LOCALISM AND NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING

FIRST THOUGHTS FROMMICHAEL PARKES

FORMER PLANNING WORKER KXRLG, CLAWS AND PAL

MARCH 2011

PERSONAL BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

• MEMBER OF KXRLG . PLANNING WORKER 1990 – 2005• PERSONAL VIEWS .• KXRLG HAS AS YET NO FORMAL POSITION ON THE BILL

• SUPPORT THE BILL IN PRINCIPLE• MOVE FROM TOP DOWN PATERNALISM TO BOTTOM UP

“HELPING PEOPLE TO HELP THEMSELVES”• WELCOME THE INSTITUTIONLISATION OF COMMUNITY

PLANNING INTO FORMAL PROCESS AND PRACTICE• NEW DELIVERY AND FUNDING MECHANISMS• EVENTUALLY MERGE / SIMPLIFY LDF INTO SCS / LAA ?

COMMUNITY PLANNING NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING

• SHOULD BE POSSIBLE IN ESTABLISHED NEIGHBOURHOODS

• PREVIOUS RELATIVE SUCCESS ON FAR MORE CONTROVERSIAL MAJOR DEVELOPMENT SITES eg :-

1. KINGS CROSS RAILWAY LANDS INTERIM AND PERMANENT 2. ISLEDON ROAD (FPAG) (completely built)3. SPITALFIELDS (BANGLADESHI CMTY DEV GROUP)4. STONEBRIDGE ESTATE (TENANTS ADVANCEMENT C’EE)5. ELEPHANT AND CASTLE 2001 / 2 (E & C CMTY DEV GRP)6. WHITECHAPEL CROSSRAIL COMMUNITY LIAISON PANEL

COMMUNITY LED NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNING

PUBLIC / CVS / PRIVATE SECTOR PARTNERSHIP AND RESOURCES WILL BE KEY

CREDIBILITY AND CAPACITY ON ALL SIDES

1 : COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION : WHY DO IT ?

Community participation can lead to better planning and delivery by :-

1. Building in local knowledge, needs and circumstances2. Developing local partnerships with important public and

private sector interests3. Building local “ownership” or a tangible stake in the product4. Creating a better informed and empowered local community5. Developing local capacity to manage, access funding and even

deliver some of the local services and development eg Community Gardens, Community Nurseries

2 : COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION : WHY DO IT ?

As a result the Plan is :-1. Politically and practically deliverable2. More responsive to demand3. Easier to manage and maintain4. More flexible in its response to changing circumstances5. More economically efficient with potential for jobs and

training for local people6. More sustainable

FOREWARNED IS FORARMED

• Inner City communities are not in my experience incapable of thinking strategically and are not necessarily “nimby” egKXRLG permanent development proposals 1990,

• Regeneration is about People as well as Place. Disadvantaged communities would generally prefer to stay and get a “slice of the action” rather than be “squeezed out” through the unrestrained workings of the property market.

• There is a legacy of distrust, as well as limited capacity, to be overcome

• Access independent technical aid.• Access good research and practice.

COMMUNITY LED NEIGHBOURHOOD PLANNINGFIRST THOUGHTS

• CRITICAL PATH / ACTION PLAN : DO NOT START UNTIL PROCESS , STRUCTURES , RESOURCES, DEFINITION OF SOME / ALL NEIGHBOURHOODS ARE BROADLY IN PLACE

• OVERVIEW / STEERING : USE COUNCILLORS / VAC / CEN / OTHER EXPERIENCE

• BE PRAGMATIC – START WITH THE MOST ESTABLISHED , MANAGEABLE, LEAST CONTROVERSIAL , NEIGHBOURHOODS AND CUSTOMISE / ADAPT PROCESSES ACCORDINGLY

• LIKELY TO BE RELATIVELY FREE OF DEVELOPMENT PRESSURE • OUTCOME MORE LIKELY TO BE ALONG SCS / LAA LINES• TEMPORARY USES AND SMALL SCALE SPATIAL AND NON

SPATIAL OUTCOMES

SOME PREREQUISITES FOR PARTNERSHIP OR COLLABORATIVE WORKING

• MAYBE, UP FRONT, A COMPACT OR CHARTER • THE ABILITY TO PUT YOURSELF IN OTHER PEOPLES SHOES - TO SPEAK A

COMMON LANGUAGE OR DIALECTS OF THE SAME LANGUAGE• CAPACITY AND RESOURCES• TRUST AND COMMITMENT OVER TIME THROUGH THICK AND THIN• GENUINE / CREDIBLE / MUTUAL RESPECT / BEHAVIOUR• SOMETHING IN IT FOR BOTH / ALL PARTIES• COMPROMISE• BROADLY COMMON AGENDA AND OBJECTIVES / ACTION PLAN• SHARING OF INFORMATION / RESPONSIBILITY / POWER• WHILE APPRECIATING DIFFERENCES , SOME MEASURE OF EQUAL SAY• APPRECIATING AND MAXIMISING THE STRENGTHS AND PROGRESSIVELY

ADDRESSING THE WEAKNESSES OF EACH PARTY• VALUE OF “EARLY WINS”

RESOURCESFIRST THOUGHTS

• All Local Authority Planners , as part of CPD, to work at least one year in the Neighbourhood / community, as Community Planners.

• Access / fund CEN and existing CVS networks and experience in Camden

• Access existing Higher Education and University courses, teachers, students and researchers eg Bartlett School UCL

• Access London wide independent expertise such as Planning Aid for London, Community Development foundation, London Civic Forum etc

• Neighbourhood Council as a Community Development Trust ?