Britain: An official handbook > 1977

166
Regional
Planning
BRITAIN 1977: AN OFFICIAL HANDBOOK
from harmful development 430,000 acres (174,000 hectares) of land, 200
historic buildings and large stretches of coastline. Properties in Scotland
covering some 80,000 acres (32,000 hectares) are protected by the National
Trust for Scotland, an independent body founded in 1931, which has over
70,000 members.
The Town and Country Planning Association, founded in 1899, seeks to
improve the qualities of land use and planning in Britain, and helped to pro¬
mote, for example, the first new towns legislation. The Civic Trust, estab¬
lished in 1957, encourages higher standards in architecture and planning and
makes annual awards for good developments of all kinds. It supports and
advises over 1,200 amenity societies. Associate trusts exist in Scotland, Wales
and the north-east and north-west of England.
Other voluntary societies concerned with amenity in town and country
include: the Council for the Protection of Rural England, the Council for the
Protection of Rural Wales, the Association for the Protection of Rural
Scotland and the Ulster Society for the Preservation of the Countryside; the
Commons, Open Spaces and Footpaths Preservation Society; the Ramblers’
Association; the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings; the Ancient
Monuments Society; the Georgian Group and the Scottish Georgian Society;
the Ulster Architectural Heritage Society; the Victorian Society; the Pilgrim
Trust; the Council for British Archaeology and the Historic Churches
Preservation Trust. The Committee for Environmental Conservation, com¬
prising many of the main voluntary organisations, acts as a liaison body and is
concerned with broader questions of amenity than those covered by individual
societies. In Wales, the Prince of Wales Committee promotes projects to
improve the environment and encourages a greater awareness of environ¬
mental problems.
Economic planning councils (see p. 192) in each region of England and Wales,
together with economic planning boards and local planning authorities,
jointly sponsor the preparation of regional strategies. These are intended to
advise the Government on the long-term development of particular regions
and to provide a framework for the preparation of structure plans by county
councils. In Scotland, regional reports are prepared and submitted for
comment to the Secretary of State by the regional councils after consultation
with the district councils.
The Location Special provisions, in addition to the general town and country planning
of Industry measures, control the location of industry and offices (see p. 214). General
problems of industrial development are dealt with jointly by a number of
government departments, but each development scheme, as a rule, requires
the local planning authority’s consent. Financial incentives from the Govern¬
ment encourage the location of industry in particular areas.
New Towns In Great Britain the New Towns Act 1946, later consolidated in Acts of 1965
and 1968, gives the Secretaries of State for the Environment, Scotland and
Wales power to designate any area of land (which may include an existing
centre of population) as the site of a new town. The New Towns Act (Northern
Ireland) 1965 makes similar provision for Northern Ireland.
The appropriate minister must consult the local authorities concerned and
allow the public an opportunity to comment on the proposed designation. A
development corporation is appointed by the Government to create and plan