when they consider making proposals for farm diversification projects, providing planning
requirements most likely to arise when the planning department is considering proposals. It also identifies
examples of potential and actual diversification opportunities.

The following are some of the key parts of the PAN:

• Diversification schemes should help to support, rather than replace, farming activities on the rest of the farm
• Information about existing and proposed traffic movements is likely to be required with most planning
applications
• Diversification schemes should seek opportunities to integrate and enhance nature conservation features
• Their form, bulk and general design should be in keeping with their surroundings

Examples of different forms of farm diversification which may prove acceptable in planning terms include:
• Farm shops
• Farm based food processing
• Composting
• Other small business uses linked to farming (e.g. brewing, milling, processing produce)

In the past, not all local authorities have been as progressive on food and sustainability issues as
Brighton & Hove, as the experience of Watts Farm (see box) shows.

Watts Farm 57 (2009)

A London Assembly report stated that: “Watts farm is a 300-acre farm situated in the Green Belt on the outskirts
of Orpington, specialising in growing herbs, spinach, baby leaf products, soft fruit and vegetables in the UK
growing season, and importing a similar range from continental Europe out of season.

The farm has recently won a planning appeal to build a new pack house. However this followed a six-year battle
with the London Borough of Bromley. During this time Watts Farm was unable to develop efficiently to keep up
with the demands of the modern-day customer, according to their farm manager. Watts Farm felt there was a
complete lack of understanding by the local planning committee, who repeatedly went against the advice to grant
permission given by agricultural consultants, the Mayor of London’s office and its own planning officers. At the
final planning inquiry the inspector heard that Watts Farm’s proposal for a pack-house on the edge of the Green
Belt was not an expansion of the business but a rationalisation to bring all its activities under one roof. The
proposed new facilities will allow Watts Farms to become more efficient and to improve working conditions for
employees.”

“The planning inspector noted that “the farm is sensitively managed, contributing positively to the visual qualities
of this part of the Green Belt. The inspector also agreed with the applicants that the proposed new building,
although taller than existing ones, would improve the look of the site as it would result in the removal of
unattractive structures.”

56
Farm Diversification Planning Advisory Note (PAN) 01 (2005), Brighton & Hove City Council http://www.brighton-
hove.gov.uk/downloads/bhcc/planning/Farm_PAN01_document.pdf
57
Cultivating the Capital; Food growing and the planning system in London (Jan 2010), London Assembly
http://www.london.gov.uk/archive/assembly/reports/plansd/growing-food.pdf p24-25

23
Where permission is granted for on-site farm shops, conditions attached to permission could specify
what proportion of the produce on sale comes from the farm itself and from within the local area. For
example, planning applications could be supported where 40% of goods are own produce and local
foods, 40% is from within the region, and 20% is from elsewhere. Other areas, such as Padstow Farm
Shop (see box) have allowed only the farm’s own produce to be sold.

Padstow Farm Shop 58

Padstow Farm Shop opened in May 2006, selling home grown vegetables, and traditionally reared beef , lamb and
pork. Conditions were attached to the permission, one of which stipulated what produce was sold at the farm
shop: ‘The development hereby permitted is for a farm shop [which] shall only sell produce farmed on the
holding or from local farms.’

Regionally focused and localised distribution networks

Food transport accounts for 3.5% of the UK’s total carbon
dioxide emissions, with 2.5% from road haulage and 1%
from car-based shopping. This percentage does not reflect the
true ‘carbon footprint’ of our food transport, with food
movements taking place outside the UK not being included in
the calculations 59 .

Proximity does not always mean a lower carbon footprint –

many factors influence this, such as the mode and efficiency
of transport used. It also clear that many other factors affect
the greenhouse gases produced by the food and farming
system, particularly what is being grown or reared, and how
this is done. Nonetheless, planners could support more
regionally focused and localised distribution networks to help
Boxes of peas waiting to be distributed for sale
to reduce the carbon footprint of our food transport.

Planners can, for example, support the development of food hubs – local or regional centres where local
producers can share knowledge, skills and facilities such as storage, transport and processing facilities.
This can help to improve the efficiency of small-scale producers and local shops as well as enhancing
the economic viability of small and local businesses, as noted in Broadland, Norwich and South
Norfolk’s Joint Core Strategy (see box).

Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk’s Joint Core Strategy 60 Policy 5 (The Economy) states that ‘The rural
economy and diversification will be supported by…the development of a flagship food and farming hub serving
the needs of Norfolk and support the agri-food sector in and around greater Norwich’.
The aim of the Norfolk Food Hub is to promote and develop the regional food market. To achieve this, the hub
seeks to ‘generate new business ideas, which lead to a more successful and efficient food market; be a focus for
developing the local food supply chain – encouraging the sharing of transport and distribution facilities, cross
selling and accessing new customers through complementing food businesses; and use state of the art
environmental technologies to minimise environmental impact, reduce waste and costs’ 61 .

58
Padstow Farm Shop website: http://www.padstowfarmshop.co.uk/
59
Wise Moves: Exploring the relationship between food, transport and CO2. Tara Garnett, 2000:
http://www.fcrn.org.uk/researchLib/PDFs/wise_moves.pdf
60
Joint Core Strategy for Broadland, Norwich and South Norfolk: Proposed Submission Document. Greater Norwich
Development Partnership, November 2009: http://www.gndp.org.uk/content/wp-
content/uploads/downloads/2010/03/FINAL%20JCS%20Proposed%20Submission%20PDF.pdf
61
Norfolk Rural Business Advice Service: Norfolk Food Hub: http://www.ruraladvice.co.uk/briefingsind.asp?briefingID=15

24
Small and independent retailers
It is now well-known that a planning decision to allow an out-of-town supermarket can sometimes
contribute to the closure of neighbouring shops, reduce the number of skilled jobs in an area, and
damage economic development. Partly as a response to these concerns, recent national planning policy
on economic development (PPS4) 62 , aims to counter this trend by guiding local authorities to give
priority to town centre development over edge of centre or out-out centre development. The planning
policy also supports markets and states: that ‘Local Planning authorities should [retain] and [enhance]
existing markets and, where appropriate, [re-introduce] or [create] new ones’. The Draft Replacement
London Plan, Bath and North East Somerset, and North Norfolk all take a similar approach.

Draft Replacement London Plan 63 Policy 4.8,

Supporting a successful and diverse retail sector: ‘LDFs
should:…e) support the range of street, farmers’ and,
where relevant, strategic markets.’

Bath and North East Somerset Core Strategy 64

proposed policy on rural diversification which may
include elements such as ‘actively encourage local food
production, including local farm shops and farmers
markets.’

North Norfolk Core Strategy (2008) 65 Policy EC5,

Location of Retail and Commercial Leisure
Development: ‘Proposals that would have an adverse
impact on the operation of established weekly or
farmers markets will not be permitted unless
appropriate replacement provision is made as part of
the proposal.’
Blackheath farmers’ market

Such retailers are not only important in their own right but also, being small and independent, it is more
likely that they will be able to buy smaller quantities of produce from local farmers. This is particularly
important for farmers who are just starting to diversify by selling direct to retailers – or indeed to other
outlets such as local hotels and restaurants.

Certainly, many people are keen to retain retail diversity in their neighbourhood and to protect it from
the “clone town” effect of major retailers66 , as Tesco has found in an area of Bristol (see box below).

62
Planning for Sustainable Economic Growth PPS4 (2009), The Stationary Office
http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/planningpolicystatement4.pdf
63
The London Plan – Spatial Development Strategy for Greater London: Consultation draft replacement plan (2009), Greater
London Authority http://www.london.gov.uk/shaping-london/london-plan/docs/london-plan.pdf
64
Core Strategy Spatial Options Document (2009), Bath and North East Somerset Council
http://www.bathnes.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/21CFEB94-AF41-4639-9C8E-
019BC85E2DBA/0/CoreStrategyv7finalapprovalversionweb.pdf
65
North Norfolk: Local Development Framework – Core Strategy (2008), North Norfolk District Council
http://www.northnorfolk.org/files/Core_Strategy_(incorporating_Development_Control_Policies)_Adopted_2008.pdf
66
Clone Town Britain, New Economics Foundation http://www.neweconomics.org/projects/clone-town-britain

25
 Organisations such as the Association of Convenience
Stores are keen to have robust methods to assess the
impact on a locality of large retail developments and
also give planners more information. This could help
to rebalance the assessment, given the often large
amounts of time and money invested by the
developers in the application process. 67 It may also be
useful to develop a definition of retail diversity which
will be more help to planners when trying to
implement such a policy in their locality. For example,
diversity could be defined as a minimum threshold of
30% of all retail floor space in identified centres being
occupied by independent and small businesses. 68
Other initiatives could be explored by local authorities
such as trying to redress some of the costs smaller
retailers face (sometimes relatively much higher than
supermarkets or larger retailers) like valuation and
business rates 69 .

