A Housing Policy F.I.T for the Big SocietyA Housing Policy F.I.T for the Big SocietyCo-producing a believable policy storyCo-producing a believable policy story

“They are not normal”They are not normal”

International Cooperative Alliance, London October 2010International Cooperative Alliance, London October 2010

Stephen Hill, Director, Stephen Hill, Director, CC22OO futureplanners futureplanners

Please, Mister,

tell me

that Big Society

story

…again!

Please, Mister,

tell me

that Big Society

story

…again!

…and they all lived

happily together

ever after.…and they all lived

happily together

ever after.

The Big Picture Story… The Big Picture Story… The The Big Society Big Society and and Open Source Open Source PlanningPlanning

…. everyone has a stake based on equal rights and where they pay their dues by exercising responsibility in return, and where local communities shape their own futures.

“Too much has been imposed from above, when experience shows that success depends on communities themselves having the power and taking the responsibility.

It’s no good officials in Whitehall or even the Town Hall telling people what is needed in their street.”

Letter to Letter to the Editor the Editor Prescott’s ‘growth areas’ pull plans for thousands of homesBuilding Magazine 6/08/10

““Dear Sir,Dear Sir,The The ‘big society’‘big society’ is working is workingwell, then.well, then. Up and down theUp and down theland, land, local communitieslocal communitieshave overwhelminglyhave overwhelminglyagreed agreed they don’t wantthey don’t want any anynew neighbours.new neighbours.Yours etc”Yours etc”

(Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells? )(Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells? )

MP for Tunbridge WellsMP for Tunbridge Wells

““It’s a very It’s a very miserable miserable view of human view of human nature, that people nature, that people who are not told what who are not told what to do, default to to do, default to something that is something that is short termshort term, , individually individually selfishselfish, , and and unenlightenedunenlightened.”.”

Greg Clark, Minister for Planning and Greg Clark, Minister for Planning and Decentralisation, Decentralisation, Guardian Interview 15/9/10Guardian Interview 15/9/10

600 home scheme in Tonbridge Wells turned down to protect the dormice

Housing Housing Policy Policy for afor a Big Society Big Society

We need a We need a shared shared visionvision of what of what housing is housing is forfor in in the life of the the life of the countrycountry

……but what but what housing housing policy?policy?

Purpose & Process Purpose & Process of of co-productionco-production

• ““We will be hosting public meetings to engage with We will be hosting public meetings to engage with individuals, those active in civil society and social individuals, those active in civil society and social entrepreneurs on all aspects of the big society, but entrepreneurs on all aspects of the big society, but in particular how the network can best support in particular how the network can best support individuals to come together in groups at local level.”individuals to come together in groups at local level.” Big Society Network invitation [Network staff=6 civil servants]

• “If we can answer this, then it is possible to genuinely allow communities to have more involvement.”

Greg Clark interview

The story of The story of community housingcommunity housing… … as told by as told by thethe normal people normal people

• More More expensiveexpensive than…? than…?• More More riskyrisky than…? than…?• More More complicatedcomplicated than…? than…?

• DifficultDifficult people…? people…?• DifficultDifficult schemes…? schemes…?

Quite probably, because Quite probably, because

they want to do they want to do more than…. more than…. NORMALNORMAL

Some Some not normalnot normal schemes: schemes: Models for Models for bottom upbottom up housing housing and and open sourceopen source planning planning

““At last, it’s At last, it’s notnot Vauban” Vauban”

Smiley West, KarlsruheSmiley West, Karlsruhe

A grown up A grown up politicspolitics of design of design…secure by …secure by living togetherliving together

““Managing our Managing our co-existenceco-existence in shared space in shared space”” Prof.Prof. Patsy Healey – Definition of Patsy Healey – Definition of Spatial PlanningSpatial Planning

“TheThe innovation in Germanurbanism in the last decade”

Coop Mika, KarlsruheCoop Mika, Karlsruhe

Diversity and maturity in mainstream politics and housing markets - Germany

TTüübingen Südstadtbingen Südstadt

Hamburg, Leipzig….Hamburg, Leipzig….

