RTPI Calls For Rural Focus In Planning And Infrastructure Bill

The Planning and Infrastructure Bill is currently at the stage of consideration of Commons amendments and/or reasons in the 2024–26 parliamentary session, with the next sitting scheduled for 24 November.

The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) has published an amendment briefing calling for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill to explicitly recognise and address the needs of rural communities. While 85% of England’s land area is classified as rural and 17% of the population live in these areas, the Bill, in its current form, does not refer to “rural” at any point across its 360 pages.

According to the RTPI, the Government’s devolution agenda and ongoing planning reforms mean that many rural areas, which previously lacked strategic-level coverage, will soon fall within new governance and planning structures. In this context, the Institute argues that rural communities require clearer representation to ensure their needs are properly considered within local and national decision-making.

The RTPI notes that the Devolution White Paper stated the Government would “explore… a better route for rural communities to be considered in local policy decision making”. As drafted, however, the Bill does not set out how this commitment will be delivered.

Rural Areas And National Growth

The RTPI highlights that rural areas contribute significantly to the economy through farming, food production, local businesses, and tourism. It argues that past policy approaches have focused investment on urban areas, overlooking opportunities for rural economic contribution, inward private investment, food production, health and wellbeing, climate resilience, and nature recovery.

Given the scale of forthcoming planning and devolution reforms, the Institute states that a strategic focus on rural growth is needed to identify enabling infrastructure and ensure rural communities can benefit from new arrangements.

Ensuring The Bill Works For All Areas

The Bill draws on provisions in the Greater London Act. While the RTPI recognises this as a reasonable baseline, it warns that measures must not be urban-centric and must reflect the range of strategic area contexts, including those with significant rural populations.

To strengthen the Bill’s treatment of rural issues, the Institute proposes three amendments. Together, these are intended to ensure rural needs and perspectives are actively considered throughout the devolution process.

Proposed Amendments

1. Add “Rural Affairs” to the Areas of Competence

This amendment would add “rural affairs” to the list of areas of competence in Clause 2.

2. Allow Mayors to Appoint a Rural Affairs Commissioner

This proposal would increase the number of commissioners a mayor may appoint from seven to eight, enabling the appointment of a Rural Affairs Commissioner.

3. Introduce a Duty to Consider Rural Needs

This amendment would require strategic authorities and mayors to have regard to the needs of rural communities when exercising their functions, including in relation to land use, development, regeneration, housing, employment, and health and wellbeing.

The RTPI states that these amendments, taken together, would provide a clear route for rural needs, priorities and perspectives to be reflected across devolved governance structures and planning decision-making.

The Rural Services Network supports the inclusion of these amendments, recognising that they provide a clear and practical way to ensure rural needs are properly reflected within future planning and devolution arrangements.