Claire Walters is a Planning Advisor at Planning Aid England
The value of inclusive engagement in plan-making
Engaging communities in the Local Plan process is an essential part of successful plan-making. Only when everyone in a community has a voice and is able to share their views, ideas and aspirations for an area, can we as planners really understand the impacts of any land use change and create places that people want to live and work in. For communities, involvement in plan-making builds consensus and promotes confidence in decision making.
While legislation requires consultation to take place at specific stages in the Local Plan process, plan-making bodies (resources allowing) have wide discretion as to who and how people are engaged. There is no one-size-fits-all approach as every community is different. However, its vital that consultation activities create opportunities and reduces barriers so that people of different backgrounds and experiences can participate in plan-making activities.
Inclusive engagement in the Central Lancashire Local Plan
In my role as Planning Advisor at Planning Aid England, I recently participated in a women-only engagement event held as part of the Regulation 19 Consultation for the Central Lancashire Local Plan (which covers the geographical areas of Preston, Chorley and South Ribble). The event was attended by over 50 women from black and ethnic minority (BME) backgrounds living within the Fishwick and Frenchwood area of Preston. The ward is within the top 5% most deprived areas of England and is home to a large BME population.
Within diverse communities such as Fishwick and Frenchwood, participation in the plan-making process is typically extremely low. Women from BME backgrounds can face particular challenges around language, cultural differences and accessibility. There may also be a lack of public trust and understanding of planning within the community.
As part of consultation on the new Local Plan, representatives from Preston City Council (the relevant local planning authority and event organiser) have worked with local leaders to raise awareness of planning and highlight the importance of women and other under-represented groups getting involved.
After early engagement at the Issues and Options stage, consultation on the draft plan took place at the Sahara Community Centre – a place where women from BME backgrounds can receive support with issues such as immigration, health and wellbeing, unemployment and training, domestic abuse and schooling, and a hub for community activity. As English is not the first language of many women living in the area, a translator was on hand throughout the event to make sure women were able to share their views and ask questions.
The consultation took place at the Sahara Community Centre
Local residents attending the consultation event
It’s fair to say the discussion was wide-ranging, occasionally straying outside the scope of the consultation and into non-planning matters, yet it provided valuable insight into the experiences of women and how they want to see their area change in the future. Key themes included the need to improve the quality of the footpaths and street lighting, along with the location of new health care facilities and faith cemetery. The need for culturally sensitive, energy efficient homes was also highlighted.
Recognising engagement is a two-way process, issues that could not be addressed through the Local Plan process were directed to other relevant stakeholders or organisations. For example, in relation to energy saving grants, waste collections or school admissions. Although it’s easy to dismiss these issues as non-planning matters, engagement is most impactful when it is integrated with other services and decision-making processes where the long-term goal is creating healthy and sustainable places.
Lessons for taking forward
Proposed reforms to the plan-making process make clear that inclusive engagement remains a priority:
“The government wants to increase the amount of engagement that takes place during plan-making and the opportunities for communities to influence their plan. We also recognise the continued importance of engaging with seldom-heard groups, including those less represented in the plan-making process. As such, we want to support authorities to reach a broader audience and manage engagement more effectively."
My recent participation at the women-only event at the Saraha Centre highlighted both the challenges and opportunities of working with less represented groups, with a number of lessons to take forward:
- Early engagement provides an opportunity to develop relationships and raise awareness of planning.
- Cultural differences can make it harder for some women from BME backgrounds to participate fully in community consultation activities. Holding culturally sensitive in-person events can foster greater engagement – community members are more likely to attend and feel more comfortable sharing their views.
- Language should be carefully considered to make sure those whose first language is not English, are able to participate fully. Keep jargon to a minimum.
- Venues should be culturally sensitive and in accessible locations close to the people you want to reach.
- Feedback is important, even when it’s not planning related. Make sure issues raised as part of the consultation are documented so they can be taken forward either as part of the plan-making process or by other relevant stakeholders.