Project Vauban, FreibergProject Vauban, Freiberg

The TThe Tüübingen way…bingen way…Co-production of shared spaceCo-production of shared space

The English way…space as The English way…space as commoditycommodity

Trust…Trust…in the design in the design code…code…

At Vauban…this is At Vauban…this is allall there is …andthere is …andco-productionco-production

through through dialoguedialogue

How How manymany pages does pages does youryour Design CodeDesign Code have? have?

Alternative Alternative publicpublic practice practice

• Pelham Grove Coop N17• The Game>>Planning for

Real• Brief: “not look like a

council house”

40 years40 years on- on-Sanford Coop, Sanford Coop, Railway Cuttings,Railway Cuttings,Lewisham…Lewisham…60%60% cut in cut in COCO2 2

Argyle Street Argyle Street CoopCoopCambridgeCambridge

Half Moon Crescent TMC Half Moon Crescent TMC LBLB IslingtonIslington

Wesley Square Co-ownership, Wesley Square Co-ownership, North KensingtonNorth Kensington

Community and Private Community and Private Self-buildSelf-buildThe Diggers, Brighton • “ a microcosm of what could be

achieved on other sites all over the other sites all over the countrycountry by harnessing the imagination and skills of ordinary imagination and skills of ordinary peoplepeople.”

• “that indefinable qualityindefinable quality which marks out the outstanding from the excellent

DETR Housing Design Award citation 1998

Sussex Road, London N19 1999

Old people Old people look after look after themselves… HAPPIerthemselves… HAPPIerandand cheaper cheaper than the than the councilcouncil

Tenant Management Tenant Management Coop Coop

355355 Queensbridge Rd Queensbridge Rd

Springhill Springhill Co-housingCo-housing Stroud, Stroud, UKUK

““Weirdy…they are Weirdy…they are not normalnot normal.”.” Ward Councillor (from the Big Society Party) Ward Councillor (from the Big Society Party) at Planning Committeeat Planning Committee

Definite

ly

Definite

ly not

not norm

al…

normal…

Threshold Threshold Centre, DorsetCentre, DorsetFirst HCA grant fundedFirst HCA grant funded mixed tenure mixed tenure co-housingco-housing

Shared facilitiesShared facilities include: include:• The stone farmhouse for visiting The stone farmhouse for visiting

guests, and shared meals guests, and shared meals • 1 acre community market garden1 acre community market garden• LaundryLaundry• Car poolCar pool

CommitmentsCommitments for all residents: for all residents: • 4 hours per week of unpaid time to 4 hours per week of unpaid time to

help look after the shared help look after the shared facilities, and do cookingfacilities, and do cooking

• 1 car and 1 pet per household1 car and 1 pet per household• Paying share of the running costs Paying share of the running costs

of shared facilitiesof shared facilities• Before taking up residence, Before taking up residence,

spending up to 4 nights here, for spending up to 4 nights here, for the new resident and community the new resident and community to get to know each other. to get to know each other.

Hearthstone Hearthstone CohousingCohousing N. Denver, N. Denver, ColoradoColorado33 leasehold houses and flats with a 4,800 sq. ft. common house on a 1.6 acre site.

The community was first phase of a ‘new urbanist’ redevelopment in the historic North Denver neighbourhood.

Commercial Commercial and and political political good sensegood sense• Attracting a particular kind of Attracting a particular kind of

resident, where the resident, where the market market may be weakmay be weak, but , but opportunity is rareopportunity is rare

• Reducing riskReducing risk through pre- through pre-sales and pre-allocationssales and pre-allocations

• Preserving affordability Preserving affordability in in perpetuityperpetuity

• Living marketing - new Living marketing - new residents actively occupying residents actively occupying early phases early phases

• Stewardship committed to Stewardship committed to the the long term successlong term success of the of the placeplace

• Increasing and Increasing and retaining retaining valuevalue within neighbourhood within neighbourhood for the benefit of residents for the benefit of residents and investors. and investors.

