Northern Architecture - Promoting better places in the North East

Since April 2012, local communities are able to lead in the future planning of their area through the preparation of neighbourhood development plans. Whereas local authorities have led plan-making in the past, community development plans will be adopted if they receive a 50% ?yes? vote in a public referendum. This guide gives a concise summary of the process of neighbourhood planning together with suggestions for best practice.

This report evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of art, craft and design education in schools and colleges in England. It is based principally on subject inspections of 96 primary schools, 91 secondary schools and seven special schools between 2008 and 2011. This includes five visits in each phase to focus on an aspect of good practice. The report also draws on institutional inspections, 69 subject inspections in colleges, and visits to a sample of art galleries. Part A focuses on the key inspection findings in the context of the continued popularity of the subject with pupils and students. Part B considers how well the concerns about inclusion, creativity and drawing raised in Ofsted?s 2008 report, Drawing together: art, craft and design in schools, have been addressed.

The National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government?s planning policies for England and how these are expected to be applied. It sets out the Government?s requirements for the planning system only to the extent that it is relevant, proportionate and necessary to do so. It provides a framework within which local people and their accountable councils can produce their own distinctive local and neighbourhood plans, which reflect the needs and priorities of their communities.

The way we think about our living environments as we age is changing. The word ?home? no longer defines a building where older people go to end their days; it is now a place where older people go to make the most of the next phase of their lives. Older people want homes that give them independence, choice and the ability to maintain their friendships and family contacts. They do not see their homes simply as a place where they receive health or social care. The pressures on planners, commissioners and designers are huge as the ageing population increases. In recent years, the number of people aged 65 or over has risen by 2 per cent a year and the fastest-growing age group is people over 80. People who need care support generally want to stay in their own home and this is a view that carers and commissioners have come to accept. However, some people will need specially designed buildings and it is these buildings that we focus on in this publication.

This toolkit has been developed by Groundwork London as part of a Big Lottery funded project called ?No Particular Place to Go?. The project was funded over five years and aimed to empower young people to actively participate in the design of outdoor community spaces. This Facilitators Pack is intended as a guide to other practitioners wishing to undertake similar types of projects. The pack is aimed at resident involvement officers, teachers, youth workers, parks officers and anybody else who would like to engage young people in transforming and improving open spaces and would like some guidance.