Community

Category Background

To ensure that the development supports a vibrant, diverse and inclusive community which integrates with surrounding communities.

‘The South West Sustainability Checklist for Developments [...] will have an important role to play in terms of helping to design more sustainable communities. Alongside this, the quality of public services such as education, health and cultural services, all need to be carefully planned in conjunction with proposals for development.’ Draft RSS, 1.6.18, p.16: ‘From local to Global: Creating Sustainable Communities in a More Sustainable Region’

Well-designed developments see community interaction as a high priority in the master planning stages. Creating social spaces and recreational facilities, such as swimming pools and cafes, breaks down barriers so that people to come together and form communities. Having a respect and pride for ones living or working space improves the desire to look after it, which is where sustainable behaviour begins.

But community respect for a development also comes from being involved in decision making, which is why the local people should be involved in every stage of the creation of a development. Developers and local planning authorities will benefit greatly in involving the community who can help them understand the needs, wants and constraints of the work. A development that pleases most will prevent objections arising in the future.

This category will address:

  • Community involvement
  • Sense of belonging and ownership
  • Sustainable behaviour
  • Public services
  • Facilities

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