1. Planning for Sustainable communities Reaching consensus in a West of Ireland town

2. Tipperary Institute

Tipperary Institute (TI) was established in 1999 as Irelands only institute exclusively devoted to rural development

Academic Courses

Outreach work

Research work for clients in the Community, Business and State sectors

3. Rural Planning-Why?

Growth producing uneven outcomes for certain areas/groups

Certain Villages/DEDs growing/others contracting

Lack of services in many rural areas

Uneven provision

Many requests for assistance

4. 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?

5. Rural Planning-Why?

?What are the rural areas for?

?Who decides?

? How are these decisions/non-decisions made?

6. 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

7. What 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

8. 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.

9. Why IAP?

Kinvara: a town under pressure

Galway Co. Council: an institution in flux

The planning system in crisis

Partnership framework

Legislative framework

10. 11. 12. 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

13. Steps 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

14. 5.Establishing 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

15.

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

16. 10. 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

17. What needs to change

Resources

Facilitation

Communication

Power

Structures

Accepted practice

18. Resources

Significant investment needed

Time

Officials not able to invest that time

Targeted measures for the marginalised

Resources to staff to enable participation

19. Facilitation

Communication

Capacity-building

Mediation

Power-broker

Establishing structures

20. Communication

Clarity

Collaborative Dialogue

Confrontation to trust

Communication modes in the community

21. Power

Redistribution of power

Wrestling power from the powerful!

Community resourced with independent advice

Hat on head, not in hand

22. Structures

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

23. .....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

24. A Community of practice

Carnegie and Offaly

Ballyhoura

IRL

New Rural Development companies

A Network of collaborative decision-makers?

25. Conference and Book Launch

Integrated Area Planning:

A collaborative Approach to decision-making

A TI Publication