Building Competences for Spatial Planners
Wales
Contents
Sources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . reading material/ case study
In Focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . top-level issues and questions
Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . findings from the case study
Challenges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . methodological queries
Sources
Main
The 2008 update of the Wales Spatial Plan (WSP) is presented in a single, comprehensive volume of about hundred and forty pages (EN version).
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Welsh Assembly Government (2008) People, Places, Futures: The Wales Spatial Plan, 2008 Update
http://wales.gov.uk/dpsp/wspatialplan/documents/wsp2008update/wsp2008updatee.pdf?lang=en
Complementary
The agenda for Wales (One Wales) is a top-tier document, while the Sustainable Development Scheme (SDS) of the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) is at the same level as the WSP.
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Welsh Assembly Government (2007) One Wales A progressive agenda for the government of Wales: An
agreement between the Labour and Plaid Cymru Groups in the National Assembly http://wales.gov.uk/strategy/strategies/onewales/onewalese.pdf?lang=en - Welsh Assembly Government (2009) One Wales: One Planet The Sustainable Development Scheme of the Welsh Assembly Government http://wales.gov.uk (various documents)
Related
WAG's 'departmental' strategies set the particulars for instance:
- Welsh Assembly Government (2006) A Science Policy for Wales: The Welsh Assembly Governments Strategic Vision for Sciences, Engineering and Technology http://wales.gov.uk/strategy/strategies/science2006/e.pdf?lang=en
- Welsh Assembly Government (2009) Capturing the Potential: A Green Jobs Strategy for Wales http://wales.gov.uk/docs/det/publications/090709capturingthepotentialagreenjobsstrategyforwalesenpdf
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Welsh Assembly Government (2005) Social Enterprise Strategy for Wales
http://wales.gov.uk/dsjlg/publications/communityregendevelop/socialenterprisestrategy/strategye?lang=en
Support
The Government of Wales Act (2006) and appraisal documents of the WSP.
- Government of Wales Act 2006 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/32/pdfs/ukpga_20060032_en.pdf
- TRL Limited (2008) Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment http://wales.gov.uk/ (various documents)
- TRL Limited (2008) Habitats Regulations Assessment & Appropriate Assessment http://wales.gov.uk/ (various documents)
In Focus
- What are the elements of the plan (e.g. objectives, action)?
- Which tasks were set to produce these elements?
- Which techniques were employed?
- What is described in the planning methodology?
- What is the sequence of the planning tasks?
- Which resources (HR, money, time) were used for each task?
Evidence
- The vision is clearly labelled in the document (§9); [guidance for] action is collectively defined as 'area strategies' for six geographic areas (§15-§20)
- Planning tasks, such as communicating the vision and (guidance for) action, are implicit in the WSP
- Techniques employed in the creation of the WSP are also implicit; 'non-declared' techniques for instance, employed to communicate intended outcomes are manifested through their output for instance, geographic maps
- The WSP contains general methodological notes about its production, including illustrations relating the WSP to milestone documents and processes (§1-§8)
- The WSP is chosen to deliver the priorities set out in One Wales' and the performance of the WSP will be judged against the progress it provides to One Wales (WSP, Foreword)
- The Government of Wales Act (GWA) includes provisions for spatial planning, and empowers the WSP
- The WSP has been subject to a assessment in two sets: Sustainability Appraisal and Strategic Environmental Assessment, as well as Habitats Regulations Assessment and Appropriate Assessment
Challenges
Here are some challenges that extend the 'top-level' questions:
- How can we check for internal (within the WSP) compatibility of plan elements for instance, vision and objectives, vision and strategies?
- Idem for external compatibility for instance, WSP and One Wales
- How were the 'area strategies' conceived? Which techniques were employed?
- What are the indicators to be used for judging the WSP's performance?