Tesco planning application in Stokes Croft in Bristol (2010) 70

In November 2009, Tesco were granted ‘Change of Use’ planning permission for a store in Stokes Croft, Bristol.
This allowed them to change the site from being an entertainment venue to a retail store. Tesco kept their identity
secret in the initial stages of their planning permission application.

Stokes Croft is renowned for its diverse, independent culture and abundance of local shops. Tesco’s
attempt to move into the area has been opposed by a large number of residents; hundreds of people turned out for
public meetings, 2,500 people sent postcards to Bristol City Council objecting to the store and demanding
consultation, and 96% of 500 local residents surveyed said they didn’t want another supermarket in the area.

Bristol City Council’s licensing committee met in early October 2010 to consider whether to grant Tesco an
alcohol licence for their proposed store. As a result of the combined objections of the community and the police,
Councillors unanimously voted against the application. In subsequent discussions applications for the shop front
and signage were passed, under conditions that alterations are made to the original applications. The entire
external works application was postponed however, pending Tesco carrying out a noise impact assessment.

Ending this section with small and independent retailers and other food outlets brings us back to where
this section started, with access to food shops, and again shows the importance of taking an integrated
view of the food and farming system as a whole.

67
Association of Convenience Stores Webpage on its “Town Centre First” policy
http://www.acs.org.uk/en/lobbying/issues/planning/
68
Private communications between members of the Planning Network UK. Contact Sustain for more information.
69
Cornered shops: London’s small shops and the planning system (July 2010), Planning and Housing Committee of the
London Assembly http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/the-london-assembly/publications/housing-planning/small-
shops
70
Bristol’s Local Food Update (November-December 2010), Bristol Food Network

26
3. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Planning policy
While there is a range of national planning policies that could support more sustainable food systems,
they are not routinely being put into practice and there are a number of reasons for this.

Many planners who were consulted for this research mentioned that in order to create a planning policy
(an SPD), or to support a planning decision that directly addresses a specific issue, such as hot-food
takeaways or community food growing space, there would need to be a reference to it (however broad)
in the core strategy of that local authority. Core strategies can be valid for many years and so shape
developments in an area for some time. It would be prudent for planners to work with colleagues from
other departments to include suitable statements about sustainable food and farming in the core strategy
which will support the development of related policies in future.

Planners could also consider putting policies that have specific spatial implications on the adopted
proposals plan, which is a map that shows the spatial impact of policies. This can add greater weight to
policies because they will be recorded spatially, as well as in the text of a strategy and examples include:
• Identifying potential sites for local composting facilities
• Protecting existing allotments/community growing spaces/farmers markets
• Identifying new sites for allotments/community growing spaces/farmers markets
• Protecting local centres, such as high streets or clusters of shops

‘Group of Slumless, Smokeless Cities’ by E. Howard,

author of Garden Cities of Tomorrow (1898).

27
Planning decisions
Including sustainable food and farming in national and local policies is necessary, but not sufficient, to
make it happen. Planners need to balance a range of criteria when making planning decisions and the
impact on sustainable food and farming is rarely top of the list. There will often be several major social,
political and economic issues around planning decisions which a planner will not necessarily have any
influence over. In addition, planning decisions and developments can involve many stakeholders,
including local residents, companies, community groups and the local authority, and often they will have
competing priorities. Evidence can help planners assess, in a fair and open way, these different interests.

Local authorities often use “planning obligations” (or Section 106) when giving planning permission
especially to large developments. These are legal agreements between the developer and the local
authority for money or in-kind support for additional services or developments that relate, in some way,
to the proposed development. It is important that there is open discussion about what these “planning
obligations” could be and food is included as an important factor in the discussions. So for example
“planning obligation” could be used to create more food growing spaces in or near a new development,
or to encourage retail diversity by supporting independent retailers.

