Spaces of HOPE. The Hidden History of Community Led Planning in the UK
Lead Research Organisation:
Oxford Brookes University
Department Name: Faculty of Tech, Design and Environment
Abstract
'Spaces of HOPE' will produce the first sustained history of community-led planning (CLP) in the UK documenting the diverse and previously hidden ways in which people have come together to care for the future of their local environments and exploring what their efforts mean for contemporary approaches to planning and participatory place-making.
2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the Skeffington Report which established public involvement in town planning, one of the first public services to embrace participation. Existing scholarship has tended to focus on how citizens have influenced the official processes this established. Alongside this formal system, however, runs a rich history of informal CLP, which has not been subject to systematic or sustained research. Given the contemporary significance of community action around urban and environmental issues this gap severely limits the capacity to learn from the past about the role of citizens in planning.
Building on the strengths of a multidisciplinary team including planners, community artists and historians, the project will address this gap by realising three overarching objectives: Firstly, reflecting on the development of discourses and practices of CLP since 1969 in order to contribute to a critical historiography of planning. Secondly, revealing previously hidden histories of CLP, using co-creative methods to explore the lived experiences of those involved and the ways in which understandings of self, place and community have been shaped by their actions. Thirdly, enlivening debates and generating dialogue between past and present by bringing these 'hidden' voices into conversation with contemporary practices of participatory place-making.
Documentary and archival research will bring together scattered and fragmentary sources, including the uncatalogued archives of our impact partner the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) and the personal collections of the individuals and groups involved, some of which are in danger of being lost if not captured soon. Case studies of local CLP initiatives will include the drawing up of 'People's Plans', the building of new communities, anti-redevelopment campaigns and the creation of innovative participatory planning approaches. By combining arts-based, participatory methods such as memory walks and photo elicitation with oral history interviews and workshops we will explore narratives of participation and engender the sharing of memories within and across places.
The project will generate significant impact using the TCPA's extensive networks to spark dialogue between past and present. A project website, hosted by the Digital Humanities Institute but available through the TCPA site, will act as an interactive CLP 'exhibition', including timelines and downloadable maps, and a living archive of CLP stories and materials. A series of workshops, short articles and presentations at practitioner events will be used to generate discussion and we will produce downloadable guides for local groups interested in researching CLP and on what policy-makers can learn from these histories of citizen action and participatory planning. A final, national workshop "Community-Led Planning: the Next Fifty Years" will promote collective discussions on the future of CLP. In addition, we will make presentations to 3 international academic conferences and contribute 3 articles to high-quality academic journals across the fields of urban history, community development and planning. Finally, we will publish a monograph bringing case studies and oral histories together to explore the history of CLP in the UK.
Overall, the project aims to uncover previously hidden histories of this important form of local citizen action, exploring how grassroots, place-based activism has challenged development proposals, set out alternative visions for places and in the process reshaped communities, identities and citizens' relations with the local state.
2019 marked the 50th anniversary of the Skeffington Report which established public involvement in town planning, one of the first public services to embrace participation. Existing scholarship has tended to focus on how citizens have influenced the official processes this established. Alongside this formal system, however, runs a rich history of informal CLP, which has not been subject to systematic or sustained research. Given the contemporary significance of community action around urban and environmental issues this gap severely limits the capacity to learn from the past about the role of citizens in planning.
Building on the strengths of a multidisciplinary team including planners, community artists and historians, the project will address this gap by realising three overarching objectives: Firstly, reflecting on the development of discourses and practices of CLP since 1969 in order to contribute to a critical historiography of planning. Secondly, revealing previously hidden histories of CLP, using co-creative methods to explore the lived experiences of those involved and the ways in which understandings of self, place and community have been shaped by their actions. Thirdly, enlivening debates and generating dialogue between past and present by bringing these 'hidden' voices into conversation with contemporary practices of participatory place-making.
Documentary and archival research will bring together scattered and fragmentary sources, including the uncatalogued archives of our impact partner the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) and the personal collections of the individuals and groups involved, some of which are in danger of being lost if not captured soon. Case studies of local CLP initiatives will include the drawing up of 'People's Plans', the building of new communities, anti-redevelopment campaigns and the creation of innovative participatory planning approaches. By combining arts-based, participatory methods such as memory walks and photo elicitation with oral history interviews and workshops we will explore narratives of participation and engender the sharing of memories within and across places.
