community planning

Community Planning: Methods

description
sample
more detail

Consulting on draft plans and proposals is an important step to test whether they have public support and to engage people in finalising them. It can help focus the design process and be an ideal opportunity to generate good ideas. The method can be used for building design, landscaping, or producing plans at all scales.

Draft plans are presented as clearly as possible using text and graphics.

Suitable communication mediums are selected; this will often be a wall mounted exhibition, a printed brochure and a webpage equivalent.

Feedback mechanisms are established; this will often be asking for responses to specific questions and an opportunity for open ended responses.

A report is produced setting out the consultation results and the proposals are amended accordingly.

Feedback is provided to those consulted with on how their input has affected the amended scheme.

Image credit:
Top: NWA and Urbancanda for BBP Regeneration on behalf of English Partnerships;
Bottom: NWA for Halcrow on behalf of Peterborough City Council.

Printed consultation brochures on draft plans
Masterplan for Aylesham, Kent, UK, 2004; Draft development brief for an area around the railway station, Peterborough, UK, 2005.

Sample consultation brochure
Illustrating the key components of a 4 page A4 document with tear off questionnaire. 6 page A4 can also work well and provides more space for explaining the proposals.

Page 1 - what the consultation is about, why it is interesting, who is conducting it, how people can get involved, further information sources

Page 2 - draft plan details and main issues summarised

Page 3 - Questionnaire with tick box questions relating to main issues, space for open ended comment and collection of personal data for analysis purposes

Page 4 - Freepost address details.

Tips

Invest in high quality graphic design and editing. Communicating proposals clearly and concisely is vital if people are to be able to engage effectively.

Avoid too much text. Background details and technical material can be made available separately at events and on the internet.

Avoid keys on maps. Bubbles with pointers are generally much easier to follow.

Allow plenty of time for producing consultation materials; the process of producing them is likely to lead to design team members fine-tuning their ideas.

Acrobat Pdf editing is a useful tool for allowing production team members to development consultation materials.

Costs

The brochure is used as a focus for the consultation process and serves many functions simultaneously. Despite the cost of printing (preferably in colour) it can often be a cost effective solution.

Savings can be made by using the same images and design elements for an exhibition, and by using the same software to analyse both the questionnaire and face to face interviews.