Neighbourhood Planning in Lancashire

The Kirkwells Team has direct experience of managing, producing and engaging local communities and businesses on neighbourhood plans.

To find out more read on, or call 01282 872570.

In inner Burnley a number of neighbourhood plans were produced to support the work of Elevate, the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder, and Burnley Borough Council.

Engaging the community on future plans for the neighbourhood

Working in four neighbourhoods plans were produced within a wider framework of neighbourhood engagement. Michael Wellock, from Kirkwells, had overall managerial responsibility for the housing market renewal programme and neighbourhood management in inner Burnley; Kirkwells helped develop planning policy and physical interventions such as the Tay Street Trail; Claire Parker led the Council’s work on development briefs and design guidance.

This culminated in the winning of a Royal Town Planning Institute National Award for community engagement in 2007. Our experience of engagement on the Area Action Plans (AAPs) included:

The Planning Factory – a public event held at Burnley Football Club for residents and community groups to explain the AAP process in a fun and meaningful way;
Printing and distribution of 8-12 page summary documents and Proposals Maps to all households and businesses across the AAP areas;
Provision of free summary documents in community centres, public libraries, and other council buildings and access to the documents on the internet;
Numerous drop-in sessions held across the area, resourced and supported by Council officers, interpreters in areas with a high proportion of Asian heritage residents, other partners such as housing associations, and North West Planning Aid volunteers, to explain proposals verbally to residents;
Pop-up leaflet!
Work with young people to design a “pop up” leaflet to promote a new texting facility to promote consultation with younger groups for consultation on Issues and Options;
A presentation and discussion at the Disability Forum, and use of signing, large print and translation services to support people with different needs and from different backgrounds to get involved in the AAP process;
Sessions with members of the Council to explain proposals and policies at all stages of the AAP, including presentation of the Proposals Maps;
Provision of free urban design training for residents over 6 sessions. This was designed to provide residents with the skills and confidence to comment on development proposals coming forward for their area, and to improve dialogue between local communities and developers and the local authority;
They liked the urban design training so much they baked Louise a cake!
A series of visits for residents to see other regeneration projects, to talk to other residents in other neighbourhoods, who had gone through major change in their neighbourhoods;
Working with architects Civic and artist Kevin Carter to engage residents in the first instance, and to raise awareness of the forthcoming AAP process through a series of night time projections onto buildings within the neighbourhoods, with images designed by local young people;
Development of a series of “quick win” environmental improvement projects with residents to ensure a range of short term physical improvements in times of great uncertainty and long term change. These included:
Using art – night time projections

The Tay Street Trail – an arts-led environmental improvement project to provide a physical link between a Sure Start Centre, a Day Nursery and a Community Health Centre, and with representatives of all 3 organisations supporting the project; and
The Green Routes and Gateways project in SW Burnley, developed in partnership with community artists Action Factory and young people providing a series of arts led physical enhancements to promote walking and cycling across the SW Burnley and Trinity AAP area. They worked with NW Planning Aid throughout to provide residents with an additional layer of advice and support from outside the Borough Council.

To find out how we can help with your neighbourhood plan download our leaflet or call Mick on 01282 872570. and don’t forget our regular update on neighbourhood planning – Neighbourhood Planning News.