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COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN PLANNING - WHAT IS IT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
People can expect a high quality service that is consistent, open, fair and responsive.6. Community engagement in land use planning is about individuals and community groups having a say in the development of planning policy and the planning decisions which affect them. This means that those with responsibility for delivering planning services should ensure that everyone has the opportunity to be involved.
7. It is important to remember that 'community' can mean different things to different people. It can be a community based on location - those who live, work and otherwise use the area during the course of their everyday lives; or a group of people who share common interests, values or backgrounds. Each community will have different wants and needs that may have to be balanced against the needs of other communities.
8. It is the aim of Scottish Ministers to enhance the opportunities for people to become more involved in the land use planning of the areas in which they live. Ultimately, this involvement should help deliver better planning decisions. It will ensure that decision-making is more transparent and will rebuild trust with communities by stressing the importance of early engagement.
9. The new arrangements will make sure that the views of the community are properly listened to and will help facilitate earlier and more meaningful community engagement in planning. However, the measures alone will not achieve better community engagement. Organisational and cultural changes are also needed. Everyone involved, from members of the public and community groups, to elected members, political activists, planning officers, local authorities and applicants must examine their respective roles in the planning system and contribute towards this culture change.
10. Planning does involve difficult decisions. But what is important is that people are aware of proposals that affect them, that they have had the opportunity to be fully involved, and that having made their views known, they get clearer explanations of how and why decisions were made.
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