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Cardiff Bay has been the centre of vast development over the last ten years Photograph: Hannah Waldram/guardian.co.uk
Cardiff Bay has been the centre of vast development over the last ten years Photograph: Hannah Waldram/guardian.co.uk

Civic Society calls for council to engage with citizens over Cardiff's future

This article is more than 13 years old
Cardiff Civic Society has launched plans to debate how citizens can get involved in shaping the new Local Development Plan

Earlier this year, in an interview with the BBC for a Week In Week Out programme on development in Cardiff, leader of Cardiff Council Rodney Berman asked "And who is Cardiff Civic Society?"

Words which prompted an eruption on Twitter – and led Berman to defend his remarks via the social networking site. It was clear he did actually know who the Civic Society were – but the sarcasm in his question wasn't lost on viewers, who felt Berman showed a reluctance to consult local groups on some of the city's biggest development decisions.

Now Cardiff Civic Society are adamant when it comes to the city's future, they are very important indeed. Last night they launched a workshop for local organisations to be involved in the making of a new Local Development Plan – a document which group leaders say the city is "rudderless" without.

The 250 page document is possibly one of the most important to come from Cardiff Council – it sets out a practical plan for the city's development over the next 15 years. CCS are determined to make sure this time round the people of Cardiff have some say in the plan – and last night's meeting at The Big Sleep Hotel was the beginning of this process.

ccs ldp
Chair of CCS Peter Cox and secretary David Eggleton receive ideas on how to consult on on the new LDP Photograph: Hannah Waldram/guardian.co.uk

Chair of Cardiff Civic Society Peter Cox said:

"We are convinced local councillors and politicians still don't grasp that the LDP is the single most important document that exists for citizens to determine what the future will be like. It is not just about land use or making a map and colouring it in.

"This is not about a plan to be handed down to people. This is about a consensus."

By 23 July, local groups involved in the consultation process must respond to a four year timetable at the end of which the council must have come up with the new LDP. But CCS argue the six weeks they have been given to respond to this LDP schedule (the 'Delivery Agreement') is not long enough, and the periods of consultation about the LDP set out in the document are also unsatisfactory.

What is the LDP and what happened to the first one?

All councils in Wales are required to provide an LDP under new statutory guidance from the Welsh Assembly Government. The first Local Development Plan (LDP) for Cardiff was scrapped by WAG planning inspectors earlier this year – and Cardiff organisations were angry at the lack of consultation with local groups to form the plan.

Secretary of CCS, David Eggleton, said:

"The problem was the policies that were put together in the LDP didn't deliver.

"We want a development plan for Cardiff which enhances quality of life and the works towards the climate change agenda.

"If you do not have a master plan you end up with development by planning applications which is a constant battle where we are always put in a negative position. We don't want to be in a situation where we are constantly objecting.

"We want to take the view of the different communities in Cardiff and local at the needs and aspirations of everybody.

"If you saw the BBC programme you perhaps will see some reluctance to let us get involved. There are difficult changes to be made in Cardiff – to either build up or build out."

Ideas for citizen engagement with the plan

The civic society says the new plan must be based on evidence, and have launched a process of consultation ahead of the delivery agreement on how the plan will be put together in the next four years. Last night CCS asked local groups such as ARK Lab and RREEL to brainstorm how people in Cardiff should get involved in the new plan.

"We're trying to take a big vision view and engage with people to find out what kind of city they want Cardiff to be like in 2024," said Peter Cox.

ccs ldp
Brainstorming ways to engage citizens in the LDP Photograph: Hannah Waldram/guardian.co.uk

Ideas which came out of the workshop included:

*Making a model sized Cardiff out of hay bales and getting people to map out what they want the city to look like in Bute Park
*Making a platform for people to have a conversation about the future of Cardiff – somewhere central in the city and on the internet
*Making use of TV screens and bus screens in the city centre

CCS say the six weeks consultation period is not enough. Cox said:

"There is no reason for it being only six weeks. We don't want to prolong the process but it's taken Cardiff eight years to produce an LDP plan – and without an old one we are rudderless. The timetable set out in the delivery agreement is flawed."

How to do think the council should consult on the new Local Development Plan? Leave your comments below.

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