Fortismere Associates works with individual local authorities, groups of authorities and public/private partnerships to provide strategic direction to the development of planning policy.

We help to develop integrated strategies: bringing policies together with the procedures needed to put them into practice ensures that they are realistic and achievable.

We can support policy development in a number of ways:

• supporting development of Local Plans

We have considerable experience of policy development, including through work as interim manager.

For example, we led the development of the Local Development Framework and Core Strategies for both the London Borough of Newham and the West Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit and we are currently supporting Epping Forest District Council in their development of a Local Plan.

We have also supported local authorities in:

• formulating a project plan
• understanding the resources and skills needed to develop their Local Plan
• devising their consultation/engagement strategies
• reviewing the evidence base/drafting briefs for additional work
• considering objectively assessed need, housing targets and five year land supply
• supporting the Duty to Cooperate and developing governance arrangements
• providing critical friend analysis
• developing infrastructure delivery plans

• Examination in Public

We can help local authorities to prepare for Examination in Public (EiP) of planning policies.

• review of policy

We can act as a critical friend in reviewing policies. We study the evidence base and consider how it relates to policy, and help to assess whether or not proposed policies comply with the National Planning Policy Framework and Planning Practice Guidance.

• involving elected members

We know that facilitated workshops are a highly effective way of involving elected members in policy development. A series of workshops that we have run for several local authorities have helped them to develop a common spatial vision.

These workshops have given elected members the opportunity to identify the issues that matter most in their area, and explore the various options and strategies to address those issues – reinforcing their commitment to the policies that emerge.