Wick Village TMC, HackneyWick Village TMC, Hackney

Spatial Planning Spatial Planning &Placeshaping &Placeshaping OutcomesOutcomes• Community Community membership membership

and ownershipand ownership• AllAll incomes and tenures incomes and tenures• Medium and high Medium and high densitydensity• Value for moneyValue for money• Long termLong term stewardship stewardship• Life in the Life in the space between space between

the buildingsthe buildings• Social Capital for the Social Capital for the care of care of

the place and peoplethe place and people• Resident Resident satisfactionsatisfaction and and

wellbeing wellbeing • Sustainable living and Sustainable living and

resilience through resilience through social social organisationorganisation

… …social cohesion???social cohesion???

Definite

ly

Definite

ly not

not norm

al…

normal…

Ye Olde Placeshapynge and Ye Olde Placeshapynge and Spatial Plannyng…Spatial Plannyng…

““The The exceptionalexceptional urban urban and environmental and environmental qualities we esteem in qualities we esteem in many of our older cities many of our older cities were achieved with a were achieved with a very modest inputvery modest input of of resources, and by resources, and by a a careful and evolving careful and evolving responseresponse to the needs to the needs of their inhabitants.”of their inhabitants.”Ralph Erskine, Ralph Erskine, ArchitectArchitect

Social Housing ProviderSocial Housing Provider of the Year of the Year 20042004

Decidedly normal…

Decidedly normal…

Public Interest Public Interest DesignDesign CodeCode

143 pages143 pages

“…“…uniformly depressing”uniformly depressing” Another developerAnother developer

““It’s like Beirut…”It’s like Beirut…” Germaine Greer in the Guardian, September 2009Germaine Greer in the Guardian, September 2009

A Prize-winning street?A Prize-winning street?

Who will be Who will be responsible?responsible?

What are these What are these spaces spaces for?for?

Maintenance?Maintenance?

Design?Design?

Workmanship?Workmanship?

Who Who will will decide?decide?

A. A. “The Resident Management Company”“The Resident Management Company”

Coproduction Coproduction needsneeds

new ideas about…new ideas about…• SkillsSkills and Competence and Competence• Control and Control and

AccountabilityAccountability• ScaleScale• Self-helpSelf-help• CommercialCommercial• Social EnterpriseSocial Enterprise• Mixed economyMixed economy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjrIVjSK6oA

SPAN Housing – BlackheathSPAN Housing – BlackheathThe Ralph Erskine The Ralph Erskine Test of time, Test of time, and skills andand skills and ideas we have lostideas we have lost

The Hall and Hallgate, Blackheath 1957

The trouble with planners is…The Architect in Society, Keith Godwin

SPAN Housing at Corner Green…SPAN Housing at Corner Green…

……50 years on50 years on

““Resident-controlled Resident-controlled management companies may management companies may sound dully utilitarian, but have been sound dully utilitarian, but have been crucial to their crucial to their successsuccess.”.” Tony Aldous, former resident and architectural writer

““My particular interest My particular interest was the formation of was the formation of the the courtyardcourtyard which I which I thought was a dead thought was a dead space. [It] is not a space. [It] is not a dead space. It is dead space. It is actually actually circulationcirculation””Eric Lyons

Failure of Failure of top-downtop-down planning and planning and housinghousing• ImpoverishedImpoverished design and design and

quality of placequality of place• Unrealistic Unrealistic expectations expectations

of house buildersof house builders as as placeshapersplaceshapers

• Planning as Planning as remoteremote……controlcontrol‘Too big, too dense ‘Too big, too dense and too near me…and too near me…not not for us or for us or withwith us us’’

• Affordability Affordability permanently permanently lostlost

• Central housing Central housing targetstargets are are not spatial planningnot spatial planning

• DemocraticDemocratic deficit deficit

The Legacy of the N

ormal…

The Legacy of the N

ormal…

Key Key planning and housing policiesplanning and housing policies for the Localism Billfor the Localism Bill

Community RightsCommunity Rights to: to:• BuildBuild… rural first, and extend to urban

• BuyBuy… public first, maybe private assets

• PlanPlan… CRtBs X 2 & Neighbourhood Plans

• BidBid… for public sector functions

The The Minister’sMinister’s Story… Story…“We will become a “We will become a nation of homebuilders”nation of homebuilders”

• A rural housing revolutionrural housing revolution… Local Housing Trusts will give people the power to expand their villages up to 10% over 10 years.

