Peoples Plans

Peoples Plans is not merely an online archive; it is the culmination of a large-scale, multidisciplinary academic research project titled "Spaces of Hope: The Hidden History of Community-Led Planning in the UK." This project stands as a pioneering effort to write the first sustained history of community-led planning (CLP), a grassroots movement that has been active, yet largely undocumented, since the 1960s. The core ambition is to elevate the story of ordinary citizens who have challenged top-down planning systems and, through their own efforts, reshaped their neighborhoods and physical environments.

At its heart, the project operates on the belief that a rich, but often-overlooked, history of citizen activism runs parallel to the formal processes of urban and rural development. The researchers behind this initiative, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), recognized that while academic and professional literature often focuses on how communities have influenced official planning, very little attention has been given to the informal, creative, and sometimes rebellious ways people have organized to plan their own futures. This project fills that gap, revealing a tradition of democratic participation that is both inspiring and critically relevant to contemporary issues of "place-shaping" and environmental justice.

A Philosophical Framework: What is "Community-Led Planning"?

The project broadens the traditional definition of planning, treating it not just as a technical process of drawing maps and setting out land-use regulations, but as a dynamic act of self-empowerment. The website defines CLP as an array of activities that have included:

• Organized Opposition: Campaigning against unwanted developments, such as the demolition of historic buildings or the construction of new roads.
• Alternative Visions: Drawing up alternative plans for neighborhoods that were at odds with official proposals, often in collaboration with sympathetic architects and planners.
• Creative Acts of Development: Taking ownership of disused buildings, occupying vacant land, and initiating creative projects to revitalize their local areas.

This philosophical approach underpins every element of their project. Designed to show that these diverse "episodes" of community action are not isolated events but are part of a continuous, living history of resistance and resilience. The project acknowledges that while many of these initiatives were episodic and sometimes failed to achieve their ultimate goals, their efforts were critical in generating debate, building community bonds, and creating a legacy of civic engagement that continues to inspire.

Methodology: Weaving History Through Voices and Places

To tell this complex story, the project's team—a collaborative group of historians, planners, artists, and archivists—used a unique and deeply human-centered research methodology. The project's approach went far beyond simply sifting through dusty archives.

• Oral History: A cornerstone of the research involved conducting more than 50 oral history interviews with people from all corners of the UK who have been involved in community-led planning since the 1960s. These interviews provide first-hand accounts and personal reflections, ensuring that the history is not just a collection of facts but a story told in the voices of those who lived it.
• Arts-Based Research: The team used innovative and creative methods to engage with community memories. Memory walks were conducted in key locations, allowing participants to physically retrace the steps of past campaigns and share their recollections. Photo elicitation, a method that uses old photographs to prompt discussion, was also used to unlock memories and stories that might have otherwise been forgotten.
• Archival Research: The team painstakingly searched through forgotten campaign materials, personal documents, and community newsletters that were at risk of being lost. A key part of this process was to document lesser-known examples of CLP, ensuring that the history is as inclusive as possible.

This multi-pronged approach has allowed the project to build a rich tapestry of experiences, capturing the emotional, social, and political dimensions of community-led planning.

It is a powerful example of how academic research can be made more relevant and engaging by working directly with the communities it seeks to understand.

Illuminating the Past: Notable Case Studies

They have many detailed case studies that serve as a showcase for the research and bring the broader history of CLP to life. These individual stories demonstrate the diverse nature of community action across different regions of the UK.

• The People’s Plan for the Royal Docks (London): In the 1980s, after the closure of London’s docks, a battle emerged over the land’s future. While the official London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC) was pushing for a business-centric plan, local people organized to create their own People's Plan for the Royal Docks. This plan, which envisioned a different, community-focused future for the area, became one of the best-known examples of people’s plans in the UK. The project documents how this alternative vision has, over four decades, taken on a life of its own, serving as a powerful symbol of citizen power.
• Feminist Community Planning in Birmingham: This case study unearths a previously hidden history of women’s activism in Birmingham from the 1970s to the 1990s. The BfP Women's Group and other female-led campaigns actively pressured for planning to better suit the needs of women, often in response to the large-scale, post-war modernist developments that they argued were hostile to women's lives. The project highlights the creative and powerful ways these groups used to get their messages across, from writing feminist critiques of planning to organizing workshops.
• Birkenhead and "Planning for Real": This section details the work of Tony Gibson, a key figure in participatory planning, who developed the "Planning for Real" methodology. In the early 1980s, Gibson worked with residents of a depressed inner-city area of Birkenhead, using a vast 3D model of the neighborhood to empower them to take control of planning. This case study is a testament to the power of citizen-led, asset-based community development and its ability to turn local knowledge into tangible action.
• Dundee Inner City Neighbourhood Action Centre (DICNAC): In one of Dundee’s most deprived areas, a group of people involved in "Planning Aid" set up DICNAC in an empty church in 1982. The center provided communities with “technical aid” to help them develop projects and secure grants. This initiative became a hub for wider support and advice on employment and housing, leading to a highly successful home insulation service that eventually expanded nationally.

Impact, Legacy, and the Future

The legacy of the Peoples Plans project is meant to be a living one. By making these histories accessible through the website's digital Timeline, Map, and downloadable Exhibition, the project aims to serve as a vital resource for contemporary activists, community leaders, and students. The project’s final event, which brought together members from its various case studies, underscored the hope that by learning from the struggles and triumphs of the past, a new generation can be inspired to work for a more equitable and inclusive future. The project's rich content and collaborative approach ensure that the history of community-led planning, once hidden, is now a permanent and accessible source of news inspiration.