Public participation
in
Town Planning
From Rhetoric to Royston Vasey?
What do we mean by Participation?
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Notification
Consultation
Representation
Co-operation
Engagement
The Past
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i.e. Pre 1989
Participation has always been inherent - To variable levels
Development Plans – right to object/make representations
Applications - Letters to neighbours/Notices in the local paper
T & CPA 1968 – introduction of Public participation in Plan
Making
1969 (Skeffington Report) People and Planning
Local Government Act 1972 – LA Reform
DOE Circular 23/83 Information about Handling Applications
Local Government (Access to Information) Act 1985
Changing Times
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The Planning Acts 1990
PPG 12 Development Plans
Representations -v- Objections
Examinations in Public
Parish/Community Council entitled to be informed
Speaking in Committee
Local Plans – community engagement
The Present
• White Paper, Modern Local Government: In Touch with
the People (1998)
• Local Government Act 2000 - promotion of wellbeing
• Sustainable communities: building for the future (2003)
• P & CP Act 2004 – Statements of Community
Involvement
• Community Involvement in Planning:
The Government’s Objectives, ODPM, 2004
• Planning Policy Statement 1: Delivering Sustainable
Development
The Present (2)
• Planning Policy Statement 12: Local Spatial Planning states that:
‘Community Involvement should be:
• appropriate to the level of planning
• from the outset – leading to a sense of ownership of local policy
decisions
• continuous – part of ongoing programme, not a one-off event, with
clearly articulated opportunities for continuing involvement
• transparent and accessible – using methods appropriate to the
communities concerned; and
• planned – as an integral part of the process for making plans.’
• It goes on to stress that:
‘The Local Council and the Local Strategic Partnership should take a
strategic approach to community involvement.’
The Present (3)
• White Paper - Communities in control: real people,
real power
• 2008 Act
The Future
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The Big Society
Bonfire of the Quango’s
Removal of Regional Structures
Consolidation of PPS’s into one
National Planning Statement
• Localism Bill
• Neighbourhood Planning
Some Thoughts
• Is participation in the planning process
- valuable
- worthwhile
- effective
- A Political Sop or a public right
• What role will planning play in defining the future for
communities
Some Thoughts (2)
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Who sets the agenda?
What forum do you use?
Will technology help or hinder?
Who is the final arbiter?
Determining design/quality/scale etc
Achieving conformity
Some Thoughts (3)
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Who’s in charge of public opinion
Cross-cultural planning issues
Cost -v- adequate representation
Who and how will an evidence base be developed
How will the less eloquent be heard
How can a truly representative view be obtained and
then adequately represented
• Will planning by ‘open house’ Committee really
deliver to identified needs?
The Developers & Consultation
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Pre-Application
Community Engagement from the outset
Discussions about ‘a’ scheme not ‘the’ scheme
Planning Gain -v- commercial reality
YIMBY OR NIMBY?
Thank You
Ian Butter FRICS MRTPI
www.ruralurbanplanning.co.uk
Click on the Planning Library