The report, prepared by KPMG for think tank the Transport Knowledge Hub, says siloed transport and planning decision making and fragmented public sector funding currently present barriers to integrating sustainable transport and housing.

It calls on local authorities to develop spatial plans that bring together planning for transport, housing and employment land.

This, it says, would help to locate new developments alongside existing and new sustainable transport infrastructure and services, support higher density development and promote policies that design in sustainable transport provision from the start.

“Sustainable transport and supporting infrastructure must be integrated during the local planning process so that the full economic benefits of new housing are achieved,” said Transport Knowledge Hub chair Hilary Chipping.

“This report is a timely intervention which has highlighted a number of challenges that are currently constraining local decision makers’ ability to plan for new homes in a sustainable manner.”

The report also calls for local authorities to be given longer term, devolved budgets to enable them to plan and invest in infrastructure on a more strategic basis to support developments.

And it highlights a need for local areas to capture a greater share of the increased land value resulting from new housing, and for this to be invested in high quality sustainable transport.

CIHT’s Sustainable Transport Panel will launch new guidelines early next year on better integrating transport and planning; highlighting how high quality sustainable transport can help deliver housing, public health and economic growth.

‘Better Planning, Better Transport, Better Places’ will look to make sure new developments deliver strong and sustainable places.

(Photograph: Stagecoach Group)