Just Space has always been very concerned about this issue but increasingly as London has become more and more unequal. Fairness and inclusion should be central to decision-making, but most consultation happens after the decisions have been made that affect our lives: major decisions like the rebuilding of vast areas of the city. The people with the least are left out, communities are threatened by development, at worst being forced out of their homes and workplaces.
The planning process is technical and it all happens behind closed doors. Revolving doors between councillors, planners and developers reveal deep conflicts of interest. Even though there is a democratic process, people are excluded. And now the Government is about to reduce democratic rights even further and is telling us that the public’s voice holds up progress.
This process locks everybody into bad, costly and angry decision-making. There is an urgent need to build a critical mass of community understanding and activity, with more robust systems in place and the political will to recognise the value of community voices.
Our goal is to protect and create strong communities with strong representatives so that all those who contribute are heard and provided for, for the benefit of all.
Solutions in our MANIFESTO
- Enforce local planning authorities’ Statements of Community Involvement
- Get developers to agree to a schedule of early engagement and provide Social Value statements
- Create community review panels alongside design review panels, with historically invisible communities represented
- Ensure Equalities Impacts Assessments and other legal duties are acknowledged in planning policy
- Meaningful co-production should be a core value in the Mayor and the Boroughs’ planning practice and policy-making (meaningful means carried out at an early stage, listened to and acted on)
- Developers must also adopt meaningful co-production
- Require community-led audits, to measure the things that people value and to assess local needs in and around redevelopment sites
- Local planning policy should be co-produced through citizen assemblies, with greater transparency and accountability
The Mayor should provide support, funding and training
The Mayor should build on existing work to tackle and eliminate structural racism including in the planning process
Remove revolving doors: elected councillors and council planning officers should not move directly into working for private consultants and developers
Support all programmes for tackling digital exclusion
LINKS, GROUPS CAMPAIGNING ON THIS ISSUE
MOPS Morning Lane People’s Space