A Planner’s Guide to Community Led Housing
21st November 2019
Supporting Local Authority Planners to work effectively with communities is an important part of strengthening the Community Led Housing (CLH) movement. This new guide, prepared by Jo Lavis, National Community Land Trust Network and a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute, provides a really good introduction and helpfully shares good practice.
The guide sets out the vital role which planning plays in helping communities to achieve their intended goals. From the development of Local Plan policies which encourage and support community led development, to the approach taken by Development Managers to recognise the opportunities presented by these projects, the guide is a useful resource for planners looking to get more homes built with their community partners.
The guide is also useful for groups working with planners; it explains how community led housing is relevant and helpful in meeting requirements created by the National Planning Policy Framework. At the early stages in discussion, a group could illustrate how their scheme specifically promotes sustainable development, reflects the need for different size and tenure of housing, and offers positive opportunities for early community engagement. All these things help a local authority to meet existing obligations. There is also a useful exploration of how Neighbourhood Plans and CLH can support each other.
The guide has dozens of policy examples and CLH case studies in. Each of the example policies is considered in terms of the benefits of the approach, and also how it could be strengthened. An insightful and practical guide based on real experience.
Visit: communityfirstyorkshire.org.uk/plannersguide/ to download a copy.