A view of Canary Wharf from Mudchute City Farm

28
Collecting evidence
In many cases it is not realistic to do specific data collection or monitoring. However a good range of
evidence can be gleaned from existing data or from routine evidence collection surveys that a local
authority or health department may organise. Data is already held on food outlets by a number of local
authority ‘service areas’, including Public Safety, National Non-Domestic Rates (Business Rates), and
internal business directories held by Business Development Teams. Other sources are listed below.

Open Space, Sport and Recreation (PPG17) Assessments

The Government requires local planning authorities to carry out assessments of needs and audits of open
space and sports and recreational facilities as the basis for clear strategies and effective planning
policies. Assessments should include:
• Allotments
• City farms
• Community gardens
• Temporary growing spaces
• Empty/disused/derelict spaces that could be used for food growing

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)

A JSNA seeks to understand the current and future health and well-being needs of a population,
informing the priorities set by Local Area Agreements to commission services to improve well-being
and reduce health inequalities. JSNAs should include:
• Access to food shops
• Provision of food shops that affordably meet day-to-day needs

Town Centre Health Checks

These checks are intended to help understand the scale and quality of existing retail provision and other
key town centres uses; the network and role of different centres; and their vitality and viability and how
it has changed over time. Checks should include issues such as access to food shops and the availability
of productive green space.

Retail surveys

These help map the local retail environment, and inform the development of retail policies in local
planning policies These surveys should include details of the food retail environment, such as the
number, location and nature of food outlets. This can highlight where there may be ‘hot spots’ where
unhealthy food outlets are concentrated, as well as ‘cold spots’ where there are few if any shops with an
affordable choice of good food. This may highlight, for example, where isolated shops need protection,
where local centres need to be created or enhanced, where work could be done to encourage shops to
sell fruit and vegetables, and where future growth in hot food takeaways needs restricting.

29
Working with other professionals and with the public
No matter how much evidence is gathered, policy and practice is unlikely to change without the help of
other non-planning professionals, and without public support.

Professional support can come from almost every part of a local authority and the health service, since
food can affect almost all of them. Obvious candidates include colleagues from economic development,
community regeneration, environmental services, health promotion and nutrition, but there may be
other, less obvious ones too. In addition, some businesses will be keen to support the integration of food
and planning, and many of these have already been touched on in section 2. Community groups and
voluntary organisations will also be invaluable, not only for the expertise they have but also because
they are often a route to local people, whose support is vital.

Some local authorities have successfully brought all these sectors together to develop food strategies,
and Camden is a recent example of this (see box).

The Good Food Partnership in the London Borough of Camden 71

This was established to:

• Support the implementation of the Good Food for Camden Action Plan
• Generate support for the Good Food for Camden strategy in the community and through member networks
• Facilitate the development and monitoring of the Good Food for Camden strategy.

In April 2010 the Partnership had 130 members and met every six to eight weeks. It was structured as an
unincorporated group of individuals and organisations with terms of reference and members including community
organisations, local businesses, social enterprises and public sector organisations. A range of departments from
Camden Council were involved in the partnership including planning, public procurement, community
engagement and sustainability officers. NHS Camden's public health team were also heavily involved.

The action plan for the Good Food for Camden strategy committed the Borough to establishing 60 new
community food growing sites by 2012 – a target chosen to implement Camden’s contribution to the Mayoral aim
of 2,012 new community food growing spaces for London by the end of 2012, supported by the Capital Growth
campaign 72 .

The strategy led to the development of the Your Guide to Buying Good Food in Camden, written to benefit
organisations who purchase food on any scale, that explained what Good Food is, why it is important and,
crucially, where to buy it (the Guide was supplemented by a wholesale supplier directory). The ethos of the
strategy was also incorporated into the specification for the new school food catering contract (to commence in
early 2011). Camden Council wrote the tender in collaboration with Islington Council.

The Good Food Partnership was set up with financial and practical support from NHS Camden and Camden. Due
to the 2010 Comprehensive Spending Review, funding for this work is now uncertain, although the partnership
itself is still active and implementing the Action Plan.