- Accommodation for the old - Affordable homes for the young - Shops, schools, GP surgeries

• People at last really shapingshaping their their own communitiesown communities

• Power to bypassbypass planning committees

• But I don’t want the principles of Local Housing Trusts just to be a countryside thing. Our towns and towns and inner-cities must benefit tooinner-cities must benefit too.

““We’ve been through the highs and lows We’ve been through the highs and lows togethertogether”” Charlie Hibbert, CLT Member

St Minver, N Cornwall

Andy Lloyd Cumbria Rural Housing Trust www.crht.org.uk 8

• Developed by Cornwall Rural HA on behalf of CLT

• Managed self build

• On time & on budget Dec 08

Do it yourself: Charlie Hibbert helps put his own home together

• Part ownership tenure

• £85,000 build cost 3 bed + garage

• 100% mortgages

• Subsidy North Cornwall DC

““I am really impressed by the I am really impressed by the foresight foresight and tenacity of local peopleand tenacity of local people in driving this in driving this scheme forward. Seeing these houses scheme forward. Seeing these houses here, built to high standards by the here, built to high standards by the owners, with the owners, with the support of professionalssupport of professionals is most impressive.” is most impressive.” Grant Shapps, Shadow Minister 2008

The model for The model for Local Housing Trusts…Local Housing Trusts…CornwallCornwall CLT Programme CLT Programme 2007 2007 17 villages – 120+ homes17 villages – 120+ homes

Unique Unique partnerships…partnerships…enablingenabling district councils, their district councils, theircommunities, communities, Carnegie UK Trust,Carnegie UK Trust,and an RSLand an RSL

Blisland CLT Blisland CLT on Bodmin Mooron Bodmin MoorDefin

itely

Definite

ly not

not norm

al…

normal…

St. Minver CLT St. Minver CLT Average house price £650,000Average house price £650,000Market value £350,000Market value £350,000Cost including land £120,000Cost including land £120,000

12 houses 12 months12 houses 12 monthsOn time – On budgetOn time – On budget

Charlie’s Story…Charlie’s Story…Living Ricardo’sLiving Ricardo’sLaw of Economic RentLaw of Economic Rent

A A social movementsocial movement or more effective or more effective PPS 3 compliancePPS 3 compliancefor affordability in for affordability in perpetuity ???perpetuity ???

Definite

ly

Definite

ly not

not norm

al…

normal…

LandLand Development Study 1980-88 Development Study 1980-88From Prof. Peter Ambrose “Urban From Prof. Peter Ambrose “Urban Process and PowerProcess and Power” (Routledge 1994” (Routledge 1994)

M-Way Corridor AM-Way Corridor A v. v. M-Way Corridor BM-Way Corridor B

• Total No. Homes per 1000 people: Total No. Homes per 1000 people: 7.37.3 v. v. 6.16.1• Affordable Homes: Affordable Homes: 65% 65% v.v.15%15%• Choice of tenure/production: Choice of tenure/production: 55 v. v. 22

38% LA rent- 27%Coop- 43% Owned [50% self-build]38% LA rent- 27%Coop- 43% Owned [50% self-build] - 2% market rent. - 2% market rent. Variations reflect local political preferencesVariations reflect local political preferences85% Owned [0% self-build] 15% social rent85% Owned [0% self-build] 15% social rentTenure determined by central government policyTenure determined by central government policyAffordable dropped to 6% just after study periodAffordable dropped to 6% just after study period

• Professional/managerial in ‘social’:Professional/managerial in ‘social’: 49%49% v.v.<2%<2%

E4 Corridor Stockholm-UppsalaE4 Corridor Stockholm-Uppsala v. v. M4 Corridor BerkshireM4 Corridor Berkshire

• Building cost increase: Building cost increase: 24%24% v. v. 47%47%Extended period of capitalisation & innovationExtended period of capitalisation & innovationin construction efficiency and productivity in construction efficiency and productivity

• Land price increase: Land price increase: <5%<5% v. v. 436%436%

• Land as % of house price: Land as % of house price: +/-10%+/-10% v. v. 60%60%

• Market impacts on supply post-’88: Market impacts on supply post-’88: +/- 0%+/- 0% v. v. -60%-60%