The project will generate significant impact using the TCPA's extensive networks to spark dialogue between past and present. A project website, hosted by the Digital Humanities Institute but available through the TCPA site, will act as an interactive CLP 'exhibition', including timelines and downloadable maps, and a living archive of CLP stories and materials. A series of workshops, short articles and presentations at practitioner events will be used to generate discussion and we will produce downloadable guides for local groups interested in researching CLP and on what policy-makers can learn from these histories of citizen action and participatory planning. A final, national workshop "Community-Led Planning: the Next Fifty Years" will promote collective discussions on the future of CLP. In addition, we will make presentations to 3 international academic conferences and contribute 3 articles to high-quality academic journals across the fields of urban history, community development and planning. Finally, we will publish a monograph bringing case studies and oral histories together to explore the history of CLP in the UK.
Overall, the project aims to uncover previously hidden histories of this important form of local citizen action, exploring how grassroots, place-based activism has challenged development proposals, set out alternative visions for places and in the process reshaped communities, identities and citizens' relations with the local state.
Planned Impact
Introduction:
This project seeks to reveal previously hidden histories of citizen-led planning (CLP). In doing so, it aims to generate significant debate and reflection about the role and value of this form of activism in shaping places, communities, identities and citizen's relations with the state. By so doing it will contribute substantially to contemporary place-based community activity.
Who will benefit from this research?
Direct (non-academic) beneficiaries will include -
-Citizens and campaign groups who have participated in local planning efforts or will do so in the future
-Local history groups and civic societies
-Policy-makers, including local elected councillors and professionals involved in planning and place-making
- Civic organisations that promote engagement with place-making (e.g. Locality, Planning Aid, Civic Voice, Scottish Community Alliance, Community Places)
- Organisations that campaign for the value of public participation and public interest planning (Town and Country Planning Association)
- Place-based professions (Royal Town Planning Institute, Royal Institute of British Architects)
- National level policy makers (including MHLG, Scottish Government, Welsh Government, N. Ireland Executive)
- Academics and educators in history, community research and planning.
Indirect beneficiaries will include-
-Other Professionals and professional organisations involved in public engagement with place-based public services
-Local government professional and representative organisations (e.g. Local Government Association)
What will change for these beneficiaries?
Citizens who have participated in local planning efforts and local history groups will be offered new opportunities to make their stories visible, reflect on their experiences and co-create collective memories ensuring these are not lost from the historical record and can inform contemporary and future approaches to citizen-led planning. Other citizens, local historians, policymakers, politicians and professionals will learn about previously hidden histories of local activism and consider their implications for contemporary approaches to planning and place-making. All of these groups will benefit from interactive CLP maps and toolkits setting out how to creatively explore hidden histories and outlining key lessons for successful citizen-led planning. Civic and campaigning organisations interested in strengthening public participation in planning and place-making will benefit from new knowledge and understanding about the historical role and impacts of CLP. They will have access to a digital exhibition and archive, guaranteeing that the lessons of the past for supporting citizen- led efforts can be used into the future. Professionals, politicians and policy-makers at local and national level will benefit from an improved understanding of the potential of CLP to complement more formal modes of public participation in place-making, ensuring better understanding of how to relate to such efforts in order to strengthen place-making activities and build robust participatory cultures capable of vitalizing local democracy. Academics and educators will benefit from a toolkit of creative methods for uncovering hidden histories in community research, a range of case studies and opportunities to reflect on their value for contemporary approaches to citizen-led initiatives. Other professionals and public service providers will benefit from enhanced understanding of the histories and potential contribution of more activist and citizen-led forms of public participation.
This project seeks to reveal previously hidden histories of citizen-led planning (CLP). In doing so, it aims to generate significant debate and reflection about the role and value of this form of activism in shaping places, communities, identities and citizen's relations with the state. By so doing it will contribute substantially to contemporary place-based community activity.
Who will benefit from this research?
