RTPI Annual Review 2016

RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
RTPI Annual Review 2016
Advancing the Science and Art of Planning
Empowering communities
Planning Aid England offers planning
advice and support to individuals and
communities. We believe everyone
should have the opportunity to get
involved in planning their local area,
and we aim to provide people with the
knowledge and tools to achieve this.
In 2016 à Planning Aid England (PAE) consolidated its
focus on supporting individuals and communities who
cannot afford to pay for planning advice and/or have not
traditionally been involved in the planning system.
The development of outreach opportunities (proactive
capacity building and community support) was a key
priority, and PAE staff worked closely with regional PAE
volunteer task groups to raise local awareness of the work
of PAE and to identify opportunities for outreach activity. This
resulted in volunteers providing independent, professional
planning advice at a range of local plan consultation events
in areas ranked within the top 20% most deprived in the
country, including Mansfield, Barnsley and Plymouth.
Support for neighbourhood planning in 2016 also
focused on working with local authorities and
neighbourhood plan groups in areas of multiple
deprivation. North West volunteers assisted Morecambe
Town Council with the initial consultation for their plan;
volunteers in Yorkshire supported neighbourhood plan
groups in Leeds (Holbeck and Beeston) and Dinnington;
and the Volunteer Task Group for PAE in London organised
a free community planning event for community planners
across the capital, which attracted over 70 attendees and
included speakers from DCLG, the GLA and University of
Westminster. In addition, PAE also continued to
produce the neighbourhood planning e-bulletin
and video ‘UpFront’ on alternative months
(as part of the Lot 6 contract with Locality/
DCLG). These were circulated to over
2,250 neighbourhood planners.
PAE delivered casework (reactive support to communities and
individuals with planning problems) throughout the year. Twenty
cases were allocated in total, administered by volunteers.
Our casework reflects the breadth of clients that PAE is able
to help and in 2016 cases included: assistance with the
preparation of a planning application for the development of a
garden project for people with learning difficulties in Brighton;
advising a Sudanese community group in Coventry looking
to make a change of use application to create a community
centre; and support for a Traveller based in Devon seeking
to appeal an enforcement notice on their mobile home.
At the start of the year, PAE agreed a contract
with EDF Energy to deliver consultation support to
Parish and Town Councils who would be impacted
by the proposed Sizewell C development. PAE are
currently working with 14 Parish and Town Councils
to empower them to respond to the consultation.
In addition to the above PAE were also mentioned in
the House of Commons by two separate MPs who
praised PAE’s work in empowering communities
to effectively participate in the planning system.
In 2016 the
advice line dealt
with 2,300 separate
enquiries
à Planning Aid Direct
(our online resource)
had 21,000 views for
the same period.
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