Liverpool City Region CA – Involving People in the Spatial Development Strategy
PLACED has been delivering a series of activities and events to engage people in the development of Liverpool City Region (LCR) Combined Authority’s first Spatial Development Strategy (SDS).
In our first phase of engagement, we delivered a series of pop-up events in town centre shops and a PLACED Academy. The focus was engaging with those who would traditionally be underrepresented in planning consultation, often defined as ‘harder to reach’ groups.
In the second phase we delivered online engagement in the form of interactive workshops, a Digital Academy programme, primary school workshops, debating events and a quiz.
In the most recent phase, we delivered a series of pop-up events across the region as well as delivered a workshop with 18-24 year olds.
What we did
In Phase 3, we had over 500 people take part in our pop-up series across LCR.
We held 2 interactive pop-ups per borough across Liverpool, St. Helens, Knowsley, Wirral, Halton and Sefton in a range of different settings. Each pop up was open between 11am-4pm and was supported by an online survey hosted by LCR.
Pop-ups were fun, interactive and had all the relevant and up to date information with the most recent draft of the SDS, allowing the communities to look at simplified versions of the planning policies and offer their views.
Outcomes
These engagement events provided an opportunity for detailed, open and informative discussion which as positively received, and enabled many people to share their views on the SDS who wouldn’t engage in consultation events.
The feedback received was analysed and shared with the LCR Combined Authority in order to inform an enhanced version of the SDS.