In recent years attention to issues concerning water and planning has been rising. Faced with a climate of increasing extremes with a greater need to manage water resources sustainably, to maintain and improve water quality, set against the projected increase of 252,000 new households a year in England (DCLG, 2009) – reveals the significant challenge that the spatial planning system faces when considering water management.
The sheer complexity of the issues around water management and the increasing technical knowledge required means partnership working is essential to achieve a sustainable, integrated approach. Yet there can be a considerable misunderstanding between disciplines, often concerning the organisational and cultural context in which the various parties operate, which hinders progress. How can planners embed critical hydrological issues in regional and local plans, in decisions on individual planning applications and seek opportunities through redevelopment and regeneration initiatives to achieve sustainable water management? How can hydrologists better understand the institutional context to deliver workable, comprehensible advice and solutions that meet multiple social, environmental and economic objectives? How can researchers better inform integrated policy and implementation?
This one day meeting will bring together a variety of stakeholders to explore the linkages and gain a deeper understanding of integrating water issues in spatial planning. The primary focus of the meeting is on the commonly experienced challenges of interdisciplinary working; how to promote communication, collaboration and knowledge transfer to yield workable solutions to the problems we face. It is hoped new relationships and further interdisciplinary research and practice opportunities will emerge from this agenda.
This BHS meeting aims to promote: (1) interdisciplinary communication and collaborations and (2) knowledge transfer between scientists, water managers and planners.