• Land differential/hectare: Land differential/hectare: E4 E4 = = M4 M4 £301k/ha£301k/ha v. £1,222k/ha v. £1,222k/ha 4 4

Why Land Price isWhy Land Price is thethe issueissue

The The costscosts of complying with public of complying with publicpolicy and regulation ie. policy and regulation ie. thetheessential essential basicbasic requirements of requirements ofSpatial PlanningSpatial Planning, to create, to createsustainable places and sustainable places and communities:communities: Dwelling size and qualityDwelling size and quality Affordability of all housingAffordability of all housing Climate Change Climate Change

Adaptation/ResilienceAdaptation/Resilience Progress to Zero COProgress to Zero CO22

Hard and Soft InfrastructureHard and Soft Infrastructureshould be internalised and should be internalised and reflectedreflectedin land price and valuationin land price and valuation… …

but aren’t!but aren’t!

The The BusinessBusiness Case Case• CostsCosts of primary of primary

health care, mental health care, mental health, policing, health, policing, education education lowerlower in in areas of areas of better better qualityquality housing housing

• Factor difference Factor difference 5-7 times5-7 times

• Even if 50% wrongEven if 50% wrong= big number = big number

• Size difference 25%Size difference 25%

Recognised in RICS, BRE, CABE, IDEARecognised in RICS, BRE, CABE, IDEAHousing Corporation and EP guides and toolsHousing Corporation and EP guides and tools

A PrincipledHousing Policy

Sufficient support for…• 1. Plausibility: The price

of a modern home and sufficient space will be within the means of a family/household with an average income.

• 2. Neutrality: There should be similarity of pricing between equivalent homes in different forms of tenure

• 3. Social: The position of disadvantaged groups in the housing market will be strengthened.

• 4. Standards: Housing consumption for all should be supported upto a certain standard. Consumption beyond the standard not to be supported through public action and funds.

• 5. Parity: Differences of price between homes of different ages and condition will correspond with differences in their utility value.

• 6. Speculation: Explicit action is needed to counteract the inflationary transfer of wealth to property owners.

CourtesyCourtesy Prof. Peter Ambrose Prof. Peter Ambrose

AccessAccess to land to land• Deliver pre-election Deliver pre-election

Cabinet Office Cabinet Office requirement for requirement for small small sitessites [<50 homes] for [<50 homes] for coops and mutualscoops and mutuals in in HCA Public Land HCA Public Land InitiativeInitiative

• Extend to Extend to all public landall public land, , and include schemes and include schemes <50 homes <50 homes in larger in larger public sites, public sites, as CNT used as CNT used to doto do

• Extend to Extend to all landall land through site or locality through site or locality specific specific outcome drivenoutcome driven spatial planning policiesspatial planning policies

‘‘Garden grabbing’ SPAN HousingGarden grabbing’ SPAN HousingCorner Green, Blackheath 1956Corner Green, Blackheath 1956

A welcome route out of market failure?A welcome route out of market failure?

“Selfbuild? Over my dead body”

“Selfbuild? Over my dead body”

“We don’t think this is a

very good site for a

community land trust…”

“We don’t think this is a

very good site for a

community land trust…”

“I suppose you want

free land”“I suppose you want

free land”“Coops are always

trouble…people

argue all the time”

“Coops are always

trouble…people

argue all the time”

“You’ll just increase the price of land”

“You’ll just increase the price of land”

“Too small to make an

impact”“Too small to make an

impact”“We don’t need any more competition…”

“We don’t need any more competition…”

The ‘Coops and Mutuals’ The ‘Coops and Mutuals’ demand-side self-organising demand-side self-organising housinghousing sector bodysector body

• Commission for Cooperative and Commission for Cooperative and Mutual Mutual HousingHousing

• National National Community Land TrustCommunity Land Trust Board Board (CLG (CLG Community EmpowermentCommunity Empowerment Fund - Carnegie UK Trust and Fund - Carnegie UK Trust and National Housing Federation)National Housing Federation)

