Accessibility of useful
datasets for
neighbourhood
planning
Frances Kirwan/ Clare Clark
21st March 2013
Background
•
A survey of Neighbourhood Planning frontrunners by Locality, on behalf of the Panel,
generated a list of data which those already involved in neighbourhood planning had
found useful.
•
Panel members agreed that:
1. A list of useful data could prove helpful to those new to neighbourhood planning, who
did not know what sort of data is available or where to look for it
2. The list highlighted opportunities for data that could be opened up with benefits for
communities involved in planning.
•
We agreed to:
•
Enhance the usefulness of the list, highlighting data sources and whether data is
available openly. See Word table.
•
Consider next steps for supporting those interested in local planning issues. In doing
so, we have joined up with Neighbourhood Planning colleagues
•
The neighbourhood planning team is working to mobilise communities. Opening up data
would be a key part of this.
•
There is lots of interesting work going on locally, and examples of good practice, on
making data available.
Local authorities are encouraged
to make data available
Examples of existing good practice
•
Shropshire Council published Oswestry Market Town Profile with maps,
demographic statistics, deprivation statistics, journey to work times etc.
See Appendix 2 of:
http://www.shropshire.gov.uk/planningpolicy.nsf/viewAttachments/EWET954L3J/$file/oswestry-neighbourhood-plan-bid.pdf
•
Arun District Council provide a package of data to each of their neighbourhood
planning groups:
•
A map package which consists of boundary, built up area boundary,
flooding (fluvial and tidal), heritage, landscape constraints, nature
designation, services, green infrastructure network
•
parish community profiles
•
Studies and surveys previously commissioned by ADC, which can be used
as a starting point for the evidence base of the NDP
Examples of existing good practice
linkeddata.hants.gov.uk
Examples of existing good practice
•
•
Lots of independent work underway, particularly in charities, consultancies etc.
to make searchable, mappable tools that include lots of data.
Particularly new, small-scale, local, social-media based
Opening up data on neighbourhood
planning
•
DCLG informally collect information on progress of neighbourhood planning
areas on the ground, through:
•
Local authority website monitoring
•
Media monitoring
•
Direct engagement with neighbourhood planning areas and local
authorities
•
We want to make this open – encourage people to use/update/correct the
information on their areas
•
All neighbourhood planning areas must be designated. Local authorities publish
these areas online for consultation, meaning there is already a spread of
neighhourhood planning data available online.
•
We are now trialing a format via Open Street Map to bring together data of
where areas are, incorporate parish/designated boundaries and allow areas to
add/amend the data.
Current material - examples
The results (so far)
Basic app to query
OSM and display
information about
each area via an
interactive map
http://dclgexamples.mywebcommunity.org/npf/westsussexdemo.html
The results (so far) (2)
OSM wiki to explain
the work, and
encourage/stimulate
community
participation
Opportunities
1. As a first step, it could be useful to publish the list of data, with links where possible –
there are multiple ways we could make this available.
2. We will make DCLG data available:
•
Test with users
•
Roll out to include all data
•
Publish on OSM
•
Encourage neighbourhood planning community to use, update, edit
Users could enhance this nationally/locally which could be a welcome tool in the
neighbourhood planning process e.g. neighbouring areas could update data where new
areas appear.
3. Encourage communities, authorities, interested groups to make data available (via Open
Street Map or other ways):
•
Land available for housing
•
Transport links
•
Sites of Special Scientific Interest
•
Green belt
•
?Population density
•
?Indicators of Multiple Deprivation
Views from the Panel