Neighbourhood Planning
Introduction
There will be a greater emphasis on engagement between
boroughs and communities in two key areas:
- Neighbourhood planning and the production of local plans
- Community involvement in planning applications
The engagement process
1 Finding the community
The Localism Bill allows the community to define
itself and approach their borough as a
‘Neighbourhood Forum’.
The local authority would recognise legitimate
forums and agree a boundary for the
neighbourhood. In some cases the borough may
also initiate engagement, where no groups come
forward.
It is important that the community groups involved
in a process are as representative as possible of the
end users of any initiative, and cover a wide range
of interests and viewpoints.
1 Finding the community
Understanding the make-up of a neighbourhood
Existing neighbourhood organisation
Inherent neighbourhood organisation
Using the internet and local newspapers
Community Profiling
Timescales of urban change
Cultural and ethnic groups
Transient residents
2 Agreeing Scope and Objectives
Most of the following points should be agreed:
- The policy context and scale of plan-making
- An understanding of funding and time constraints
of the plan-making or building project to ensure
realistic expectations.
- The purpose of engagement - a commitment to take
ideas seriously.
- A commitment to continuity and engagement from
all parties
- The process of engagement appropriate to the
context and community desires.
- Timetable and responsibilities
3 Engagement Toolkit
Editing a document
Prioritising issues options and actions
Video / audio soapbox
Photo survey
Going on a Walk
Choice catalogues
Storytelling / Poetry / Theatre
3. Engagement Toolkit
Playing Games
Making Maps
Using Diagrams
Building and Using Models
Representing Street Elevations
Interactive display or maps
4 Neighbourhood Planning Events
4.1 Finding out what people think about proposals
4.2 Finding out what people think about places
4.3 Community design events
4.1 Finding out what people think about proposals
Street stalls
Exhibition event with scheme display
4.2 Finding out what people think about a place
Neighbourhood / Street Audit
Planning day
Future search conference
Planning weekend
4.3 Community design events
Public Ideas competition
Live public design competition
Charette
Planning for Real
Design Game
Design Workshop
5 Injecting Expertise
Design assistance team
Design Surgeries
University urban design studio
Architecture Centres Network / Community
design and technical aid centres
Neighbourhood planning office
Professional bodies
6 Finalising a phase
and reporting back
Publication or formal exhibition
Review session
The process may continue in the following ways:
- Further consultation and planning events
- Further refinement of a scheme design or spatial policy
- The application of a Neighbourhood Development Order
(NDO), to establish parameters for acceptable
development which will not need planning permission.
- The adoption of a Neighbourhood Plan as part of the
Local Development Framework (LDF)
- Through planning applications
- Securing project implementation funding
7 Changing and Managing the Place
Local design statement
Feasibility fund
Development trust
Your ‘best practice’ examples
- Process Initiator / lead
- Description of process and events / methods used
- Funding source
- Costs
- Preparation
- Length of event
- Size and range of groups involved
- Outputs
- Facilitator
Summary table