71
Details of Camden’s work on food and the environment, including links to the Good Food for Camden strategy and other
relevant documents, are at: http://www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/content/environment/food-and-the-environment/food/food-and-
the-environment1.en?page=7
72
For details of the Capital Growth campaign, see: http://www.capitalgrowth.org/

30
We have seen that in the past five years food has been rising up the agenda with planners all over the
world, with planning schools running courses on sustainable food, planning and food conferences being
held, and food and planning policies being written. An encouragingly wide range of people are
involved, including academics, town planners, landscape architects, food growers, and community
groups. Town planning developed from a desire to enhance public health and it has achieved higher
living standards for us all. Now spatial planning faces newer challenges such as adapting to climate
change and population growth. Incorporating healthy and sustainable food systems into spatial planning
is more important than ever to ensure that everyone is able to eat a healthy, environmentally friendly and
affordable diet.

31
SOURCES OF MORE INFORMATION
This report has been prepared by Local Action on Food run by Sustain: the alliance for better food and
farming. Local Action on Food is an active network of people and projects from across the UK that are
working towards creating a strong and healthy sustainable food system.

For more information on Local Action on Food, and the network’s work on food and planning, please
contact: suzanne@sustainweb.org or call Sustain on 020 7837 1228.

This report has been written as part of the Making Local Food Work Programme which helps people to
take ownership of their food and where it comes from by providing advice and support to community
food enterprises across England. More information can be found at www.makinglocalfoodwork.co.uk

Planning organisations
Campaign to Protect Rural England
Campaigns on a range of issues that affect rural England and has worked extensively on planning issues
around food and farming including the Green Belt.
http://www.cpre.org.uk/library/results/green-belts

Planners Network UK (PNUK)

Explain who they are (as with others in this list)
www.pnuk.org.uk/

Planning Portal UK
The government online planning and building regulations website www.planningportal.gov.uk/

Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)

A UK planning organisation for spatial, sustainable, integrative and inclusive planning
www.rtpi.org.uk

Town and Country Planning Association

The tcpa a leading edge think-tank, puts social justice and the environment at the heart of policy debate.
www.tcpa.org.uk

UK Planning
A website, covering some local areas in the UK, that lists local planning applications and policies
www.ukplanning.com

32
Green infrastructure and food growing
A Place to Grow (2010), Local Government Association & the Department of Community and Local
Government
http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/publications/publication-display.do?id=9027596

Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Guidance (2009)

http://naturalengland.etraderstores.com/NaturalEnglandShop/NE176

Growing in the community: A good practice guide for the management of allotments (2008), Local
Government Association
http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/publications/publication-display.do?id=336352

Designing Urban Agriculture Opportunities for Southeast False Creek. Prepared for the City of
Vancouver, by Holland Barrs Planning Group (March 2007)
http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/southeast/documents/pdf/designingUA.pdf

A Farmer’s Guide to the Planning System (Defra and ODPM, 2002)

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/planningandbuilding/pdf/143516.pdf

Healthy urban planning

Core Strategy Health Checklist (2010)
http://www.healthyurbandevelopment.nhs.uk/pages/key_docs/key_documents_hudu.html

Integrating Health into the Core Strategy: A Guide for Primary Care Trusts in London (2009)
http://www.healthyurbandevelopment.nhs.uk/documents/integrating_health/Integrating_Health_into_the
_Core_Strategy.pdf

Food waste
Love Food, Hate Waste campaign http://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

Devon Community Composting Network Schools Special: How to start a food waste composting
system http://dccn.typepad.com/files/web_school_special-2.pdf

Food Retail
Cornered shops: London’s small shops and the planning system (July 2010), Planning and Housing
Committee of the London Assembly http://www.london.gov.uk/who-runs-london/the-london-
assembly/publications/housing-planning/small-shops

Supermarket Need Index: New York City’s Neighbourhood Grocery Store and Supermarket Shortage
http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/supermarket/index.shtml

33
Relationship between PPS/PPGs and the different stages of the food system

Production Processing Distribution Retail Access Composting

PPS 1: Delivery P. 13: ‘Development plans should ensure that sustainable development is pursued in an integrated manner, P 16: ‘Plan policies should seek As per Production, Processing
Sustainable in line with the principles for sustainable development set out in the UK strategy. Regional planning bodies to… reduce social inequalities; and Distribution
Development and local planning authorities should ensure that development plans promote outcomes in which address accessibility (both in
environmental, economic and social objectives are achieved together over time.’ terms of location and physical
access) for all members of the
Para 13: ‘Regional planning bodies and local planning authorities should ensure that community to jobs, health,
development plans contribute to global sustainability by addressing the causes and potential impacts of housing, education, shops,
climate change – through policies which reduce energy use, leisure and community
reduce emissions (for example, by encouraging patterns of development which reduce the need to travel by facilities...deliver safe, healthy
private car, or reduce the impact of moving freight), promote the development of renewable energy and attractive places to live’
resources, and take climate change impacts into account in the location and design of development.’

