Imagining the Future : Places that support healthy, happy communities

It’s time to get planning! You should now have a lot of information and a good idea of your place’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, founded on a strong evidence base which has been discussed with the community.  In this step you will will build on your evaluation and engagement work to create a future facing vision and plan that communicates your ideas to improve your area, in line with planning policy. 

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Placemaking is a process promoted by Welsh Government and Design Commission for Wales to maximise the benefit of development, improvements to existing places, or activities and events. It is about making communities able to shape their place, its public spaces and its future. It takes into consideration the needs of a whole place, finding potential and maximising opportunities for good places to emerge or flourish. Placemaking aims to support local identity, character, the sense of community, activity and collective ownership- connecting people and ideas together. It builds on community knowledge and the voice of local people to create healthier, happier communities.

In short - placemaking is about building on the evidence you have collected and asking, “what kind of future do we want for our town or community?”

Places for future generations:

What if places were imagined with the people who will live there in the future in mind?

In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, more than 80% of people believe health and well-being should be prioritised over economic growth.[1] The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act commits local authorities to improving social, economic, cultural, and environmental well-being. Thinking long term and considering the impact of our decisions on future generations can help us make decisions with long term benefits for all. Making places that care, by being inclusive of all generations and increasing intergenerational interaction, can counteract loneliness, prevent tension between different age groups and increase wellbeing and social connectivity. Considering future generations can make sure our actions balance short term need with long term impact.

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Regenerative and resilient places:

What if places were imagined to not just be sustainable, a state of equity with the planet, but to restore, renew or revitalise the environment?

Climate change will be a vitally important challenge over the coming years which will affect all our futures. Wales has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050, but sustainability is about more than just carbon. The UN Sustainable Development Goals identify 17 aspects that together will contribute to a sustainable future. These consider broader aspects of economic and social sustainability, biodiversity, education, inequality and much more.

But can we move beyond sustainable, to creating places that give back to their environment?  Regenerative places have positive impact on health, ecology and society, while resilient places are able to adapt to change and recover from extreme weather and emergencies. Tools such as Doughnut Economics, an economic model based on circular design principles, can help us to consider how to live within planetary boundaries for the good of all.

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Cohesive and connected communities:

What if places were designed to connect us to each other and everything we need? What if we could meet all these needs without using a car?

Welsh Government sees town centre first or ‘in town’ development as a priority. The idea of 20-minute neighbourhoods aims to enable people to access their regular needs- housing, work, shopping, health, education, culture and leisure within a 20-minute walk or cycle. This is in contrast to decades of edge of settlement growth of housing, employment and industrial parks. The Future Wales 2040 Plan sets out the ambition for Welsh communities to be “sustainable places that support active and healthy lives, with urban neighbourhoods that are compact and walkable, organised around mixed-use centres and public transport, and integrated with green infrastructure.”

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Town centres beyond retail:

What if town centres are designed as places to be rather than just places to shop?

The retail focus of many town centres has been in long term decline since before the Covid-19 pandemic, impacted by changing patterns of retail and the growth of online shopping. This presents an opportunity to radically rethink what our town centres are for and how they can be reimagined to survive and thrive. Perhaps, as Bill Grimsey describes, the pandemic has paved the way for a post-retail landscape to emerge with a broader focus on “health, education, culture, housing, leisure, art and crafts, along with some shops”[2] which could provide the foundation for town centres as places to be rather than places to buy. A focus on the centre as the heart of the community can drive footfall and enhance pride and belonging. A shift away from the car toward active travel can positively shift patterns of development, while large retail units can have new lives as shared workspaces, gyms or health centres.

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