In more detail
Plans exist:
As drafts – dealing with possibilities and alternatives. Draft plans are used to engage other people with a stake in the place or project being planned. They enable the people making the plan to keep track of ideas and other factors affecting the place or the project. Draft plans facilitate conversation (which is open-ended and aimed at getting ideas and factors identified) and consultation (which is a more formal dialogue aiming to test commitment to particular proposals), a draft plan reaches completion and agreement
As complete and agreed plans – dealing with complete views of future development and what to do about contingencies (which are things which might happen, but may not). Agreed plans act as records. They let everyone with an interest share the same view of what has been agreed in terms of priorities. And everyone can see the evidence that they have been made on. Agreed plans provide means of: communication (a plan gives a clear and comprehensible picture of what has been agreed); and coherence (an agreed plan makes clear why it has been agreed and therefore how the plan holds together and makes sense in itself and in relation to any other relevant plans).
As working documents in use– plans are tools. They define limits and tolerances (which is the leeway around a limit that is acceptable). Plans describe the way people will behave in terms of a place or a project. They say what we think we will do in response to contingencies and unknowns. At this stage, plans enable : comparison (we can compare what the plan says should or might take place and what actually happens); and control (we can take action in response to contingencies).
Looking after a Plan
The form the plan takes and the skills and relationships needed to use and develop it successfully can vary during its life cycle, for example:
- During the drafting stage, a neighbourhood plan needs to be open and fluid, growing more formal as it develops so that there is solid evidence to explain why it should be agreed.
- Before agreeing a neighbourhood plan there needs to be some technical skill and knowledge involved in working out how it fits together and checking it neither contradicts itself or other plans of which it forms part.
- Agreeing a neighbourhood plan involves a formal process – there needs to be a chance for everyone with a legitimate interest to formally say whether, or not, they agree it.
Using a neighbourhood plan as part of the local planning framework requires professionals with technical skills to make judgements, but it also needs the engagement of the people and organisations that are working within it and decisions on the part of their elected representatives, local councillors.
| Key Facts:
Plans are like butterflies - they go through several stages in their life cycle. The 'six Cs' they need from birth to maturity are: Conversation and consultation are the key-words when drafting a plan. Communication and coherence are the key things when agreeing a plan. Comparison and control are important ideas when using a plan in practice. |
Page Links from here
In this toolkit:
OR you can use the navigation menu above right to look at other parts of the toolkit.
BIRMINGHAM COMMUNITY PLANNING TOOLKIT DEFINITION SHEET This sheet may be reproduced in paper or electromic or any other form but please mention it was made by Chamberlain Forum Limited for Birmingham City Council supported by Department for Communities and Local Government.
| created: 2016-06-05 10:28:01 | by: admin | status: f published |