The generic skill sets that would be taught at the centre would include leadership, teamwork, communication, project management and partnership working. Egan says that centre should be set up by early next year but it is not yet clear whether it will be web-based or whether it will have its own college site.
The centre will give planners more skills to deal with the complex mixed-used developments that will lie at the heart of the sustainable communities in the Thames Gateway and the rest of the South-east. In addition, Egan’s report says that employers should make continuing professional development (CPD) training in generic skills compulsory for staff involved sustainable communities.
"We want to see planners interacting with highways engineers, environmental officers teaming up urban designers, and developers engaging with community groups," says Egan.
Among other recommendations in the report is a call for sustainable community development code or benchmarks. These environmental and quality standards should be in place within a year, says the report. Its recommendations tie in with the work being done by the Sustainability Taskforce Group, which should be publishing its recommendations on benchmarking and sustainability standards next month.
The report says that local authorities should have the lead role in co-ordinating and orchestrating delivery of sustainable communities. It also believes that the planning system needs to be improved. Egan says that there should be more pre-application discussions between local and central government for large development projects, and swift planning approval once schemes have met sustainable principles.
The Egan Skills Review has come up with something else that everybody can benefit from – the definitive definition of the term sustainable community. If anyone is in any doubt what the government and Egan’s goal is, remember the following mantra. Building sustainable communities means making effective use of natural resources, enhancing the environment, promoting social cohesion and inclusion, and strengthening economic prosperity.
