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Workshops


Helping communities to learn about planning


We deliver tailored workshops on planning to community groups and residents, both online and face-to-face when possible. Do you want to know more about our training and workshop offer? Read more here


Previous workshops


Planning Aid for London - Empowering Resident Voices

 Tuesday 27 February, 6.00pm - 7.30pm

This session was for community groups and residents who want to develop the tools to help them influence decisions in their neighbourhoods

We discussed:

• The roles that Local and Central Government play in planning

• The stages of a planning application

• Examples of communities influence planning decisions and making a positive change


Planning Aid for London and Ramboll - Creating Community Led Spaces

 Tuesday 26 October, 6.00pm - 8.00pm

This session was held in partnership with Ramboll for community groups, residents’ associations, and anyone else who is interested in creating a community green space such as a garden, an orchard or community food growing.

We discussed:

• The importance and benefits of community-led green spaces in London

• What is needed to get a green space up and running

• The innovative approaches to maximise biodiversity, resilience and sustainability in urban green spaces

• How to build a community network to knowledge share and build support

You can find out more about our work with Ramboll by visiting our community-led green space map


Centring Community Voices - Newham

 Thursday 27 April, 5.45pm - 7.00pm

This session is for community groups, residents’ associations, and anyone else who is interested in getting involved in making decisions about their local area.

This workshop will give you the opportunity to discuss:

• What it is like to live in Newham

• What it will look like in the future

• What can be done to change that


Centring Community Voices - Lewisham

Wednesday 19 April, 5.45pm - 7.00pm

As Lewisham is in the second stage of Consultation for their Local Plan,  we delivered an online workshop on the basics of planning and Local Plan. We discussed:

  • How Central Government Planning, the London Plan and Local Plans feed into each other
  • The stages of a Local Plan
  • How to comment on your Local Plan
  • What you can do to have a say in the future development of Lewisham

Centring Community Voices - Haringey

Wednesday 22 March, 5.45pm - 7.00pm

This workshop was for residents, community groups in the borough of Lewisham. We discussed:

  • How Central Government Planning, the London Plan and Local Plans feed into each other
  • The stages of a Local Plan
  • How to comment on your Local Plan
  • What you can do to have a say in the future development of Lewisham

Online workshop: Planning 101 in Harrow


Together with Volunteer Action Harrow, we delivered an online workshop on the basics of planning. The workshop took place on the 7 July 2022. We discussed:

  • Harrow Council's local plan
  • How local plans feed into the London Plan
  • What your rights are as a tenant and/or resident
  • What you can do to have a say in the future development of your area

Workshop outcomes


Online workshop: Understanding and influencing future development on estates in Southwark


Together with Southwark Group of Tenants Organisation and Southwark Law Centre, we delivered an online workshop on future development on estates in Southwark. The workshop took place on the 25 March 2021. We discussed: 

  • Southwark Council's new policies for building on estates and how this might affect you
  • Which estates are likely to experience rooftop development
  • What your rights are as a tenant and/or resident
  • What you can do to have a say in future development on your estate 

Workshop outcomes

  • Following the workshop, we produced a handout that signposts where attendees can find further information. You can download the handout here.
  • We are discussing to organise a next workshop on infill development on parks and other green space. 

Online workshop: Having a say in new housing development in Thames Ward


On the 21st of April, we joined Thames Ward Community Project and residents of Thames Ward to discuss how a resident planning forum could support people have a say in new development in the area. We discussed: 

  • How new housing development such as the Barking Riverside development have affected residents in Thames Ward
  • What future development is planned for Thames Ward 
  • What people's rights are in the planning system and how they can use these
  • How a resident planning forum might work

Workshop outcomes

  • We agreed to hold a next meeting to further discuss how a resident planning forum should operate and what the priorities of the forum should be.

Online workshop: Community resilience and urban planning


In partnership with the British Red Cross Resilience Team, we delivered a workshop on planning and community resilience in Southwark. The workshop covered: 

  • The opportunities for resident engagement in the planning system.
  • Concerns about urban planning and emergencies within people's communities.
  • Potential actions and solutions that residents in Southwark can take. 

Workshop outcomes

  • Following the workshop, we produced a handout that signposts where attendees can find further information. You can download the handout here.
  • You can have a read of the workshop report here.

Online workshop: How to respond to planning applications


On the 22nd of June, we were invited by the Friends of Burgess Park and the Wells Way Triangle Residents Association to deliver a workshop on how best to respond to live planning applications. We discussed: 

  • The opportunities for resident engagement in when multiple planning proposals are put forward.
  • What materials considerations are.
  • How you can use policies in the Local Plan when preparing an objection. 

Workshop outcomes

  • The recording of our presentation is now live on our website. You can view the video here.