School of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering

David Keir BuildingQueen’s University Belfast BT9 5AG

EUROPA

EUROPA

SCHOOL OFSchool of Planning, Architecture and Civil Engineering

PLANNING FOR SPATIALRECONCILIATION

CONTACT:

Samantha Livingstone(project administrator) samantha.livingstone@qub.ac.uk

Prof. Frank Gaffikin(principal investigator) f.gaffikin@gub.ac.uk

Dr. Ken Sterrett(co-investigator) k.sterrett@qub.ac.uk

Chris Karelse(research assistant) c.karelse@qub.ac.uk

Aisling Shannon(research student) ashannon14@qub.ac.uk

www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/PlanningforSpatialReconciliation

A project supported by the European Union’s PEACE III Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.

Contribute to the learning and ‘unlearning’ about planning in the region, in partnership with key stakeholders, so that an appropriate form of community and spatial planning can be developed.

Work in collaboration and mutual learning with other related projects concerned with the promotion of a more inclusive and peaceful society:

ACTION PROGRAMME

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

A number of contemporary factors can allow this innovative action-research project to have real impact:

• Thetransferringofplanningpowersto a new form of local governance, provides the potential for a more integrated approach that deals with all aspects of planning, regeneration and community development

• Theformofplanningitselfisset to change radically, through the implementation of new legislation and the development of community and spatial planning at local council level

• TheuniquepartnershipbetweenQueen’s University and the DoE builds on decades of experience and work with related projects and community organisations.

HELPING TO BUILD A SHARED SOCIETY

The shaping of a new planning model that promotes an open, pluralist and shared society as a central feature of future legislation, policy and practice.

PLANNING FROM THE BOTTOM UP

Provide communities, particularly those in deprived areas, with a means to participate in spatial development processes:

• pilotschemesinacasestudyarea,carryingout cross-community work in collaboration with existing community organisations• studentprojectsinthecasestudyareatohelp develop strategic proposals.

TACKLING DEPRIVATION

Acknowledge the strong link between deprivation and division, focussing on:

• marginalisationandisolation• derelictionandunder-development• disconnectionandpoorenvironment• on-goingsectarian/racialtensionand harassment

Work with existing agencies to help develop institutional arrangements that respond to the new spatial and community planning challenges, particularly those relating to spatial divisions. This will include:

• theconsiderationofthespatialneedsofother policy sectors such as health, education and social services • thelinkingoflocalneighbourhoodplanningwith wider strategic planning• testinghownewgovernancearrangementscan contribute to improved civic leadership at all levels• promotingsuccessfulmodelsoflinked community and spatial planning from elsewhere.

Our built environment has the capacity to affect the way we interact with spaces and with one another. The planning of our towns and cities has, therefore, a significant role to play in peace and reconciliation processes.

Unfortunately, certain aspects of the current planning model impact negatively on peace-building, allowing traditional, and, indeed new, spatial division to persist. These include its failure to recognise and address spatial segregation and social division; its limited capacity to deal with the duplication of services and amenities within divided settlements; its concentration on the technical aspects of ‘land use planning’; and its limited ability to achieve inclusive and participatory forms of plan-making that nests local neighbourhood planning within broader strategic planning.

•IfallthepeacelinesinNorthernIrelandwereattached,therewould be a continuous wall stretching from Belfast City Hall to Larne harbour¹•Allthevacantandderelictlandwithina20minutewalkfromBelfastcitycentreisequalto265footballpitches².Redevelopment of this land is made more challenging due to segregation and deprivation in neighbouring communities.

“How can we create more open, connected, interactive places?”

“How do we allow everyone equal opportunity to enjoy our facilities and public spaces?”

“How do we engage everyone in collaborative planning that is trulysociety-wide?”

KNOWLEDGE-BUILDING MUTUAL LEARNING ENABLING COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION FACILITATING INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE

TOWARDS A NEW PLANNING MODEL NOW IS THE TIME FOR CHANGE...

1)“Thepoliticsofterritory–politicsandsegregationinNorthernIreland”,B.Murtagh,20022)“Agitatingforadesignandregenerationagendainapost-conflictcity:thecaseofBelfast”,K.Sterrett,M.Hackett&D.Hillin:JournalofArchitecturevol16,issue1

meetings and

workshops

development schemes

publications

training website

research and data analysis

policy guidance

workshops and

seminars

KEY OBJECTIVE OF THIS ACTION-RESEARCH

To contribute to the rethinking and re-modelling of the current planning system by investigating innovative approaches to spatial and community planning that can, in turn, assist the on-going process of peace-building.

‘Spatial planning’ is a multi-disciplinary, wide-reaching, inclusive approach to the development of places that goes beyond traditional land use planning. The new planning legislation will facilitate a shift to this form of planning in Northern Ireland.

‘Community planning’ is a collaborative process which enables communities to work with public agencies and the private sector to achieve better, more co-ordinated services. It also connects everyday services such as health, education and transport to spatial planning.

CREATING A KNOWLEDGE-BASE

Create a knowledge-base/platform for all stakeholders that demonstrates the benefits of innovative and partnership approaches to addressing issues of spatial division:

LEARNING FROM ELSEWHERE

Translate and disseminate the lessons from innovative planning practice in multi-ethnic and contested societies elsewhere, customising these lessons for the Northern Ireland context.

www.selectmgt.co.uk www.colabradio.mit.edu mark hackett groundworks NI (photograph and project) www.cycleprices.co.uk ardfern rommy