Shaping Welsh Communities : Project Folio (click title to open)

This project is one of the first to explore how local communities can engage with participatory planning in Wales. The emerging Welsh Place Planning agenda sits within the wider context of an ambition to increase local participation in the planning system. The author has led the development of an innovative tool to guide communities through the planning process, initially as an open access web-based tool , developed with Design Commission for Wales, and more recently in the development and testing of bespoke versions of the tool for two local authorities. The resulting tools guide town and community councils, local residents, community groups and residents’ associations embarking on producing a Place Plan. Initially designed and tested as an open access web resource, in later stages of development the tool was refined and tested for use in the Brecon Beacons National Park and Conwy County. The tools guide the reader through the process of analysing their environment, producing a plan and explains how it could be delivered within planning policy frameworks. It offers a step-by-step guide to setting up a Place Plan Team, understanding place, effectively consulting with local people, producing a realistic plan that fits within planning policy and ensuring community ownership of a plan.