Direct (non-academic) beneficiaries will include -
-Citizens and campaign groups who have participated in local planning efforts or will do so in the future
-Local history groups and civic societies
-Policy-makers, including local elected councillors and professionals involved in planning and place-making
- Civic organisations that promote engagement with place-making (e.g. Locality, Planning Aid, Civic Voice, Scottish Community Alliance, Community Places)
- Organisations that campaign for the value of public participation and public interest planning (Town and Country Planning Association)
- Place-based professions (Royal Town Planning Institute, Royal Institute of British Architects)
- National level policy makers (including MHLG, Scottish Government, Welsh Government, N. Ireland Executive)
- Academics and educators in history, community research and planning.
Indirect beneficiaries will include-
-Other Professionals and professional organisations involved in public engagement with place-based public services
-Local government professional and representative organisations (e.g. Local Government Association)
What will change for these beneficiaries?
Citizens who have participated in local planning efforts and local history groups will be offered new opportunities to make their stories visible, reflect on their experiences and co-create collective memories ensuring these are not lost from the historical record and can inform contemporary and future approaches to citizen-led planning. Other citizens, local historians, policymakers, politicians and professionals will learn about previously hidden histories of local activism and consider their implications for contemporary approaches to planning and place-making. All of these groups will benefit from interactive CLP maps and toolkits setting out how to creatively explore hidden histories and outlining key lessons for successful citizen-led planning. Civic and campaigning organisations interested in strengthening public participation in planning and place-making will benefit from new knowledge and understanding about the historical role and impacts of CLP. They will have access to a digital exhibition and archive, guaranteeing that the lessons of the past for supporting citizen- led efforts can be used into the future. Professionals, politicians and policy-makers at local and national level will benefit from an improved understanding of the potential of CLP to complement more formal modes of public participation in place-making, ensuring better understanding of how to relate to such efforts in order to strengthen place-making activities and build robust participatory cultures capable of vitalizing local democracy. Academics and educators will benefit from a toolkit of creative methods for uncovering hidden histories in community research, a range of case studies and opportunities to reflect on their value for contemporary approaches to citizen-led initiatives. Other professionals and public service providers will benefit from enhanced understanding of the histories and potential contribution of more activist and citizen-led forms of public participation.
Publications
Spacesofhope.org
(2021)
People's Plans website
Inch A
(2023)
An Archive of Political Possibilities?
in Planning Theory & Practice
Inch A
(2021)
Towards a Peoples' History of Planning
Inch A
(2024)
New Planning Histories
Brownill, S
(2023)
The People's Plan For the Royal Docks Revisited
Brownill, S
(2022)
SE1 Stories; Lessons from the History of Community Organising in One Neighbourhood
in Town and Country Planning
Brownill, S
(2022)
Whatever Happened to Community-Led Planning?
Brownill, S
(2021)
Capturing the history of community-led planning
in Town and Country Planning
| Description | While our findings are still being brought together in final publications and web-based material, we can report the following discoveries and achievements. 1) Our greatest achievement to date in revealing the hidden histories of community led planning to a wider audience through our website and our engagement activities. Our website represents the first attempt to bring the many scattered examples in the UK together and responses and engagement from a variety of stakeholders has not only confined that there is a real thirst and enthusiasm for this material but that it provides a valuable resource and a springboard to encourage others to explore the own histories . The map, timeline and information about examples are enabling appreciations of the scale and energy of these initiatives beyond one place or time which was largely the case with previous research. The case studies are enabling people to dive deeper into particular examples and the links are enabling people to find and explore other examples. This was underlined by our final online event which Our physical exhibition which summarises the project findings and the case study reports has been successful in bringing the research to the attention of a range of audiences and in bringing footfall to the website. To date it has travelled to national planning research conferences, national meetings of partner organisations such as the TCPA and to events in case study areas. It is also available for download on the website. 2) We have enriched the dialogue about the role of communities in place making at local and national levels by bringing past and present together in a variety of ways. Our workshops which have brought together past and present local activists have brought to life past examples which were often not known about. This has crucially enabled discussion of practices and policies and what lessons can be learnt and applied to the present day. This has ranged from a simple appreciated of the value and importance of local activity to the ways in which policy can best respond. Our history walks have brought the past to life and shown how it can still be seen in the current landscape. Three walks have been collaboratively produced which tell the story of CLP in one area. The process of drawing up and taking part in the walks These walks are available on the website for download and self-exploration. 