• Confederation of Confederation of CooperativeCooperative HousingHousing

• UK UK CohousingCohousing Network Network• National National Self BuildSelf Build Association Association• Development TrustsDevelopment Trusts Association Association• Cooperatives Cooperatives UKUK• Community GatewayCommunity Gateway Associations Associations

The Coops’ and Mutuals’The Coops’ and Mutuals’ self-organisingself-organising story story

The Actions:The Actions:• Feeding into CLG Feeding into CLG policy developmentpolicy development on Community Right- on Community Right-

to-Buy and Buildto-Buy and Build• Working with CLG Housing Construction Roundtable on Working with CLG Housing Construction Roundtable on

supply side measuressupply side measures, coordinated by RICS, coordinated by RICS• Co-producingCo-producing with the HCA on its community housing advice with the HCA on its community housing advice

initiativeinitiative• Developing proposals for Developing proposals for Communities Direct Communities Direct and aand a national national

action learning networkaction learning network

The Offer:The Offer:• Wellbeing outcomes that will be aWellbeing outcomes that will be a material consideration material consideration• Social organisationSocial organisation as a tool for the adoption of sustainable as a tool for the adoption of sustainable

life choices, particularly life choices, particularly mutual supportmutual support in old age in old age• Co-operative partners and a role with LSPs and HCA as Co-operative partners and a role with LSPs and HCA as local local

placeshapersplaceshapers

Communities Direct: Communities Direct: Unlocking economic & social Unlocking economic & social capitalcapital• Capital Funding …developing a market: development finance,

mortgage products, guarantees, revolving funds and grant, capacity to unlock private debt and equity finance, harmonisation of public and private financial instruments.

• Legal clarity ….model forms of organisation, leasehold and staircasing rules, model legal agreements, planning agreements, harmonisation with financial arrangements.

• Revenue Funding …seed corn resources for enabling, capacity building, supporting the growth of the sector, [historical precedent for the ‘flower pot men’ who grew the housing association movement after the 1974 recession], policy development and action learning; better value for money transaction costs

• Realism …about what can be done effectively on a voluntary basis and without organisational development of individual trusts and support bodies.

Look at what the Scots are doing…

The Royal Charter The Royal Charter 18811881

ObjectsObjectsTo maintain and promote theTo maintain and promote theusefulness of the professionusefulness of the profession

for the public advantagefor the public advantage in the in theUnited Kingdom and in anyUnited Kingdom and in any

other part of the worldother part of the world

……securing the optimal use of securing the optimal use of landland and its associated and its associated

resources resources to meet social andto meet social andeconomic needseconomic needs

The The RICS’RICS’ story storyAdviceAdvice• Spatial Planning & Delivery (2009)Spatial Planning & Delivery (2009)Valuation GuidanceValuation Guidance• Land for Land for Affordable HousingAffordable Housing (6/10) (6/10)• Council Assets Council Assets Less than bestLess than best (2/11) (2/11)• Development Land (2011?) Development Land (2011?) ResearchResearch• Land Value Taxation (12/10)Land Value Taxation (12/10)PolicyPolicy• Taylor Report on Rural Housing and Taylor Report on Rural Housing and

access to landaccess to land• Champion for sectorChampion for sector in CLG Housing in CLG Housing

Construction Roundtable and Construction Roundtable and Housing Sounding BoardHousing Sounding Board

• Thinkpieces Thinkpieces to CLG Ministers and to CLG Ministers and officers on community rights and officers on community rights and strategic planningstrategic planning

• CommissionCommission on Community Assets on Community Assets

The The Self-OrganisersSelf-Organisers……

Community Community LandLand Trusts, Trusts, CoCo-Housing, -Housing, Co-Co-ops, ops, selfself-build, -build, self-self-commissionedcommissioned

“Time for a citizens’ “Time for a citizens’ housinghousing revolution revolution…creating…creating democratic placesdemocratic places””

http://www.cabe.org.uk/publications/who-should-build-our-homes

More thanMore than… a … a ruralrural revolution revolution

CABE CABE Community HousingCommunity Housing Support Unit Support Unit

Community led housing design programme to 31/3/11:

• CABE and CLG Housing Supply, collaborating to support this increasingly important sector and what it can contribute to placeshaping.

