Planning for Real ®

Planning for Real is process in which participants make or use a three dimensional model of their local area as a visual prompt. This helps participants to develop suggestions about how they would like to see their area improved and their community developed. They then prioritise these ideas in groups and react an action plan for decision-makers to take away.

Advantages

Can be a fun way to involve local people in decisions about their area
Does not rely on the written word so can be more inclusive to children, people with literacy difficulties, people who's first language is not English etc
Very visual people can see plans, ideas with their own eyes
Gives lots of information quickly (one day)
It is a non-confrontational way of expressing needs.

Disadvantages

Takes a lot of organisation and help on the day
Results can be difficult to analyse you get lots of information quickly
May be dominated by those who are used to working in large groups.
Sometimes gives results that are difficult for organisations to respond to, needs careful facilitation.

When to use

When you have the time to commit to the process and the buy-in of decision-makers
When you want decisions to reflect local priorities.
When you want to mobilise local support.
When you want to create enthusiasm.

Planning for Real® is a registered trademark of the Neighbourhood Initiatives Foundation http://www.nif.co.uk/planningforreal who provide excellent publications and training on its use and practical assistance and involvement in community participation.

Organisations wishing to run "Planning for Real"® events, provide "Planning for Real"® training or to describe themselves as users of a "Planning for Real"® approach 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.

Traditionally used in regeneration / housing projects, this technique is now being used to help allsorts of different consultations. It uses models as a focus for people to put forward and prioritise ideas on how their area can be improved. It is a highly visible, "hands on", community development and empowerment tool, which people of all abilities and backgrounds find easy and enjoyable to use.

Here are the basic principles of Planning for Real:

Large three-dimensional models of a neighbourhood (or building or centre etc) are constructed. This could be done by local people with worker's help if needed
These are pasted onto the model base of polystyrene (easy to carry!). This is deliberately NOT an architectural type model
The model can be used in pre-advertised sessions or displays in locations around the community
Widely advertise (using as many methods as possible, word of mouth, newsletter, local press) a Planning For Real session (call it what you want, try to make it relevant to local people; a "Come-and-have-your-say day" for instance)
Work with local people, community representatives, community workers, schools etc. to spread the word and raise enthusiasm amongst local people

How it can work

You'll need a big enough venue in the local area that has room for the display and for people to move around and change the models
Give clear instructions, in plain English, about what people are expected to do
Have several "experts"on tap local people who have been involved in the process, workers etc. who are happy to help people, answer questions etc. N.B. They should let people get on with the task and only intervene if asked
Participants are given suggestion cards or post-it notes to write on, or cards with pre-written descriptions or pre-designed cartoons / photos. The cards are to help participants give their views, design their ideal neighbourhood, centre etc. Pre-written or designed cards should only be used if there are set things that HAVE to happen with this project or if local people have already, through earlier consultation, agreed upon certain things for the project
Participants can deal their own hand of cards onto the model, indicating what they want to see happen and where. In some cases participants may be able to move parts of the model around this depends on your model and what you are trying to achieve. Some Planning for Real consultations use models of buildings, cars, bus-stops, schools etc. and have each person ‘build' their ideal place
Each suggestion must be noted and logged as the process develops, it is easy to ‘loose' ideas if too many people are involved at one time or there are too few facilitators to help note views. Taking photos of the model and suggestions can help with this and gives a good visual aid to the process that can be used to give feedback to participants
Planning for Real is sold as a good technique as it is ANONYMOUS, therefore anybody and everybody can have equal say and DEMOCRATIC, no one person's view can be taken above another
Ideally works best under community control. Need experienced and mature facilitators to help the process run smoothly
Can form the centrepiece of a bigger planning event or ‘Listening Day' or public meeting

Alternative ideas

Having a laminated map or mock-up of an area and have ‘sticky' models for participants to use. Example: This was used to plan a new layout for a park. Flower beds, trees, a pond and play area were all designed as ‘stickies' and the park was mapped out and laminated on the wall. Local school and nursery children, the Friends of the Park, bowlers club, young people from a youth group and local guides all took part in the event.

Also used to plan a ‘Healthy Walk' around a neighbourhood. The laminated map was taken to different community settings and ‘sticky' footprints used to map out different routes. Worked equally well with children as with a pensioners group.

Use sticky ‘dots' instead of cards or models to indicate where people want to put something, or where a path or play area should be this is a really cheap way of doing a participatory event!

Suggestion Box approach participants given a set number of cards each with different images, but they can only chose a certain number or ‘value' of cards. E.G. Planning a young people's holiday session they can chose from canoeing, abseiling, hill walking, skateboarding, go-karting, ice skating, cinema each depicted on a card but they can only chose 4 or the 8 suggestions.

What is Planning Aid?

Planning Aid provides free, independent and professional town planning advice and support to communities and individuals who cannot afford to pay planning consultant fees. It complements the work of local planning authorities, but is wholly independent of them.

Planning Aid was started by the Town and Country Planning Association in 1973 and has consistently proved its worth. From the beginning, it has been at the forefront of engaging communities in the planning process. Now Planning Aid is working to further widen engagement in the planning process and to give an equal voice to all those involved in planning.

In 2005 the Officer of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) confirmed funding until 2008. The funding and support will help to build a bigger and better Planning Aid network. Planning Aid is about much more than giving advice. It engages communities positively in the planning process to help them manage changes to their neighbourhood areas.

Planning Aid can help people to:

Understand and use the planning system
Participate in preparing plans
Prepare their own plans for the future of their community
Comment on planning applications
Apply for planning permission or appeal against refusal of permission
Represent themselves at public inquiries.

Planning Aid helps to meet one of the key aims of the government's planning reform agenda, which is to place community engagement at the heart of the planning system.

For more information please visit the Planning Aid website and follow the links to your local area http://www.planningaid.rtpi.org.uk