Planning for Real

Planning for Real'® is widely used throughout the world and especially the UK. It was designed by the Neighbourhood Initiatives Foundation and is used widely in the UK. Residents are invited to express their desires through a series of cards laid on to a full scale plan of their area. Many people are attracted to it as a method due to its highly visual appearance and its ease of use.

Planning for Real uses simple models as a focus for people to put forward and prioritise ideas on how their area can be improved. It is a highly visible, hands-on community development and empowerment tool, which people of all abilities and backgrounds find easy and enjoyable to engage in.

A large 3-dimensional model of a neighbourhood is constructed, preferably by local people, using cardboard cut-outs for buildings pasted onto a base plan fixed to polystyrene or cardboard.

The model is used at pre-advertised sessions held in various locations in the community. However, the method is not without its critics. Many feel it is too rigid, allows minimal discussion of issues amongst those people being consulted and that it can be misused.

Participants place suggestion cards on the model indicating what they want to see happen and where (eg playground, parking, standpipe, tree, shopping).

The cards are sorted and prioritised to establish an action plan which is followed up by working groups.

More info at: http://www.nif.co.uk/planningforreal/