Where transport planning meets real world development
Development planning is where transport policy, placemaking and delivery collide – and where the toughest challenges in the planning system show up. From Transport Assessments to vision led planning, DLUP brings practitioners together to tackle what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to change.
The Transport Planning Society’s Development & Land Use Planning Policy Group (DLUP) is a space for honest, practitioner led discussion and action.
Why this matters – now
Transport planning is changing.
Policy is moving towards vision led transport planning, but development planning practice hasn’t always kept pace. Many of the tools and guidance still in use were developed decades ago, leaving practitioners to reconcile old methods with new ambitions.
DLUP exists because:
- Development planning decisions lock in travel behaviour for the long term
- Transport Assessments remain influential – and highly contested
- Practitioners need space to share experience, challenge norms and shape what comes next
If vision led planning is going to work in practice, development planning must be part of the conversation.
Our objectives
DLUP’s core objective is to:
To improve alignment between policy and development planning practice by understanding what isn’t working in the current approach and identifying opportunities to do it better.
We do this by:
- Developing a shared understanding of the issues with the current development planning (and Transport Assessment) approach
- Examining where existing guidance, tools and practice diverge from policy intent
- Identifying opportunities to improve how policy is interpreted, applied and evidenced in development planning
- Supporting more consistent, proportionate and transparent approaches to assessment and decision making
Through this, DLUP seeks to bridge the gap between policy ambition and real world development planning practice.
Who the group is for
DLUP is for anyone involved in transport planning for development, including those who:
- Prepare Transport Assessments and Transport Statements
- Review development proposals in local or highway authorities
- Work alongside transport planners in planning, design or delivery roles
- Contribute to policy, guidance, research or consultation responses
Members span public and private sectors and a wide range of experience – because real world insight matters.
What we focus on
DLUP is not a talking shop. We focus on:
- Applying vision led planning to development in practice
- Whether current Transport Assessment methods are fit for purpose
- The gap between policy ambition and assessment reality
- Evidence, proportionality and consistency in decision making
- Better alignment between transport, land use and placemaking
Our work informs TPS policy positions, consultation responses and thought leadership.
What we’ve been discussing
Recent DLUP meetings have tackled challenging questions head on, including:
- Whether outdated TA guidance can support vision led outcomes
- How fragmented policy makes delivery harder for practitioners
- Evidence that TAs can systematically over estimate traffic
- The limitations of TRICS and conservative trip rate assumptions
- Why the profession needs to lead on new guidance and evidence
- The need for stronger research, data and collaboration
Exactly the kind of open, experience based discussion the group exists for.
What’s next
DLUP members are actively:
- Initiating research into Transport Assessment accuracy
- Working with local authorities and universities on evidence
- Feeding practitioner insight into TPS policy work
- Planning conferences, webinars and national discussions
Regular meetings keep momentum high and ideas moving into action.
Flagship event: Transport Development Planning Conference
DLUP leads the Transport Development Planning Conference, delivered with Landor LINKS.
Following a successful first event in November 2024 and a follow up in December 2025, the conference:
- Is returning again this year
- Focuses on the practical realities of changing development planning practice
- Brings practitioners, policymakers and researchers together to shape what’s next
Leadership
Chair: Colin Black
Vice-chair: Joely Hill
The wider group includes practitioners from local authorities, consultancies and academia.
Why join DLUP?
Join DLUP to:
- Be part of honest, practitioner led debate
- Learn from peers facing the same challenges
- Contribute to research, policy influence and change
- Help shape the future of transport planning practice
How to get involved
Most discussion takes place through our LinkedIn group:
Join the DLUP LinkedIn Group
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/17811027
If you’re involved in transport planning for development in any capacity, we’d love you to be part of the conversation.
Because the profession works best when we share experience – and fix what isn’t working.