3) We have also opened up some new questions particularly around what is further hidden within these 'hidden histories'. Reaching beyond the 'usual suspects' of activists and paid workers to long term residents of a place has been challenging. More significantly, finding voices from the black community among the episodes, historical records and participants so far revealed shows how there are many layers and issues to be uncovered. We responded to this challenge by adding new research questions and activities including working with citizen-researchers around black communities and community planning. This has shown how we need to broaden our conceptualisations of what we consider 'place-making' and to ensure as many voices as possible become part of this debate. Through one of our case studies, Birmingham for People's Women's Group, we have focused on how one group challenged CLP to include issues of gender and women's voices . We have questioned conceptualisations of 'community- led' planning as separate from the formal, government-led planning system and instead have been identified and examined the links and tensions between them. We have revealed how the 'conditions of possibility' of CLP, that is the drivers and mechanisms for supporting it have changed significantly over time and we have raised questions about what is needed today if CLP is to fulfil its possibilities. Linked to this we have also explored and raised debates on where the spaces of hope are today, on the on-going contribution that CLP can make to people and places, and how past examples are still very much part of these debates. We have also begun to highlight ways in which the experiences of the different nations of the UK are increasingly diverging in their approach to and support of CLP and the implications of this. 4) Through our work we have also underlined the significance of culture and the arts to place making and CLP. Our research showed how the legacy and impact of individual examples, such as the People's Plan for the Royal Docks, were strengthened through their visual impact and archive. We have striven to widen this visual impact to other examples through our website. In addition we have worked with arts and culture based organisations in our case study areas. For example, we held exhibitions in collaboration with community arts venues and organisations in Birkenhead, Birmingham and London. In Wales our work has emphasised the links between Welsh language and culture and place making again underlining the fact that CLP is not solely a land-use issues. We hope to have continued this traditions of linking communities. cultures and the arts through our exhibition. 4) Finally we have been able to develop and impart new skills and research capacity. Our multi-disciplinary research team has enabled learning between the team members and has shown the value of bringing together methods from history, the arts and built environment disciplines to devise appropriate and innovative methodologies for telling the stories of community planning. We are building the capacity of local groups to research their own history and we have worked with community-based researchers in local areas to develop their skills and capabilities. |
| Exploitation Route | These findings and others still to emerge can be taken on by; 1) Community planners eager to chart their own histories will be able to draw inspiration from this site and also gain information on how to go about researching their own community planning histories through a guide which will be produced by the end of the project. 2) Visitors to the website who will be able to search the databases , download the walks and explore the themes and examples that they will encounter. This could open up a range of different outcomes including more local history projects or innovative analysis of the data 3) Practitioners and policy makers who will be able to build on the lessons from these past examples and apply them to current policy and practice. They will also be able to draw on the accounts of the events we have organised which identify some of these and which will be available through blogs, the website and a policy briefing. 4) Academics from a range of disciples including planning, history, the arts and geography who will be able to draw on the original empirical and conceptual findings. 5) Teachers at a variety of levels (e.g. schools and universities) who can draw on these rich histories to enliven learning about community planning and encourage young people and professionals to engage in local participatory placemaking. 6) Arts and culture based organisations who can explore the dynamics between local placemaking and their work. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Creative Economy Education Government Democracy and Justice Culture Heritage Museums and Collections Other |
| URL | https://www.peoplesplans.org |
| Description | Particularly through the dissemination activities over the final year of the project and the ongoing work in case studies area we have been able to reach a range of audiences and have been able to see the wider influence and impacts of the study. There is evidence in particular of the societal and cultural impact of the project in raising awareness and understanding of the role of Community-Led Planning (CLP) in shaping places, communities and participatory cultures. This is the major impact objective of the project. We have seen this through increased visits to the web-site, presence on social media, attendance at our events and general inquiries. For example our history walks which tell the story of CLP in one place have been attended by both past and present activists and we have evidence that those active today valued the learning gained about past campaigns as well as finding out more about their local areas. Our final event was attended by around 100 people from the UK and wider and led to a wide ranging debate on the value of bringing these histories to light and on their contemporary significance. We have also had an impact in inspiring groups to carry out their own work to reveal the hidden histories of CLP in their areas and on others to capture the work of specific organisations and campaigns. This has helped contribute to a gradual building of a wider resource charting these histories to add to the richness of the stories and narratives emerging and to on-going discussions about archiving and retaining such histories. The work had also helped cement the relationship between arts based groups, CLP and place making. We have held three exhibitions in galleries and community arts venues each of which was accompanied by a workshop bringing together artists with past and present activists. This has shown the value of this relationship and has helped build future collaborations. Educationally, the work is being used in the education of future planners, thereby improving professional practice and awareness of the benefits of CLP amongst planners. A final area of emerging impact is on policy and practice. We have brought together people from different eras of participatory place-making and created a dialogue where lessons from the past can be identified and potentially applied to current place making activities. We are continuing this strand of potential impact through dissemination of further materials from the project and follow-on funding. We are pleased that key planning bodies such as the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Town and Country Planning Association are increasingly rare of our work and are promoting it through their programmes. We hope this will continue in the future. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Creative Economy,Education,Environment,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | Increased Awareness of Significance of Community-Led Planning |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Description | Inspiring others to Explore Their Own Hidden Histories |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | The changes have been to members of the public in the form of increased awareness of the planning histories of their areas and those members of the public who have been involved in CLP activities in the past. We have been contacted by groups and others who have started their own research as a result of this work. We are also aware that national organisations that represent planning such as the Town and Country Planning Association and the Royal Town Planning Institute have shown an interest in our working are beginning to integrate into their work. We expect this impact to grow as we carry out further dissemination and publish more findings. |
| Description | Community Action Digital Archive |
| Amount | £9,100 (GBP) |
| Organisation | University of Sheffield |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 06/2022 |
| End | 11/2022 |
| Description | Impact Accelerator Award. |
| Amount | £7,469 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Oxford Brookes University |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2023 |
| End | 07/2023 |
| Title | Peoples Plans |
| Description | A digitised collection of documents, artefacts, photos gathered as part of the Spaces of Hope research project. This will be linked to the project website (URL below) and will enable members of the public and others to search it to carry out their own research. It will also form a repository for organisations and individuals involved in community-led planning. Currently it is under construction in conjunction with the Digital Humanities Unit at Sheffield University but will be live during the course of the next 12 months. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2021 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This will be the first website and data base which brings together archives from individuals and organisations involved in community-led planning from around the UK. |
| URL | https://www.peoplesplans.org |
| Description | Town and Country Planning Association |
| Organisation | Town & Country Planning Association |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We have been able to assist the TCPA in exploring and digitally recording their archive which to dat has not been catalogued or organised to any systematic extent. The PI contributes a regular column on participation in planning, called Snakes and Ladders, to the TCPA journal. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Membership of steering group and opening or archive. Hosting blogs, call for evidence and links to the project website on their website. |
| Impact | Regular column written by PI in TCPA journal. Contributions to the website and research archive. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Community-Led Planning in Scotland, Glasgow |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This event brought together over 50 participants at a fringe event organised at the UK/Ireland Planning Research Conference on 5th Sept 2023 to reflect on community-led planning in Scotland; past, present and future. Speakers from a range of organisations and communities in Scotland, including those involved in community-land trusts, island buy-outs, local campaigns and getting voices heard in planning talked about their experience and reflected on where the spaces of hope are for this type of activity today. The talks raised awareness of the variety and depth of community organising in Scotland and its rich history which is in danger of being lost. It also sparked discussion about the future for such activity and how to make links between the past and present. It was accompanied by the showing of the Spaces of Hope exhibition throughout the three days of the conference. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DICNAC Reunion, Dundee |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | This event brought together four previous members of the Dundee Inner City Neighbourhood Advice Centre, or "DICNAC". DICNAC was founded in 1982 when the city was experiencing severe industrial decline and growing poverty. The Centre pioneered many projects which are still relevant today such as home insulation, action on job creation and advice and support on planning matters. The event enabled participants to reflect on the work of the centre and the fact that four decades later, many of the same issues DICNAC and its kind confronted remain but the potential for grassroots interventions - and the money to support them - appear to have receded. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.peoplesplans.org/dicnac-reunion/ |
