Inter-County & Metropolitan Planning
Planning for shared settlements, infrastructure and land use across county boundaries.
01 · What this plan helps resolve
Growth does not stop at an administrative boundary. Commuting, water catchments, economic corridors and infrastructure networks can connect several counties, while decisions remain distributed among different institutions. A shared planning brief makes those relationships visible.
We help commissioning teams examine cross-boundary conditions, compare spatial options and define coordination priorities. The assignment identifies participating authorities, the planning instrument or strategy required and how proposals relate to the relevant county and sector frameworks. A metropolitan vision is supported by evidence, responsibilities and practical next actions.
02 · When to commission this service
- A growth corridor or urban region spans more than one county.
- Participating authorities need a common picture of movement, services, environmental systems or development pressures.
- A shared programme needs spatial priorities and a coordination framework that individual county plans can respond to.
03 · Outputs for your commissioning team
- A cross-boundary spatial profile showing settlement patterns, connections, pressures and shared infrastructure or environmental issues.
- Planning scenarios or strategic proposals with the assumptions and trade-offs behind each option.
- An implementation and coordination framework identifying action owners, dependencies, priorities and agreed monitoring needs.
04 · From brief to planning package
- Define the participating counties and plan status
- Assess shared growth and infrastructure issues
- Develop options and document agreed actions
05 · Starting information
- Terms of reference and participating authorities
- Study boundary
- Existing county and sector plans
06 · Scope and responsibilities
The proposal defines the commissioned outputs, professional roles, data needs and review process. Technical, statutory and partner responsibilities are agreed before work starts.
For technical teams
Physical and Land Use Planning Act, 2019; Ministry of Lands Physical and Land Use Planning Handbook, December 2025.
Points to agree in the technical brief
- Define the participating counties, shared study boundary and arrangements for coordinating decisions across jurisdictions.
- Agree common baseline dates, mapping standards and assumptions so evidence from different counties can be compared.
- Identify cross-boundary infrastructure dependencies, consultation responsibilities and the institutions that will carry proposals forward.
07 · Common questions
Does a metropolitan strategy replace county plans?
Its relationship to county plans must be set out in the brief. We identify the specific instrument and how shared proposals connect to each participating authority's planning responsibilities.
Who needs to be involved?
The engagement plan identifies the commissioning authority, participating counties, relevant sector agencies and affected stakeholders for the agreed scope.
Can this begin as a diagnostic study?
Yes. A defined evidence and coordination study can help establish whether a wider planning process is needed and what its terms of reference should cover.
Make the next step clear
Share the location, your intended outcome and the information already available. Discuss your project →