RTPI NI's response to the consultation on Shaping Sustainable Places
The Department for Communities has proposed 'Shaping Sustainable Places', which is a strategic programme of interventions to arrest the decline in the valued village, town and city centres of Northern Ireland.
'Shaping Sustainable Places' lays the foundation for new ways of delivering regeneration outcomes. The Department aims to engage communities at the earliest stages of planning for change, developing solutions to specific place-based challenges through funding local physical and infrastructure projects.
RTPI NI responded to this consultation, with support from the NI Policy and Research Forum.
Q2. To what extent do you agree with the proposed vision for Shaping Sustainable Places? Our vision is: To work with communities to address local challenges through funding interventions that deliver sustainable, people-centred places providing economic, social and environmental outcomes.
Strongly agree.
Q3. If you answered ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ at Q2 above, please tell us why and/ or what you would expect to see in the vision statement?
The vision is sound and reflects other government policy such as Community Planning legislation and the review of the People and Place Strategy.
Q4. To what extent do you agree with the proposed principles for Shaping Sustainable Places?
Agree
Q5. If you answered ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ at Q4 above, please tell us why and/ or what principles you would expect to guide interventions to help transform places?
N/A
Q6. Do you agree with the timeframe proposed for Shaping Sustainable Places?
Yes
Q7. If you did not select ‘yes’ above, please tell us why you think the timeframe should be shorter or longer?
N/A
Placemaking
Q8. To what extent do you agree that Shaping Sustainable Places plans should be developed through a placemaking process?
Strongly agree
Q9. If you answered ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ at Q8 above, please tell us why and/ or how do you think plans should be developed?
While it is accepted that Shaping Sustainable Places plans should be developed through a placemaking approach, more thought must be given to how this will be resourced, and whether local councils have spare capacity to deliver. We also need to be clear about the status of the Shaping Sustainable Places plans – where do they sit within the Local Development Plan process?
Planning policy provides a strong mechanism and guide to managing development with a place-based approach, ensuring that the local context is considered and opportunities are utilised to ensure maximum benefits for climate mitigation. Therefore local planning services need to be suitably resourced, technical and financial support provided to planners to address any barriers to delivery, investment in data sharing prioritised for digital collaboration and engagement, and the professional decision-making of planning officers respected as they seek to make holistic place-based decisions that are equitable and climate conscious.
Q10. To what extent do you agree or disagree that the Living High Streets Craft Kit would be a good approach to use to plan sustainable places?
Disagree
Q11. If you answered ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ at Q10 above, how do you think plans should be developed?
There are many examples of placemaking tools available. Local councils or other delivery agents should be able to choose whatever method suits the local circumstances. The most impactful approach to planning sustainable places is that of effecting a culture change from a sectoral approach to a place-based approach. A place-based approach means that policies relating to resilience and sustainability are integrated into land use policies and development decisions at the start, as well as investment decisions, and behaviour change of all individuals in society towards sustainable choices is encouraged through the creation of environments that promote low carbon lifestyles. Research published by the RTPI in 2021 provides the evidence base for a 'Place-Based Approach to Climate Change'.
Planning policy, and specifically the Local Development Plan process, provides a strong mechanism and guide to managing development with a place-based approach, ensuring that the local context is considered and opportunities are utilised to ensure maximum benefits for the community. The planning system in Northern Ireland should prioritise development that enables growth whilst achieving a substantial reduction in travel demand. This should focus on maximising the potential for local living by ensuring that most people can access a wide range of services, facilities and public spaces by walking and cycling. Increased home working, digital service delivery, and new forms of flexible work and community spaces will play a key role, alongside investment in place.
Q12. If your Local Council or community has already developed a plan for your place, to what extent do you agree or disagree that this existing plan should be used instead of developing a new plan using a placemaking approach?
Neither Agree or Disagree
Q13. If your Local Council wanted to assess the level of community support for a plan or intervention for your local place, how would you expect them to engage with you? Pick as many options as apply.
(The plan will have been prepared in partnership with the local community so should already have support – but there is nowhere to include this point. Also there was no space to say what we meant by ‘other’).
Engagement techniques to use are: Leaflet campaign to invite survey response • Townhall style meeting • Focus group of residents • Online consultation and promotion • Newspaper advertisement and promotion • Drop-in clinic • Other
NB Should also include: workshops and interactive sessions.