PPS: Planning and P. 10: ‘the proposed provision for
Climate Change new development, its spatial
(Supplement to distribution, location and
PPS1) design should be planned to limit
carbon dioxide emissions'
P. 9: ‘deliver patterns of P. 9: secure new development
urban growth and sustainable and shape places that minimise
rural developments that help vulnerability, and provide
secure the fullest possible resilience, to climate change; and
use of sustainable transport in ways that are consistent with
for moving freight…’ social cohesion and inclusion;

Para. 13: ‘Regional planning

bodies should pay attention to
the location of major
generators of travel, the effect
of differing patterns of urban
growth and sustainable rural
development on the
movement of goods…’
PPS3: Housing P. 16: ‘Matters to consider when As per Production
assessing design quality include the
extent to which the proposed
development:… provides, or enables
good access to, community and green
and open amenity and recreational
space as well as private outdoor space
such as residential gardens, patios and
balconies’
PPS6: Planning for P. 2.27: ‘Street and covered markets P. 1.4: ‘enhancing consumer
Town Centres (including farmers’ markets) can choice by making provision for a
make a valuable contribution to local range of shopping, leisure and
choice and diversity in shopping as local services, which allow
well as the vitality of town centres and genuine choice to meet the
to the rural economy. As an integral needs of the entire community,
part of the vision for their town and particularly socially-excluded
centres, local authorities should seek groups’
to retain and enhance existing
markets and, where appropriate, re- P. 2.56: Deprived areas often
introduce or create new ones. Local have poor access to local shops
authorities should ensure that their and services. To tackle this
markets remain attractive and problem, local authorities should
competitive by investing in their work with the local community
improvement.’ and retailers to identify
opportunities to remedy any
P. 2.60: ‘Market towns and villages deficiencies in local provision.
should be the main service centres in This is likely to be best achieved
rural areas, providing a range of through strengthening existing
facilities, shops and services at a centres or, where appropriate,
scale appropriate to the needs and proposing new local centres.’
size of their (rural and urban areas)
catchment areas. They should
provide a focus for economic P. 2.63: Farm shops can also
Production Processing Distribution Retail Access Composting
development and rural-based meet a demand for local produce
industries, including markets for in a sustainable way and can
locally-produced food and other contribute to the rural economy.
products, and for tourism. However, Care should however be taken to
the health and vitality of many of ensure that they do not adversely
these towns has declined in recent affect easily accessible
years, and many more are vulnerable convenience shopping available
to changing economic and lifestyle to the local community.
patterns. The Government is
committed to helping market towns
manage the process of change,
encourage necessary regeneration
and strengthen their role as vital rural
service centres. Local planning
authorities should adopt policies that
recognise this role and support
development which enhances the
vitality and viability of market towns
and other rural service centres.

Para. 3.8: ‘It is not necessary to

demonstrate the need for retail
proposals within the primary shopping
area of for other main town centre
uses located within the town
centre…need must be demonstrated
for any application for a main town
centre use which would be in an
edge-of-centre or out-of-centre
location…’

