A practical introduction to the planning system

The CwmNi Communities First Partnership, based in Treherbert, was regularly being contacted by local residents for help on a range of planning issues, ranging from individual planning applications to development plan policies. The Partnership approached Planning Aid Wales to see if we could design and deliver a series of evening training workshops for local residents over autumn 2007 and spring 2008.

Planning Aid Wales jumped at the opportunity to work with a Communities First programme partner and was commissioned to deliver a programme of six workshop sessions, each lasting around two hours. One main aim of the training was to provide a general overview of the planning system and its guiding principles, a necessary first step before local people can begin to understand and start influencing local planning issues.

Broad, contextual information was presented using non-technical language and engaging formats, including a planning quiz and a role-play exercise which allowed participants to take the part of local authority planners, developers and members of the public in the Local Development Plan-making process.

To make the learning opportunity relevant and applicable to local circumstances, each workshop then looked at a 'live' local planning issue, such as a proposed housing development, with participants working together to explore the possible courses of action that could be taken.
In a letter of thanks to Planning Aid Wales, the CwmNi Partnership said:

'The training sessions provided by Planning Aid Wales were both very informative and very interesting. There are a number of planned and proposed developments taking place within our immediate area and the residents of Treherbert felt that they needed to gain a fuller understanding of the planning process to actively inform the development of their local environment. Planning Aid Wales provided this in an excellent manner, breaking down the development process in such a way that any lay person could understand in a fun and accessible manner. All of those who participated in the training found it insightful and valuable to their current situations and have requested more training in the area for their friends to participate in. Thanks very much for all your help and we look forward to working with you again in the future.'

Training content:

1. General outline of the land use planning system in Wales
2. Understanding the local development plan process
3. Understanding the planning application process
4. Specific local issue and possible courses of action
5. Where to go for more help

How access groups can influence planning and building control

Access groups are voluntary organisations that work to ensure that public spaces and buildings are accessible to disabled people. The Brecknock Access Group in the Brecon Beacons National Park asked Planning Aid Wales for training on how they could more effectively influence planning and building control decisions. We organised a successful and well-received training day for the group in April 2007.

An experienced Planning Aid Wales planning volunteer, Kay Powell, designed a tailored training day for the group, including several expert speakers. The group's chair thanked Kay, saying: 'A number of people who attended have contacted me to say how useful it was. Many thanks to you from us.'

Training content:

1. Commenting on planning applications
2. Contributing to draft supplementary planning guidance and the Local Development Plan
3. Responding to Welsh Assembly Government consultation on Access Statements
4. Building Regulations – an introduction
   

Local Development Plan training for community and town councils

The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority commissioned Planning Aid Wales in early 2008 to design and deliver a comprehensive programme of workshops for all the community and town councils in the national park area. The intention was to build the capacity of local community councils so they could understand and participate more effectively in the early stages of a Local Development Plan which was being prepared for the national park area.

Planning Aid Wales worked with the authority's forward planning team to design the engagement training framework. We commissioned training and community development providers to help develop training content and materials, and worked with them to deliver a programme of three successive training workshops. Early workshops gave participants a basic introduction to the planning process and their role in it. Later workshops introduced a range of tools and techniques for councils to use when working with their communities to generate a meaningful local input into the plan-making process.

Between late January and early March 2008 a total of nine workshops were delivered for councillors in a range of locations, with representation from the majority of local councils in the National Park.

There were two main outputs from this work: a comprehensive advice and information pack to enable community councils to understand the wider context of their new role in development plan preparation, and; a participation toolkit giving community councils a range of techniques aimed at helping to generate a representative community response to forward planning issues.

Training content:

• Session 1: Introduction to the Local Development Plan process, and the role of community and town councils in plan preparation
• Session 2: Developing the key role of community and town councils as intermediaries between local communities and local planning authority during the early stages of Local Development Plan preparation
• Session 3: Introduction to a range of tools and techniques for working with local communities.