Regional planning strategies are likely to be abandoned whatever the outcome from the election, according to the president of the Planning Officers Society.

This morning, it emerged that a hung parliament is inevitable, meaning a coalition government between several parties will be formed.

Both the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives have said they would push to scrap regional spatial strategies in the next parliament.

Labour would agree to scrapping the regional planning tier it introduced if it meant holding onto power, David Hackforth told Public Property UK today.

“The election won’t be decided on planning,” he said. “But I imagine that regional planning will be a casualty of either outcome because the Liberal Democrats will push for it and they will hold the balance of power.

“If it was down to a choice between keeping regional planning and staying in government, Labour would not see it as a dealbreaker.”

Hackforth said it was too early to tell how important other planning policies, such as the Tory and Liberal Democrats’ commitment to giving local people more planning powers, would be in the next parliament.

“It’s going to be a fascinating next few hours to see what emerges,” he said.

• Liberal Democrats to play key role on spending cuts
• Coalition confirms major planning system reform
• Q&A: How to plan in the aftermath of regional strategies
• Pickles officially axes “Soviet-style” regional planning
• CLG letter on revocation of regional planning strategies