Planning for real
Description
Planning for real has been used since the late 1970s as a way to give local people a 'voice' and professionals a clear idea of local people's needs in order to bring about improvement to their neighbourhood or community. Although the basic idea behind it has remained the same, the technique has evolved over the last 20 years. With training and advice, groups have adapted the principles to suit their own specific needs.
Potential uses
Planning for real is a practical technique involving a 3D architectural model of a local area, which people use to decide what needs to be done to improve their surroundings. Groups have used it to tackle all sorts of issues relating to housing, traffic, community safety, vandalism and the living environment (parks and play areas).
The recognised advantages of Planning for real are that it engages people; lets them take an overview; gives everyone a chance to join in; and generates ideas.
Working out what is best for a neighbourhood depends on all kinds of expert knowledge: from planners to the designers to local organisations. All these people are used to study plans and diagrams of their patch. The model gives local people without this technical knowledge a way of seeing how the neighbourhood might look after development plans have been implemented. Problems and opportunities that remain hidden or only partly seen from street level are often more apparent from the overview offered by a 3D model.
From its roots in the late 1970s, Planning for real has been developed and successfully applied to areas of open space, derelict sites and town centres as well as housing estates, small and large. It has also been applied to look at options in anything from health care, tenant management and development planning overseas to the location of play facilities.
As the technique has been successfully applied in different situations, it has gained recognition among funders of projects as well as community workers and groups. Planning for real has been used as part of project bids to show potential funders the degree of community involvement in the proposed project and also to establish the credibility of project with local people.
How it works
Planning for real begins with a handful of residents making a large scale 3D model of their neighbourhood. They use their local knowledge to ensure it represents the place as it really is - warts and all.
At the meetings that follow, the model dominates the room. People cluster round it, recognising familiar landmarks and chatting informally as they identify the problems and possibilities which their birdseye view reveals.
Beside the model is a kit of cut-outs: shrubs, zebra crossings, phone boxes, double glazing, sheltered housing whatever seems appropriate.
There are also the materials for people to make their own cut-outs: there may be things they would like to add that no one else has thought about.
People select the options they would like and place their chosen cut-outs on the model where they see fit. The results of these meetings can then be turned into action plans using charts to prioritise actions.
Resources required
Meeting space, model-making facilities such as card, balsa wood, magazines, glue, scissors, flip charts, group leader.
Further information
Planning for real is a registered trademark of the Neighbourhood Initiatives Foundation. Organisations wishing to run "Planning for real" should first contact The Neighbourhood Initiatives Foundation to discuss using the technique to its full effect and to obtain permission for the use of the trademark. Information can also be found at community planning.net.