| Description | Exhibition at Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) Bournville 125 Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Spaces of Hope exhibition hosted as part of the TCPA event on Practical Hope |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Launch of the Community Action Archive, |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | A face to face and online event on 9th Nov 2022 . The roundtable event marked the official launch of a new digital archive of Community Action magazine, which makes an important historical resource on community campaigns and protest movements of the 1970s and 1980s freely available online for the first time. Published from 1972-1990, Community Action played an important role in connecting grassroots struggles across the UK. The event began with a short introduction to Community Action magazine, before bringing members of the original editorial collective into conversation with contemporary activists, and offered an opportunity to reflect on the role Community Action played within wider movements for social justice and to consider the lessons that might be learned for struggles today. The event was funded by the Festival of Science as a parallel activity which arose directly out of the Spaces of Hope project. The event was attended by 35 people face to face and a further 50 online from the UK and wider. There was a lively debate about the issues at the time, the changing nature of the relationship between community groups and the state between the time the magazine was active and the present day, the continuing relevance of questioning the role of knowledge and expertise in decisions on urban environments and the shape that contemporary attempts to share knowledge and ideas and link people involved on the ground may take. Responses on the night and afterwards have stressed the value of the archive and have brought further traffic to the Spaces of Hope website and further participants to our case studies. Current activists and students have also expressed how they valued the opportunity to hear from those involved in the 70s and 80s. A report of the launch appeared in Tribune magazine. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://festivalofsocialscience.com/events/community-action-past-present-and-future/ |
| Description | Online Workshop on Community Planning in Birmingham |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was an online workshop held in Dec 2022 which brought people together who had been active in community planning in Birmingham from the 1970s. The aim was to enable participants to reflect on their experiences, bring to light new episodes of community-led planning which may have been hidden from history and the research team and to discuss the relevance of these experiences to the present day. The workshop was attended by 14 people and was broken down into two activities. Firstly a mapping of examples of community projects using digital mapping tools and secondly a discussion of what lessons from these can be learnt for the present day. The mapping exercise led people to reflect on how the geography of the city and where development activity was concentrated was reflected in activity which a shift from the ring outside the city centre in the 70s to the City Centre in the 80s . The more dispersed geography of current activity was seen as having an impact on activity. Participants noted that the areas CLP worked in have changed socially and opportunities for community planning are very different now. They also discussed the closure of city wide forums which had arisen from community activity which made dialogue about communities and place making more difficult . But they noted that there are alternatives out there, in Birmingham and elsewhere and there is a real need to bring these to a wider attention. These ideas have fed into the findings and analysis undertaken by the project and into the planning of the further events in the City which will take place in June 2023. Participants at the workshop expressed a desire to participate further in these events. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Participatory Workshop Community Action and the State in Sheffield 1970-1990 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The workshop brought together former activists for South Sheffield who were engaged in community planning from the 1970s to the 1990s. They exchanged memories about the period, the role of community action and the relations between the community groups and the state. They also brought documents and other memorabilia to discuss and to include in our archive. Attendees expressed an interest in attending future events and the planning of the final stages of this case study will be done taking their views on board. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | People's Plan 40th Anniversary Walk organised as part of London Architecture Week |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
| Results and Impact | The event which was held on 11th June 2023 consisted of a walk taking in key sites in the Royal Docks, London, linked to the history of the People's Plan. The People's Plan is one of our case studies and was an alternative community-led plan put forward for the regeneration of the area in 1983. The walk coincided with the 40th anniversary of the preparation of the plan and brought together people who had been involved at the time and current activists in the area. Speakers included local artists, representatives of organisations that had prepared the Plan including the Popular Planning Unit of the GLC, members of community planning groups at the time, including the Joint Docklands Action Group, and the Docklands Forum, past and current councillors and MPs and current activists from London citizens and other groups. Invited speakers spoke at key locations talking about key aspects of the Plan process, outcomes and the regeneration of the area. The walk ended at an exhibition which showed exhibition boards prepared by the project on the Plan and further material from the Docklands Community Poster Project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | SE1 People's Plans History Walk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | On Dec 2nd 2023 a people's plan history walk was run together with the SE1 Stories group which told the history of community planning struggles and examples in the London SE1 area. The walk visited 9 locations and at each people involved at the time in community organisations and campaigns spoke about the significance of the site and the implications for the present day. Participants on the walk then met at a local community centre for a discussion nd refreshments. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://se1stories.uk/visit-locations-featured-in-the-exhibition/ |
