INTRO

BIMBYBeauty In My Back Yard

BUILDING A LEGACYA Landowner’s Guide to Popular

Development

BEN BOLGARSENIOR DIRECTOR

For over 20 years, the Prince’s Foundation has been testing tools and techniques to improve placemaking and building design.

We have worked with governments internationally to improve development practice and bring communities into the heart of the process.

Our work has exposed us to over 120 projects, through which we have engaged almost 10,000 people in development projects across the UK.

OUR 2014 RESEARCH IDENTIFIED:

- The qualities that people consistently desire in places they live

- Successful engagement is needed to address local people’s concerns, and incorporate their preferences

- A need to overcome cynicism of existing consultation processes and re-affirm the value of collaboration

- Consultation must be meaningful to avoid NIMBY attitudes

EbD PROJECT EXAMPLE- Nansledan, Cornwall

• A 218 hectare urban extension to the East of Nansledan.

• PFBC held an EbD that was endorsed by the Council in 2007.

• Will take 40 years to build and will comprise 4,000 homes (30% affordable) and will include one job per household

• Commitment to use locally sourced materials including Cornish slate & granite to create a distinctive place.

EbD PROJECT EXAMPLE- Sherford, Devon

• Commissioned by the District Council to carry out an EbD (collaborative workshop) in Devon.

• Walkable neighbourhood –residents are a 5 minute walk from shopping needs.

• 5,500 new homes, a high street, four schools, shops, jobs and community facilities.

• Low-impact SUDS creating lakes.• Awarded BRE exemplar rating• Established Town Code which

ensures quality delivery of design.

BIMBY HOUSING TOOLKIT- How BIMBY came about

BIMBY is a response to

issues communities

face with the UK

Planning System, &

new powers brought by

the Localism Act.

It draws on over 20 years

of the Prince’s

Foundation’s experience in

creating harmonious,

enduring places,

facilitating engagement

and design workshops.

BIMBY is a self-help

tool that allows

communities to ‘say

yes’ to the right kind of

housing – that people

actually want.

CREATING A BIMBY MANUAL IN 3, SIMPLE STEPS

STEP 1: ‘Getting To Know Your Community’Aim: Bring people together, share local knowledge, and identify broad issues

Activities: Identify & map ‘Assets’ through a sustainable framework exercise

Mapping quality of place exercise

Identify community skill-sets

STEP 2: ‘Identifying Sensible New Areas for Homes’Aim: Assess ‘connectivity’ of neighbourhood, its identity, and opportunity areas

Activities: Identify and map neighbourhood elements such as locations of main routes,

shops, schools, community facilities etc. and assess their catchment areas.

Review and agree the’ Principles for Good Placemaking’

STEP 3: ‘Choosing Popular Local Building Types’Aim: Identify / agree character, materials and design features that

represent character of area and development

Actions: Document acceptable buildings & houses, architectural details, and building

materials.

Define the 5 Essential Qualities of Place

BIMBY PROJECT EXAMPLE- Norwich, St Mary’s Works

• Found near the historic centre and warehouse district

• Growing population and workforce. Norwich regularly comes near the top of ‘nicest’ place to live in the country.

• A conscientious developer wants to create a mixed-use development with starter homes and elderly provision & employment space.

• BIMBY helped local residents articulate style and amenities the community would like from the site.

‘Building a Legacy’ was released with the help of the CLA in 2017.

We have recognised that pressure to build up to 300,000 homes a year might lead to soulless housing estates.

One way to ‘fix our broken housing market’ is to move away from the model of ‘delivering zoned housing estates that create the need for more energy use, increase carbon emissions and foster sedentary lives’.

Creating popular developments that have strong local identities with access to all of the amenities which a society needs to function – schools, shops and public transport links has never been so important.

Roussillon ParkChichester, West Sussex.

“This scheme, designed by Ben Pentreath Ltd, consists of 254 dwellings, a community hall and a 72-bed nursing home.

The development has been highly successful with all properties to date selling off plan.”

THANK

YOU