Para. 4.4: In order to measure the

vitality and viability and monitor the
health of their town centres and how
this is changing over time, local
authorities should regularly collect
information, preferably in co-operation
with the private sector, on the
following key indicators:
- diversity of main town centre uses
(by number, type and amount of
floorspace)
- the amount of space in use for
different functions – such as offices;
shopping; leisure, cultural and
entertainment activities; pubs, cafes
and restaurants; and, hotels;
- the amount of retail, leisure and
office floorspace in edge-of-centre
and out-of-centre locations;…
- retailer representation and intentions
to change representation: existence
and changes in representation of
types of retailer, including street
markets, and the demand of retailers
wanting to come into the centre, or to
change their representation in the
centre, or to reduce or close their
representation;
- accessibility: ease and convenience
of access by a choice of means of
travel…
 Production Processing Distribution Retail Access Composting
- customer and residents’ views and
behaviour: regular surveys will help
authorities in
monitoring and evaluating the
effectiveness of town centre
improvements and in setting further
priorities.
PPS7: Sustainable P. 16: When preparing policies for P. 6: ‘People who live or work in
Development in LDDs and determining planning rural areas should have
Rural Areas applications for development in the reasonable access to a range of
countryside, local planning authorities services and facilities.’
should:
(i) support development that delivers
diverse and sustainable farming
enterprises;
(ii) support other countryside-based
enterprises and activities which
contribute to rural
economies, and/or promote recreation
in and the enjoyment of the countryside;

P. 27: The Government recognises the

important and varied roles of
agriculture, including in the
maintenance and management of the
countryside and most of our valued
landscapes.
Planning policies in RSS and LDDs
should recognise these roles and
support development proposals that will
enable farming and farmers to:
(i) become more competitive,
sustainable and environmentally
friendly;
(ii) adapt to new and changing markets;
(iii) comply with changing legislation
and associated guidance;
(iv) diversify into new agricultural
opportunities (e.g. renewable energy
crops); or
(v) broaden their operations to ‘add
value’ to their primary produce.

P. 28. The presence of best and most

versatile agricultural land (defined as
land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the
Agricultural Land Classification), should
be taken into account alongside other
sustainability considerations when
determining planning
applications…Where significant
development of agricultural land is
unavoidable, local planning authorities
should seek to
use areas of poorer quality land (grades
3b, 4 and 5) in preference to that of a
higher
quality, except where this would be
inconsistent with other sustainability
considerations. Little weight in
agricultural terms should be given to the
loss of agricultural land in grades
 Production Processing Distribution Retail Access Composting
3b, 4 and 5, except in areas (such as
uplands) where particular agricultural
practices may themselves contribute in
some special way to the quality and
character of the environment or the
local economy. If any undeveloped
agricultural land needs to be developed,
any adverse effects on the environment
should be minimised.
29. Development plans should include
policies that identify any major areas of
agricultural land that are planned for
development. But local planning
authorities may also wish to include
policies in their LDDs to protect specific
areas of best and most versatile
agricultural land from speculative
development. It is for local planning
authorities to decide whether best and
most versatile agricultural land can be
developed, having carefully weighed the
options in the light of competent advice.’

