1. GW Planning
Understanding and Changing
Places
Geoff Wright

2. GW Planning
Local Plans
• Why produce a plan?
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One of local government’s key influencing tools
Achieve regen and/ or growth (econ, social benefit)
Influence the development market
Achieve some consensus/ certainty
• How should we plan?
• Top down, bottom up?
• Wide or limited community engagement?
• Leading or coordinating?
• What plan?
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

3. GW Planning
Local and Neighbourhood Plans
• Localism Act 2011
• National Planning
Policy Framework
• Up to date Local
Plan
• Rules of the game
-plan led if
‘compliant’
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

4. Planning for places
 Tell the story
 Set the agenda
 Say it clearly
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

5. Key findings
„you have the passion, and the knowledge in
your head. We‟ve heard it today, and now we
just need to see it written‟ – panel member
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

6. Key findings
“The focus should be
on places, not on
themes and housing
numbers.” – panel
member
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

7. Key findings
„We really need to focus on place, and the areas
that make up the place. How does it feel and
work now and into the future.‟ - panel member
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

8. Key findings
Tower Hamlets Core Strategy
“Unless you‟ve got some clearer direction in
here, you won‟t get what you want.”
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

9. Tell the story – why and how?
 quality of place matters (not generic policies)
 history, context, physical characteristics
 the people and communities that live there
 how the area functions and relates to others
 localities that are stable or need action
 the particular opportunities a place offers
 specific and locally relevant vision
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

10. Set the agenda – why and how?
 local leadership
 focus the benefits of change
 promote the place based possibilities
 work out how old and new should relate
 be clear how the future can be delivered
 outline how and when things could happen
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

11. Say it clearly – why and how?
 help people understand and engage
 clear expectations influencing developers
 prioritise the key issues
 selective and concise, using plain english
 use graphics, maps and photographs
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

12. Principles of settlement design
PLACES NOT PROCEDURES
“Our predicament is this; we admire one kind of
place but we consistently build something very
different”
Andres Duany, Congress for the New Urbanism
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

13. Set the agenda – why and how?
• local leadership
• focus the benefits of change
• promote the place based possibilities
• work out how old and new should relate
• be clear how the future can be delivered
• outline how and when things could happen
Geoff Wright MADE 27th
November 2013

14. Geoff Wright MADE 27th
November 2013

15. Think 3D- Place Shaping
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Responding to topography
Spreading jam or sculpting volumes?
Urban/ suburban typologies
Capacity for intensification
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

16. Think Green
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Green Infrastructure
Strategic green space/ parks and sports
Green fingers/ networks/ paths
River and canal corridors
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

17. Think Transport
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Joined up journey experience
Hubs as focus for development
Movement corridor implications
Differentiate busy and quieter
places
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

18. Street structure-connected or disconnected?
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

19. • Density comparators
• No one size fits all
• Floorspace/ numbers
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

20. Fitting In, adding something special or
just building?
Geoff Wright MADE 27th
November 2013

21. Neighbourhood Plan Compliance
• designated body
(PC)
• meet needs, plan
‘positively’
• ‘sound’ evidence
base
• support of
referendum
• LPA confirms
• Inspector checks
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

22. Neighbourhood Plans
• Why produce a plan?
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Taking control/ responsibility?
Community voice/ empowerment?
Vision for the future?
• How should we plan?
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Inclusive/ sharing info/ using local knowledge
Consultation
Consensus
• What plan?
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???
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

23. Sherston-structure
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Historic (planned) heart
Civic square
Significant open areas
Ribbons and groups
Geoff Wright MADE 27th
November 2013

24. 100 yrs of change
at Sherston
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housing estates
lifestyle changes
shops/ services
schools, facilities
environment, safety
traumatic?
Geoff Wright MADE 27th
November 2013

25. Sherston-structure
 Compact
 Walkable
 Connected?
 Choices for future
 North, West, East?
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

26. Sherston-Options for 2028
• Limited change (trend) c80 homes
• Very limited change c40 homes
• Go for (some) growth c120 homes
• Infill/intensify?
• Change green edge(s)?
• Change use/balance jobs&services?
Geoff Wright MADE 27th
November 2013

27. What sort of plan?
Projects list
• Default option (schedules planning approvals
plus local projects)
Charter for change
• More of/ less of -directions of travel
• Manifesto (avoids detail)
Detailed Plan
• Fully resolved allocations/ briefing
• Locally generated, endorsed by District Council
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013

28. GW Planning
And Finally-Cautionary Tales
• The only way is (not) Essex
• Development management versus vision?
• Tyranny of the SHLAA?
Geoff Wright MADE 27th November 2013