Regional Spatial Policy for Economic Growth: Lessons from the Deployment of Collaborative Planning in Northern Ireland

Abstract

Regional spatial planning in Northern Ireland is directly linked to the transition from conflict to peace, as identified in the Belfast Agreement of 1998. Political consensus, a rare commodity, was secured in the Northern Ireland Assembly for a regional development strategy (RDS), the first spatial planning document of its kind in the UK. This paper explores the deployment of collaborative planning in creating the RDS. Given Northern Ireland's divided socio-political context, the paper seeks to ascertain the influence on meaningful policy debate and strategy-making arising from the collaborative planning approach. The paper investigates the application of collaborative planning measures in Northern Ireland through an analysis of spatial policy relating to economic development. Evidence presented in this paper suggests that socio-political cohesion was given primacy above potentially contentious physical growth patterns necessary for regional economic development, the result of an inability by institutions to grapple with troublesome issues.

Putting the ‘Community’ into Community Planning: Assessing Community Inclusion in Northern Ireland

“…In this ‘ideal speech’ situation participants are involved on equal terms in rational and constraint‐free communication in the public sphere in order to understand and reconcile hitherto conflicting claims (Healey, 2006). However as noted by Blair et al . (2007) this is not easy to operationalize in practice; these authors see deliberation as further complicating the policymaking process because it is particularly difficult to address and evaluate competing valid views and perspectives.…”

“…Maginn (2007: 28) also asserts: ‘whether premised on place, relations, or interests, communities are in a constant state of flux, uniting and fracturing over space and time’. In Northern Ireland divisions are evident even within outwardly homogeneous groups emphasizing potential difficulty for policymakers (Blair et al ., 2007). This was also apparent from the empirical data with a community worker from East Belfast stating: ‘even around here there is division, people on this side of the street don't speak to those on the other side, yet you would think Protestants from East Belfast should be united on most issues’.…”

Devolution, Community Planning and Institutional Decongestion?

“…Similar arguments can be levelled at the SCS process in England and the community plan process in Scotland (Audit Scotland, 2006;Darlow et al, 2007a). Moreover, given the history of political tensions in Northern Ireland, it will be important that any new community planning process reflects the interests of inhabitants and businesses throughout the region, rather than political benefits to specific locations or particular groups (as has been argued for general planning processes by Blair et al, 2007).…”

“…A similar picture appears to emerge in Wales and Scotland and with 'planning officers rarely getting involved in community planning' in the former area (Williams et al, 2006: 87). Interestingly, this also has implications for future community plans developed in Northern Ireland, as community planning faces considerable challenges beyond those experienced elsewhere due to the region spatially divided on an ethno-nationalist basis (Blair et al, 2007).…”

A környezeti politika fejlesztéspolitikai integráltságnak helyzete az etnikai-politikai válság után Észak-Írországban

“…A regionális fejlesztéspolitika újbóli megjelenése Észak-Írországban közvetlenül a 1998-as "kiegyezéshez" köthető. Az egyezmény egy új regionális fejlesztési stratégia (Regional Development Strategy-RDS 2025 2 ) igényét fogalmazta meg, amely végül 2001-ben a "Jövőnk formálása" (Shaping our future) című dokumentumban testesült meg (Blair et al 2007).…”