Southgate District Civic Trust (SDCT) is inviting local residents to help it pilot a new approach to local planning which aims to engage local communities in determining where new housing should be built and what form it should take.
Intended to counteract the widespread "NIMBY" attitude towards new housebuilding, the "BIMBY Housing Toolkit" (BIMBY stands for Beauty in my Backyard) is a set of interactive online instructions which guide communities through a series of workshops in which they establish their requirements, identify locations for new housebuilding and specify the the types of building design that will blend into the local area. Input is required from all parties in the local community. The outcome of the process is a "BIMBY Housing Manual", which can then be used to inform local authority planning officers and housing developers.
For more details of how the toolkit works, see www.bimby.org.uk.
The toolkit has been developed by the Prince’s Foundation for Building Community. Chris Horner of SDCT was among the representatives of Civic Voice-affiliated civic societies who attended the recent launch of the BIMBY toolkit at St James' Palace.
Your invitation to take part
SDCT will be setting up an open meeting to which they are inviting all residents living in the area they cover (the former Southgate Municipal Borough, including: Cockfosters, Hadley Wood, New Southgate, Oakwood, Palmers Green, Southgate and Winchmore Hill).
If you would like to participate or find out more, please register your interest with . See also the SDCT website.