catherine corcoran

Planning for Sustainable Planning for Sustainable communitiescommunities

Reaching consensus in a West of Reaching consensus in a West of Ireland townIreland town

Tipperary InstituteTipperary Institute

• Tipperary Institute (TI) was established in 1999 as Ireland’s only institute exclusively devoted to rural development

• Academic Courses• Outreach work• Research work for clients in the Community,

Business and State sectors

Rural Planning-Why?Rural Planning-Why?

• Growth producing uneven outcomes for certain areas/groups

• Certain Villages/DED’s growing/others contracting

• Lack of services in many rural areas

• Uneven provision

• Many requests for assistance

Rural Planning-Why?Rural Planning-Why?

• Crisis in the Planning system?

• Breakdown in trust/relationships?

• Clash of visions:• Planners/State policy-Concentration of population• Rural/farming lobby-Opposed to concentration?

Rural Planning-Why?Rural Planning-Why?

• ?What are the rural areas for?

• ?Who decides?

• ? How are these decisions/non-decisions made?

Rural Planning-Why?Rural Planning-Why?

• Lack of shared Vision

• The planning process lacks mechanisms for addressing this issue

• Communities asked to participate in consultative processes when decisions/visions are already set

What is IAPWhat is IAP

• IAP: a partnership approach to local development

• Developing shared vision

• Varying interests

• Common cause

• An action plan to be implemented

• 7 areas to date since 2001

What is IAP?What is IAP?

• IAP as an empowering, practical and participatory process to collect, analyse and compile information while developing the skills and structures needed to prepare and implement an inclusive and multifaceted plan for a defined geographical area.

Why IAP?Why IAP?

• Kinvara: a town under pressure

• Galway Co. Council: an institution in flux

• The planning system in crisis

• Partnership framework

• Legislative framework

Objectives of the project:Objectives of the project:

• Facilitate preparation of a town plan using participation as a key

• Identify key development priorities• Evaluate and document the process• Feedback to Co. Council• Publish a guide for use elsewhere

Steps in the processSteps in the process

1. Contracting Phase

2. Data Collection

3. Establish steering group

4. Capacity building

5.Visions/Objectives

6. Task Groups

7. Draft

8. Validation

9. Approval

10. Implementation

5. 5. Establishing Visions and ObjectivesEstablishing Visions and Objectives

• Move away from details that cause division

• Look into the future-an ideal future

• Shared understanding and context

• Vision:What kind of Place? Retain seaside character

Broad range of services accessible without a car

Vision:Retain seaside character:Objectives

Manage the natural landscape

Stone walls to be retained

The views across the bay to be maintained

Green areas maintained and developed

Restrict height of new buildings

Landscape residential areas

Protect and enhance biodiversity

10. Implementation10. Implementation

• Requires commitment by community

• Support from the agencies and politicians

• Preparation and approval of local area plan problematic

• Ongoing partnership

• Structures are important

• Resources

What needs to changeWhat needs to change

• Resources

• Facilitation

• Communication

• Power

• Structures

• Accepted practice

ResourcesResources

• Significant investment needed

• Time

• Officials not able to invest that time

• Targeted measures for the marginalised

• Resources to staff to enable participation

FacilitationFacilitation

• Communication

• Capacity-building

• Mediation

• Power-broker

• Establishing structures

CommunicationCommunication

• Clarity

• Collaborative Dialogue

• Confrontation to trust

• Communication modes in the community

PowerPower

• Redistribution of power

• Wrestling power from the powerful!

• Community resourced with independent advice

• Hat on head, not in hand

StructuresStructures

• Traditional poor relationships with communities

• Lack of structures

• From ad-hoc consultation to power-sharing

• A people-centred structure and vocabulary

• New local Government structures offer hope

.....summary.....summary

A new system of planning in each County• Communities actively involved in planning• Facilitated by an ‘honest broker’• With access to independent expertise• Supported by Planners• Backed by Politicians• Funded by the State/other interests• Community structures recognised

A Community of practiceA Community of practice

• Carnegie and Offaly

• Ballyhoura

• IRL

• New Rural Development companies

• A Network of collaborative decision-makers?

Conference and Book LaunchConference and Book Launch

Integrated Area Planning:

A collaborative Approach to

decision-making

A TI Publication