Community Engagement in Local Development Plans

Local Development Plans help shape the future of our neighbourhoods, influencing decisions regarding housing, transport, green spaces, and community facilities. Although communities are encouraged to get involved, making planning processes accessible and meaningful for a wide range of people remains a significant challenge.

Supported by Cardiff University’s Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Impact Acceleration Account (IAA), Professor Mhairi McVicar of the Welsh School of Architecture worked with Cardiff Council and community partners to explore new methods of community engagement in Local Development Plan consultations. Her research team included co-investigators Dr Neil Harries and Dr Neil Turnbull, as well as an On-Campus internship from Inanna Heslop.

By bringing together researchers, policymakers, and trusted local organisations, the project sought to strengthen participation in the planning process and ensure that a broader range of voices could help influence the future of Cardiff’s neighbourhoods.

This project demonstrates how research can help make planning processes more inclusive by strengthening collaboration between communities, local authorities, and researchers. The partnerships and approaches developed through the project continue to support conversations about how a wider range of voices can be represented in planning and placemaking.