P. 30: Recognising that diversification

into non-agricultural activities is vital to
the continuing viability of many farm
enterprises, local planning authorities
should:
(i) set out in their LDDs the criteria to be
applied to planning applications for farm
diversification projects;
(ii) be supportive of well-conceived farm
diversification schemes for business
purposes that contribute to sustainable
development objectives and help to
sustain the agricultural enterprise, and
are consistent in their scale with their
rural location. This applies equally to
farm diversification schemes around the
fringes of urban areas; and
(iii) where relevant, give favourable
consideration to proposals for
diversification in Green Belts where the
development preserves the openness of
the Green Belt and does not conflict
with the purposes of including land
within it.
PPS10: Planning for P.1: The overall objective of
Sustainable Waste Government policy on waste, as
Management set out in the strategy for
sustainable development4, is to
protect human health and the
environment by producing less
waste and by using it as a
resource wherever possible.
Through more sustainable waste
management, moving the
management of waste up the
‘waste hierarchy’ of reduction,
reuse, recycling and composting,
using waste as a source of
energy, and only disposing as a
 Production
PPS11: Regional N/A (Note – general point s regarding
Spatial Strategies RSSs supporting sustainable
development and addressing agriculture
and waste treatment)
PPG2: Green Belts P. 1.6: ‘Use of land in them has a
positive role to play in… [retaining] land
in agricultural, forestry and related uses’
PPG4: Industrial, P. 16: ‘In rural areas, applications for
Commercial development necessary to sustain the
Development and rural economy should be weighed with
Small Firms the need to protect the countryside in
terms of, for example, its landscape,
wildlife, agriculture, natural resources
and recreational value…Changes from
agricultural use to other use require full
planning permission.’
Processing
N/A
P. 8: It remains open to planning
authorities to propose policies in
development plans aimed at
channelling particular types of
business development into
particular locations, although in
each such case a clear
justification for the distinction
should be made.’
P. 10: The locational demands of
businesses are therefore a key
input to the preparation of
development plans. Development
plan policies must take account
of these needs and at the same
time seek to achieve wider
objectives in the public interest
(see paragraph 11).
Development plans
offer the opportunity to:
Distribution Retail Access Composting
last resort the Government aims
to break the link between
economic growth and the
environmental impact of waste.
This means a step-change in the
way waste is handled and
significant new investment in
waste management facilities. The
planning system is pivotal to the
adequate and timely provision of
the new facilities that will be
needed.’
P.4: 4. Regional planning bodies
and all planning authorities
should, to the extent appropriate
to their responsibilities, adhere to
the following principles in
preparing planning strategies:
- waste management should be
considered alongside other
spatial planning concerns,
such as transport, housing,
economic growth, natural
resources and regeneration,
recognising the positive
contribution that waste
management can make to the
development of sustainable
communities, and should be
integrated effectively with
other strategies including
municipal waste management
strategies;
N/A N/A N/A
 Production Processing Distribution Retail Access Composting
- encourage new development in
locations which minimise the
length and number of trips,
especially by motor vehicles;
- encourage new development in
locations that can be served by
more energy efficient modes of
transport (this is particularly
important in the case of offices,
light industrial development, and
campus style developments such
as science and business parks
likely to have large numbers of
employees);
PPG 13: Transport P. 6: ‘when preparing
development plans
and considering planning
applications, local authorities
should:
1. actively manage the pattern of
urban growth to make the fullest
use of public transport, and focus
major generators of travel
demand in city, town and district
centres and near to major public
transport interchanges;
2. locate day to day facilities
which need to be near their
clients in local centres so that
they are accessible by walking
and cycling’

P. 19: A key planning objective is

to ensure that jobs, shopping,
leisure facilities and services are
accessible by public transport,
walking, and cycling. This is
important for all, but especially
for those who do not have
regular use of a car, and to
promote social inclusion.’
PPG17: Planning for P. 14: ‘Parks, recreation grounds,
Open Space, Sport playing fields and allotments must not
and Recreation be regarded as 'previously-developed
land', as defined in annex C of PPG3.’

P. 2: The following typology illustrates

the broad range of open spaces that
may be of public value:
vii. allotments, community gardens, and
city (urban) farms;

3. Local authorities should also

recognise that most areas of open
space can perform multiple functions.
They should take account of the various
functions of open space when applying
the policies in this document. These
include:
iii. promoting health and well-being:
providing opportunities to people of all
ages for informal recreation, or to walk,
 Production Processing Distribution Retail Access Composting
cycle or ride within parks and open
spaces or along paths, bridleways and
canal banks. Allotments may provide
physical exercise and other health
benefits’

P. 25: (Urban Fringe Areas)

The countryside around towns provides
a valuable resource for the provision of
sport and recreation, particularly in
situations where there is an absence of
land in urban areas to meet provision.
Subject to paragraphs 27-30 below,
local authorities should encourage the
creation of sports and recreational
facilities in such areas and the
development of areas
of managed countryside, such
as…agricultural
showgrounds.’

The following PPS/PPGs were considered not relevant/applicable:

PPS: Eco-towns (Supplement to PPS1)
PPS12: Local Spatial Planning
PPS22: Renewable Energy
PPS23: Planning and Pollution Control
PPS25: Development and Flood Risk
PPS9: Biological and Geological Conservation
PPG5: Simplified Planning Zones
PPG8: Telecommunications
PPG14: Development on Unstable Land
PPG15: Planning and the Historic Environment
PPG16: Archaeology and Planning
PPG18: Enforcing Planning Control
PPG19: Outdoor Advertisement Control
PPG20: Coastal Planning
PPG24: Planning and Noise
Good planning
for good food
How the planning system in
England can support healthy
and sustainable food

January 2011

Sustain advocates food and agriculture

policies and practices that enhance the
health and welfare of people and animals,
improve the working and living
environment, promote equity and
enrich society and culture.

sustain
the alliance for
better food and farming

Sustain, 94 White Lion Street

London N1 9PF
T: 020 7837 1228
www.sustainweb.org