Ambitions and objectives
Q14. To what extent do you agree or disagree with “Investing in public realm in village, town and city centres” as an objective when focussing on Place?
Agree
Q15. To what extent do you agree or disagree with “Increasing occupancy levels by vacant buildings or derelict sites coming back into use” as an objective when focussing on Place?
Agree
Q16. To what extent do you agree or disagree with “Creating more productive local economies” as an objective when focussing on Place?
Agree
Q17. If you answered ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ to Questions 14-16 above, please tell us why and/ or what you would suggest as alternatives for objectives for Place?
N/A
Q18. To what extent do you agree or disagree with “Improving safety in village, town and city centres” as an objective when focussing on People?
Agree
Q19. To what extent do you agree or disagree with “Creating more active and sustainable infrastructure and facilities” as an objective when focussing on People?
Agree
Q20. To what extent do you agree or disagree with “Reducing car dominance” as an objective when focussing on People?
Agree
Q21. If you answered ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ to Questions 18-20 above, please tell us why and/ or what you would suggest as alternatives for objectives for People?
The whole strategy is very physical, and shaping sustainable places will require investment in local people as well. This should be included.
Q22. To what extent do you agree or disagree with “Creating or growing existing green spaces” as an objective when focussing on Planet?
Agree
Q23. To what extent do you agree or disagree with “Building infrastructure that is more resilient to the effects of climate change” as an objective when focussing on Planet?
Agree
Q24. To what extent do you agree or disagree with “Ensuring buildings brought back into use are more energy efficient” as an objective when focussing on Planet?
Agree
Q25. If you answered ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ to Questions 22-24 above, please tell us why and/ or what you would suggest as alternatives for objectives for Planet?
N/A
Q26. Do you feel the partnership working to deliver these previous regeneration schemes was successful?
Yes
Q27. What, if any, are your views on how these three departments worked collaboratively in partnership with Local Councils to deliver the previous regeneration schemes outlined above?
In some circumstances the funding criteria were too prescriptive and were therefore not able to focus on where the real need lay. Local councils had the onerous task of ensuring that projects were delivered within tight deadlines and strict criteria, putting more resourcing burden on councils.
Q28. Do you think other partners should be involved in delivering Shaping Sustainable Places?
Yes
Q29. If you answered yes to Q28 above, please tell us which other partners do you think should be involved in delivering Shaping Sustainable Places?
Community Planning Partnerships, Neighbourhood Renewal Partnerships, Peace Plus Partnerships and Area Integrated Partnership Boards (part of the reform of the Health Service) are all engaged in similar conversations and striving for the same outcomes. More partnerships are not necessary.
Funding and prioritisation
Q30. To what extent do you agree that the regeneration of villages, towns and city centres should be a long-term strategic priority, with security of funding, for the Northern Ireland Executive and Local Councils?
Strongly agree
Q31. If you answered ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ at Q30 above, please tell us why and/ or what you would suggest as an alternative proposal for investing the limited funds available for regeneration?
N/A
Q32. To what extent would you support the establishment of competitive funding opportunities to tackle specific regeneration issues?
Agree
Q33. If you answered ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ at Q32 above, please tell us why and/ or what you would suggest as an alternative proposal to drive innovation in regeneration?
N/A
Q34. Are there any specific regeneration issues or themes in your local area you feel could be tackled most effectively by the establishment of a competitive funding opportunity?
N/A
Q35. Please select from the list below your top 5 preferences that you consider to be the most important criteria when prioritising places for intervention through Shaping Sustainable Places?
- Addressing economic market failure, 2. Access to services for residents of surrounding areas, 3. Potential to leverage private sector investment 4. Economic activity data 5. Levels of crime/anti-social behaviour
(Other options are: Length of time since previous capital investment in public space, Levels of vacancy, Road safety, Potential to attract visitors and tourism, Potential for people to meet and spend time, Potential for increasing pedestrian areas, Population size, Air quality, Impacts of extreme weather events)
Centre First for Public Services
Q36. To what extent would you support the adoption of a Centre First policy for the location of public sector jobs and services in Northern Ireland?
Agree
Q37. If you answered ‘disagree’ or ‘strongly disagree’ at Q36 above, please tell us why.
N/A