• CABE is working with existing groups and networks to provide direct support to a small (4) number of schemes.

• CABE is focussing on client support, agreeing a vision, briefing, appointing consultants, evaluating proposals and procurement strategies.

• CABE is working with existing networks to share the learning and best practice emerging from these schemes

Sam McCauley and Dominic O’Neill - Housing AdvisorsSMccauley@cabe.org.uk and doneill@cabe.org.uk

The The Wise WordsWise Words of Sir Bob…of Sir Bob…• ““Put simply, we want to Put simply, we want to

make the make the programmes fit programmes fit the placethe place, rather than , rather than adapting places to fit adapting places to fit programmes.” programmes.”

• ““We’re seeking to instigate We’re seeking to instigate a holistic approach to a holistic approach to placemaking that placemaking that embeds embeds design, sustainability and design, sustainability and community engagementcommunity engagement in in the the process of setting process of setting investment prioritiesinvestment priorities and and ambitions.” ambitions.”

Rudi.net online interview 23/2/10 Juliana O’RourkeRudi.net online interview 23/2/10 Juliana O’Rourke

Slightly less Slightly less wisewise words from words from EricEric• Council Planning Departments are Council Planning Departments are “the last bastion of “the last bastion of

communismcommunism and and sheer bloody mindednesssheer bloody mindedness” ” • ““In a climate of low or non-existent Whitehall grants, In a climate of low or non-existent Whitehall grants,

it would be a it would be a very foolish council indeedvery foolish council indeed……to ignore the opportunity of generating to ignore the opportunity of generating cash from cash from house buildinghouse building” ”

• Local authorities would be Local authorities would be able to accumulate able to accumulate significant significant sumssums of money” of money” [25p per [25p per home plus Council Tax for home plus Council Tax for 6 years]…6 years]…

• "There has been "There has been no planningno planning for for 40 years40 years. We just have . We just have development control, not development control, not planning…predicated on planning…predicated on conflict conflict and the mighty and the mighty winning."winning."

A new ‘Big Society’? A true common wealth• Everyone talksEveryone talks of of

freedom, but there are freedom, but there are few that actfew that act for freedom, for freedom, and the and the actorsactors for for freedom freedom are oppressedare oppressed by the by the talkerstalkers and verbal and verbal professors of freedom: if professors of freedom: if thou wouldst what true thou wouldst what true freedom is, thou shalt see freedom is, thou shalt see it lies in the it lies in the community community of spiritof spirit and the and the community in the earlthly community in the earlthly treasury” treasury” Gerrard Winstanley, Gerrard Winstanley, Leader of the Diggers 1649. Leader of the Diggers 1649.

A new ‘Big Society’? Private action for social advance

• “(The) abundance of voluntary action outside one’s home – individually and in association with other citizens – for bettering one’s own life and that of one’s fellows are the distinguishing marks of a free society. They have been outstanding features of British life.”

• “Scratch a pessimist and you find often a defender of privilege.”

William Beveridge, Voluntary Action 1948

““Cities have theCities have thecapability capability of of providingprovidingsomething forsomething foreverybody, everybody, only only because because and and only only when,when,they are created they are created by by EVERYBODYEVERYBODY.”.”

‘‘The Death and Life of Great American Cities’The Death and Life of Great American Cities’ Jane Jacobs Jane Jacobs

FITSFITSfor for PurposePurpose and and ProcessProcess• FreedomFreedom for the for the

‘‘not normalnot normal’ people’ people

• Financially Financially IntelligentIntelligent

• InclusiveInclusive

• TransparentTransparent

• SimpleSimple

futureplannersfutureplannersOur principles of public interest practice:Our principles of public interest practice:

• Share a commitment to help create sustainable Share a commitment to help create sustainable and democratic places and democratic places

• Come from the traditional professional Come from the traditional professional institutions and noneinstitutions and none

• Believe in value driven work for sustainable Believe in value driven work for sustainable developmentdevelopment

• Promote ourselves to work with value driven Promote ourselves to work with value driven clients, andclients, and

• Share learning and innovation with othersShare learning and innovation with others

stephenhill@futureplanners.net