| Description | Spaces of Hope Closing Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | On 29th November 2023 an online "Closing Event' was held for the project. This was aimed at disseminating the findings of the project to a wide audience with a view to sparking a discussion and pulling together our cases and themes. The format was short interventions by the PI plus talks from residents/activists involved in four of our case study sites, followed by a Q and A and discussion. It was publicised on Eventbrite and had over 100 signed up, of which two thirds attended. Participants also came from outside the UK. Participants fed back how much they enjoyed the event, how it had raised their awareness and knowledge of the issues and examples covered and how it had inspired them to undertake similar work on examples that they themselves have been involved in the past so they do not remain hidden. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | StoryTelling Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was an online event organised as part of the data gathering stage of the project. It involved inviting members of the steering group, people who had been interviewed as part of the project, contacts and people who responded to a general invite to an online workshop during which people were able to share their experiences of community-led planning. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| Description | Talk to event organised by the Museum of London in their series launching the Port of London Authority archives; London Port City |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Talk given by Prof Sue Brownill on 23.02.22 called Lost Landscapes of Regeneration. Given at physical and online event called Port of Steel and Sails; A Changing Landscape, part of London Port City series Museum of London, West India Quay London E14. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.museumoflondon.org.uk/museum-london-docklands/whats-on/exhibitions/london-port-city |
| Description | The Hidden Histories of Community-Led Planning; Newcastle Urban Room |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A presentation by Prof Sue Brownill at the Newcastle Urban Room on 16th November 2023 on the results of the research, followed by a discussion and debate with the audience. The Urban Room is a space dedicated to bring together academics, practitioners and members of the public to debate place making and urban issues. Therefore this was a very mixed audience. As Newcastle was not one of our case study areas it also drew in new participants to the study and a new audience for our findings. The feedback also helped us add to our examples and we have made new connections for follow-on work as a result. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Women in the Centre, Birmingham |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The event was held on Aug 5th 2023 and consisted of a women's history walk plus collaboratively produced exhibition and film screening event at Grand Unions Arts Organisation. Together these engaged people in exploring the histories of women's community-led planning in Birmingham from the 1970s to the 1990s. Based on collaborative work developed through the case study the event centred on the past and present of women's struggles to press for the places and spaces they need. It was attended by 20 members of the public plus past and present activists and generated a dialogue on the need for public spaces to meet women's needs plus ways of working and campaigning to achieve this. The event also raised awareness of what was in danger of being a lost part of the history of the regeneration of Birmingham City Centre. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.peoplesplans.org/women-in-the-centre-spaces-of-hope-walk/ |
| Description | Workshop and Exhibition, Birkenhead |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The Spaces of Hope exhibition was hosted by the Convenience Gallery, Birkenhead between 7-9 September 2023. It told the story of the Laird Building in Birkenhead which was taken over by the community in the 1980s as an example of 'planning for real'. It was attended by approximately 100 local residents, including members of the local cultural sector and local council officers. An accompanying talk and Q&A was attended by 15 members of the public. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.artinliverpool.com/events/convenience-gallery-gathering-spaces-of-hope-the-old-lairds-ar... |
| Description | Workshop on Women and Planning in Birmingham |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An in-person Spaces of Hope workshop - 'Women's Histories of Community Planning/Place-making in Birmingham', This was held in July 2022, and brought together 16 women who had campaigned for the spaces and places that women needed in the 1980s and 1990's with women and organisations involved in current community action. The workshop consisted of a variety of activities including a mapping of projects, activities and actions and a roundtable discussion of how these remarkable histories might provide useful lessons in the present day. The workshop represented the first time many of the women had been re-united since the 1990s and enabled them to reflect on their experiences and what they had achieved. The workshop noted the continuing relevance of the practices of the time especially the relationship between gender and the built environment and the role of visual representation in building campaigns. A key desire emerging from the workshop was for their stories and struggles to be captured and remembered, combatting the circularity of forgetting. As a result the project is planning to develop a women and planning history walk by bringing together current arts-based projects and the initial participants.. Another key point of discussion was the lack of BAME groups and voices both in the activities at the time and the workshop itself . As a result the project secured impact accelerator money to explore this gap using citizen researchers involved in a con temporal community planning project in Brimingham. This work is due to start in March 2023 The background to the workshop and the discussions on the day were written up as a blog on the Spaces of Hope website ( see link below). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.peoplesplans.org/putting-women-in-the-centre-womens-community-planning-in-birmingham/ |